Hey Bruiser...
I dont own a hornet...but i would dearly love a 17 Acjkley...i mean how could you not want one for the purposes you describe...look at what the others say who have them...
cheap, accurate & fits the bill when it comes to bullet overtravel...
With regard to what Blade said in regards to reduced loads in a 204---well im a fan of that too...
And if you reload, i think this is certainly something worth a shot with your existing 204...!!
However, i will say that im keen to try these 24gn bullets with trailboss...because I also have a reduced load with the 32 Zmax for my 204, but dont use them much due to the different POI they have as compared with the full load.
But not only that, on rabbits, these will pencil through & not open up when at lower velocities...which is why id like to try the 24's...so they will most likely pencil through on smallish foxes too if not hitting solid bone.
WHOOPS--I mean be LESS LIKELY that last sentence...
So give the trailboss & 24gr bullets ago, while you're looking for a suitable 17 hornet...you should have lots of scope to vary the velocity with that set-up--the question will be acceptable accuracy---& if you get reasonable accuracy with it, do splash tests like marksman does to see how they perform...
Then if you only have a vertical displacement of the shot from a normal load, you'll be able to slip a reduced load in for a necessary shot, or visaversa when the need arises & use the holdover nessecary for just that shot...
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...