Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Lefty 17 Remington

I had this Charles Daly mini Mauser barreled at PacNor seven years ago and then let it sit all this time. I finally sent it off last summer to MPI for stocking. I had them do it in the classic style, tan with black webbing. I'm pretty pleased with how it came out. The 17 Remington is a long time favorite. My last one was a right handed Remington 700. I regretted trading it off but knew eventually I'd find a left mini Mauser to build on. That old Remington laid low a couple of truckloads of coyotes in eastern Washington. I'm looking forward to my first trip to the range.

It wears a 24 inch number 2 contour barrel, 1/9 twist and is cerakoted. The scope is an M8 6x. Weight before the scope is 6 pounds 7 ounces.

The .17 Rem is my favorite varmint round.. Nearly zero recoil, CHEAP to reload, and there's something about a 25 gr bullet at 4,000 fps that's just fabulous... Striped gophers don't have much of a chance around here if I have that rifle handy...

I usually don't get the horn on for a synthetic stocked rifle but this one I do. My 17 Rm. Kimber of Oregon lefty is a favorite.

That’s pretty cool Mart, I think I remember when you posted about sending it off to be barreled, time sure flies.

You’ll have to get out and call up some foxes with it next winter and show is some pics.

Of course should you call in something bigger you’ll probably be okay too. My old buddy from Glenallen killed 17 wolves and 8 bull caribou with his old BDL back in the 70s and 80s.

Mart: That is indeed a beautiful and useful Rifle/caliber!
It is obvious you went to great pains to make it a "light-weight" Rifle - I must ask, why?
I have three Rifles in caliber 17 Remington and my favorite of the three is the heaviest - it is an all factory stock Remington 700 VSS (Varmint Stainless Synthetic 26" barrel) and it weighs (with Leupold 6.5x20 variable scope) 11 pounds 1 ounce.
It is one of the MOST accurate factory Rifles I have ever owned! It is simply stunning the accuracy I obtain with this Rifle and 25 grain Berger bullets.
Much of this accuracy (both at the range and afield!) I attribute to the weight/mass of the Rifle.
I even add a Harris bi-pod and a sling to this Rifle and pack it about easily - once a live target is spotted the VERY steady sight picture is much appreciated.
Again enjoy that handsome Rifle.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks guys. VG, were I still in the lower 48 I might have gone heavier on the 17 though probably not. I had my days of packing heavy varmint rifles. For many years my only varmint rifle was a Ruger 77V in 220 Swift and I packed it a lot of miles calling and stalking coyotes. It also saw lots of time on ground squirrels. It was always deadly. Still is though it rarely leaves the safe anymore.

My thoughts when putting this rifle together was to have a walking fur/calling rifle. I don't need the gilt edged accuracy of a heavy barreled rifle for the shooting this will see. It hasn't been to the range yet so it may be superbly accurate. That's yet to be known. This one does have a little heavier barrel than my 6mmx222. That one has a PacNor number 1 contour and this 17 has their number 2 contour. I'll weigh them both later today. They are identical except for the barrel contour. I went with the #2 on the 17 because I wanted a bit stiffer barrel without going with a heavy barrel. I use a sling but haven't much use for a bipod.

I have a few Berger 25 grain HPs to try and some 30 grain HPs from a gentleman who had them listed here a few months ago. But it will see more use with the Hornady 25 HP than anything. I have over 1000 of them and back when I got started with the 17 Remington, Hornady and Remington were about the only options. Berger was just coming on the scene and I never got around to trying their bullets. The Hornady 25 grain HP was ultra dependable as a coyote bullet. The Remingtons not so much, at least the batch I had. I finally used them up on ground squirrels after some inconsistent performance with them on coyotes.

Not to derail the thread but how does the 17-223 compare to the 17 Remington?

Maybe a touch faster but not enough to make any real world difference. Lots of cheap brass available to make ammo but depending on how snug the throat is you may be be turning necks to fit.

I'm with Mart.

I have a wonderful 22-250, but wanted a lighter, quieter round for around farmsteads and fox/bobcats. I had a 17 Fireball but it was a Remington, not a Kimber.

So when I found some of the last 223 Kimber Montanas, i imported one. I sold the Fireball. The Montana is at the gunsmith waiting for the Lilja 1 in 9 84M Mod barrels to arrive and be installed in 17 Remington.

It'll be close to Mart's rifle.

Always loved the .17 Rem/Hornet/Fireball. I enjoy the 17 WSM as well. A caliber not often discussed, but it does the job. Taken many predators (great on bobcats) and woodchucks, when they were around. I probably shoot my 204s just as much, but will aloways have a soft spot for the 17