• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

17 fire ball

I wanted to build one last year. What concerned me was feeding. I wanted a repeater off a R700 action. Was told would be best to have a 221 follower and have the extractor set up differently. I went a different route. I really wanted one. My gunsmith builds them from time to time. Last one was for a Howa mini action. He likes the little round
 
Overview: For those that do 17s w enough powder capacity would lean toward 25 or 30 gr offerings. The Berger 30s are no longer in production. 25s? scarce is my GUESS.

If the advantage of going consistently over 200+ yards w superior velocity is a "want", go .20 cal, shoot 32s. I have heard mention by more than a few 17 cal guys that they were tired of messing with those #&$@## little things. The "good", less expensve and available brass choices are numerous - unlike the .17 world.

If you just want something different, go for it. If it ain't fun, why bother?
 
Among my small caliber cartridges is have the 17 & 20 calibers. One being a CZ 457 in 17 Fireball, it is a hoot to shoot and works super well out to 300 yrds with no problem.
Easy to find a accurate load, using 4198 or CFE black and I use the lead free bullets by Hornady.
You just have to learn to handle the small bullet when seating them. But not much different than handling the 20 caliber one's. You would enjoy the 17FB. It puts down critters better than most think, if you hit them well, as you should with any cartridge.
 
How about it's bigger brother, and do a 20 Vartarg? You can get brass here, or make it from the 17 or 221 Fireball. It's got a great following here, and would also use the same action options as the 17FB. 20 caliber bullets are available in more variety, just a thought.
 
Thoughts!..why dont you have one!...its gonna be ok your in the right place..haha
The 221 fireball is my absolute favorite rifle case i dont know why..i just like it..its fun.
The 221 is a little slow..
The 17 fireball is a little to light
But the .20 var-targ...brother..its just right.
But if your set on getting the 17 fire ball first i understand...once your infatuated with the 17..you will most likely order a .20VT barrel...or not..who knows..but this seems to be a common chant around here..hahaha..
I love the 17 fireball cartridge , im looking at 300rds all loaded up and ready to blast away of 17FB as i type..i loaded this stuff up years ago and got busy with life now ive completely reconfigured my rifle hopefully something i have shoots..one thing about the 221 fb case..it shoots and shoots very well no matter what caliber you jam in it..perfect example of (efficiency)
On the target, and your wallet.
 

Attachments

  • do-it-ben-stiller.gif
    do-it-ben-stiller.gif
    138.5 KB · Views: 22
Just ran emptied a partial box of 17FB odds and ends. The little case,221, I run the light bullets for my purpose. The heavies get the bigger case.
When/if I build another anything on 221 or 222 I wil acquire another Howa mini action.

The 221 case family issue is supply. I got so PO’d I just make my own as many others have done.
 
How about it's bigger brother, and do a 20 Vartarg? You can get brass here, or make it from the 17 or 221 Fireball. It's got a great following here, and would also use the same action options as the 17FB. 20 caliber bullets are available in more variety, just a thought.
Among my small calibers, I do have the 20 VT and also a 20SCC. Both are great cartridges, just like the 20 Tac, 20-223AI( 40 degree shoulder) that I use for varminting. But a 17 HMR and 17 FB fit right in also. Each is shot at times and each has a good place in my hobby of the shooting sports.
 
I have two, a Model 7 and a SS 17FB action custom. Unfortunately, the two best bullets, Nagels and Kindlers, are no longer made but have had good results with the Berger 25s.
30 grain Kindler gold BT took this guy at 75 yards, night time cull hunt, split the heart in half. Model 7 with Shilen featherweight barrel.
2015_springbok.JPG
 
It’s so fast, with so little recoil, that it’s worth having just for the entertainment value of knowing what a civilian laser rifle might be like. It’s an instant, impact-observable straight line of energy transmitted to the target. It leaves behind virtually no trace that the tiny bullet ever existed.

Many years ago, Remington sold the long, barreled, heavy varmint contour rifle in the cheap SPS stocked-version. This was essentially like the police model except with a cheaper coating applied to the metal, and unlikable stock. I dropped it in a proper H&S Precision aluminum blocked stock, bumped that Police 700 to an Accuracy International, and consider it as good any other Sendero-like 700.

Two decades ago there was a contingency of accuracy theorists that believed physics dictated an inseparable relationship between inherent accuracy and superior velocity. Not just for short exposure time to the wind, but also because extreme forward velocity imparted such a degree of momentum straight ahead that it ironed out the effects of imperfections and interactions, relative to slower moving bullets with an offsetting higher BC.

This cartridge will come as close to any I have ever used, to making one a believer that maybe velocity is king.
 
Nice HP. I also have taken a couple game animals with my 17FB, good bullet and placement with it is just a deadly as a 300 Win.
I have two, a Model 7 and a SS 17FB action custom. Unfortunately, the two best bullets, Nagels and Kindlers, are no longer made but have had good results with the Berger 25s.
30 grain Kindler gold BT took this guy at 75 yards, night time cull hunt, split the heart in half. Model 7 with Shilen featherweight barrel.
 
It’s so fast, with so little recoil, that it’s worth having just for the entertainment value of knowing what a civilian laser rifle might be like. It’s an instant, impact-observable straight line of energy transmitted to the target. It leaves behind virtually no trace that the tiny bullet ever existed.

Many years ago, Remington sold the long, barreled, heavy varmint contour rifle in the cheap SPS stocked-version. This was essentially like the police model except with a cheaper coating applied to the metal, and unlikable stock. I dropped it in a proper H&S Precision aluminum blocked stock, bumped that Police 700 to an Accuracy International, and consider it as good any other Sendero-like 700.

Two decades ago there was a contingency of accuracy theorists that believed physics dictated an inseparable relationship between inherent accuracy and superior velocity. Not just for short exposure time to the wind, but also because extreme forward velocity imparted such a degree of momentum straight ahead that it ironed out the effects of imperfections and interactions, relative to slower moving bullets with an offsetting higher BC.

This cartridge will come as close to any I have ever used, to making one a believer that maybe velocity is king.
Hmm, the Sendero is a long action...
Danny
 
A little short on horse power, if your going to have brass work to do you may as well go 17/223. Run a 1/9 twist for the Hornady 25 vmax, will be a legit 400 yard woodchuck rifle. Find a few Hornady 25 hp and fox/coyote are in extreme danger.
 
I bought the SPS Varmint when the cartridge was first introduced and managed to pick up the Limited Edition CDL shortly after. Somewhere along the way I also acquired a Model 7. The SPS has always been rediculously accurate as has the model 7. The CDL is still in the safe, unfired. Last summer I also picked up a 17 Mack IV in the T/C contender by Bullberry at a price no normal person could pass up. I'm still hoping to get an invite to shoot prairie dogs at some point but they are fun to take to the range.
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
165,856
Messages
2,204,920
Members
79,174
Latest member
kit10n
Back
Top