.17 Hornet coming my way

Thanks for posting the pix, Matthew and thanks for your input too, Bryan.

I stopped at those groups because I was convinced that I had a shooter on my hands and did not see much reason to burn up more ammo. I wanted to see how the factory stuff would shoot and as I had hoped, it shoots wonderful. I heard it did but of course, wanted to see for myself.

I forgot to bring my chronograph today but was really curious as to how accurate the factory claims were regarding velocities. If I can match the factory speeds and accuracy with my handloads then I will be done. After all, how many factory rifles will ever give you three shot 1/4" 100 yard groups let alone the very first three shot groups you fire with it? With off the shelf ammo? I'm happy to be sure.

Thanks for all the help with this one, guys.
 
I'd definitely like to see what your factory length barrel shoots the Hornady 20gr Superformance stuff at. As you know, I had a few inches cut off mine when I had it threaded and I don't know if it's because my barrel is only 21 inches long now or if Hornady is like every other brand of factory ammo that I've chronographed and the lie a lot, because when I chronographed the factory 20gr Superformance stuff, it wasn't even close to what they claimed on the box.

I kind of have a hunch they all just lie a lot about those velocities they put on the box because the little bit that I've reloaded for my 17 Hornet, the speeds were pretty much spot on to what I thought they'd be.

FWIW, I use a Magnetospeed Chronograph that has been shot inline with two different Oehler 35's to verify its accuracy.
 
I will sure let you know something when I find out, Bryan. I had a couple of other guns I needed to sight in today or else I would have ran back home and got that chrono. I usually keep it in my truck but I had taken it out a few months ago and forgot to put it back in. As soon as I clock the stuff I will be happy to give you an update. Likely it will be next week sometime.
 
Originally Posted By: RustydustI will sure let you know something when I find out, Bryan. I had a couple of other guns I needed to sight in today or else I would have ran back home and got that chrono. I usually keep it in my truck but I had taken it out a few months ago and forgot to put it back in. As soon as I clock the stuff I will be happy to give you an update. Likely it will be next week sometime.

Next week?! I'm sorry but I find that time frame unacceptable. What the he11 Russ, you think this is some kind of Govt. job or something... LOL
 
Originally Posted By: Rustydust
One of the guys at the range with me noticed a very light ring around the brass after firing. You can actually feel it when you run your fingernail over it. From the rim it measures about .12-.13" up. Is this anything to be concerned about? I know this a rimmed cases and I am not used to loading any rimmed bottleneck rounds. Do any of you others that have one of these see the same thing?

i saw it on ammo shot from my cz527 and i see it on ammo shot from my savage.

i even see it to some extent on factory rounds before they are even fired. look at some real close. you will see it. it is just more obvious after they are shot.

it does look like head separation, but do not think it is. lol

did the rifle feed rounds from the mag nice and smooth? or was it finicky on how it fed now and then?
 
Originally Posted By: SlickerThanSnot

Did the rifle feed rounds from the mag nice and smooth? or was it finicky on how it fed now and then?

I only loaded the magazine once as I prefer to single load while at the range but I did so to see if there was a any sort of hiccup and there was not. Granted 5 rounds is not much of a test but there were no issues. I will try it again next time I go and see how it does.
 
Originally Posted By: callcrazyazHELLO Rusty, we need some new updates on the 17 Hornet.

Joe

Well sir, nothing new since my trip to the range a few days ago. After running 200 rounds of .17 HH brass through my tumbler that Very Good Friend send me in the mail I loaded up 50 rounds of CFE BLK with some 20 Vmax and Nosler HP bullets using the CCI BR4 caps. An hour or so ago I got back from Sportsman's with a lb of AA1680 and I'm going to load a few more up with that powder next. Ackleyman suggested that I try H110 too so that I will do as well.

It is finally cooling off some here so hopefully I will be back to the range again by Friday. And for sure, I will be keeping everyone up to date with how my new little honey is doing. Sure been fun so far.
 
RD, if you so choose to try, 12.2gr of 1680 with 20Vmax seems to be a load that many settle on with very good results.

Soooooo, since I know you're retired and the weather has actually been more accommodating with it's cooler temps and what not, I'm sorry, but I gotta ask, good Lord man, what h311 have you been doing because you've had four days now and you've got nothing done?! How many episodes of "The Bold and The Beautiful" do you need to watch????
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And BR4's, really?! You must be rich if you're burning BR4's in a 17 Hornet.....
rolleyes.gif
 
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Hey Bryan

That is exactly the load that I have been itching to try. I live in a small(ish) town and even though there are a couple of establishments that sell reloading supplies neither carries AA powder. I had to go into Boise earlier today so that's why I bought some then. Man! Over $30 for pound of it including tax. Good thing it goes a long way in a .17 Hornet.

And I take a little offense to your absurd notion that I spend much of my time watching "The Bold and the Beautiful". For real? Why on earth would I devote any of my precious retirement years watching something like that when I can just as easily watch all of those rib tickling and bemusing episodes of The Partridge Family and The Brady Bunch that are currently in syndication? The very idea!
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And nope- not made of $ but wanted to try the BR4 primers for my first 50 rounds simply because I had half a flat of them sitting on my bench. I primed 50 rounds of regular Remington 6 1/2 primers too just to see if they was any meaningful differential. I am hoping that if there is any that it will be inconsequential. Actually, if I can make up some loads that will shoot as good for me as the factory 20 grain Vmaxes do then I will be might pleased.
 
I just had the most amusing thought, you sitting there with your remote in one hand and a can of beer in the other, mumbling to yourself, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!!! Yeah, you're probably a Jan fan.
 
No more beer for me but several of them might help if we were to feast our eyes on some of those kids of the 60's today. Several have been in and out of drug/alcohol rehab, have not had a part in anything since Love Boat went off the air. It's just better to think of the Good Old Days when all these kids were fresh faced hip hugger bell bottom wearing freckle faced cherubic brats!
 
I have owned two 17 hornets for several years, 12.2 grains of 1680 works well, I use 11.1 in some re-formed 22 hornet cases. Both of my rifles are CZs.
 
Actually, I wanted one for a while but I wanted to make sure that they were still going to be on the market after a few years. Everyone remembers what happened to the .17 Fireball.

And I adore my .17 Remington- I really do. But almost all my critter shooting is with our local ground squirrels and 300 yards is actually quite a poke where we shoot. For this I think the .17 Hornet would just be seriously kickass.
 
But almost all my critter shooting is with our local ground squirrels and 300 yards is actually quite a poke where we shoot. For this I think the .17 Hornet would just be seriously kickass.

Nice report Russ and your right on the 300 yd ranger.

Joe
 
I now have 100 rounds of brass loaded up (thanks again, Joe) and heading back to the range tomorrow. I even got my chrono in the truck so that I won't forget it this time. I got 20 grain bullets from Hornady, Nosler and Berger, powder from CFE BLK and AA 1680, primers are CCI BR and Remington 6 1/2. If any of these loads will duplicate the excellent 20 grain Hornady factory loads then I will certainly be pleased. Most pleased.

Hopefully by this time tomorrow I will have my results posted.
 
Originally Posted By: B23RD, if you so choose to try, 12.2gr of 1680 with 20Vmax seems to be a load that many settle on with very good results.

Soooooo, since I know you're retired and the weather has actually been more accommodating with it's cooler temps and what not, I'm sorry, but I gotta ask, good Lord man, what h311 have you been doing because you've had four days now and you've got nothing done?! How many episodes of "The Bold and The Beautiful" do you need to watch????
scared.gif


And BR4's, really?! You must be rich if you're burning BR4's in a 17 Hornet.....
rolleyes.gif




I just wanted to point out that this load is over book by 1 full grain according to Accurate.

1706.jpg


Stay safe out there.
 
Wow. Dang I did not know that. Well, since I will be seeing you at the range in an hour or so I will let you test fire the first ones and I will stand back 50 yards or so.

Axly, I found that same load other places too. Fingers crossed.
 
Sometimes these reloading manuals/books are all over the place because Hornady shows a max load of 12.4gr 1680 with their 20gr Vmax.

I've shot 12.2 and 12.4 of 1680 w/20Vmax in my CZ 527 Varmint in 17 Hornet. They both grouped nearly exactly the same but the 12.4gr load, for obvious reasons, shot a little faster, but they both grouped very well. I'm mostly still shooting factory Hornady Superformance ammo till I get enough brass built up. This factory stuff shoots so darn good it's hard for me to get excited about reloading for it and until I can in bulk, I probably won't but the little bit I have played with load development, that 12.2-12.4 load shot really well and a good amount faster than the factory stuff, which in my rifle with the barrel shortened up to 21 inches, the Hornady SF 20Vmax ammo only shoots 3580-3610 fps and my 12.2-12.4 loads shot 3700-3750 fps.

I'm curious to see what RD gets with his same gun but with the full 24in barrel.
 
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