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17 Fireball vs 20 VarTarg

The fireball parent case I run the light bullets. 17 or 20 I won’t argue over, unless you have throughly played with a 17 center fire, they don’t blow around like a plastic sack in the wind like many will say they have heard.
 
I grew to dislike the 204 so I have avoided the 20VT but moving forward that will prolly change. The 17FB is nothing short of amazing. Like JSH said, I don't see wind issues with it like I thought might be a problem before I tried it. I use a RCBS neck bushing set to deal with the tiny bullets on seating. Building my first 221FB now in a carry gun but I'm anxious to see how it performs. If I love it, I'll build a PD rifle in 221FB. Last year in the PD fields I fired over 600 rounds through the 17FB and never cleaned the rifle. Fired the attached target when I got home and before I cleaned it.

IMG_0449.JPG
 
17cal Fan said:
Last year in the PD fields I fired over 600 rounds through the 17FB and never cleaned the rifle. Fired the attached target when I got home and before I cleaned it.
Click to expand...
Wow. That is an amazing shot count on a centerfire 17 cal without cleaning.

I can go a long way on a 17 HMR without cleaning, but have never been that lucky with a centerfire?!?

Do you mind telling us, how far was that target group you showed?
What was the recipe you ran when you went 600 rnds without cleaning?

Maybe I'll get motivated to try another 17 centerfire again.

With 20 and 17, I have found cleaning to be a challenge on PD trips. The job is difficult with such a flimsy cleaning rod and as a result it takes me too long to clean in the field... but if you have cracked the code to shooting a full day without cleaning.....
 
RegionRat said:
Wow. That is an amazing shot count on a centerfire 17 cal without cleaning.

I can go a long way on a 17 HMR without cleaning, but have never been that lucky with a centerfire?!?

Do you mind telling us, how far was that target group you showed?
What was the recipe you ran when you went 600 rnds without cleaning?

Maybe I'll get motivated to try another 17 centerfire again.

With 20 and 17, I have found cleaning to be a challenge on PD trips. The job is difficult with such a flimsy cleaning rod and as a result it takes me too long to clean in the field... but if you have cracked the code to shooting a full day without cleaning.....
Click to expand...
That was at my home range which is 95 yards I believe (couldn't get exactly 100 without cutting trees.
It was 19.8 8208 CCI400 Nosler Varmageddon 20 Polytip.

But I didn't clean anything on the trip so there was 3 or 400 222, and 300 plus rounds of 17 Hornet. We always take a cleaning rod just in case but quit cleaning until we get home. The 222 and Fireball are Green Mountain barrels that I chambered. The Hornet is a CZ 527.

I know it sounds terrible not to clean and it goes against everything I ever thought I needed to do. Prairie Dogs don't seem to mind and accuracy hasn't suffered so I'll keep it up. If I ruin a barrel, I'll buy another.
 
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I started bringing an old ironing board, makes a fair cleaning table for the gun vice. Got one of the cheap harbor freight moving blankets to throw on the bed to lay rifles on while they soak in wipeout. Makes some of the house keepers nervous if they come in and there are rifles piled on a bed like cord wood,lol.
 
During our ground squirrel shoots, we just use the truck tailgate for a cleaning 'table', then grab a fresh rifle and continue. A Muzzle Mate keeps all the nasty from reaching the bed liner or Bed Rug, easy cleanup, keep shooting.



With smaller case capacity cartridges like the 17M4, 221FB and 20VT, I can shoot all day, clean when ready to get back to the camp trailer and not see any degradation of accuracy. We all seem to use what works for us, this is what has worked well for me.
 
I did the tailgate thing one time. To much dust blowing around where I am at.
No adult supervision, so I just put the dirty rigs on the bottom of the stack. I am not shy about switching up to a larger caliber as needed, depending on situations and conditions. That lets me “exercise” some rigs that see little use other than paper. The 6BR with a 55 sure makes them fly with a 55-75 grain bullet. 1-8” twist I was shocked at how well the shoot.
Private or public you can tell how far most get shot at. The ones next to the road when you pull in dive and stay down. The ones at a distance stand up and a have a look around……….for a while.
 
JSH, that's one of the many reasons we prefer GS's to PD's, as these little buggers are much more tolerant of gunfire, are much more stupid in that you can launch one off his mound at round 250 yds, and his buddy sitting a foot away stays still for his turn. Plus where we are, there are probably 25 squirrels for every PD I've shot in those PD states.

Plus living in Orygun, we've got beaucoup squirrels, but must drive two states away for their larger cousin, the Prairie Dog. Close is good, and considering the price of fuel now, it's golden.

Both species of grass rats are fun, and depending on location, we're blessed with plenty of rodents to satisfy most all shooters.

Young GS's coming up for a look about....

 
Rick in Oregon said:
JSH, that's one of the many reasons we prefer GS's to PD's, as these little buggers are much more tolerant of gunfire, are much more stupid in that you can launch one off his mound at round 250 yds, and his buddy sitting a foot away stays still for his turn. Plus where we are, there are probably 25 squirrels for every PD I've shot in those PD states.

Plus living in Orygun, we've got beaucoup squirrels, but must drive two states away for their larger cousin, the Prairie Dog. Close is good, and considering the price of fuel now, it's golden.

Both species of grass rats are fun, and depending on location, we're blessed with plenty of rodents to satisfy most all shooters.

Young GS's coming up for a look about....

Click to expand...
Rick get me some seed and I will plant some around here, lol ;-). Don’t tell the neighbors lol.
I will even feed you a giant T bone and a cold adult beverage.
 
17cal Fan said:
I grew to dislike the 204 so I have avoided the 20VT but moving forward that will prolly change. The 17FB is nothing short of amazing. Like JSH said, I don't see wind issues with it like I thought might be a problem before I tried it. I use a RCBS neck bushing set to deal with the tiny bullets on seating. Building my first 221FB now in a carry gun but I'm anxious to see how it performs. If I love it, I'll build a PD rifle in 221FB. Last year in the PD fields I fired over 600 rounds through the 17FB and never cleaned the rifle. Fired the attached target when I got home and before I cleaned it.

View attachment 1531605
Click to expand...
I go all day PD'n without cleaning any of my guns.
It's not uncommon to have 300-400 rounds down the VT barrel without any noticable degradation.

At the end of the day I shoot some Wipe Out foam in each barrel let it sit awhile and push out most of the crud in one pass followed by with a brass brush and Cop Out and finishing with Flitz for any remaining carbon.

Rick M.
 
The Wilson inline die is as easy as it gets, drop the bullet down the bullet stem hole seat and done.
 
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