I've been shooting my new CZ .17 Hornet with factory ammo this spring, on both targets and rodents, and am very impressed. Now I have enough empty cases to handload. So far the only published data is Hodgdon's, and Li'l Gun looks like the best powder, with 4198 close behind.
I've mentioned starting to handload the .17 Hornet on another thread, and so far have various, mostly vague recommendations, including one for loading the .17 Fireball. One recommends 4198 with the 20-grain Hornady V-Max (probably the most popular .17 bullet for smaller rounds). But no powder charge, velocity or accuracy is specified, just that it's the "huckleberry." Would appreciate some more specific results, especially from people who've tried more than one powder.
Shot four 5-shot groups with the Hornady 20-grain factory ammo today and they averaged .53 at 100 yards. Broke down one of the factory rounds and found 12.4 grains of what looks a lot like Accurate 1680--and that charge would make sense. I'm gonna try it, but wondered if anybody else had--or had any other "huckleberries," with more specific info than simply the powder and bullet.
