OAL Qs for 17 Rem shooters

[dougie53]

Hi guys,

Just working my way through the joys of loading a 17 calibre. I was talking to a gunshop owner the other day about 17s, he said he owns a few and he found that they prefer a longer jump than normal (compared to say a 308). I know it's all relative to your own chamber so I am not asking for your OALs to copy, but more of a guide as to what people are finding works for them. I am shooting a bone stock Tikka M55 and am currently seating them to 2.150" (20gr VMaxs). I am going to be loading up some 25gr Hornady HPs this weekend as well so I would love to know any OALs you guys load to for either of those bullets.

Also, anyone able to tell me the OAL that the factory Remington stuff is loaded to?

Thanks for any help guys I know I have a few questions above I appreciate any comments.

 

[sharps]

I built one for shooting Fox and am using 23.6 gr.Varget and jumping .002..........it's shooting 1/2" with no fliers and cold barrel shoots to same spot shot #5 hits..........20gr. v-max
do not blow up fox or much of anything......they just very un-dramatically kill it with no mess or exits..............

 

[BradY]

dougie, I reckon you should get your barrel clean, then take it into the shop and get it looked at with a bore scope, I reckon if its a tikka M55 in australia, then its probably done alot of work and the throat has worn away. Probably time for a new barrel.

What I do to determine the OAL is take a neck sized case and cut a small slit in the neck with a dremel. Then seat a bullet slightly. This will be a very long OAL. But when you carefully chamber and extract this dummy cartridge the rifling in the barrel will push the projectile back into the neck. This measurement will be touching the rifling. You want to start about 30 thou back from that and work forward carefully in 5 thou increments. Make sure you use what ever powder charge is most accurate, and then change your OAL around to see if you get better groups. Make sure you keep an eye out for indication of excessive pressure, like carbon around the primers, flat or cratered primers and sticky bolt lift after firing.

 

[dougie53]

Thanks for the replies guys, sorry it has taken me so long to respond.

Sharps - that seems like a very small jump, it doesn't increase your pressure too much?

 

[sharps]

primers and brass don't tell me anything amiss with pressures,
this is such a mild load that I don't think this is a issue..........