204 Valkyrie?

Not any reason too. Case capacity is 1/2 grain of water over a common 5.56 case. If you limit it to 55,000 PSI as per SAMMI, a 20 Practical will run faster, while using a standard size bolt and magazine.
I did a 20x6.8 and the only way I could get better performance was with a bolt gun. Using it in an AR was a little rough on the brass. The bright point of the 20x6.8 was with 55 grain VLD's. It pushes them right at 3550 FPS with a 26" barrel.
 
If I recall my 24 inch 10 twist 20 prac is running 40 grain Bergers just a shade over 3,800 with 8208 if my Caldwell chronograph is working properly. That seems like a really cheap way to push 20 cal bullets. Sad part is I have nothing to push them at lol.
 
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Originally Posted By: R Johnson Not any reason too. Case capacity is 1/2 grain of water over a common 5.56 case. If you limit it to 55,000 PSI as per SAMMI, a 20 Practical will run faster, while using a standard size bolt and magazine.
I did a 20x6.8 and the only way I could get better performance was with a bolt gun. Using it in an AR was a little rough on the brass. The bright point of the 20x6.8 was with 55 grain VLD's. It pushes them right at 3550 FPS with a 26" barrel.

I think youre spot on, I piled a bunch of money into designing a 204 based off the 6.8spc also and wasnt real happy with the velocities I was getting compared to smaller cartridges. Although I was also using the heaviest of bullets at the time (50gr bergers if i remember right)
At the time I only had access to an 11 twist or 9 twist and the 9 twist would foul rather quickly with 32gr bullets. I was thinking about revisiting it again since I still have the reamers and dies but this time with an 11 twist barrel for the smaller bullets.
13 years ago I had access to only 6.8spc brass and had several steps in forming brass and a real PITA to build. Now though it would be a simple process to one step forming from 224 Valkyrie brass.
I know it isnt efficient but since Ive already invested????
What do you think? 32gr bullets from a 22" barrel for a walk about varmint rifle or pursue another 22 cal?
 
I have a NIB 20X6.8 for an AR and a Savage barrel I have not shot. That being said I have data on the 20 LBC, 6.5 necked down, that I have shot quite a bit and it runs 100-175 FPS faster in a 24" barrel over the 24-25" CZ 204s I shoot. It does take some work to get there. My 20" 20 LBC is equivalent to a 25" CZ 204. With the extra 4" on my other AR the extra speed. shows up quickly. In the 20" LBC I got 3343 with the Berger 55's.

The 20X6.8 will have a tiny bit less speed than the LBC but with the extra pressure on tap they are ballistic ally identical. A 20 Valkyrie will have approximately 91% of the case capacity of a 20X6.8 and only 85% of the 20 LBC. The difference between a 20X6.8 and a 20 LBC will show about 7.2% more capacity for the Grendel based case.

A thinking man will do a 20 Practical and load it to NATO pressures and run right side by side with a Valkyrie variant. Much cheaper to load for and barrels are readily available.

OUTLAW: IMHO the 32's should run between 4050 and 4150 in a 22" tube based on my LBC data. My 20 TAC and Prac do that in a 24" tube.

Greg
 
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Before I buy another barrel I think Ill set this 9 twist barrel back a quarter inch and re chamber it but this time I think Ill short chamber it by .100 and crunch my brass back to fit then trim to length minus .100. I think I had only 500 rounds down it before taking it off.
Maybe that will help me decide weather to buy a 11 or 12 twist barrel to continue on with.

Im really admiring that 204 practical. That would involve all new tooling to get me up and running though.
 
Is Berger still making the 55gr bullets? I still have a few 50gr bergers but not seeing them listed on their web site either.
So my version of the 204 valkyrie holds 31.7gr of water and Im getting 3800fps with the 40gr noslers so far, I think it will top out around 3900 with flat primers and a stiff load of CFE223.
I have new brass backordered and the brass Im using right now is getting work hardened so Im hoping accuracy improves from half inch average when I get the new brass.
Are you guys using 32gr bullets for coyotes or just vermon? Im thinking I could touch 4200fps with 32gr bullets? Im thinking they might splash on a coyote though?
 
I have, and just got back from prairie dog shooting. I'm running 26 grains of benchmark and 40vmax. I hit 3950 but backed it down to 3900 flat. Sure, a 204R is a great cartridge but I had so much Valkyrie stuff, and my bighorn allowed me to bolt swap, it wasn't a big deal. Plus, I don't foresee Valkyrie brass becoming hard to find as it's intended use was in AR platforms so getting more should be easy enough.
 
Originally Posted By: Travis224I have, and just got back from prairie dog shooting. I'm running 26 grains of benchmark and 40vmax. I hit 3950 but backed it down to 3900 flat. Sure, a 204R is a great cartridge but I had so much Valkyrie stuff, and my bighorn allowed me to bolt swap, it wasn't a big deal. Plus, I don't foresee Valkyrie brass becoming hard to find as it's intended use was in AR platforms so getting more should be easy enough.

I just got back from shooting prairie dogs too. Scouting a new location, wasnt as good as some Ive been to but still killed plenty of poodles.
As far as finding Valkyrie brass, Starline is back ordered, Ive got an order in at Midway right now for another 200 pieces, Hope they get some soon. Dont want remington federal or Hornady brass so Ill wait for starline to fill the order.
Ive had A 204R and didnt really blow my hair back. Im thinking a 204 practical/tactical some day maybe but we'll see. My bud with a 223AI was just as impressive as my .204 and seemed more stable in mild winds at range. Ive got 5 223AIs and am just looking for something different I think.
My rifle is a 22" 9 twist. Likely the reason Im not getting quite the same velocity your getting.
 
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