20 or 6mm I need opinions

[impalacustom]

Hello everyone let me first say I have been keeping up and reading this and a few other boards and now it is time for me to make my new rifle.
I have spoken with Todd Kindler and I am very interested and had my mind set on a 20BR. I was going to go with a BAT action and Bartlien barrel and have Wenig make me a stock. This isn't going to be used for anything but benchrest and the occasional prarie dog as I am bound to a wheelchair so weight and such isn't a matter.
Well I was reading tonight and saw that Berger is making a new 55gr 20cal bullet and this really intrigues me but it also got me to thinking maybe I should just step up and build a 6 BRX or the 6 Dasher, with the 6 I can shoot just about any bullet with the 1:8 turn barrel which would leave me open to shooting some prarie dogs with the light 65gr to the heavy 115gr. With the 20 I would be set with the 55gr bullets only if that is what I choose to load for since I would need the 1:8 turn barrel for them. I would like to have other peoples thoughts as well.
Could I expect to get about the same life expectancy out of the 20 as I could with the 6mm?
Does it bother anyone to have only one bullet to shoot or should I stay with the 20 and get a 1:11 so I can shoot the 30-40gr's?
Finally I won't be shooting F-class or anything but I would like to enter in the Cornhusker State Games 200yd Benchrest competition.
Thanks for your time and input.
Eric

[Mulerider]

Eric: welcome to the board!
Re the 1:8 twist .20; the needed twist for 55gr .20's does not necessarily limit you to that bullet, as like fast twist 6mm and .224's, lighter bullets may shoot very well (my 1:9 twist 223 Rem enjoys 45-77gr). The only "light" .20 that has a reputation for coming apart in the fast .20's is the Sierra 39gr.
Maybe some fast-twist .20 shooters will weigh in with their experience.

Greg

[Mntngoat]

I personally believe the larger diameter will last longer than the smaller ones.
I wouldn't want to build a rifle around just the 55 grain berger, but would pick a 9 or 10 twist to have a larger variety of bullets. You will probably find like many of us have that the LW bullets just as well in the fast twist barrels assuming you don't spin them so fast to shred their jackets.

If you intend to shoot BR I'd select a 10 twist .20 PPC or .20 Beggs shoot the 40's and show the 6mm shooters that a .20 can compete.

ML

[Alycidon]

I shoot 6PPC, very accurate, I use it for everything from deer to magpies and crows. I have in build a 20BR 1 in 9 twist throated for the Berger 50 gr which should be a nice fox rifle/varmint rifle. Probably wont be quite as accurate as the PPC though. Your Mr Kindler tells me it will reach a mighty long way though.

Sounds like you will predominantly shoot paper. I would look at what is producing the winners in BR comps, over here that is the PPC up to 300 yards and the 6BR or its cousins 6 dasher etc up to 600 yards. The only mistake I made with mine was to go 1 in 14, I wish I had gone 1 in 12 for the 80 odd grain Sierra bullets for deer.

A

[Stormbringer]

If you plan on doing much of any Benchrest shooting it is not even a question for me. Go with the 6mmPPC or 6mmBR. Of the two I would likely opt for the 6mmBr since it will work a little better for the varmints (more velocity).

My 20BR is a great little varmint gun but it is in no way a 100-200 yard BR gun. The bolt face for the BR would allow for easy barrel swaps for other barrels like a 22 BR, 22-250, 243, etc. You would not have this ability with the PPC family.

Mike.

[impalacustom]

Thanks for the replies and help guys. I have decided to go with the 20. I was thinking about the dasher since the bolt face is off of a 6mm and this would make it me able to change barrels and keep my action if I ever did move up to the 6mm.
I have read the forums and seen that Montdoug and Mntngoat have made the 20 Dasher and seem pretty happy with them.
Here is my other question and maybe it should go in the discusion board but I figured I won't clog up the forums with too many questions in too many places.
When your forming your 20 Dasher are you just necking the 6mm down to 224 creating the false shoulder and then fire forming it? or are you neck turning and then fire forming?
I talked to Greg Tannel who told me he has the reamer for the 20 Dasher and he told me I would need to send in a cartridge with the bullet seated where I wanted it so he could get the throat and freebore correct for my cartridge.
Final question, I would like to do a no neck turn of .224 so am I right in thinking that to make this all i need to do is get a 6mm full length sizing die and change the bushings to get my neck to .224 and then fire form? and then just reload normally after formed.
Sorry for all the ramblings and questions but I have never made or reloaded a custom caliber, just reloading your standard "wal-mart" calibers for too long and want something different.
Thanks again.
Eric

[Mntngoat]

When your forming your 20 Dasher are you just necking the 6mm down to 224 creating the false shoulder and then fire forming it?
Eric

Eric this is how I formed my brass. Shooting the 50's out of my 9 twist, even the FF loads were surprisingly accurate. I have a no turn neck on my Dasher.

ML

[Alycidon]

Please keep us updated as to how it shoots when finished.

A

[impalacustom]

Will do, Alycidon, I think I have it all figured out now with the help of Alberta Al. I have the parts ordered but now it is hurry up and wait. 5 months for the action and 4-6 for the barrel. Then off to the gunsmith.
Thanks for all the input guys I appreciate it.
Eric

[Alycidon]

No problem.

A