Savage 17 hornet questions.

[ratpaker]

Just picking your collective knowledge if I may?
I recently picked up a new 17 hornet savage model 25.
Took it to the range on Monday and found that when shooting with z cold bore it would throw a flier low and left by a few inches at 100 meters and then all shots would group reasonably well.
Cleaned the bore again and then switched to 25 grain projectiles ( was using hornady 20 grain beforehand) and the problem seemed to have gone?
So I sighted in with the 25s and hopefully it's all good.
My question is...the barrel had fired maybe 60 rounds at this point, did the barrel need running in?
Possible copper fouling problem?
I'm happy to shoot the 25 grain stuff but it has me wondering...

[Stix]

Hi rp...

Well what happens when you shoot the 20gn ammo now/since its cleaned & grouping with other ammo...?

[ratpaker]

I didn't get a chance to go back to the 20 grain as I was running out of time and wind was building up.
More testing soon I hope.

[SCJ429]

Have you had a look down the muzzle of the barrel after cleaning the carbon out and can you see streaks of copper? What copper solvent are you using and are the patches coming out blue when you clean it with this stuff?

[ratpaker]

Didn't see copper residue, I usually use sweets as a bore solvent followed by Windex to clean all traces of the solvent out then dry patches.
I suppose my real question is can a new barrel perform like this and then settle in with 60 rounds down range?
S few other rifles I own needed to be seasoned before shooting well.

[SCJ429]

Cold bore shot is often low, once you get some carbon up the barrel they should settle down to your zero point.

Depending on the quality of your barrel it could take 20 to 200 shots for your barrel to be run in.

Patch your barrel out for carbon and then use the Sweets to remove copper fouling.

Have fun with your new Hornet, cool little round.

[marksman]

ratpaker, you have already got good advice ect...
what l will say is that the savage barrels can be very very good barrels, l would suggest if your barrel is clean push a clean tight patch through the bore to see if there is any anomalies in the bore, if it is just a smooth push the same all the way till the muzzle you have a very good barrel, if you have a smooth then like a gritty feel give it a light polish and look after it, from what you have written l would say you have a good barrel
it is normal to have the first shot shoot a bit out of the group from a cold clean barrel, sometimes its takes a few shots before the barrel will settle down

[ratpaker]

Thanks guys, I will test more when this weather improves.
The rifle shoots the 25 grain pretty well for factory ammo, target is from 100 meters...red dot is less than an inch.

[Maxjon]

Hmmm I'm tempted to buy one of these.....

[Bill]

what the consensus on the reloading dies for the 17 Hornet ? anyone brand 1 should avoid ?

[Maxjon]

Buy Australian, buy Simplex!

[ratpaker]

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Still shooting this..well I will be again after lockdown finishes!
So impressed my son has just bought one the same...
Mine has knocked many a fox...dammed good performance!

[Stix]

Good stuff ratpacker...!!

Using factory ammo...?
And what sort of ranges you hitting them at with the jornet mate...?

Oh..also...
No need to be greedy is there... ...you cant look through 2 of those lookie through night time thingo's...so best send me one i thinks... mate...

[Bill]

Some good shooting there ratpack, I'm keen to take mine out for a run

[marksman]

a bit more on the complete setup would be good ratpaker but well done

[Maxjon]

It's a cool little round, and gun. Good entry into the most efficient 17 available. Might have to get one, when we are alowed

[ratpaker]

Ok, full set up is a savage model 25 walking varmint thumbhole stock, the non thumbhole one is for my left handed shooting mate, David.
Im using the 25 grain Hornady factory rounds, bought a few boxes as they are discontinued and my rifle prefers the 25 grain hollow points to the commonly available 20 grain stuff, mind you, Davids rifle shoots so well using Winchester 20 grain (ragged hole 5 shot groups at 100 meters) so its luck of the draw.
Most shots I take are in the 100 to 150 range mark, more about the terrain I shoot on than limiting myself, on an open ground, I would be confident at 180 to 200 if the wind was down.
The scopes we are using are pard 008, dedicated night vision, mine is the LRF (laser range finder) model, Daves is the std version, there is a 300 dollar difference between them. They also work surprisingly well in daytime too.
Along with a good mate, Paul, we import and sell the pard units into Australia under the spectra tactical business name.
Currently using a SA35 pard thermal as a spotter and loving it, sneaky buggers don't stand a chance!
Unfortunately at the moment, getting stuff out of china (where Pard is made) is bloody near impossible but as soon as we can, we will re-stock.
Aussie dollar is in the toilet too but we are hoping we can continue our old pricing if it recovers a bit more soon.

[ratpaker]

https://youtu.be/hnGimHeyleM
170 meters on this fox.
My mate shot it using his savage 17 hornet and pard 008.
I filmed it standing beside him using my pard 008lrf.

[ratpaker]

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215 meters with the 17 hornet and pard 008lrf night vision last night

[marksman]

nice work there ratpacker