AusVarmint

So, I have decided I want to build a 20 Prac. Its not because I need to, but because I want to. I will use this for spotlighting foxes and splattering the odd rabbit.

I have a 7 year old Rem SPS Varmint in 204 that I will likely use as the donor action. The barrel still shoots (average groups are around/normally just under the 1 moa range with rather mild handloads).

My initial plans are to have the action trued, maybe some bolt flutes for looks, a new bolt knob, and a new barrel finished off around 22" in a medium-ish profile (maybe no.6 or a med palma).

Or should I stick with a standard 204 chambering in a new barrel? I have the dies and brass already (2-300 twice/three time fired hornady stuff)... but i really want it to mag fed.

Who would be the best `smith/s to talk to for such a job?

mate and I done a 20 prac each I put a remington 204 barrel in a sako and my mate bought a complete Remington 204 and we set it back to 20 prac if you build a 20 prac you want be dissapointed

Why does your 204 not mag feed? Why load it mild. Every 204 I've ever heard of shoots best stoked up going flat out. Moa is not accurate for a 204

trevort wrote: Moa is not accurate for a 204

Its probably had more bullets down its throat than you have had diddley dee tatters down yours Trev, could be one of the reasons.

r_j_t1982 wrote:So, I have decided I want to build a 20 Prac. Its not because I need to, but because I want to. I will use this for spotlighting foxes and splattering the odd rabbit.

I have a 7 year old Rem SPS Varmint in 204 that I will likely use as the donor action. The barrel still shoots (average groups are around/normally just under the 1 moa range with rather mild handloads).

My initial plans are to have the action trued, maybe some bolt flutes for looks, a new bolt knob, and a new barrel finished off around 22" in a medium-ish profile (maybe no.6 or a med palma).

Or should I stick with a standard 204 chambering in a new barrel? I have the dies and brass already (2-300 twice/three time fired hornady stuff)... but i really want it to mag fed.

Who would be the best `smith/s to talk to for such a job?

I'd be tempted to just to another 204R chambering, but the wild cat lover in my says, what the hell, go for the 20Prac. Plenty of gunsmiths would have a reamer for the job, could give you a number for a bloke up here who would do the job for you if you cant find anything closer.

Reckon a number 4 profile barrel is pretty good sompromise. Just make sure its a quality barrel from one of the better makers.

i would recommend Luke Easter if you feel like a drive to traralgon.

If you go Prac make sure you find some re10X

I have weighed my current setup and the rifle w/ scope & bipod, unloaded, is approx 6.2-6.3 kg. This is 13.5-14 lb in the old style. I would ideally like to shave a Kilo or so off in weight.

Using the Border barrels calculator and profiles from both Borders and Benchmark I estimate my current barrel is between 2.1 and 2.2kg. If I were to have this same profile, cut to 24" and fluted I could drop barrel weight to around 1.55 kg. A Benchmark number 5 finished at 24" with no flutes would come in at 1.67 kg.

As for Chambering, Monday I managed to get to speak to a bloke running the MDT polymer mags with a .204, and there is no issue there, heaps of room, where as I was worried about the 204 not being compatible with some 223 mags. So yeah I'll stick with .204r easy to get hold of everything from reamers through to dies

Stock: I really want a vertical grip type stock, its just what I'm comfortable with. At the moment I use a Choate Tactical which is about 1.7 kg. I was really interested in the Manners EH1, t2 or t6 stocks (with MCS DBM), but the costs for those are $1700 -1800 AUD. They are light though, the EH1 is only 0.8 kg. I could spend maybe $1000 on a good stock with metal bedding but not THAT much.

Any suggestions for Stock options? I do want to use a detachable mag. but I dont really want the weight of a chassis system.



BTW.
Its not that the rifle isn't accurate, Its just that I always count the pulled shots, the fliers etc too when I talk about being an average around under moa probably around 3/4" all told.

My loads are 27.9gr of 8208 driving a 32gr zmax with rem 7.5 primers. It would have almost 1000 rounds through it by this stage I think, I have had it for 7.5 years since new.

Here's 2 groups I knocked out last weekend whilst fiddling around at Eagle Park on Monday. The wind was a real PIA, and I was having problems with the scope (windage adjustments affecting the vertical). If for instance I dialled in the needed 6 clicks (3/4" @ 1/8 click value) of left windage it would drop POI by 3/4" and the horizontal might move by 1-1.5". Hopefully I have some good weather (and time) this weekend and can try a box test to check the scope is alright.




These were the only three shot groups I fired (I normally don't count any groups less than 5 shots), as I was in a hurry to get the scope dialled in and only shooting 2 then adjusting... In the end I just used hold off, my only intention for the day was to shoot holes in a few coins for my son's interest.

Groups measured centre to centre.

So why do you want to fiddle with this thing again? Looks like it's working better than moa

Yeah, Im with you Trev, that thing shoots well enough, especially as you say the wind was a bitch. Maybe thing of just a re-chamber to freshen up the throat a bit, a re-crown while its out would hurt either.