.17 caliber rounds

Dale · 12-23-2003, 09:32 AM

The wife and I went out yesterday and while in the gun shop I noticed a shelf full of the various .17 caliber rounds; especially the .17 Remington round.

I can honestly say I have never, until then, took time to even look at them but I did so yesterday. Neat little bottle necked cartridge, I must say.

But I have to ask, outside of target use or training a young shooter with a center fired rifle cartridge, is there any real purpose for this round?

I came home and took out the reloading manuals and from reading the data I can't see many other practical uses for the cartridge.

The largest bullet Lee calls for is a 30 grainer (heck, I have more weight in my toe nail trimmings than that, lol) and the FPS velocities are all 4,000 FPS plus. Translated: a very, very hot stinger.

Even if used for very small varmints like prairie dogs and small wood chucks (ground hogs for the city fellers) I can't see that bullet doing a lot of damage at those speeds and sizes unless you get a lucky vital shot.

I'm NOT trying to be a smart azz or alienate any one who favors the rounds since to each his own but are there any other applications for the round than for target, training and head shots to little burrowing critters?

dave375hh · 12-23-2003, 12:48 PM

Hornady makes a 20 gr V-Max that can be loaded to 4300 fps and at those velocities the little .17 is explosive all out of proportion to it's size. Even with the light bullets they do OK in the wind because of the reduced time of flight. I just loaded 900 of the little B@$^@&%s for my brother in law to take on a varmint hunt in TX. My pudgie fingers and those phonograph needles they call bullets ment I got to explore the floor of my shop much more than was fun LOL!

Shaun · 12-23-2003, 03:42 PM

you realize all the round is made from is a necked down 223 case. try using the 20 grain from hornady but it is a useless caliber in my opinion a 223 would do the job just fine

jarcp · 12-24-2003, 02:54 PM

The .17's are a lot of fun. They get to be expensive sometimes, depending on how "into" them you get. Useless, no. Or at least no more useless than any other wildcat turned commercial. More than anything the .17 calibers are neat and fun just beacuse they are different, and can be pushed to such high velocities with less powder. Weights range from 15 grains up to 35. velocities are in the 4100-4200 region. Really anything more than 4100FPS or so, you usually begin to get a lot of fouling. Unless you have a lapped BBL, and even then problems will occur. The V-Max and other such designed rounds simply explode on contact. It's a great varmint caliber. Off hand I can name the following:
.17 HMR
.17 Hornet
.17 mach IV
.17 Remington
.17/223
.17/222
.17/222M
all the .17 ackley's
.17 Bumblebee
.17 Humpalina
.17/218 bee
.17 22-250
.17 224 Weatherby
.17/225 Winchester
.17/.30 carbine
From there we can also look at the .14 caliber, .19, and .20 calibers as well. Whole lot more than I care to get into.

MAX7.62 · 02-26-2004, 11:44 AM

Reminds me of this 'ol gal I went to highschool with!

h1humma · 03-26-2004, 12:42 PM

i havent ever shot one myself but after reading the thread b4 this 1 i think im gonna look in2 1. and i think they got alot of power.
this is a quote from MAX7.62 "I popped a yote right at 140 yds last November with mine and it took the top of his skull off!" thats pretty powerful for somthin that small

tera · 06-07-2008, 07:16 AM

Could you give me information on these two rounds
.17 Bumblebee
.17 Humpalina
of which box one can form them is measurements with regard to them

tippmann7 · 06-07-2008, 11:09 AM

never shot the .17 centerfire but i have a .17hmr and its a great round....hornady vmax 2550fps realy does some damage to those chucks out to 150yds, but idk about the speed of the centerfire version. i would be worried it would pass right threw but im not sure.

paparoach429 · 06-07-2008, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun

you realize all the round is made from is a necked down 223 case. try using the 20 grain from hornady but it is a useless caliber in my opinion a 223 would do the job just fine

how can you compare a 223 to a 17? isnt it like 4 times the size?
and also isnt the cartridge based on the 22 magnum?

tippmann7 · 06-07-2008, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paparoach429

how can you compare a 223 to a 17? isnt it like 4 times the size?
and also isnt the cartridge based on the 22 magnum?

im pretty sure its based on the 22mag.....a .223 is way bigger, put em side by side and tell me if the 17 is a .223 necked down or not.......but it would be AWSOME if it was.

cremley · 06-11-2008, 01:48 PM

I didn't even know about a .17 centerfire before. I have a savage that is chambered in .17HMR and I can hit chicken eggs from 200 Yards with it. they just explode and leave egg stuff in a 5 foot radius of them. I think the rimfire versions are excellent and are not that expensive for a little longer range than a .22. The stuff I buy averages about .25 cents per round as opposed the about 32 cents of 7.62x54r, but that is a whole different story.

ouch · 06-11-2008, 01:58 PM

My wife has made 2" maple saplings explode at 100 yards. She was shooting 17hmr at 2700fps.

The entrance hole was very small but the exit left 2-3" splintered shards

sbowers5 · 06-11-2008, 04:01 PM

Dale you need to get a copy of P.O. ACKLEY's hand book for shooter and reloaders, and read what he has to say about the .17 cal. he was a master gunsmith and gun builder and has some very interesting things to say about the little cartridge and its ability to give one shot kills.
steve

FS00008 · 06-16-2008, 08:45 PM

I have no experience except with the .17HMR and I have to say that it was quite a bit of fun. I still prefer .22WMR though, but if I had the extra cash I'd go for a new .17HMR rifle haha.

12-23-2003, 09:32 AM	#1
Dale Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Too Dang Hot, Arizona Posts: 4,284	.17 caliber rounds The wife and I went out yesterday and while in the gun shop I noticed a shelf full of the various .17 caliber rounds; especially the .17 Remington round. I can honestly say I have never, until then, took time to even look at them but I did so yesterday. Neat little bottle necked cartridge, I must say. But I have to ask, outside of target use or training a young shooter with a center fired rifle cartridge, is there any real purpose for this round? I came home and took out the reloading manuals and from reading the data I can't see many other practical uses for the cartridge. The largest bullet Lee calls for is a 30 grainer (heck, I have more weight in my toe nail trimmings than that, lol) and the FPS velocities are all 4,000 FPS plus. Translated: a very, very hot stinger. Even if used for very small varmints like prairie dogs and small wood chucks (ground hogs for the city fellers) I can't see that bullet doing a lot of damage at those speeds and sizes unless you get a lucky vital shot. I'm NOT trying to be a smart azz or alienate any one who favors the rounds since to each his own but are there any other applications for the round than for target, training and head shots to little burrowing critters? __________________ "It confuses me how some people can vigorously go against the 2nd. Amendment and still call themselves patriotic"-me

12-23-2003, 12:48 PM	#2
dave375hh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 587	Hornady makes a 20 gr V-Max that can be loaded to 4300 fps and at those velocities the little .17 is explosive all out of proportion to it's size. Even with the light bullets they do OK in the wind because of the reduced time of flight. I just loaded 900 of the little B@$^@&%s for my brother in law to take on a varmint hunt in TX. My pudgie fingers and those phonograph needles they call bullets ment I got to explore the floor of my shop much more than was fun LOL! __________________ Dave 375 H&H

12-23-2003, 03:42 PM	#3
Shaun Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 8,592 Images: 1	you realize all the round is made from is a necked down 223 case. try using the 20 grain from hornady but it is a useless caliber in my opinion a 223 would do the job just fine __________________ "Homeland Security is the responsibility of an armed citizen" ME http://webpages.charter.net/s.s.v/

12-24-2003, 02:54 PM	#4
jarcp Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 253	The .17's are a lot of fun. They get to be expensive sometimes, depending on how "into" them you get. Useless, no. Or at least no more useless than any other wildcat turned commercial. More than anything the .17 calibers are neat and fun just beacuse they are different, and can be pushed to such high velocities with less powder. Weights range from 15 grains up to 35. velocities are in the 4100-4200 region. Really anything more than 4100FPS or so, you usually begin to get a lot of fouling. Unless you have a lapped BBL, and even then problems will occur. The V-Max and other such designed rounds simply explode on contact. It's a great varmint caliber. Off hand I can name the following: .17 HMR .17 Hornet .17 mach IV .17 Remington .17/223 .17/222 .17/222M all the .17 ackley's .17 Bumblebee .17 Humpalina .17/218 bee .17 22-250 .17 224 Weatherby .17/225 Winchester .17/.30 carbine From there we can also look at the .14 caliber, .19, and .20 calibers as well. Whole lot more than I care to get into. __________________ Reed's Ammunition & Research 1209 SW 129th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73170 www.reedsammo.com info@reedsammo.com

02-26-2004, 11:44 AM	#5
MAX7.62 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Classified Posts: 934	17 Humpalina? Reminds me of this 'ol gal I went to highschool with! __________________ The Second Amendment, it ain't about DUCK HUNTING! I feel more like I do now that I did when I first got here!

03-26-2004, 12:42 PM	#6
h1humma Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: VA Posts: 51	i havent ever shot one myself but after reading the thread b4 this 1 i think im gonna look in2 1. and i think they got alot of power. this is a quote from MAX7.62 "I popped a yote right at 140 yds last November with mine and it took the top of his skull off!" thats pretty powerful for somthin that small

06-07-2008, 07:16 AM	#7
tera Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1	Could you give me information on these two rounds .17 Bumblebee .17 Humpalina of which box one can form them is measurements with regard to them

06-07-2008, 11:09 AM	#8
tippmann7 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Attica, Ohio Posts: 847	never shot the .17 centerfire but i have a .17hmr and its a great round....hornady vmax 2550fps realy does some damage to those chucks out to 150yds, but idk about the speed of the centerfire version. i would be worried it would pass right threw but im not sure. __________________ you cannot kill what you did not create

06-11-2008, 01:48 PM	#11
cremley Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern New Mexico Posts: 966	I didn't even know about a .17 centerfire before. I have a savage that is chambered in .17HMR and I can hit chicken eggs from 200 Yards with it. they just explode and leave egg stuff in a 5 foot radius of them. I think the rimfire versions are excellent and are not that expensive for a little longer range than a .22. The stuff I buy averages about .25 cents per round as opposed the about 32 cents of 7.62x54r, but that is a whole different story. __________________ There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who have guns and those who dig. You dig.

06-11-2008, 01:58 PM	#12
ouch Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ridgerun, Mo Posts: 184	My wife has made 2" maple saplings explode at 100 yards. She was shooting 17hmr at 2700fps. The entrance hole was very small but the exit left 2-3" splintered shards __________________ Banned from gunandgame

06-11-2008, 04:01 PM	#13
sbowers5 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: sawyer, ok Posts: 539	Dale you need to get a copy of P.O. ACKLEY's hand book for shooter and reloaders, and read what he has to say about the .17 cal. he was a master gunsmith and gun builder and has some very interesting things to say about the little cartridge and its ability to give one shot kills. steve __________________ For those who never fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know.

06-16-2008, 08:45 PM	#14
FS00008 Сергей Иванович Мосин Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: California Posts: 967 Blog Entries: 1	I have no experience except with the .17HMR and I have to say that it was quite a bit of fun. I still prefer .22WMR though, but if I had the extra cash I'd go for a new .17HMR rifle haha.