MalcW? Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 I'm considering getting a 17 rem or a 17 Fireball but apart from the Tikka 595 in 17rem (very rare) I don't really like anything I've seen by way of factory production offering so thought that I might look for something worth re-barrelling. So heres the questions. The 17rem is based on the .222mag case so any .222 bolt face and action work will work. Correct? The 17 fireball is based on the .223 case so will any .223 bolt face and action will work. Correct? Which would you go with action wise and barrel wise in order to keep the costs down? I don't like plastic stocks so it will either stay in what it comes in by way of wood work or I'll look for a laminate to drop it into. Most probably a Boyds or a Richards, so it can't be any odd ball manufactures action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergal Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 The .17 Fireball is a lethal accurate round so too is the Remington .17, both will work from a .223 bolt action. The only problem with the Fireball is trying to get it to feed from a magazine.Ive just finished a .17 fireball recently and was assured there'd be no problems with the AI magazine, I later discovered quite the opposite, a complete PITA. Dave from Valkyrie rifles AKA Baldie was kind enough to help me out as he's a lot more experienced with magazine systems than me. So just bare that in mind when your making a decision. His action would make a very good platform for such a build and with his ability to make it work well Id shoot him off a PM and see what he's got to say on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyw Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 Malc -i have both the .17rem is a rebarreled[lilja]m595 started as a factory .17rem its a 1-9 bbl shoots the 20vmax with laser like accuracy and at the moment has add on nv for charlie. .17fb is a Cooper mod 38 pheonix 1-10 bbl from Brian fox.this shoots the 22gn berger mef with stunning accuracy using it for all vermin day and night absolute delight to carry round. if you have the £££ get a cooper if not then its got to be a sako or tikka action-but they will carry a high price talk to the gun smiths on here and other forums ,see whats about im sure there was a m595 in .222 for sale on here a while back. either calibre will do all your varminting out to 200-300yds the .17rem will have a bit more horse power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 If you have no need to reach 300 yards and 150 yards would cover most things a 17 Hornet will do everything the others will using about 10 grains of powder. 20 grainers doing about 3300 or so, not the blistering velocity agreed but good enough. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17 Rem Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 There may still be a 17 Rem Sako L461 with stainless Shilen tube at The Countryman, Derby. There were two- I bought the other one.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MachIV Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Hi Malc I have a 17 Mach IV which is essentially a Fireball built on a Sako L461 action and that feeds OK. The guys on Saubier swear by the CZ/Bruno actions which also seem to feed well. You should be able to pick up an old CZ action for not too much and they seem to shoot well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalcW? Posted January 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 If you have no need to reach 300 yards and 150 yards would cover most things a 17 Hornet will do everything the others will using about 10 grains of powder. 20 grainers doing about 3300 or so, not the blistering velocity agreed but good enough. A Saving 10 grains of powder at the cost of 100m down range performance given that the 17Rem uss so little anyway is not a major consideration. Those black feathers buggers can calculate 150m to the nearest 10cm. Their calcs get a bit fuzz when you get closer to 200m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalcW? Posted January 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 The .17 Fireball is a lethal accurate round so too is the Remington .17, both will work from a .223 bolt action. The only problem with the Fireball is trying to get it to feed from a magazine.Ive just finished a .17 fireball recently and was assured there'd be no problems with the AI magazine, I later discovered quite the opposite, a complete PITA. Dave from Valkyrie rifles AKA Baldie was kind enough to help me out as he's a lot more experienced with magazine systems than me. So just bare that in mind when your making a decision. His action would make a very good platform for such a build and with his ability to make it work well Id shoot him off a PM and see what he's got to say on it. Fergal Many thanks. I'm not sure Dave would want to sell me one of his new actions for the price I can afford to pay. Good to know that any .223 bolt faced action will work for either calibre. Makes finding a cheap donor that much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalcW? Posted January 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 There may still be a 17 Rem Sako L461 with stainless Shilen tube at The Countryman, Derby. There were two- I bought the other one.... Thanks Its still on their stock list this morning. I'll give them a call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalcW? Posted January 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Hi Malc I have a 17 Mach IV which is essentially a Fireball built on a Sako L461 action and that feeds OK. The guys on Saubier swear by the CZ/Bruno actions which also seem to feed well. You should be able to pick up an old CZ action for not too much and they seem to shoot well. I passed on an old Bruno .222 just before Xmas. I might have been a little hasty if you say the Saubier guys are rating them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir-slots-alot Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Malc. I have a original Tikka 595 deluxe in 17 rem. As do a few of my friends ( after seeing the 17 in actin ). The 17 rem is superbly accurate - flat shooting - No recoil and absolutely deadly on vermin and fox.... 300 yrd bunny shots are p155 easy ... point and squirt Mine launches a 25 grn pill at 4040 fps from 22.5 grn of Vit 133. Barrel wear isn't a problem ... but if you were worried and if velocity doesn't "float ya boat " you can always drop the powder charge and run it at 17 FB speeds. It has been a calibre that has kept on amazing me ... Makes you wonder why they are not more popular. P.S - I have a S/Steel Shillen match barrel - sporter profile ( un- chambered ). I had planned to fit it to my rifle when it eventually needed re-tubing - But it will be sat on my shelf for the next few years.... so it can be for sale if your interested. And foxhunter ( jamie ) has a Tikka 595 - in 222 for £300 - worth a thought. ATB Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalcW? Posted January 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 oh oh oh! Temptation temptation! Stand behind my Satan! Thank you very very much for the offer. Can I take a time to think it over? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir-slots-alot Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 oh oh oh! Temptation temptation! Stand behind my Satan! Thank you very very much for the offer. Can I take a time to think it over? Yeah , no worries. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
22/250 foxer Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 sako a1, sako l491 feed the rounds fine. so do the annie actions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I purchased a 17 rem-fireball in Remington sps,£560,cheapest centerfire I have ever bought,and its so accurate. I did devcon bed the stock,only cause its flimsy plastic,but so many aftermarket stocks available. The remington rifle,in 17 rem-fireball, has a ramped feed inside the action,and feeds 100%.(The other remmy I own in .223 does not have this) 18.2g H322 25gVmax crono's at 3600fps from 20" barrel. I also think the wind has less effect on the 25g vmax 17 cal than a 60g .224 cal,from range testing at 200y Remington also do model 7 in the fireball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyH Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 .......... Remington also do model 7 in the fireball Interesting, didn't know that. I'd already decided that if I got a Fireball, I'd treat it as an ultra-light walkaround varminter and if i didn't go for a single shot such as T/C, I'd have a Model 7 profile stainless barrel put on a Rem action and installed into the very nice Model 7 stock made by MacMillan. I'd certainly go for Fireball rather than the established .17 Rem: it would be safe to view any .17 calibre as a relatively short range thing, in which case the extra poke of the older cartridge is not a factor, and Fireball is very efficient. I visited Dasherman the other day and we briefly discussed this - he has a Fireball and rates it (as a great 150-200 yd round), which is good enough for me. Incidentally the feeding characteristics of Fireball are not a factor for me - my kind of varminting doesn't entail rapid fire, and with carefully assembled ammo I'd rather feed each round singly, and carefully... Regards, TonyH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
247sniper Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 What are the most common and best suited bullets used by the .17 centrefire guys? Whats people using? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyw Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 What are the most common and best suited bullets used by the .17 centrefire guys? Whats people using? Steve Steve any of the following but i will list my favourites first-20vmax-25vmax,22gn berger mef.25gn berger varmint[old type]berger match do a fair job but dont have the expansion of the varmint type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MachIV Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 I have used 20 & 25gn Vm's 25gn Hornady hollow points and 25gn Bergers in a Fireball. They all shoot well. The 20 Vmax's are excellent expansion wise and often there is no exit wound on rabbits, even at close ranges. Very safe. The Hornady HPs expand less and tear through things a bit more in my experience. I haven't shot the Bergers enough but have had no exits on a couple of foxes one at point blank and one around 100yds. If I was shooting small varmints in an area where extra care with shots was required I would pick the 20Vm. If I was foxing then probably the 25Vm or Berger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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