Tactical 20

[eleaf]

Does anyone here shot the Tactical 20 round? I am smitten by small calibers (17 and 20), and ballistically speaking this is as good as it gets (yes, even better than the 204 Ruger). I spoke this morning with Todd, the inventor of the Tactical 20 as well as various other 17 and 20 caliber wildcat rounds, and he claims that there are loads for the Tac 20 that not only are very capable of reaching 1000 yards, but of killing coyote at that range.

There are 2 problems however:

1) Only 2 factories chamber in Tac 20 (Dakota Arms, which can hardly be called "factory" rifles, and one other that I forget),

and

2) There is NO factory ammo for this round. Hendershots will custom make loads for a "reasonable price" ($35-$40 per 20 rounds).

Fortunately, there are proper dies and brass so I wouldn't have to form my own, and reloading would be as easy as loading for any other (except that I wouldn't have a factory load to mimic/copy/with which to compare).

I'm just looking for anyone with experience with this round.

I was about to pull the trigger on a Dakota Arms today for $2300 (believe me, that's a good deal for the rifle), but I wanted a faster twist than the one Hendershots has (it's a 1:12, whereas I'm looking for a 1:9 to stabilize some of the larger .204 bullets), though I'll likely have one built.

 

[Bluejazz]

Re: Tactical 20

I BOUGHT SOME 20 TAC LAPUA BRASS WITH THE INTENTION OF BUILDING ONE. BUT DECIDED A 204 RUGER WAS A BETTER WAY TO GO. ESPECIALLY IF YOU EVER WANT TO SELL IT YOU WILL HAVE AN EASIER TIME MOVING THE 204.

 

[eleaf]

Re: Tactical 20

I'm not concerned about resale, and even then it is definitely resellable if one looks in the right circles (this board is not the right circles for that kind of round). My problem is that I can't find anyone who wants to get rid of one!

My only option is to either spend a good chunk of change and buy a Dakota Arms that I would be settling for (slow twist), or a shitload on a custom.

 

[Bluejazz]

Re: Tactical 20

NOT TO DICOURAGE YOU, BUT HOW MUCH MORE WILL IT COST YOU TO GET INTO A 20 TACTICAL, AND HOW MUCH ARE YOU GAINING OVER SAY A 204?
I DO NOT KNOW, BUT THESE ARE QUESTIONS I WOULD BE AKING MYSELF.

 

[Scarlett_Red]

Re: Tactical 20

I am in the process of building a 22" 20tac on an ar15 platform. There is a fantastic rifle builder named Mike Milli of Dedicated Technology up in Bemidji,MN that chambers this round. He actually talked me into it over the 204ruger(better in ar's). I don't know if he would do you a bolt action barrel as he specializes in precision ARs. I would think there are plenty of gunsmiths that would chamber it. As far as 1000yd kills on coyotes I think that be a bit of a stretch. Those bullets are light. I had my barrel rifled with a 1x10 twist to handle up to 40g. HSM in stevensville MT sells commercial ammo in four different bullet types and is priced the same as .223. sold in 50rd boxes. Dakota arms I think sells it too but at $3/round. Yeah right!. I am going to buy HSM once it is built. Another option could be to buy a rifle chambered in 204 ruger and have a good smith shorten the barrel a bit to rechamber it in 20tac. That would be cheapest.

 

[skinnj1]

Re: Tactical 20

elaf-

If you have not invested in dies/reamers/headspace gauges yet for a 20 tactical, I reccomend that you look at the 20 practical (.223 necked to 20)not much difference between the two other than the price of brass. It is extremely easy to load,and if you already have a 223 bushing size die you are half the way there in that department...

Personally I do not have a use for a 20 cal but have made a 20 practical upper for a friend who seems very happy. I'll have to check but I think he is getting 4100 with thirtysomething gr. sierras. Different strokes.......

It would not be my first choice for a 1000, especially live targets, look at the bc's

 

[eleaf]

Re: Tactical 20

I too question its effectiveness on yotes (or anything for that matter) with a bullet that small, and it wouldn't be my first (or second, 3rd, 4th, etc) at 1000 yards, but it is possible to hit steel at that range with those little pills. I'm just relaying from the man who made the cartridge that he has seen it (whether it's true or not, I don't know).

Part of my reasoning for wanting it over a .204 is the fact that it is rare and niche.

There are plenty of gunsmiths that would chamber the round in a custom rifle, or rechamber a rifle if I sent them a rifle, I'm just trying to get in to something a bit less expensive before plunging in to a major financial obligation. There are a couple of REALLY nice Coopers on Gun Broker for a decent price (~$1600), and I'm thinking about them pretty hard.

Thanks guys.

Enjoy that AR. I bet she'll be fun!

 

[ORD]

Re: Tactical 20

The Tac 20 is VERY effective on coyote and similarly-sized game within a reasonable range. I don't know that I would use the Tac 20 on smaller game unless you are just looking for the "red mist" effect upon impact. See here for some yote hunting results with the Tac 20 (WARNING...graphic photos that may not be work/kid friendly):

http://www.varminter.com/particles/20tact.htm

I think that 1,000yds is a bit much to ask for hunting with this round although hitting steel may be possible! Even with a bullet leaving the muzzle at almost 4,000fps...it still only has a BC of approx. 0.275 to 0.287 depending on which bullet you settle on, and by the time it hits 1,000, you have wind-drift issues, and energy issues making a shot at that distance really tough!! My guess is that you'll have less than 100 ft/lbs of energy to get the job done once the bullet reaches its target. Again, no practical experience with this round, but on paper, it looks like it would be hell on wheels out to 4-500yds for coyote-sized game.

As for other sources for a rifle...you may check out Cooper, but I am betting your price will be approx. the same as with Dakota.

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing!!

 

[McKinneyMike]

Re: Tactical 20

Why not just buy a nice Savage and install a pre-fit barrel in Tac-20? Shilen can provide a Tac 20 pre-fit barrel for less than $300.00 ready to be installed by you.

Barrel changes are easy and the results speak for themselves. No need for a smith to provide an incredibly great shooting firearm of your personal choice. Plus if you tire of the Tac-20, swap barrels! No brainer to me

 

[knockemdown]

Re: Tactical 20

I also have a .20TAC in an AR platform (DTECH) and use it for coyotes and occasionally prairie dogs. The reason for choosing the .20TAC over a .204 for the AR is the more reliable feed & function afforded by it over the .204 due to it's case dimensions. And the fact that you can make .20TAC brass from the ever abundant .223 parent case. Performance wise, they are neck & neck...

As for terminal range for the .20TAC? Furthest I killed one with it was 425yds with a 40Berger. That range is about a far as I'd like to use it for coyotes. The beauty of the .20TAC for coyotes is the great "hold on fur" point blank ballistics out to 300yds with minimal pelt damage. Most called coyotes are well within this range, so in that regard, the .20TAC is a super choice. Any further than 400yds, and I'll be grabbin' something that retains more downrange energy...

My 22", 10 twist barrel launchs the 40s at 3900 and the 35Bergers at 4015fps. IMHO, the 35s are great to about 325yds for killin' coyotes, where the 40s will carry the punch a little further out.
Whacked several p-dogs with the 35s out past 600yds, but definitely wouldn't consider the .20TAC much past 400yds as a <span style="font-style: italic">reliable</span> coyote killer. All around, a great caliber though!

 

[eleaf]

Re: Tactical 20

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: McKinneyMike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Why not just buy a nice Savage and install a pre-fit barrel in Tac-20? Shilen can provide a Tac 20 pre-fit barrel for less than $300.00 ready to be installed by you.

Barrel changes are easy and the results speak for themselves. No need for a smith to provide an incredibly great shooting firearm of your personal choice. Plus if you tire of the Tac-20, swap barrels! No brainer to me

</div></div>

Tell me more.

Buy Savage in .204. Buy Shilen barrel in Tac 20. Switch barrels?

That's it? No need for rechambering or anything fancy?

I didn't know it was that easy to repurpose a rifle to another caliber.