.17 Rem Fireball

[andybrock]

I'm thinking of a light weight, manoeuvrable, in cab truck gun with reuced noise but fox capable to about 175yds the 17 Rem fireball seems to fit the bill.

 

A couple of questions to those of you that have got one is brass readily available (research seems to suggest its not and 221 fireball necked down seems to be the norm)?

 

Also what bolt face family is it as I'd want a left handed action, again research says it would work with a .223 action???

 

Presume, but I haven't checked if dies are available?

 

Powder, primers and bullets seem a plenty.

 

Cheers Andy

[njc110381]

Brass isn't that easy, but it's far from impossible. You can form from .221 or even .222/.223. The latter requires more work, annealing etc and I'm not sure but I think both processes need to be neck turned?

 

Dies can be found. They cost a bit more than run of the mill stuff but still not terrible. .222/.223 bolt face is easy to find. Bullets and powder are common.

 

Also look at the .20 Vartarg. That seems to be a very popular calibre that give a lot for it's size.

[swagger700]

Pity you are looking for left hand, my pal has a full custom set up with dies

[1967spud]

[stillair1]

Hi, both Rcbs and Hornady dies are listed. Using a 26" Pacnor tube with 20gn vmax I'm getting over 4000fps with xbr8208. I've found that if I don't sufficiently chamfer with a KM inner chamfer tool, the 20gn easily mark up on seating with rcbs dies. Perhaps the Hornady seating die might match and support the ogive on the 20gn. I've not noticed any marks on the few 25's I've loaded up.

[Tuck]

Iv got a fireball and I love it, and for your application I think yours struggle to find anything better, however the brass is a pain the rear, and even forming from .221 there's no garentee it will work as .17 as I found out not so long ago with some Laupa .221 brass.

[triggersqueezer]

Iv got a fireball and I love it, and for your application I think yours struggle to find anything better, however the brass is a pain the rear, and even forming from .221 there's no garentee it will work as .17 as I found out not so long ago with some Laupa .221 brass.

 

why did it not work please tuck ?

[gbal]

Andy,

Yes,bolt face is .378",the same as the 223/222/17 rem etc.so any such short action is a possible.

 

The 17Fireball is of course the necked down 221Fireball,itself a shortened 222rem.

The 17FB would fit your 175 fox capable,and cab fit etc is all about barrel length etc,rather than actual chambering.

 

The 17Rem is generally a less hassle option,with better factory support for brass , (with a tad more potential performance-being essentially a necked 223 case in capacity)-but not a lot in it,at 175yds,and especially if barrels are shortened. Moderated,I doubt there would be much difference in report.

 

There are some 17FBs about,but it might well need to be a semi custom,which would likely have the edge in accuracy-if needed at relatively short ranges-the factory Rem model 7 in 223 would come close as a cab rifle or a 700 in 17 rem with cut barrel;or most any quality 222rem,likewise ( and be slightly better fox medicine-heavier bullets).Some left handers were made too...

 

But the FB is a dandy little carridge,as it's users will testify,and if you fancy one,and can live with the brass issues,go for it.

 

gbal

[Tuck]

 

why did it not work please tuck ?

Nothing to do with the resizing, .17 squirrel very kindly sized the cases for me, but the rim on the Laupa cases seems to thick for my bolt, and they won't chamber, very frustrating.

[Big Al]

I'm thinking of a light weight, manoeuvrable, in cab truck gun with reuced noise but fox capable to about 175yds the 17 Rem fireball seems to fit the bill.

 

A couple of questions to those of you that have got one is brass readily available (research seems to suggest its not and 221 fireball necked down seems to be the norm)?

 

Also what bolt face family is it as I'd want a left handed action, again research says it would work with a .223 action???

 

Presume, but I haven't checked if dies are available?

 

Powder, primers and bullets seem a plenty.

 

Cheers Andy

 

 

Ive often thought about a similar rifle myself and I looked long and hard at the 17's

 

In the end though I came to the conclusion that any of the small calibers would do this job just fine, looking at the tables the 17s stand out but in the real world are they that much better? A 175yd fox isn't going to be hard to kill, they all have more than enough in the tank to do that job. Ive had a really nice standard Sako 75 in .222 for a while now which shoots very well indeed, I shortened it to 18" and running with 21.9gr of N133 under a 40gr SBK it does this job very well indeed, even habits /crows to 300yds is reasonable in the right conditions.

 

Personally I wouldn't waste your time with a .17 Fireball, too much of a headache in terms of brass for nothing much extra in performance or noise reduction for the type of job you describe.

 

Had you considered 20 Practical shooting 32gr bullets if you wanted something a little different? Much easier brass prep and with many of the same attributes as the .17s

[andybrock]

Thanks for the replies and advice chaps.

[andybrock]

Nothing to do with the resizing, .17 squirrel very kindly sized the cases for me, but the rim on the Laupa cases seems to thick for my bolt, and they won't chamber, very frustrating.

 

Hi Tuck,

So what brass did you end up using?

[Toby]

I had a Sako 75 in 222 which I used fox and crow, but always had a 17 Rem itch that yearned to be scratched.

So the barrel was changed to a LW stainless 1-9" 24" with jet z.

Reloading and load development/feeding a breeze. Terminal results pleasing.

Decided after a couple of seasons to shorten barrel and fit calibre specific mod to ease shooting from my fox huts.

Topped with a Zeiss Ht 3-12x56 it is my perfect fox rifle.

No exits on most foxes, they just drop to shot.

Good for skinning if fur is the goal.

I use only 25 grain bullets in mine.

[andybrock]

 

 

Ive often thought about a similar rifle myself and I looked long and hard at the 17's

 

In the end though I came to the conclusion that any of the small calibers would do this job just fine, looking at the tables the 17s stand out but in the real world are they that much better? A 175yd fox isn't going to be hard to kill, they all have more than enough in the tank to do that job. Ive had a really nice standard Sako 75 in .222 for a while now which shoots very well indeed, I shortened it to 18" and running with 21.9gr of N133 under a 40gr SBK it does this job very well indeed, even habits /crows to 300yds is reasonable in the right conditions.

 

Personally I wouldn't waste your time with a .17 Fireball, too much of a headache in terms of brass for nothing much extra in performance or noise reduction for the type of job you describe.

 

Had you considered 20 Practical shooting 32gr bullets if you wanted something a little different? Much easier brass prep and with many of the same attributes as the .17s

I haven't considered the 20's as I really fancied a .17. In a weird sort of way I quite enjoy faffing with brass prep!

If the fireball brass issue meant it was definitely a non starter then my next consideration would be the .17ppc as I've still got plenty of 220 russian brass somewhere from my old 6mm and 22ppc.

[andybrock]

I had a Sako 75 in 222 which I used fox and crow, but always had a 17 Rem itch that yearned to be scratched.

So the barrel was changed to a LW stainless 1-9" 24" with jet z.

Reloading and load development/feeding a breeze. Terminal results pleasing.

Decided after a couple of seasons to shorten barrel and fit calibre specific mod to ease shooting from my fox huts.

Topped with a Zeiss Ht 3-12x56 it is my perfect fox rifle.

No exits on most foxes, they just drop to shot.

Good for skinning if fur is the goal.

I use only 25 grain bullets in mine.

Them were the days, spent many many hours skinning foxes and sending the pelts to RW Cobbledicks in Bude Cornwall.......wonder what happened to them?

Do you still sell skins in your country Toby?

[gbal]

Al QED

 

Toby QED,reversed

 

 

QED ("What Was To Be Demonstrated' as you have done), is the soundness of the Sako rifle,in either 222 or 17.

I'm sure it would be the same in 223,PPC (QED gbal,sako 75) and when rebarreled in .20.

 

It is however,at it's lightest/bestest for this purpose in the early 46/Vixens (carbine too,or Rem 600 18")

 

gbal

[triggersqueezer]

Nothing to do with the resizing, .17 squirrel very kindly sized the cases for me, but the rim on the Laupa cases seems to thick for my bolt, and they won't chamber, very frustrating.

 

send a couple down if they chamber i'll buy them off you ?

[caerhays sniper]

I brought a fireball quite cheap from my local dealer for a similar sort of usage as you. I was very luck mine came with full Redding die set 50 made rounds and another 120 cases on top, although like most will have to swap to the 221 brass once I have gone through these 1s.

[Toby]

Them were the days, spent many many hours skinning foxes and sending the pelts to RW Cobbledicks in Bude Cornwall.......wonder what happened to them?

Do you still sell skins in your country Toby?

There are some that still send in skins to the fur auctions.

However the red fox pelts dont make alot of money for the time and effort involved in setting up the fur.

Quite a few process some pelts for private use.

In some places there can be up to a 1000 n.kr bounty on foxes.

This winter I have taken on a farm where I can get n.kr 250 per fox, something new to me :-)

[andybrock]

There are some that still send in skins to the fur auctions.

However the red fox pelts dont make alot of money for the time and effort involved in setting up the fur.

Quite a few process some pelts for private use.

In some places there can be up to a 1000 n.kr bounty on foxes.

This winter I have taken on a farm where I can get n.kr 250 per fox, something new to me :-)

Helps pay for bullets etc. Not sure how many Kr it is but the most I got for a single pelt was £28 that would have been about 30 years ago!

[gbal]

!00NK is a tad over £9 at current exchange rate.

[Toby]

In the pre mange years (80's) a good pelt could fetch prices up to N.Kr 1500.

Nowadays I think they struggle to make kr 200.

Pine Marten has held good prices for a kong time.

[Vermincinerator]

Iv got a fireball and I love it, and for your application I think yours struggle to find anything better, however the brass is a pain the rear, and even forming from .221 there's no garentee it will work as .17 as I found out not so long ago with some Laupa .221 brass.

Tuck,

I have sucessfully formed 200 lapua 221 fireball down to 17 which are now on there second reloading cycle, PM me i might be able to help.

 

Ian.

[dully1963]

Andy

When I first bought my 17 fireball I was like you not sure about about the brass and all the problems that go with it , what a load of tosh a little bit of research and you will find dies and brass are not problem and hopefully like me you will love this little calibre and the fun that comes with it and wonder why you didn't get one years ago.

go for it they're a great little round

Best regards

Andy (dully1963)

[17 squirrel]

I agree with dully1963 Andy, just get a set of standard Redding .17 fireball dies, run the new unfired .221 cases through the seating die first then through the full length sizing die and job done. Nothing could be easier.