17 Rem Fireball

[timeout]

Looking for any experience with these, good or bad. I am thinking about building one just because. Perhaps wiser just to buy a 17 HMR, however I like to work up loads and the HMR doesn't give me that choice. Thanks!

 

[sparky123321]

Had both and you really can't compare a .17FB to a .17HMR. They're leagues apart. I'd recommend considering a .17 Hornet over the FB though. Recently purchased a CZ .17 Hornet after reading a recommendation from someone on this forum. It's one of my favorite little rifles and I own a bunch from .17WSM all the way up to .338 Edge. The factory set trigger is a great feature and even with factory ammo it shoots sub MOA at 100 yards off a bipod. I expect 1/4-1/2 MOA after I work up a load for it.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Have both, use both, really like 'em both. And the previous poster is right, you can't compare the two. The HMR is good for grass rats out to 250 yards, but without any aerobatics at that range. My 17FB is actually a Sako/Shilen 17 Mach IV (sameo-sameo) and is good for just over 400 yards (25gr V-Max or Berger) on rats and gives good flying lessons out past 350 yards. The M4 will shoot sub .5 MOA all day, whereas the HMR (Anschutz 1517HB) is only good for around .75-1.0 MOA due to factory ammo restrictions.

With the HMR, you're stuck with factory ammo, when you can find it. But with the 17FB, your choices in terms of ammo due to handloading is almost limitless.

I'd say you 'need' both, as I'm convinced I do and plan to keep it that way.

(I also shoot a 17 Ackley Hornet and love it too, but the above addresses the OP's original query.)

 

[Sniper338]

I have a buddy that has a FB and it shoots lights out... he shoots it out to 300 yards or so hunting.

 

[varmintshooter]

I agree with all of the above.

 

[johnmyers]

I have a 17 MachIV which is same as a Fireball . Shoots Woodchuck Den 30 Golds over 3800fps kills from coyotes on down. It's a really awesome cartridge. Get a 1:9 twist so you can shoot the 30s

 

[timeout]

Thanks guys for the info. Next question is that I see two different diameters on these two 17 cal. bullets:
http://www.bullets.com/search?s=category%3abullets&s=caliber:.17&o=1 I saw that Green Mountain makes a 17 cal SS barrel blank so I contacted them and they are asking me for bore and groove dimension. Do any of you know the answer to this or where should I go to get those specs?

 

[Rick in Oregon]

I'd just tell them that the bullet dia is .172" and let them figure it out.

Better idea: Buy a barrel from a known quality maker of .17 caliber barrels such as Lilja. Never heard of a barrel maker asking for bore and groove dimensions, they're industry standard for crikey-sakes.

 

[timeout]

I'd just tell them that the bullet dia is .172" and let them figure it out.

Better idea: Buy a barrel from a known quality maker of .17 caliber barrels such as Lilja. Never heard of a barrel maker asking for bore and groove dimensions, they're industry standard for crikey-sakes.

Nor have I. It was probably a salesman, but even so....... I checked several barrel companies such as Brux, Krieger, etc. and none of then listed 17 cal on their website.

 

[JohnHenry]

Green Mountain may have asked the question as looking at Lilja's website I see he also makes a 17 air rifle barrel having a .177 groove diameter. As Rick says you want a .172 groove diameter for a 17 caliber centerfire(or rimfire). I do not know the depth of their grooves but I would estimate approx 0.0025 which would yield a bore diameter of 0.167. On James Calhoon's website he indicates that 17 and 20 caliber barrels typically have a groove depth of .0015 to .0020. Calhoon indicates that his 19 caliber barrels have a groove depth of .003. I believe his 19 caliber barrels are made by Pac-Nor. The groove depth of Kreiger 20 caliber barrels is .0025.

 

[dedogs]

Where are you seeing two different diameters on those bullets? They both measure .172-- as they should. dedogs

 

[MrMajestic]

Grab yourself a Pac-Nor 3 groove 9tw and chamber it for the Fireball. Kills way above it's size! I will never be w/o one!

 

[timeout]

Where are you seeing two different diameters on those bullets? They both measure .172-- as they should. dedogs

If you click on the bullets.com link it shows .17 for the Hornadys and .172 for the Bergers. Since I don't have any on hand to measure, I had to take the ad at face value.

 

[timeout]

Grab yourself a Pac-Nor 3 groove 9tw and chamber it for the Fireball. Kills way above it's size! I will never be w/o one!

Thanks, I'll check Pacnors site.

 

[Catfish]

First the 17 HMR has nothing to offer me. If your looking for a rifle for small varmints, get a 17 Hornet. For game up to groundhog, fox and bobcats nothing better. For coyotes I would quit shooting at 200 yards. If your going to use it for coyote rather the 14 Fire Ball or the 17 Rem. I sold my 17 Rem. and 17-223 and went to the 204, but I`m thinking that was a mistake. I still have a 17 AH and a 17 MkIV though.

 

[dedogs]

If you click on the link you posted and then click on the image of each bullet then look at specs for each the are both .172-- AS THEY SHOULD BE. dedogs

 

[Ackman]

Where are you seeing two different diameters on those bullets? They both measure .172-- as they should. dedogs

If you click on the bullets.com link it shows .17 for the Hornadys and .172 for the Bergers. Since I don't have any on hand to measure, I had to take the ad at face value.

You're making too much of this. You'll just have to believe that .17cal. bullets are .172".

 

[hogpatrol]

I've had three factory Remington 17fireballs. All three had throats so long you could not get a 20 gr. pill anywhere near the lands and the 25s weren't much better. I sold one and kept two, a Model 7 and it now wears a Shilen featherweight & chucks at 300 are easy. The other, a 700, has a Lilja sendero contour and same story with it. I use VV133 since it seems to be cleaner burning and require less carbon removal but there some other good powders that work just as well. Shoot the Kindler Golds & have fun.
p.s. Forget green mountain barrels & go with a Lilja, PacNor or Shilen.

 

[CatShooter]

Where are you seeing two different diameters on those bullets? They both measure .172-- as they should. dedogs

If you click on the bullets.com link it shows .17 for the Hornadys and .172 for the Bergers. Since I don't have any on hand to measure, I had to take the ad at face value.

You're making too much of this. You'll just have to believe that .17cal. bullets are .172".

What Ackdude said... 17 cal bullets for cartridges are 0.172".

Air guns are 0.177" and nothing is 0.170"

 

[tuck2]

I m a 17 caliber fan. Most all of my shooting is at prairie dogs. I shoot Cooper 57 M LVT 17 HM2 , 17 HMR, CZ 527 varmint 17 Hornet, Rem 700 17 Fireball and Sako 17 Rem. rifles. I stopped using the 17 Rem rifle for p dog shooting after getting a Ruger VT 204 Ruger rifle for longer shots. My accurate reload for the 17 Fireball bullet is nearly as fast as the accurate powder load for the 17 Rem rifle which is on the low side. I have only had the CZ 17 Hornet rifle for a year. The Hornet shoots 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards using Hornady 20 Gr ammo. The 17 Fireball is a fine cartridge for shooting p dogs but so is the little 17 Hornet.