Custom 17 hornet

[munkjack]

Has any one had one made if so did you use a donner rifel or start from scratch? interested as most of the shelf rifels I've read about don't do the round much justice and I like the idea of a .17 you can reload and also bye factory if needs be!!!

[Scotch_egg]

Before it was a commecercial round and purely a wildcat the CZ 527 were popular for donnor actions. I fully understand your thoughts on the savage. Complete tat that would not grace my rifle cabinet.

 

CZ are producing a .17HH they just haven't hit the UK yet. They have launched in the USA.

[Spray1Mark]

the best donor is the Anschutz 54 action in 22 hornet, I have had 4 or 5 of these done, one should be ready for a friend next week. We tried a couple of CZ's in 17AH but they would never feed, where as the Anschutz always fed perfectly. However finding a 54 action for reasonable money is not that easy, we picked up the latest one which is a 1432 model, (the older style) for £450 and the job including barrel and proof etc. comes in at around £450 plus vat. Mcmillan also do a stock for the 54 action which is a bonus if you want to finish the rifle off properly with a nice stock.

[kent]

the best donor is the Anschutz 54 action in 22 hornet, I have had 4 or 5 of these done, one should be ready for a friend next week. We tried a couple of CZ's in 17AH but they would never feed, where as the Anschutz always fed perfectly. However finding a 54 action for reasonable money is not that easy, we picked up the latest one which is a 1432 model, (the older style) for £450 and the job including barrel and proof etc. comes in at around £450 plus vat. Mcmillan also do a stock for the 54 action which is a bonus if you want to finish the rifle off properly with a nice stock.

 

I have suffered feed issues with the 527 in the .22 variant of the hornet. Polishing and general tuning of the mag helps a lot, though the half breed bottle necked yet also rimmed case might just be a step too far? The .17 CZ wont be seen here until exchange rates go in the importers favour I recon, there is already quite a backlog of so called available models that don't exist on our shores

[baldie]

I reckon this will be the first .17 round that actually dies on its arse BEFORE we see any here.

[Hatzi]

I actually really like the performance of the cartridge itself but the case design will very likely suffer a lifetime of poor mag feeding issues. The tiny bullet will likely snag the recessed chamber mouth regardless of care, i thought the more controlled feed of the cz action rather than the push feed savage might be better but a custom gun i tried was not really much better.

 

Fundamentally, the smaller the diameter of the case relative to the bolt, the harder it gets to streamline cartridge feed from any type of mag because the round has further lateral movement in relation to its diameter. Factor in steep shoulders and even smaller case neck diameter-body diameter and problems breed before the rebated chamber rim is finally adding insult to injury.

[Hatzi]

Oh, and let's not forget jumping it all across the no-mans-land of the bolt lug recesses!

[gbal]

I reckon this will be the first .17 round that actually dies on its arse BEFORE we see any here.

Poor little bug *er. As a psychologist,I think the parent has to take some responsibility.

 

Gbal

[sandtrap]

I had this built in .17 Hornet . Ruger 77 with a Shillen barrel . I first bought a savage and it shot very well , but it was a savage

[garyw]

I reckon this will be the first .17 round that actually dies on its arse BEFORE we see any here.

Dave-i went to the funeral last week!

sad affair!

[Spray1Mark]

could be because the British shooting community is so conservative and the pile of scrap that is a Savage, this cartridge will not rise to the heights it should!

The 17 Ackley hornets only downside (if you mate it with an Anschutz action) is the quality of 22 hornet brass, feeding is NOT an issue with this action! I shot circa 1-200 rounds a week with it for years through a number of re-barrelled Anschutz rifles, all of which people who came to shoot with me insisted I sell to them after seeing it perform.

Using the new thicker factory 17 hornet brass this should never be a problem. There was always a rumour that Anschutz themselves would release an off the shelf model, I hear Rugers are available now (or soon) in the USA (not that I think Ruger's are good, maybe just better than a Savage or even a CZ?).

Another member of this community I'm sure will back me up on how good the 17AH (and therefore it's now non wildcat cousin the 17 Hornet) is!

[munkjack]

I had this built in .17 Hornet . Ruger 77 with a Shillen barrel . I first bought a savage and it shot very well , but it was a savage

Looks nice how does it perform looked at a review of the standard one on the net not that I'm a ruger fan but it looked a hole lot better than the toy town savage and yours looks good with the shillen on it, have you done much to the action does it suffer with any feed problems how does it shoot? Great to no before I take a lunge.

[munkjack]

I reckon this will be the first .17 round that actually dies on its arse BEFORE we see any here.

That would be a shame as it kind of does most the things I'd want from a 17 .

any recommendations as to what else to look at needs to be good to the 300 mark would also consider something in .22 if ammo could be bought of the shelf and hand loaded my thinking is its not an issue having work done to make it a shooter if the round is right!!!

[munkjack]

could be because the British shooting community is so conservative and the pile of scrap that is a Savage, this cartridge will not rise to the heights it should!

The 17 Ackley hornets only downside (if you mate it with an Anschutz action) is the quality of 22 hornet brass, feeding is NOT an issue with this action! I shot circa 1-200 rounds a week with it for years through a number of re-barrelled Anschutz rifles, all of which people who came to shoot with me insisted I sell to them after seeing it perform.

Using the new thicker factory 17 hornet brass this should never be a problem. There was always a rumour that Anschutz themselves would release an off the shelf model, I hear Rugers are available now (or soon) in the USA (not that I think Ruger's are good, maybe just better than a Savage or even a CZ?).

Another member of this community I'm sure will back me up on how good the 17AH (and therefore it's now non wildcat cousin the 17 Hornet) is!

Nice to hear you have had some success with this calibre I've also seen some weihrauch 22. Hornets would be nice to start with a quality action and go from there!

[Spray1Mark]

unfortunately the Weihrauch suffers from mag problems also, shame as it is a lovely action as you say.

[Spray1Mark]

unfortunately the Weihrauch suffers from mag problems also, shame as it is a lovely action as you say.

 

That would be a shame as it kind of does most the things I'd want from a 17 .
any recommendations as to what else to look at needs to be good to the 300 mark would also consider something in .22 if ammo could be bought of the shelf and hand loaded my thinking is its not an issue having work done to make it a shooter if the round is right!!!

furthest I had a rabbit was a R/F confirmed 297 yards with the 20g VMAX and the 17 AH. This is really stretching it though, the drop fairly is comparable with a 40 grainer from a .223 at 300 but the terminal energy levels are much lower. if you are going to be regularly taking 300 yard shots a 17 REM with a 25g VMAX is a much better bet, the 25g VMAX has a very high BC for its weight and if you push it a 3600 it is very flat shooting.

[sandtrap]

Looks nice how does it perform looked at a review of the standard one on the net not that I'm a ruger fan but it looked a hole lot better than the toy town savage and yours looks good with the shillen on it, have you done much to the action does it suffer with any feed problems how does it shoot? Great to no before I take a lunge.

Had to do the trigger as it was really unpredictable . after that i was happy . iv took rabbits out at 250m . and realoading is working well with 1/2'' at 100m . but untill trigger was sorted it was not so good .

Feeding is not allways smooth but much better than the savage .

the only gun iv shot two rabbits with one shot with !

[kent]

I reckon this will be the first .17 round that actually dies on its arse BEFORE we see any here.

 

that might be a fair assessment judging by the importers reluctance to import any rifles at current rates. I don't get it myself the .22 variant will do all this will do for us in the uk and then the bigger .222 upwards and .20's take over at longer ranges. Heck if someone wants fast and small buy a .17 rem and be done with it

[munkjack]

 

that might be a fair assessment judging by the importers reluctance to import any rifles at current rates. I don't get it myself the .22 variant will do all this will do for us in the uk and then the bigger .222 upwards and .20's take over at longer ranges. Heck if someone wants fast and small buy a .17 rem and be done with it

I'd go 17 rem in an instant but I've heard the ammo is hard to come by as I don't load at the mo, do you have to do any fire forming and the likes to get it to shoot well?

[gbal]

I'd go 17 rem in an instant but I've heard the ammo is hard to come by as I don't load at the mo, do you have to do any fire forming and the likes to get it to shoot well?

The 17rem is a saami spec factory cartridge;Remington loads factory ammo-not every gunshop wuld keep in in stock.There is no fire forming,it works right out of the box;25g @ 4000 fps ballpark. I have always reloaded,and there is a little choice of bullet-eg Hornady and Bergers-enough,and you are free of the factory constraint-if factory doesn't quite deliver.It isn't pernickety,despite some early claims,and is devastating within it's design envelope-I'd say small vermin out to 300y,fox closer-as it sheds energy quite fast.Virtually no recoil-you see what happens.It maybe -in factory-lacks the real precision of a very good 222,and does not have the energy of a 223.These three do overlap quite a bit-I'd say a 250 y rabbit is just about a given with any,the 223 has the edge if distance/energy are needed (and there is no 6mm handy),the 222 might have a small advantage for accuracy,on paper,the 17 is just a delight to shoot.

Gbal

[Spray1Mark]

I'd go 17 rem in an instant but I've heard the ammo is hard to come by as I don't load at the mo, do you have to do any fire forming and the likes to get it to shoot well?

Fred at Bisley has 17 REM 25g factory in stock at the moment £100/100 which is about half the retail price, Joe at GUNSHOP Barnett had a 17 SAKO S/H on the shelf a little while back, if you are going to shoot a reasonable amount then not reloading for a 17 would be crazy! Iit can be reloaded for £40 approx/100 once you have the brass, otherwise just buy a 223 and shoot 40g factory ammo its a lot cheaper.

[The_Dogge]

I bought a 17Rem recently, UK Custom shop / Wildcat Custom Rifles I cant remember what they are calling themselves now were selling off Remington 25gn hollow point ammo for 75p/round. They had quite a stack, I've had all I need so I can tell people it's there now ;-)

 

It shot ok, but not handloading these things would be crazy, I bought it for the brass as much as anything.

 

If considering a 17 Hornet why not a 17 Fireball? I think they are available in production rifles, they are a modern round without the foibles of a rimmed case, better ballistics than 17 Hornet, better barrel life than 17 Remington.

[gbal]

I bought a 17Rem recently, UK Custom shop / Wildcat Custom Rifles I cant remember what they are calling themselves now were selling off Remington 25gn hollow point ammo for 75p/round. They had quite a stack, I've had all I need so I can tell people it's there now ;-)

 

It shot ok, but not handloading these things would be crazy, I bought it for the brass as much as anything.

 

If considering a 17 Hornet why not a 17 Fireball? I think they are available in production rifles, they are a modern round without the foibles of a rimmed case, better ballistics than 17 Hornet, better barrel life than 17 Remington.

+1 on the 17FB - it's a different class all round 'compared' to the 17H. (almost like the 222Rem 'compared' to the 22H).

Gbal

[munkjack]

+1 on the 17FB - it's a different class all round 'compared' to the 17H. (almost like the 222Rem 'compared' to the 22H).

Gbal

Just watched a vid by sharpshooter in wich he said .17 fireball factory ammo and brass for reloding is hard to come by is this true?

[gbal]

Just watched a vid by sharpshooter in wich he said .17 fireball factory ammo and brass for reloding is hard to come by is this true?

It is not stocked by every gunshop-far from it-best buy a decent supply and reload.If you are the sort of shooter who buys a box of ammo,now and then,from a local walk in retailer,you may well not have regular supply,compared to common ammunition /components (in normal times-much has been/is in very short supply currently,and has been for some months.).

 

Have you tried to buy 17 Hornet!!

Gbal