Reloading for the 17 Remington

tugboater

tugboater

Well-known member
Well i finally got around to doing some loading. I stated with IMR4320, Remington 7 1/2 primers and Rem brass. Initial load development went as expected (just fine). I was using a 25gr berger fb Varmit. then i switch to a 25gr kindler and every thing went to [beeep]. so i went back to the Berger and also tried the Hornady 25gr hp.Those shot great.! So i tried the Kindler again and it was shooting MOA of barn door! i still have a few more tests to do but i have a solid load for the Berger's and the Hornadys. final load was 23.6gr of IMR4320 OAL 2.400 for both. i still need to tweak the Hornady's a bit. I guess my BDL just doesn't like the BT hollow points just the FB's. Haven't had that happen before but I'm still pretty new to this. here is a pic of my target. the top is the hornady that i need to tweak seating depth and the bottom is the Berger that will be final load. i still need to run through the chronograph.
 
Oal 2.40 ,I thought my guns like long loads. I am at 2.2- 2.215 for Hornady 25hp and kindler 29. Both the Rem 700 and the Shilen Ar barrel.
 
You know, I got my first .17 Remington in 1979 and I have been reloading for them ever since. Back then only the Hornady 25 grain HP and the Remington 25 grain HP (and those were hard to find) were available so I had to do with what was out there.

Anyway, things are much better nowadays. Ever since I discovered the Hornady Vmax and Varget combo lit with a CCI BR primer my .17 shooting went from so-so to 5 touching at 100 yards. Any size critter is in grave danger out past 400 yards. Longest kill on a prairie dog was just over 450.

This winter, I plan of doing a bit more experimenting with my .17 Remmy and see what else she might like. I got 1000 25 grain Calhoon bullets that I got at a gun show a few years back and I would like to find a good load for them. Also 1000 Noslers that I haven't tried. No reason for them just to sit on my shelf having to be dusted all the time.

I love my .17 Remington and with my HTG suppressor screwed on to the end of it it's just pure delight out shooting ground squirrels. I hope to be good and ready for them next spring when they start popping their tiny heads out of their holes.

Please keep us posted with what load you have found that really tickles your gun the best. Likely the first one to try it will be me!
 
The calhoon from my experience is between the Berger match varmint and the Hornady 25hp as far as penetration. If equal number of shots at coyote and red fox size game I would choose the calhoon. If most shots at raccoon/red Fox or Grey's I would go berger 25 match varmint. Run them around 3900.
 
Originally Posted By: spotstalkshootOal 2.40 ,I thought my guns like long loads. I am at 2.2- 2.215 for Hornady 25hp and kindler 29. Both the Rem 700 and the Shilen Ar barrel.




oops! OAL is 2.140. i Tried a bunch of seating depths and it liked it short.
 
21.8 H-322 25 gr hornady HP or berger Remington 7 1/2 primer seat to book length. Best load I ever tried, and I tried a bunch.

JD
 

Originally Posted By: dennydTry your hornady hp with 24 gr of 4320, shot across my chrony at over 4100fps under an inch.

Mine doesn't break the 4,000 mark but it it is plenty fast enough at 3921 fps. I now shoot 24 gr. of IMR 4320 with the Hornady 25 HP.
It drops stuff on the spot. Everything hits the dirt - coyotes, fox, possums, skunks.

I also shot some Kindler 25s that shot very well, but not quite as good as the Hornady.

Of course, it all boils down to what your rifle likes.

Here's a bit of experimenting.






 
This load 24.6 of 4320 will break the 4000 mark and shoots fairly well in my 17Rem. I would not recommend that load in any other rifle unless you work up to it. The barrel on this one is a Lilja and likes IMR8208XBR, IMR4320, and with the 30gr. 17 cal. bullets it loves H414.

Kimber17Targets.jpg
 
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