17fb from 5.56

cherokee305

cherokee305

New member
I got some refining to do in my process including annealing before I start, but here's what I did.

1. 221fb form die, cut top off with a hack saw.
2. Trimmed in case trimmer
3. Sized in 221fb full length die
4. Sized in 17fb full length die

I'm guessing I'll have to turn the necks before I'm done. I don't own a 17fb just wanted to see if I could make brass first.

8A1837A5-D1BB-43FA-8A14-47DA7E237DC2-3109-0000033408B006DF.jpg
 
Over the years I've lost a bunch of MIV primer pockets with Rem. brass. So I'm doing the same thing as you with IMI brass but haven't shot any yet. A friend did a set of MIV cases from good .223 brass and gets considerably higher velocity with loads that wouldn't have worked using Remington stuff, and no case loss. Until someone comes out with better .221 sized brass I think it's worth the trouble.
 
Looks good to me! Even though winter (finally!) is on the way out it looks like a good way to get through those long days of no shooting. I have a .221 Furball but was smart enough to stash away a lot of brass for it a couple of years ago. Still, I see no reason why not to do it the way you are. Has to be lots cheaper once you get all your forming equipment together.
 
Looks good!!

If you have one try a tubing cutter, much neater cut.

They look real cool formed in 17 with all the neck still on.

Recently took some 17 Remington and 204 Ruger down to 17 Fireball.
The Rem 17 was so thin, little if any neck had to be trimmed.
The Win 204R needed a slight neck trim and is good to go.

ENJOY!!!
 
Couple of comments. The higher velocity may, I said MAY, be due to the fact that the case capacity is slightly less and you may have a bit higher pressure. As long as you are not seeing signs of high pressure you are probably OK. I did the same thing for my .221 Furball and I had to turn the necks a little bit. I decided to turn inside and they work like a champ. It's a good thing to know how to do just in case Remington decides to limit the supply of Furball (.17 or .221) brass. It looks good to me!
 
I've still got brass for my 17 Fireball but this is a great post that I'll hang onto in case I have to form brass. Nice that you included photos.
 
I think I've decided to run a reamer in the necks rather than turning them. I use a hacksaw cut them off while they are in the form die, so a pipe cutter won't work. This works pretty good though. Now I just have to have one of you guys sell me your rifle so I actually had something to fire them in.
 
I have been making .221 FB and .17M4 cases from .223 I use my .221 Fireball FL die with the guts removed to size the case down to .221 I then use a Harbor Freight 2" cutoff saw to cut the excess neck off. Works well and is only $32.

I then chamfer inside and outside. Next I use my Sinclair neck turning mandrel in a die to open the neck so it will fit on my RCBS power trimmer pilot. The case is then trimmed to length. Neck turning is next and finally FL sizing in the Fireball die with the stem inside. I anneal the cases before loading.

I have form dies for .17M4. When making .17M4 I do not neck turn the cases or trim them when they are .221FB I run them into form #1 and then thru the trim die. This is where I cut off the excess neck. The case is chamfered and run over the .17 neck turner mandrel. Next the case is trimmed. I then neck turn. The last operation is running the case thru the .17M4 FL die. Anneal the case before loading.

I fireformed 20 cases today in my Bullberry 17M4 pistol. They worked fine.

Tom
 
OK you have ammo.
I have a barreled Rem 7 action with bottom metal that has a new Bushnell Elite scope on it.
NOW we just need to find someone with a stock and we could all go shoot.
lol.gif
 


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