Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles OK .17 looneys...

Testing the water here...thinking about a .17

.17 rem or .17 Fireball.....????


Pros and cons?...think extended shooting sessions....



Mag mod needed on a 700 for the Fireball, or just a block and small follower?


Talk me into it or talk me out of it....

Travis will disagree, but I would go with the Fireball. In fact, if I had to settle on one centerfire .17 that’s what it would be. To me, the recoil is significantly less, and the barrel doesn’t heat up as quickly or as much. With a 20-grain it matches the velocity of a 25-grain in the bigger Remington—and, for all practical purposes, the trajectory out to where most of us can hit a PD most of the time. With a 20 plastic tip at 4000+, you can sight in an inch high at 100, hold on the middle of a PD to 300, and hit it.

I guess I'm pretty much a one trick pony when it comes to 17's. My choice has always been the 17 Remington teamed with Hornady 25 grain HP's and IMR-4320. It is a combination that has worked really well for me and I just never changed. Of course when I bought my first one the internet was in it's infancy, there were two readily available 17 caliber bullets, both 25 grain. One was sporatic in its performance and the Hornady was always consistent in its performance.

I would echo John's advice though for extended shooting sessions. The Fireball would probably serve the purpose well and you wouldn't have to deal with the vicious recoil of the 17 Remington.

Yep, my shoulder starts to hurt after a few hundred .17 Remingtons. Of course, if I wasn’t too cheap to fit a Limb Saver….

My other comment is that if you already have a .204 Ruger, you’ve got a rifle that can shoot either 32’s (basically the same trajectory and wind drift as 25’s in the .17 Remington) or 40’s, with noticeably less wind-drift than any .17 Remington load. The .17 Fireball is a very useful round for when the wind isn’t blowing so hard on PD towns, or when shooting gophers anytime.

John, thats the kind of common sense answer I needed....Ive got a .204 and love it for the big open...


Don't need a .17 of course...


But I have this stock, and this action.......

Longer shooting sessions speaks loudly to the 17 fireball. Feeding great from the mag speaks equally loud to the CZ 527 action to me.


I picked up a lightly used CZ527 that was originally a 17 rem. Owner had Bob green re-chamber the rifle to 17 FB. while the rifle shot great and fed OK from the 17 Rem magazine. I ended up springing for the 221 FB mag well & 221 magazine.

Previous owner opted to settle on one 17 FB rifle an REM 700 which he had threaded for a supressor.

17 fireball cartridges load and feed great from the 221 FB mag. If you can hold out till next year I understand Whittakers is planing to offer a special run on the CZ527 in 17 FB. CZ 527 17 FB special run, would be my favorite option.

If you happen to be a 700 fan feel free to ask me about a couple REM 700's in 17 FB that may be for sale. Most of the gunsmiths I have seen comment on 700 mag mods seem to encourage a guy to find a REM 700 originally set up for 17 or 221 FB.

Guys seem to fall into one of two categories with the CZ's either you love them or hate them. The CZ surly has grown on me.

Feeding was an issue Im glad you addressed...I know the .17 Rem will feed, but everyone says what you do about high volume shoot.....go Fireball.

I am a Remmy slut, and have an action and stock in place, and have all winter to mull over what Im gonna chamber and barrel it for....

Looking for something for gophers under 200 yards...and I have almost enough .222s (4... )





I love the way CZs shoot and work, but can't get all the aftermarket crap for them I can for a Remmy...

Ingwe: Years ago I had a custom Varminter in 17 MachIV built on a Remington 700 action.
It has a very heavy Shilen stainless steel match barrel that is 26 1/2" long. It has a Jewell "Under-Lever Saftey" trigger and a McMillan Marksman (Winchester pre-64 Model 70 Target Rifle style) and a Leupold 6.5x20 variable scope.
This Rifle weighs 11 pounds 1 ounce and believe me you CAN see bullet impact.
This Rifle has killed every manner of Colony Varmint along with predators, flying Varmints, a wild Turkey and Badgers - and has done so virtually without failure!
I liked the Rifle/caliber so much that when the Remington folks came out with its heavy Varmint "twin" (Remington 700 VSF in 17 Remington Fireball) I bought one of those as well!
My custom 17 MachIV is only a tad more accurate than my VERY accurate 17 Remington Fireball Remington 700 VSF.
I have killed Coyotes with my 17 Fireball out past 300 yards!
I use the wonderful 25 grain Berger bullets in all my 17 caliber Rifles.
I have three Remington 700's in caliber 17 Remington (including a rare Remington 700 VSS all stainless Rifle with heavy barrel 26" long) and am impressed with the accuracy of all of them.
If you are going to Hunt mostly Colony Varmints I would go with the 17 Remington Fireball - if predators are often going to be on your menu then I would opt for the perkier 17 Remington.
Best of luck to you with whichever caliber you choose.
Your posting was a bit vague as to your uses and if you are going to "make" your own rig.
Please clarify.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

P-dogs are nice, but which 17 is best for deer?

The 17 Rem will always be my Huckleberry when it comes to the 17 centerfire

.17 Remington.

Fireball is a bastard case with bastard issues. It's slower which means it's slower which means it sucks hind tit.

If you don't like your bullets going fast, you'll find the .17 Rem shoots just as tight at retard speed.

I'll not dignify that POS cartridge Ruger introduced by mentioning its name in the same post as the .17 Remington.



Travis

PS- +1 on the Bent Nail comment.

The 17 hornet is THE one for gofers. 700 rounds per pound of powder.......

Don, I'm with you on the Whore-gnat...my pard shoots one, which spurred on this idea...but I don't think i can chamber the rem my for it and have it all work.

Passed up a minty used ruger for $500 a couple months ago...kicking myself for that one....

Elitist.

You gotta quit hanging with Shrap or start piling up the Sakos....

The truth shall set you free.





Travis

Isn't yours an old school BDL?


I could build one of those!

Mine was.

I upgraded to the BEST .17 REMINGTON IN THE WORLD.

If you even THINK of going BDL and .17 Fireball, you should be kicked in the balls.



Travis

True dat on the FB and BDL....


Ive got a new Mtn.Rifle stock...a Syn that B&C makes for Remmy....very Ti-like.....

Got the right bolt face and mag box set up...could screw on a .17 Rem and rock on.....


Seriously, how many shots can you run through before it gums up or accuracy goes to schitt?


Thinking must be done....

17-222 Magnum.

Because there is one thing all those 204 cases and 17 Rem. dies can be good for....

Given a choice I would choose a .17 Remington only because I've owned several over the years and they've all been tackholers.

I scored this mint 1983 model 700BDL .17 Remington and few years back and its never let me down.

25gn Hornady hollow points and Varget(2208) is what it likes !