Which 17?

Varminting and vertebrate pest control. Small game, hunting feral goats, foxes, dogs, cats, rabbits etc.

Which 17?

Post by andym79 » 20 Oct 2017, 5:42 pm

Hi guys, I am thinking of getting a 17 calibre centrefire for foxes to do minimal damage to pelts, I intend on doing shooting under 200 metres.

Which of these would you go for 17 hornet, 17-218 bee or 17-222? The 17 hornet will work out the cheapest be the most available and having the cheapest dies and components plus maybe being able to get loaded ammo, not that I do. The 17-222 will of course be able to reach out the furthest, and components are off the shelf, dies cost a bit more. I suspect the bee would be the best in power level, in between, I have some bee brass so am not worried about that but the dies cost top dollar.

I would like to hear from those who have experience with any or all of these.

Thanks
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Re: Which 17?

Post by Grizzle » 20 Oct 2017, 5:48 pm

I had the same conflict. Finally settled for a Tikka T3 in 204 Ruger. A little more punch, and factory ammo is cheaper. I did have a .17 Remington 30 odd years ago and it was an AWSOME fox buster. I don't use enough ammo to justify reloading, so it would be your call, but have a look at a .204.
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Re: Which 17?

Post by andym79 » 20 Oct 2017, 5:56 pm

The 204 rugger and the 17 Remington are the 222 rem mag neck down?

What do you shot out of the 204, a 32 grainer?

Is the 20 or 25 grain the go in a 17?
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Re: Which 17?

Post by Grizzle » 20 Oct 2017, 6:04 pm

I use L&B 32 grn, my Tikka loves them. It would depend on which rifle & what it shoots best.
Ruger Precision Rimfire .22
Henry .22WMR Lever
Ruger American .17HMR
Fabarm Gamma Lux 32" 12g O/U
1945 Lithgow SMLE .303
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Anschutz Match 54 .22 S/S Target
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Re: Which 17?

Post by Grizzle » 20 Oct 2017, 6:12 pm

Sorry, forgot to attach picture.
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Ruger Precision Rimfire .22
Henry .22WMR Lever
Ruger American .17HMR
Fabarm Gamma Lux 32" 12g O/U
1945 Lithgow SMLE .303
Tikka T3 204
Browning A-Bolt 30.06
Anschutz Match 54 .22 S/S Target
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Re: Which 17?

Post by Tripod » 20 Oct 2017, 6:12 pm

17-223 is how I went and cases are piss easy to make and you don't spend half your time looking for where the empty case went. Think my local may have a set of dies, I can check if you want.
What action?
If those Bee cases are 218 I will be interested.
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Re: Which 17?

Post by marksman » 20 Oct 2017, 7:38 pm

I have 2 x 17 ackley hornets, one for my son, they are great out to a bit more than 200
honestly every thing the 17-bee or 17-222 will do the 17 hornet will do, there is your answer
there is one thing about the 17 hornet though the hornady brass is crap, very inconsistent
I have recently had to help a couple of mates make some cases up for there 17 hornets out of 22 hornet cases
it's no different than making them for the 17 ackley, the results were better way less flyers but you could cull the crap ones out of the hornady cases
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Re: Which 17?

Post by andym79 » 20 Oct 2017, 7:47 pm

marksman wrote:I have 2 x 17 ackley hornets, one for my son, they are great out to a bit more than 200
honestly every thing the 17-bee or 17-222 will do the 17 hornet will do, there is your answer
there is one thing about the 17 hornet though the hornady brass is crap, very inconsistent
I have recently had to help a couple of mates make some cases up for there 17 hornets out of 22 hornet cases
it's no different than making them for the 17 ackley, the results were better way less flyers but you could cull the crap ones out of the hornady cases


Thanks for the reply. Really the Hornaday brass is poor for what the charge it should be good. Though I have not found it any better than starline which cost a fair bit less.
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Re: Which 17?

Post by marksman » 20 Oct 2017, 7:48 pm

I forgot to say that they are that good for fox skins that you shoot them in the chest and have to skin it to find the hole,
when you pick a 17 hornet shot fox up it feels like a bag full of broken egg shells with no exit wound
accuracy is brilliant, first firing photos attached, in red 10 x fire forming loads and a 3 shot group on a light load that shoots dead on hold out to 200
Image
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Re: Which 17?

Post by MalleeFarmer » 20 Oct 2017, 7:52 pm

If you’re set on a .17 i’d go with the .17 remington and just buy .204 cases and neck them down and fireform them this would be cheap and brass is available everywhere. But id just go with .204 then you needent do any necking down or anything all reloading components are readily available and well priced its not a finicky cartrige to load for and its awesome fox medicine.
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Re: Which 17?

Post by bladeracer » 20 Oct 2017, 8:00 pm

andym79 wrote:Hi guys, I am thinking of getting a 17 calibre centrefire for foxes to do minimal damage to pelts, I intend on doing shooting under 200 metres.

Which of these would you go for 17 hornet, 17-218 bee or 17-222? The 17 hornet will work out the cheapest be the most available and having the cheapest dies and components plus maybe being able to get loaded ammo, not that I do. The 17-222 will of course be able to reach out the furthest, and components are off the shelf, dies cost a bit more. I suspect the bee would be the best in power level, in between, I have some bee brass so am not worried about that but the dies cost top dollar.

I would like to hear from those who have experience with any or all of these.

Thanks


I've been thinking of getting a .17 Hornet myself, just because I don't have any .17's yet. I have the .204 so I don't need it for any particular animal. The thing that puts me off though is reading people that have had trouble getting accuracy out of .17 Hornets. I knew a pair of professional fox shooters when I was a kid, they used the .17Rem which is why I got the .204 Ruger. I use the 24gn at longer ranges and low-velocity 32gn in close, when I don't need the velocity or the throat erosion.
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Re: Which 17?

Post by andym79 » 20 Oct 2017, 8:07 pm

marksman wrote:I forgot to say that they are that good for fox skins that you shoot them in the chest and have to skin it to find the hole,
when you pick a 17 hornet shot fox up it feels like a bag full of broken egg shells with no exit wound
accuracy is brilliant, first firing photos attached, in red 10 x fire forming loads and a 3 shot group on a light load that shoots dead on hold out to 200
Image


It can shoot then do you use 20 or 25 grain bullets?

Whats the powder of choice 07 or 19?
Last edited by andym79 on 20 Oct 2017, 8:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Which 17?

Post by marksman » 20 Oct 2017, 8:16 pm

25 grain hollow point projectiles, adi 2207 and rem 7.5 primer, form loads were adi 2205
I am about to pick up one of my 17 ackley's with a new tube, the old barrel was nearly a smooth bore but shot 5 shots into a 5 cent piece at 200
I guestimate the old barrel put at least 10,000 shots through her, the smith asked why I was rebarreling it after seeing a recent target
my answer was "I have a new barrel", I have also not seen a 17 hornet that will not shoot, my mates do shoot better with more consistent brass
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Re: Which 17?

Post by andym79 » 20 Oct 2017, 8:24 pm

What make was your old barrel and whats your new one?

I have been using a mix of barrels with mixed results. I am crossing over into premium barrels for some projects next year I hope those Kriegers are worth the cash, though they don't make a 17.
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Re: Which 17?

Post by marksman » 20 Oct 2017, 8:37 pm

the old one was a Douglas and the new one on both my boys and my 17 are Shilen, my smith likes them as they machine very consistently
I had the Shilen barrels brought out by my daughter before the laws changed, I dont think they are the best but I'm very happy with them
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Re: Which 17?

Post by Ralyant » 04 Dec 2020, 9:56 pm

Im pretty keen on a 17 also. Had a 17WSM Volquartsen on order. but discontinued before they released them, Im kind of glad they did as ill go a centerfire option now.
Im not overly happy with the 17 hornet factory options and it seems a custom 17 horny build is not so easy. So im looking at options like a 17 Fireball or Viper.
I like the idea of a 10g slower charge load with good barrel life. But the option for 4000fps loads wit 18+ grain charges.
Anyone here had experience with either of these?
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Re: Which 17?

Post by SCJ429 » 18 Dec 2020, 6:54 am

Ralyant wrote:Im pretty keen on a 17 also. Had a 17WSM Volquartsen on order. but discontinued before they released them, Im kind of glad they did as ill go a centerfire option now.
Im not overly happy with the 17 hornet factory options and it seems a custom 17 horny build is not so easy. So im looking at options like a 17 Fireball or Viper.
I like the idea of a 10g slower charge load with good barrel life. But the option for 4000fps loads wit 18+ grain charges.
Anyone here had experience with either of these?

Why is a Custom 17 not so easy? Do you have a smith who you can bounce your ideas off? Your best result will come from a quality barrel fitted and chambered by a guy who knows what he is doing.
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