17 mach iv or Rem fireball

[garyw]

if you had achoice of 17 mach iv or a Rem 17 fireball which would get your hard earned$$$$/££££.and why?
garyw

 

[ghermitage]

If you want to buy a non-custom gun at Remington prices, the choice becomes clearer. I would probably go for the Rem chambering anyway on the possibility that variant would become better established than other variants. Bit annoying for existing mach IV owners though.

 

[Ackman]

Doesn't matter. They're both the same cartridge.

 

[ghermitage]

I gather there was some variation amongst the Mach IVs, such shoulder angles from 30 to 40 degrees.
Also that the 17 Rem Fireball isn't precisely the same as any of them. Close, but not quite.
Purposeful discussion would require side-by-side comparison of engineering drawings.

 

[Ackman]

Ghermitage,
Not really.....the MIV has a 30*shoulder. If it's 40*, it's not a MIV. You can order a reamer to any spec's you want, but SAAMI is identical enough to the 17FB that they're the same. This has been discussed ad nauseum on a couple boards.

 

[garyw]

OK GUYS NO ONE REALLY ANSWERED THE QUESTION! FROM WHAT IV PICKED UP ABOUT BOTH THESE .17 POCKET BATTLE SHIPS ID SAY THE MACH IV NEEDS MORE CASE WORK DIES ETC.I ALREADY HAVE A 17.REM ITS THE DOGS DANGLERS,AND THOUGHT ANOTHER 17. IN THE GUN ROOM WOULD BE WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED. THOUGHTS !!
garyw

 

[rangerruck]

I just talked to Mr. H . today, one of the early shooters of the 17mach IV. everybody above is both right and wrong, and right again. it came out in the early 60's, it was made with both 30 and 40 degree shoulders, they were both called 17mach4.you could get allyour handloading stuff in both ways. cooper, calhoun, and others made factory ammo for their customers. you can get bullets for them, from 17 grains, up to 32 grains. speeds approaching 4300fps have been done with the 17 grainers, and I did not ask him about the 20 grainers. he says the Berger 32's are super accurate.
Tongue in cheek, Mr. H says, " when remmy says they made a few alterations, he said that was changing the powder formulation, then putting their headstamp on it!"
that being said, since Big Green is now standardizing it, plus there is a ton of fireball cases about, and the 30degree shoulder is a bit more flexible, i would go with the 17machIV/fireball, from now on.

 

[Ogre6br]

first- stop yelling

Then I'd build/buy whichever one you could get quality die set for the cheapest.
there seems to be SFA between the 2 rounds except for a bit of extra neck length with the 17FB.

Also watch out as a few variations of the MK4 have chambers that require turned necks, especially if forming cases from 222 or 223 brass.
I'm planning on re-chambering a 17 Remington rifle to 17FB.

later
P

 

[Ackman]

So what is it you want to hear? People have told you and you're not listening. If you don't like the answers, all the information is out there if you just go look for it. They're the same damned cartridge. You make one case just like you'd make the other.

 

[garyw]

OK ACKMAN dont throw your toys out of the cot!
i posted this subject to get like minded people talking/thinking about small calibre stuff which i cant get enough of.thanks to those that responded i hear what your all saying,the thing is over here in the UK. wildcatting etc.info is limited compared to U.S.A so thats why i post and ask to those that know.im sorry if i rattled your cage door so ill apologise.
thanks to those that posted.
garyw

 

[garyw]

THANKS CAT SHOOTER.do you think then the introduction of 17 FB will have a knock on effect on the standard 17 REM.or will it have the opposite and get people intrested in small calibres and what is there in the future,can any more calibres be created that can be commercially viable for the big manufacturers.custom and wildcatting calibres will thrive that there is no doubt.
gartw

 

[garyw]

CAT SHOOTER/GUNAMONTH.
by knock on effect i meant the finish of the 17 rem.as for barrel life in 17rem ihave a TIKKA595 that had over 2600 rounds through it and would hold under 1in at 100 yds,iv had it rebarreled with a LILJA tbe and it shoots like a house on fire.i think this calibre is the perfect walk round fox rifle[in the UK.].if the 17fb does take off world wide then yes i think the 17 rem will be history.
as for the 20 guys well im also one, a 20 tact very acurate fox buster.
thanks for your replies it makes for good reading.
garyw