Has anyone used the 17-5.56 from Kak Industries?

champ198

champ198

Active member
I have a 223, 6Arc and also 243 now all in different rifles.
I have been doing a little looking around hoping to find a caliber that would be good for Coyotes, Bobcat and Fox. I have quite a few farms to hunt that I have had pictures of all on and would hate for a Cat to come in and shoot it and destroy the hide, Or a fox for that matter.

In my searching I came across the 17-5.56 from Kak.
Did a little reading and You Tube watching and seems like a really neat nice little round and smoking fast.
A lot say it is similar to a 17rem but faster. But shares some of the same bullets.
I would think that a 25gr Vmax would work well

Have any of you all messed around with this round by chance?
 
There were some posts about the KAK 17-5.56 either on here or Accurate Shooter forums. I don't remember which site now. I actually had a set of dies for the 17-223, basically the same thing, and had thoughts about building one. That idea passed and I sold the dies. I bought a 204 and its much simpler to load for and plenty fast with a 32 grain bullet.
 
Running a 17-223 AI. 21gr bullet at full velocity 4555 is pretty bad if hit bone on either side. I’ve tuned it down to 4000 fps and still pretty bad if hit bone on entry side. Best shot placement is face toward shot. Center punch chest drops them and cartilage chest absorbs tiny 17cal bullet even the lighter 18gr bullet at 4910 fps with no exit.
 
Bullet construction is critical for the high speed 17's and unfortunately lack of jackets/limited customers has greatly reduced bullet supplies and manufacturers. Wanting a 17 cal fox,cat,coyote fur saver bullet is tough. The Hornady 25 hp was good but even that one is not made anymore. Most of the tipped 17 bullets don't penetrate well enough(at least on winter coyote here) so I stay with 25-30 gr hp(which I stocked up on many years ago).
 
I've killed about 50 coyotes with 17-223. Out to 350 yards, have never lost one, did shoot a couple more than once.

I don't understand why someone would want to run a tiny bullet that fast. The 17 rem or 17-223 really shines with the 25gr hornady, I run mine at 4050fps, super accurate and deadly. I'd run 30's but don't have any that shoot as good as the 25s. Never tried the 25gr vmax. I run 20gr vmax in my 17 hornet, its wonderful on ground squirrels.

17-223 is a great coyote round, the fur buyers will love it. Laser flat, puts them down hard unless you botch the shot.
 
17 calibers are just plum interesting, and very effective on coyotes from my experience, at least on broad side ones at my bait site. I have a CZ 527 heavy barrel .17 Remington, shooting 25 gr. Hornady HP’s at 3921 fps. Drops coyotes on the spot, no exit as you would imagine, even difficult to find entry wounds.

Here’s an example. Don’t lose your breath waiting ! Lol. A good shot comes after I watch him a while.

 
Last edited:
Back
Top