17 Rem or 17 Fireball

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Kansas220Swift

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I am thinking about a 17 rem or a 17 fireball for short range 150yards and less for fox and bobcats and some coyotes, anybody know what round would be better for me as I am not worried bout ammo or brass as I can reload if needed

thanks
 
At 150 yards there is nothing that you are going to shoot with either a .17 Remington or a .17 Fireball that is going to be able to tell the difference. Both will work just fine.

BUT, if it were me I would go for the .17 Remington. Brass is still out there as is loaded ammo. And being a handloader it is a snap to load the .17 Remmy down to the .17 FB level but you cant quite load the .17 FB up to .17 Remmy.

If you had a case or so of .17 Fireball brass then I would say go for it and have fun. I have been loading the .17 Remington for 35 years and I certainly do have an affinity for the cartridge. Had the .17 FB hit the market first and the .17 Remington came about later perhaps I would feel different. But it is what it is and that the .17 Remington is way into middle age now and still plodding along. The .17 Fireball is on its way to obscurity. Get the .17 Remington.
 
I never had a furball, but do have a .17 Remington. Never taken enough game with it to have a solid opinion yet. Most of the folks that do tell me it's more suitable for yotes than the .17 fireball. Both would be fine for bobcat and probaly to much for fox. But the .17 Remington is as near to perfect as you'll find for all around predator cartridge in my uneducated opinion
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Originally Posted By: Rustydust The .17 Fireball is on its way to obscurity.
Don't count on it. I'll grant you,,, it's not as popular for predator hunting as the 17Rem (and for good reason),,, but the 17M4/FB had (and still has) a loyal following long before you discovered the 17Rem some 35yrs ago.

To the OP,,,, a round that's consistently "fur friendly" on Fox yet still capable of dropping Coyotes simply doesn't exist.
IMO,,, the 17Rem's as close as you'll find though, and that's coming from a guy that owns both.
 
17 Rem is great on foxes and bobcats. I get most of mine between 40-80 yards.




One hole wonder dead on. You might get a through and through with a broadside. A shallow hit can tear the fur a bit.

 
Originally Posted By: RePete
Don't count on it. I'll grant you,,, it's not as popular for predator hunting as the 17Rem (and for good reason),,, but the 17M4/FB had (and still has) a loyal following long before you discovered the 17Rem some 35yrs ago.


Oh I think that it will be around but is any major gun manufacturer going to make guns for it anymore? You know that I love the .17 calibers and want them ALL to survive but alas, some do and some don't and looks like the .17 Furball is a don't.

Like the .225 Winchester, the .224 Weatherby and the .223 WSSM there will be those folks out there that will love and load the cartridge for years to come but like so many other rounds that have came and went the .17 FB was an ingenious solution to an nonexistent problem.

I have a feeling the .17 Hornet will be dead before it ever gets going. Another pity but such is life in the gun industry.
 
Originally Posted By: RePeteCooper will make you one. (17FB)

Yeah, I know. But were I to go that route I think that I would get me a .20 Vartarg instead.

Love to have a matched set in .221 FB, .17 FB and the Vartarg. That would be cool right there.
 
Originally Posted By: RustydustOriginally Posted By: RePeteCooper will make you one. (17FB)

Yeah, I know. But were I to go that route I think that I would get me a .20 Vartarg instead.

Love to have a matched set in .221 FB, .17 FB and the Vartarg. That would be cool right there.

Indeed,,, there's allot to be said for that little FB case.
Especially when shooting colony varmints where barrel heat can become an issue.
 
Got a 17fb over a year ago and love the way it shoots. I am in the procees of getting stuff lined up to build a 17/223 out of an ar. But the 17fb will be for cats and 17/223 will allow me to cover all that I need when calling.
 
The 17 rem will give you a bit more at ranges beyond 300 yds or so but at 150 yds I would go with the fireball. I have coopers in 20vt and 221fb and 17fb in a rem mod. 7. The 17fb is what I use for fox and it works very well. With that said I must admit that I have never had a 17 rem. if I did I may have a different opinion. I form brass for all 3 from 223 brass.
 
Originally Posted By: whyI form brass for all 3 from 223 brass.

You're a dying breed my friend.
Most these days are to busy with their phones to shoot anything that requires that much effort.
 
I would say that either one is fine, speed kills. Both Rem and the FB produce more than enough velocity to get the bullet to detonate. That is the key. You need your bullet to penetrate the hide THEN expand so that there is nothing left to exit. The bullet needs to transfer it's energy to the target.

When I read about "splashes" on impact, the bullet detonated upon impact. It did not get through the hide prior to expansion. This is a common problem with ballistic tips, polymer tips and "varmint" bullets. Those are specifically to eliminate the "varmint" and are not necessarily going to preserve your fur.

I hunt bobcats and foxes for fur and coyotes to stay in practice.

I use my 17 Remington for bobcats and foxes, I use my .223 with 55gr V-max's or my 6.5 Grendel with A-max bullets for coyotes since I do not worry about the condition of the fur.

I do consider ammunition availability. I personally like to be able to buy off the shelf. I reload, but in a pinch I like to be able to buy off the shelf.
 
After couple days of thinking and not knowing on either of the 17FB or 17rem I said to heck and would do the old way and just flip a coin and whatever the outcome that was the way I was going to go so after said and done it came out to be that the 17FB would be the one. I found a new in the box Rem 700 CDL LTD ED and it should be at my local FFL this week. I then started to call around for ammo and after only 2 phone calls around my local area gun shops I ran into one that said he had 30 boxes of Rem 20gr, I was not thinking I was going to find it that easy but end the end I bought 20 boxes from him, I cant wait to get this rig set up and ready...
 
Originally Posted By: Kansas220SwiftAfter couple days of thinking and not knowing on either of the 17FB or 17rem I said to heck and would do the old way and just flip a coin and whatever the outcome that was the way I was going to go so after said and done it came out to be that the 17FB would be the one. I found a new in the box Rem 700 CDL LTD ED and it should be at my local FFL this week. I then started to call around for ammo and after only 2 phone calls around my local area gun shops I ran into one that said he had 30 boxes of Rem 20gr, I was not thinking I was going to find it that easy but end the end I bought 20 boxes from him, I cant wait to get this rig set up and ready...

Great rifle!!!! You're on your way.
Save that brass.
 
Originally Posted By: RePeteOriginally Posted By: whyI form brass for all 3 from 223 brass.

You're a dying breed my friend.
Most these days are to busy with their phones to shoot anything that requires that much effort.




I've got a lifetime supply of .221FB and .17 Mach IV cases I made out of IMI .223 too
smile.gif
. Heck, two or three lifetimes worth, at the rate they are going. That old IMI is some tough stuff.

- DAA
 
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