17hh loaded at hmr speed

[Hem88]

Could I load my 17 hornet to shoot at hmr speeds as I have fairly flat land and have concerns on safety with the hornet as a fast round on rabbits but it is so accurate compared to hmr or would the faster the safer be better any advice welcome

[dave thorniley]

faster is safer in my opinion if your using a varmint bullet such as v max you should have no worries about ricoshet,s ive shot 17 rems for years and never had a ric,,oshet and its doing a lot of fps on the point of downloading your 17 hornet to hmr speed WHY just load your 17 hornet with a good varmint bullet and you will have no worries dave.

[gbal]

17HMR 17g@ 2550 fps MV 100y 1800 fps 200 1360fps

 

17 Hornet 20g @ 3650 fps MV 3070 fps 2570 fps

 

17Rem 20g @ 4250 fps MV 3600 fps 3000 fps

 

While I agree with Dave that much experience with the 17rem indicates that its velocities (and maybe frangile bullets) make ricochets considerably less likely,no one knows what the critical velocities really are-in particular the velocities where ricochets are more likely (as they are with 22long rifle ammo,which is sub 1000 fps typically.)

 

The table above shows that there are considerable differences between the 17HMR,17Hornet and 17Rem-the odds being that the 17 Horrnet is more likely to be in the 17rem anti-ricochet ball park,though its about 600fps slower.The 17HMR does look rather slow,at aprox 1800 fps slower-so may well be prone to some ricochets.

 

That indicates use of the 17Hornet ,without reducing fps.

 

But your comment 'flat ground' gives a pause for thought-that suggests lack of adequate backstops to shots,and there is no doubt that the faster MV bullets will travel further if there is no backstop. I'd suggest that you take especial care that any bullet has an adequate secure backstop more than relying on just fps to reduce ricochets if the shot misses;additionally a ricochet partly depends on what surface the bullet strikes,and the angle of strike..Velocity is better thought of as a secondary safety,and is no replacement for a solid terminal impact on the quarry,or solid backstop.

 

Safe shooting !

 

gbal