I have been shooting a 17 since the early to mid 80's. I have never seen that kind of velocities. about 4100 fps with 25 gr rems and hornadys. I havent tried the smaller bullets and dont plan to. I think buker on here has tried it all. he may can give you more details than i can. Top velocities is not what I am after most of the time. Years of reloading has taught me that it is the rare gun that will perform with max velocities. There are exceptions to all rules but most of the time a small reduction in velocities will produce better groups. The little 17 bullet has its place. I like the fact that i can get a very accurate, flat shooting, lightweight rifle that has absolutely no recoil(relative) and can cut a blackbird out of a tree at 300 yds if the shooter does his job, It will kill coyotes with authority. I have taken it to bayous here and shot beavers and nutria as far as I can see them. there is never fear of a ricochet. I hunt around cattle for a lot of the ranchers in these parts. I can surgically remove a coyote from a field full of cattle and not fear a pass through or a ricochet.
The bottom line is as with all rounds available, each has its purpose. When used in its range it will make for a happy trip. You will find people that have had bad experiences with a cartridge and say with authority( That is not a good round I had a failure) I have been around this board for a few months and am still shocked by the flames reaped on some rounds and yet that round will be praised on the next post by another member. Most failures are caused by shooter error. (Bring on the flames) but I will stand by that comment.
I picked this name as a result of a post on here. I didnt even know about this board till after that hunt. I made a bad shot, Hit a shoulder bone at 100 yds and the bullet splashed. the angle was such that the bullet didnt enter. I do not call that a bullet failure.The bullet did what it was designed to do.I call it a shooter failure, I knew what gun I had in my hands, I knew what the bullet was capable of, I could have hit two inches to the right of where i hit and he would have dropped like a sack of rocks. So now someone will say, Why didnt u take a 223 and you wouldnt have had to worry about where the shot hit. Maybe, but if i had been shooting a 223 that day I would prob not have taken the shot.There were cows everywhere and in close proximity of the yote. When I first got the yote in my scope I was actually aiming at him under the belly of a cow. If the bullet passes through I have a very [beeep] farmer. I will continue to shoot the 17 because I understand the limits to it. Would a 223 have done a better job, Probably but we will never know for absolutely certain, since this is not what was used to hit this particular yote in this particular spot at this particular distance.
I know this a long post and rant and not what you asked (lol) I will shut up for now.
