Anybody starting playing with the 17 Hornet?

dang472

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  • Feb 3, 2012
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    Kingston, IL
    I put the new Ruger 77/17 on order with my buddy so knowing Ruger and new models, I have a year or so to research loads. I'm a big fan of Hornady so I'll probably stick with their polymer tipped varmint bullets. At first thought, I need to get a powder funnel that goes down to .17 and a smaller deburring tool as well. Just curious if anyone has experimented with a few different powders so I can patiently wait for the stuff to come in stock.
     
    I have a 17AH, mine didn't like the hotter primers, I think ill end up using federal pistol primers. First I tried lil gun, I couldn't even get close to the hodgdon loads(perhaps a hot batch of powder). IMR4227 gave me a max vel. of 3475 with a 20gr V-max, and aa1680 gave 3650+.

    fun case!
     
    I was just on Hodgdon's website. I already have Lil'Gun and H110 on my shelf so I'll be able to try those and I'll grab some IMR4227 if you've had good luck. What rifle primers did you try? CCI 400s?
     
    17AH here, and 1680 is the dog's bollocks for it. 4227 was good, but 1680 was more consistent. Lil'gun tended to be all over the place with weird pressure spikes, so it stays for the plain Hornet....
     
    I am patiently waiting for die to become availabe. Have bullets powder and primers to try, but have so far waited roughly 3 months for the die.

    Cabela's has some dies. Actually I can find everything but Brass. I just picked up my Savage model 25 .17Hornet Saturday and have three boxes of Hornady 20gr Vmax with it. Rifles scoped and ready to go but haven't been to the range yet. also the boxes of Hornday are loaded with the Superformace powder and it getting the 20vmax out to 3650. Gunblast on youtube reveiwed the same rifle I have and crono'd the Hornady load and at 10' from the muzzle it clocked at 3650!
     
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    I was just on Hodgdon's website. I already have Lil'Gun and H110 on my shelf so I'll be able to try those and I'll grab some IMR4227 if you've had good luck. What rifle primers did you try? CCI 400s?
    I dont think you'll like the lil gun or H110 in that case, but you can see for yourself. I tried some CCI br4 primers, with okay results.
     
    Cabela's has some dies. Actually I can find everything but Brass. I just picked up my Savage model 25 .17Hornet Saturday and have three boxes of Hornady 20gr Vmax with it. Rifles scoped and ready to go but haven't been to the range yet. also the boxes of Hornday are loaded with the Superformace powder and it getting the 20vmax out to 3650. Gunblast on youtube reveiwed the same rifle I have and crono'd the Hornady load and at 10' from the muzzle it clocked at 3650!
    The 17 hornet superformance loads are not loaded with superformance powder, Thats way way way to slow of a burn rate. I think they load them with aa1680.
     
    The 17 hornet superformance loads are not loaded with superformance powder, Thats way way way to slow of a burn rate. I think they load them with aa1680.

    Yotehunter...I would think so too...but this is what Hornady is saying..."Superformance propellent". Funny thing is that Hodgens load manual "magazine" doesn't show the Superformace powder for this round and none of there velocities get near 3650fps...lil'gun only gets 3629fps with a 24" barrel.. and the Hornday loads are clocking 3650fps out of a 22" barrel....


    Based on the 22 Hornet cartridge case, the 17 Hornet propels the 20 gr V-MAX at 3,650 fps. Fueled with Superformance propellent, the 17 Hornet Superformance Varmint is economically priced, and delivers the trajectory of a traditional 55 gr 223 load, but is a pleasure to shoot with the felt recoil of a 22 WMR. The 17 Hornet – an economical, fun .17 caliber centerfire cartridge that puts the STING on varmints out to 300 yards
     
    Yotehunter...I would think so too...but this is what Hornady is saying..."Superformance propellent". Funny thing is that Hodgens load manual "magazine" doesn't show the Superformace powder for this round and none of there velocities get near 3650fps...lil'gun only gets 3629fps with a 24" barrel.. and the Hornday loads are clocking 3650fps out of a 22" barrel....


    Based on the 22 Hornet cartridge case, the 17 Hornet propels the 20 gr V-MAX at 3,650 fps. Fueled with Superformance propellent, the 17 Hornet Superformance Varmint is economically priced, and delivers the trajectory of a traditional 55 gr 223 load, but is a pleasure to shoot with the felt recoil of a 22 WMR. The 17 Hornet – an economical, fun .17 caliber centerfire cartridge that puts the STING on varmints out to 300 yards
    Yea aa1680 is the only powder I have seen 3650+ out of, Hornadys new manual shows a max load of 1680 at 3750 with a 20gr v-max! not sure all guns will get that kind of speed but my ackley hornet will do 3650. A pretty sweet payload from 12gr charge!! My 17 mach IV only gets a lil over 4000 with a 20gr charge. My most accurate load with the ackley hornet was 1680 with a 20gr V-max running 3550fps, I shot a 4 shot group that measured .2 exactly.
     
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