Anyone shooting the 17 Tactical
- Thread starter RonS
- Start date
The 17 Tac is on the 223 case and I have never had one, at least under that name, but I did have a 17-223 some years back. It is so close to the 17 Rem. that I would recommend you go with the 17 Rem. simply because it is factory. If your wanting the best chance at accuracy get a barrel from a better barrel maker and use a tighter neck, but a no turn neck. That will get you the extra 25 fps the 17 Rem. has and if you get tired of it, it will be much easier to sell.
The .17Predator is kindofa PITA to make brass for from .223 Lapua, but its a fun little rocket. Short neck special, it allows for quite a bit more speed than a .17Rem or .17-223...
If you have .20TAC brass available, necking it down will get you in the .17hotrod game with a .17TAC.
Or, as Phil suggested, do a .17-204 and win all around with the same ease of brass forming, AND enjoying more room for powder boom!
Love my .17Predator, but a .17-204 is the bigger case, if you want to push the envelope with speed.
From what little know, once you get a 30grainer clockin' 4K, you're squarely in the "sweet spot" for killin' ability without overly stressing the jackets of those tiny .172 cal. missiles. Recently shot my .17P over my Magneto V3 in the cold, and got 4055 from a 30gr Gold. Temp was 30 ° , out of a 24" Lilja 1:9tw...
The little .17 hotrods sure are a pisser!
Watch this video, at the time it is what sold me on building a .17Predator. I still get a kick outta watching it!!!
http://www.rmvh.com/Movies/17with17.wmv
A .17TAC will likely allow the same performance.
Have fun!
If you have .20TAC brass available, necking it down will get you in the .17hotrod game with a .17TAC.
Or, as Phil suggested, do a .17-204 and win all around with the same ease of brass forming, AND enjoying more room for powder boom!
Love my .17Predator, but a .17-204 is the bigger case, if you want to push the envelope with speed.
From what little know, once you get a 30grainer clockin' 4K, you're squarely in the "sweet spot" for killin' ability without overly stressing the jackets of those tiny .172 cal. missiles. Recently shot my .17P over my Magneto V3 in the cold, and got 4055 from a 30gr Gold. Temp was 30 ° , out of a 24" Lilja 1:9tw...
The little .17 hotrods sure are a pisser!
Watch this video, at the time it is what sold me on building a .17Predator. I still get a kick outta watching it!!!
http://www.rmvh.com/Movies/17with17.wmv
A .17TAC will likely allow the same performance.
Have fun!
Call Todd Kindler at The Woodchuck Den he probably knows more than anyone. Do 9 twist Lilja and Todds 30gr Gold and you will be real happy
Well, after all the research I've decided to start with a 17 Fireball. I can get a saami spec barrel, reloadable factory ammo and reloading dies to get started. All the others require a lot of work forming brass. I don't have a lot of free time to even go shooting or reloading for cartridges I already have. I'd like to thank everyone for there comments and if you have any other comments on the 17 FB I'd appreciate them.
One question I have is, can I use my 221 FB go and no-go gauges to headspace a 17 FB barrel? I'm using a Savage action...
One question I have is, can I use my 221 FB go and no-go gauges to headspace a 17 FB barrel? I'm using a Savage action...
Yes you can use the 221 FB Gauges for the .17 Fireball. A word of caution, though. Using the Savage action will make your gun a single shot.
When the bolt opens, the shortness of the case, will cause the case to fall into the receiver as the interior diameter of the receiver is very large as compared to the Rem 700. (Even the Rem 700 requires a special bolt (extractor location) to hold the case until it can be ejected.) Also the magazine will have a feeding problem. I found no way of making the gun into a repeater. I have a 20 VT with this problem. Same case as the 221 and 17 FB just a different shoulder angle.
Savage has never, to my knowledge, made a .221 FB in their short action.
Gundog, thanks for the info. I have a 221 FB and yes I know about the feeding and ejection issues, I don't mind single feeding these two cartridges. The 221 FB is so much fun to shot and is a good trainning tool to introduce children and women to centerfire rifles after cutting there teeth with rimfire rifles. And I'm sure I'll have many years of enjoyment shooting the 17 FB.
Ron
Ron
Okay, I'll try that but wouldn't I still have to reach into the port to remove the spent case from the extractor? What is the purpose of reinstalling the ejector pin once the spring is removed? I was thinking of purchasing a Mossberg short action or a Howa mini action and re-barreling it to the 17 Fireball.
Ron,
Yes, you have to reach inside the action to remove the case from the bolt face. It becomes second nature after a while. I put the pin back in the hole just to keep any crud from getting in the bolt. As far as the other actions, I'm not familiar with them so I have no opinion. You may want to check with whomever re-barrels the action.
Here is a place to get Fireball Brass in case you are looking for some:
http://www.highplainsbrass.com/
It's not Factory but not too bad.
Gundog
Yes, you have to reach inside the action to remove the case from the bolt face. It becomes second nature after a while. I put the pin back in the hole just to keep any crud from getting in the bolt. As far as the other actions, I'm not familiar with them so I have no opinion. You may want to check with whomever re-barrels the action.
Here is a place to get Fireball Brass in case you are looking for some:
http://www.highplainsbrass.com/
It's not Factory but not too bad.
Gundog
You may need to neck turn the brass too. (Something to do in the winter.)
As far as annealing, Todd Kindler, (Woodchuck Den), sells a round annealing attachment for a propane torch.
11-15 seconds is all it takes. Use a short sided cookie pan. Line up the brass. Add about 1/4" water. After 11-15 seconds just knock the
brass over and onto the next. Goes really fast. After about 5 loadings, I regularly re-anneal brass that I turned or formed. The brass lasts longer and it's faster than starting from scratch.
Gundog
As far as annealing, Todd Kindler, (Woodchuck Den), sells a round annealing attachment for a propane torch.
11-15 seconds is all it takes. Use a short sided cookie pan. Line up the brass. Add about 1/4" water. After 11-15 seconds just knock the
brass over and onto the next. Goes really fast. After about 5 loadings, I regularly re-anneal brass that I turned or formed. The brass lasts longer and it's faster than starting from scratch.
Gundog
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