.17 Fireball limitations?

Acronin

Acronin

New member
I'm a small caliber nut. I love shooting the .20 and .17 (not yet got into the 14's because those guys are nuts, lol).

anyway, I've been very impressed with my cz527 in 17 remington on coyotes. I shoot Hornady 25gr HP's.


I just purchased a .17 Fireball barrel for my AR-15. I've always liked the idea of this cartridge. I don't know if it will replace my 17 Rem bolt gun, but wanted to get everyone's thoughts on the bullet of choice they use on coyotes and how they have done and the ranges in which you'd feel confident.

I would have no problem reaching out to 400 yds with my 17 rem. I've killed more than one out to 300 yds with superb results.

I'd probably stick with the 25gr HP's for coyotes, but if anybody else has a suggestion I'm open to them.
 
I have no suggestions for you, but was curious where you got a Fireball AR barrel?

Just yesterday I handed a NIB 527 17 Rem varmint over to a buddy from Laramie, he paid me for it a year ago but we don't get together much anymore. Too much life happening. Nice rifles but he likes them a bit more than I.

Back to AR barrels, I would love to have something along the lines of a 17 Hornet in an AR. Obviously that would be next to impossible with parts that are available, ie mags and bolts would be a big problem to solve. A fireball would be doable easily if it feeds well and might be mild enough with starting loads to not torch the throat. Several years ago I had a 17-223 AR and man was it a laser, but it was kind of short lived. It would make black birds absolutely disappear, you might find a wing and maybe a foot or head several feet away but the rest was just gone.
 
I kept it simple 17 rem bolt gun, 17 rem AR upper(which runs perfectly with any 223/556 mag). I run 29 gr hp for coyote. I have been using WCD bullets(25 and 29's). I haven't broke into my stash of Berger match target 25 or 30's. I like the Berger 25 mef(match varmint) for fox,raccoon,cats.
 
Originally Posted By: 204 ARI have no suggestions for you, but was curious where you got a Fireball AR barrel?

Just yesterday I handed a NIB 527 17 Rem varmint over to a buddy from Laramie, he paid me for it a year ago but we don't get together much anymore. Too much life happening. Nice rifles but he likes them a bit more than I.

Back to AR barrels, I would love to have something along the lines of a 17 Hornet in an AR. Obviously that would be next to impossible with parts that are available, ie mags and bolts would be a big problem to solve. A fireball would be doable easily if it feeds well and might be mild enough with starting loads to not torch the throat. Several years ago I had a 17-223 AR and man was it a laser, but it was kind of short lived. It would make black birds absolutely disappear, you might find a wing and maybe a foot or head several feet away but the rest was just gone.

I actually bought it from.a guy who only put a few dozen shots through it. It was cheap so my expectations aren't super high. It's from dead hole barrels I think. Newer company.
 
Originally Posted By: spotstalkshootI kept it simple 17 rem bolt gun, 17 rem AR upper(which runs perfectly with any 223/556 mag). I run 29 gr hp for coyote. I have been using WCD bullets(25 and 29's). I haven't broke into my stash of Berger match target 25 or 30's. I like the Berger 25 mef(match varmint) for fox,raccoon,cats.

Thanks. Yeah this barrel.just was bought on a whim. I had a buddy who has a 17FB and thought that it would be worth a try.
 
Deadshot Barrels sells a 17FB. 1/10 twist so the 25 vmax and heavier bullets are probably a no go. I really like shooting starlings with 20 gr vmax,just feathers left. Gophers are fun.
 
Originally Posted By: spotstalkshootDeadshot Barrels sells a 17FB. 1/10 twist so the 25 vmax and heavier bullets are probably a no go. I really like shooting starlings with 20 gr vmax,just feathers left. Gophers are fun. . Umm a 20 grain vmax at 4100 will flat out disappear things if hit just right. I have the opposite a cz 527 with a fireball barrel on it.

Brass for the fireball is a pita to make. I can’t see spitting them out of an ar 15. Add a suppressor to the fireball and magic happens. No recoil and varmint death on-a scope and scale that will shock you. My little cz is an addiction. It’s seen almost 900 rounds since last fall.

As for coyotes I have killed 3 with the vmax but don’t recommend it, all required a finisher. I say fireball for varmints 17 rem for coyote
 
Didn’t think the fireball would feed in an AR. I just built a single shot bolt action. It started out with an internal mag but would not feed so I made it a single shot. In my research, that is a common issue with the Fireball. I got lucky last fall and picked up 600 new pieces of Nosler brass for it.
 
With the 17-222 only being a little bit bigger case capacity and the fact they feed and eject silky smooth in just about any configuration semi auto or bolt gun, unless it was a single shot build, I'd go 17-222 every time over anything off of the Fireball case.
 
Originally Posted By: B23With the 17-222 only being a little bit bigger case capacity and the fact they feed and eject silky smooth in just about any configuration semi auto or bolt gun, unless it was a single shot build, I'd go 17-222 every time over anything off of the Fireball case.

Yup to what Bryan says. Or a .17/223 either one. .17 Rem brass is crazy hard to find these days and crazy expensive when you do. I have been shooting a .17 Rem since 1979 and thankfully I have a lot of brass for it. If making a new .17 today it would not be a .17 Remington.
 
I campaigned a .17 Mach IV one whole season, quite a few years ago. Was running the old Berger 25 Match, at about 3,900 fps. For me, I thought of it as a 250 yard coyote rifle.

44-1.jpg



It has since had the barrel chopped and a TBAC added. Dedicated Varmint Of Opportunity Blaster now days.

- DAA
 
A cz 527 will choke down those fireball cases like a fat girl doing you know what. Make sure you have the shorter triple Duce bottom metal and correct mags. Potentially hard to find.
 
Well im going to give her a ho. A buddy of mine is working on 3d printing a follower for my pmags.

I have a 17 rem and I absolutely love it. Just wan this to be a solid shooter for prairie dogs and an occasional coyote.
 
Back
Top