Winchesters New 17 WSM

[CJ6]

Based on the Olin nail gun case the "RIMFIRE"17 WSM puts a 20gr bullet @ 3000 fps, 25 gr @ 2600 fps. With a NEW case head dia., Cost $17.50 per 50. Will this case survive ? your thoughts....... Mine are that at this price point (ammo) it would be more economical and tunable to load the 17 Hornet or 17 Fireball than purchase 1 time Rimfire rounds. Best of luck though to Win/Olin.

 

[Charlie-NY]

Pretty impressive ballistics for a rimfire but double the cost of 17 HMR. I'd rather have a .223 where discounted ammo isn't that hard to find.

 

[pancho22]

How is it double the cost of 17HMR? I just checked a couple of on-line ammo vendors and they are selling 17HMR Ballistic Tip for $14.99 to $19.99.

.223 FMJ 55gr is selling for $17 for a box of 20 right now!

How is this not a viable option? It has the energy of a 22 Hornet and is within a few cents per round of the price to buy bullets, powder and primers for reloads.

So if 1000 rounds of .17WSM is $350. take the 17 Hornet then, so lets say you buy 200 rounds of new ammo so you have brass, then reload them 4 more times. $162.90 for new ammo it will take 1.1 pounds of powder $22.58 for powder, $122.16 for VMAX bullets, $20.55 for the primers if you buy all of this from Midsouth today. Throw in a set of RCBS dies and you are at $386.99 for the 17 Hornet after 1000 rounds.

 

[Lapua40X]

..., so lets say you buy 200 rounds of new ammo so you have brass, then reload them 4 more times. $162.90 for new ammo it will take 1.1 pounds of powder $22.58 for powder, $122.16 for VMAX bullets, $20.55 for the primers if you buy all of this from Midsouth today. Throw in a set of RCBS dies and you are at $386.99 for the 17 Hornet after 1000 rounds.

And the next 1000 rounds costs you $326.99. After 10,000 rounds you've saved about $200?

...
In the end I think this will be successful for Winchester. There are many shooters who do not handload.

Yeah, I agree with you poncho. A lot of guys don't hand load and a lot of those don't shoot 1000 rounds in two or three years so it's likely to be a good deal for some.

 

[pancho22]

For a high volume shooter and reloader, you might be right a 17Hornet or similar could be a better option. I'm just saying that the cost disparity is not as much CJ6 made it out to be in his initial post. We could nit pick and start calculating case lube, tumbler media, etc.. It is very close at just 2 cents a round difference in the long run.

In the end I think this will be successful for Winchester. There are many shooters who do not handload.

 

[CJ6]

17 HMR is $9.50-$9.98 per 50 locally. Also, If your only getting 4 loads per case your doing something wrong or the brass is junk. If you went the 17 H or Fireball your also getting MUCH higher velocities with the advantage of a larger variety of bullets with the ability to tailor your loads to the rifle. And DON'T get me wrong here I hope it does succeed, I just don't see the Niche at that price point in a Rimfire (kinda like running TEN X through a Marlin/Savage/ CZ what have you for squirrels). The noise is also going to UP-THERE close to the smaller CF 17's. We'll see.

 

[drop_point]

The 17 HMR ammo here is $12-13 for V-Max bullets.

I wish we could get them for $9.

The rimfire round for Winchester is probably cheaper than shooting any of the CFs for all but the highest volume shooter.

I've tinkered with .17 Ackley Hornet. It got great velocity and good accuracy. The brass didn't last much more than 5-6 loads, though. My favorite thing about it was that it was tunable. I wasn't stuck with what the factory was. In the end, I shot HMR more because it was just too easy to buy a box of factory ammo than spend my precious free time loading varmint ammo.

 

[pancho22]

I just found 17WSM ammo listed for sale online for $16.25.

my example needs to be revised

So if 1000 rounds of .17WSM is $325. Take the 17 Hornet then, so lets say you buy 200 rounds of new ammo so you have brass, then reload them 4 more times, $162.90 for new ammo. It will take 1.1 pounds of powder $22.58 for powder, $122.16 for VMAX bullets, $20.55 for the primers if you buy all of this from Midsouth today. Throw in a set of RCBS dies and you are at $386.99 for the 17 Hornet after 1000 rounds.

10000 rounds of 17WSM is $3250
10000 rounds of 17 Hornet reloads is $3340.70 (Not counting case lube, tumbler media etc...)

I though 5 times fired brass was realistic for a hunting rifle. It is hard to take into account brass that will inevitably be lost in the bushes, or damaged while in the field.

3000 fps for the same cost of reloading, more time spent hunting and less time spent loading. I think it is obvious I am sold.

 

[Ing. Michael W. Mayerl]

I've tinkered with .17 Ackley Hornet. It got great velocity and good accuracy. The brass didn't last much more than 5-6 loads, though. My favorite thing about it was that it was tunable. I wasn't stuck with what the factory was. In the end, I shot HMR more because it was just too easy to buy a box of factory ammo than spend my precious free time loading varmint ammo.

I also think, for reloaders the 17 Ackley Hornet is the best way. I prever CZ 527 rifles in 22 Hornet for this projects.
And to get the best performance, I also start to make AERO copper bullets with and without hollowpoint.

 

[drop_point]

Michael, I just wrote a post on another forum saying the same thing. If they don't make a good rifle chambered in this new rimfire, I may have to build another 17 AH off a CZ527. My previous rifle was a Ruger and I did not like the feeding or the trigger.

 

[CJ6]

17 Hornet brass is $98.76 per 200, 17 Fireball is $88.70 per 200,. Going with your 5X fire per case : The Fireballs avg load for 4000 + FPS is 18.1 grs (20gr bullet), 3750 FPS load is 17.3 gr (25gr bullet). Z-max 20grs are $110.54 per K, $149 (25gr HPs), $158 (25 gr)V-max, Bergers from $219 (20grs)to $264 (30grs) There are more brands/ prices but whatever. BULLET dependent you CAN save $65-$85 per K, OR PAY MORE . But the tunability/Standard .223 action size (FB)/better ballistics all add up to better serviceable package. Course you may be able to stop by the Local hardware store pick up a "ROLL" of Blanks and load your own 17 WSM too. On second thought that sounds like a POSSIBILITY

 

[Danny1788]

Micheal are those homemade .177 copper bullets?

 

[Tommie]

If I didn't already own a .17 HMR the .17 WSM would be a slam dunk for me. However in my situation the .17HH is a better option.

 

[treeman]

I read that post on the daily bulletin the post stated that winchesters brass was made thicker than the nailgun blanks so if you do go that route i'd be very cautious and work up loads by the .1 gr for safetys sake

 

[Tommie]

I read that post on the daily bulletin the post stated that winchesters brass was made thicker than the nailgun blanks so if you do go that route i'd be very cautious and work up loads by the .1 gr for safetys sake

How?

 

[treeman]

do you mean how do they make the brass thicker? if that is your question they will make it differently. the button they start with will be thicker and they will use smaller punches in the final stages of forming. do a search on how cartridge brass is made it is real interesting.

Darrell

 

[Tommie]

do you mean how do they make the brass thicker? if that is your question they will make it differently. the button they start with will be thicker and they will use smaller punches in the final stages of forming. do a search on how cartridge brass is made it is real interesting.

Darrell

I meant: How would one carefully work up loads for a rimfire?

 

[tuck2]

Im a 17 caliber fan and now have a 17 HM2, 17 HMR, 17 Fireball, and 17 Rem rifles. I will be getting a 17 Hornet and 17 Win SM rifle brands I like become avalible. I live in prairie dog country and enjoy shooting them with different cartridges and over the years different caliber rifles. Im retired but at times I dont feel like reloading ammo so a 17 WSM will be handy to have. Where I go there are a lot of shots in a prairie dog towns within 225 yards . Prairie dogs get muzzle blast so I like the lower muzzle blast and low recoil rimfire cartridges.

 

[dtucker]

I love to squirrel hunt and get those other small critters. I'm in........i want 1. ;D

 

[fr3db3ar]

This is not a solution to replace any center fire rounds. For places where you are limited to hunting with a rimfire this new round will offer big bonuses over the HMR and WMR. Currently I hunt at night with WMR and do a little squirrel hunting with the HM2 (overkill but flat shooting) I'm looking forward to this new round.