JDBenelliM1 Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 I'm interested to know which is the easiest .17 CF cartridge to currently find reloading parts for, brass, dies etc I have a .17 hmr slot on my licence which I will change in the new year but unsure which of the .17's to go for. I hate the idea of scrounging around for bits that may dry up leaving me with a rifle I can't use. Or do I just go .20 practical?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 JDB, Probably the 17 Rem has the least track record of such hassles. In near 50 years of shooting one,there has never been a 17Rem specific problem-occasionally general US brass-but I tend to have a few hundred,to be immune-it costs the same long term,and they last longer-fired less often! You will only buy dies once,early on so should not be an issue. Other components are either common to other 17/etc ,or seldom short-again buy a decent supply in reserve. You will be aware that the options (17 rem,maybe 17Fireball-essentially a short 17 rem-less available brass) and the 20s are in a totally different world of performance than is the 17rem.If suitable,no regrets! Suitable is important-they are all in the same general class though-faster,short range cartridges (velocity tends to go quite fast after 350y-poorBCs-but do you need any more distance?Very low/near zero recoil is a delight-if you ever miss,youwill see it! Cost will double-but disappointment will be minimal. I've had no cleaning etc issues-esp if you already have a 17 rod with its smaller thread.The 17Rem was my favourite small cf for small quarry. Hornady and Berger bullets. The 17 Hornet is a closer cartridge to the 17HMR,though more akin to the cfs,worth a look-can't comment on availability etc but it might fit some niches 'better'-though if you need 150y,+ the full 17Rem does it best. Good shooting, gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Dogge Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Well bullets, powder, and primers are obviously common to them all, so you are just concerned about cases and dies (and you only have to find dies once). I don't know much about the others, but 17 Remington is the longest lived of them all and it isn't going anywhere. Lee make dies, including the excellent collet neck sizing die, for it, Nosler make brass, as well as Remington. It's not be the latest, or "most efficient", but it is the fastest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17 Rem Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 JDB, Probably the 17 Rem has the least track record of such hassles. In 50 years of shooting one....... Really? I thought that Remington didn't produce it until 1971? I'm still a fan of the 17 Rem, but always reach for the 20 tac now. My last 17 Rem, a Sako 75 Varmint, may be on the 'to go' list shortly. The Tac just does it all for my purposes now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 17 Rem gets my vote as well. Have stockpiled brass, primers and bullets. No worries for years ahead now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Rem17, I am obliged for the correction .."nearly 50 years"...I just shot it so much in the first few years...and had lusted after the wildcats prior to that,at least back to the 17/222 of 1957,maybe a few years earlier with Mr Ackley-memory is ureliable-some of the chemistry equations have dimmed too-obliged to read about them in between the 'Field and Stream" Shooting columns of Mr W Page. Halcyon days.I learned a bit later that chemistry has iso-morphed too. We are ,however,in agreement on it's relative longeivity,and unlikely demise anytime too soon.The 20s have more range with fast twist,and moderate wind -preferably behind them. I'd not argue either way ballisticlly,but note the relatively limited choice of factory price rifles in "20 Practical" etc....not that " practical" in initial set up. The 204 Ruger (32@4225fps,and SAAMI safe) is another contender,though as ever,velocity is vanity and accuracy is sanity. Incidentally,anyone wondering just how fast the 17rem can go,should also factor in 'how far'-some very light bullets-18g- went about 70 yards at warp Bolt + speeds .....before disintegrating down range..... of course ,bullets might be better 45 years on... just as Mr Ackley et al hoped,too,even earlier... gbal :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17 Rem Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 gbal, you speak much sense. I'd recommend a 17 Rem over a 17 Hornet, and the 17 Fireball seems destined for obsolescence. Can't see me without a Tac now, it's replaced the 17 Rem for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 gbal, you speak much sense. I'd recommend a 17 Rem over a 17 Hornet, and the 17 Fireball seems destined for obsolescence. Can't see me without a Tac now, it's replaced the 17 Rem for me. Ha ha,old academics don't just fade away,they lose their faculties, probably starting with memory...or is it arithmetic? Fireball really existed for the XP 100 pistol....we won't see that again... I'd be a 20 advocate these days too-actually,I am...I'd be a 20 shooter if the 17rem would just lose its facilities. :-) g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Not for me. I love my 17 Rem. I am even thinking about building another on a T3 lite action. We are the same age :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris-NZ Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 I still have fond memories of shooting my brother's 17 Rem in the late 70s. The .270 was my main centrefire at that stage and it was a complete novelty watching the quarry unzip through the scope.. Having shot my gunsmith's .204, I have no doubt that if I was starting from scratch, that's be the small game chambering I'd go for. Beyond that, you'd need to run to a decent 6mm for beating wind at extended range Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 I am fond of the 17rem although iv never had one , the newer 20s seem to have stolen the limelight somewhat . They should be better than the 17rem in 2 areas - for foxing ( heavier bullet ) and wind drift ( less of it at extended ranges ) but in field conditions they would be close , all spectacular on small vermin of course ! The choice is yours sir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyw Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 i still use a .17rem and have a .17fb that is for sale with all the gear, the .17rem is the most popular but other good .17s include -ppc-br -squirell-hornet-there are a lot to choose from.as gunner says the .20s will out perform a .17 but you get a lot more smiles for your money with a .17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDBenelliM1 Posted December 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 Thanks for your input gents. I think the .17 rem is a contender after looking into it a bit more. I would be using it to 250y max, 150 -200 most of the time. I like the idea of no recoil but still having flat trajectory. I imagine the boom isn't to bad with a good moderator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Dogge Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I went for a 17 partly for noise reasons, it is a bit louder than a HMR, definitely quieter than a 223. The moderator pretty much takes the blast away completely, so you just have the sonic boom of the bullet, which depends on the volume of air displaced, so a smaller bullet has to be quieter. As centerfire rifles go it is at the quieter end, but they are all pretty loud so whether that makes any real difference is debatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Ive always fancied a 17Rem but there is something that just keeps stopping me. 20 cal with 32/40gr bullets is probably a safer bet in terms of performance and resale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzbangwhallop Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Definitely a big grin factor using the .17Rem... 25grn Bergers drop foxes like sacks of spuds. It was my go-to NV gun with a Drone Pro on the top for over a year until the Photon Xtreme came along and the .20Prac Sako is back in the frame now. Ran low on .20P ammo 10 days ago and went back to the .17Rem........ brought back just how effective it is. More grinning going on too. Might just have to mount the Drone with Neil's special mount...... but I still like to fit the dayscope and swap as it gets dark. Cheers Fizz Yes, I do kiss my rifles when they perform under difficult circumstances...who doesn't? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherlock Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 The 17 rem is such a great calibre..... Low noise - no recoil -- and a trajectory similar to a 220 swift. Its a pleasure to shoot and amazing watching the impact on vermin out to 400 yrds time after time ( in mild winds) The 17 rem packs much more of a punch than you would think - I have knocked dozens of foxes over between 250 and 300 yrds and hundres of rabbits out to 400 yrds - the little rem folds them. The 17 rem definately has the smile factor too.... something hard to describe , and cant be done using statistics or balistics ATB S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 I agree about the 17Rem (and the faster 20s should be very similar). The terminal effect may well be due to much increased hydrostatic internal soft tissue damage,so long as there is enough retained velocity (autopsies). Other cartridges with bigger calibre,heavier ,slower bullets but comparable energy may deliver more 'knock down' force,and be effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave thorniley Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 hi ive had my 17 rem sako vixen for 25 years, its a great caibre its never let me down, easy to load brass and bullets easy to get its awesome dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherlock Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Dave , can I ask how many barrels you have had in that time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Cheers Fizz Yes, I do kiss my rifles when they perform under difficult circumstances...who doesn't? -- i like to give mine a poke with the rod , but iv never kissed them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzbangwhallop Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 Cheers Fizz Yes, I do kiss my rifles when they perform under difficult circumstances...who doesn't? -- i like to give mine a poke with the rod , but iv never kissed them Synergy rules! I went down to Thesmi's to try it before buying and I knew it was going to be good when I took the cap off a coke bottle at 100m, off a sloping vehicle bonnet, cheapie 'scope on top under a red lamp - OK, on my 3rd shot but that was only because we couldn't see the holes in the label! He's regretted selling it ever since. It's just a bog standard blued synthetic Tikka 595....no bedding, no special trigger....a reversed EGW rail on top for the Drones eye relief and an AIM cheekpiece. Love it. Fizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyw2 Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 i have a 17 fireball and love it, but didn't realise just how much hassle getting cases aand ammo would be. Now have a good supply of cases, but these popped up after buying the dies to go from 224 down to 17 fb, through 221 and 20 vargat (?). Now I can feed it, wouldn't change it for the world. Almost Rem pace and can give HMR velocitis when loaded with trailboss. Had good success with the 17gr Krank value .17 bullets too if you are loading your own. Good luck. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave thorniley Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 hi Sherlock , yes including the factory barrel ive had five, but one I traded because it was to heavy a profile for me , they are 1 border 3 pacnor I think, its not a lot in about 25 years after all I don't use it for plinking its one of my favourite calibre,s its a joy to shoot regards dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soother223 Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Got to be honest I got a 17h an I absolutely love it! Got a 204 in the cabinet aswel but for some reason I really fancy a 17 fb or rem! Don't know what to do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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