Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Need your favorite loads for 17 Remington

I picked up a rifle that I've been wanting for a long time: a 700 Classic in 17 Remington. This the standard, not the Fireball.

Need your best loads and bullets, and why they do/don't work for you.

Gee, I thought there'd be a bunch of posts on this one!

I'm a .17 Remington newbie, but have tried a couple of bullets so far in my 700 BDL, and both shot well.

With the 20-grain Hornady V-Max, 23.5 grains of Benchmark shot well under an inch at 4425 fps.

I also tried some Ramshot Big Game, since it seemed like it might fill up the case a little more. There isn't any data on it, so I started with Benchmark charges. 25.0 grains was VERY accurate, but obviously not anywhere near maximum, as velocity was only 3800 or so. Am waiting for a good day to test some stouter loads, up to 29 grains or so.

With the 25-grain Berger, 23.5 grains of Benchmark shot well under an inch at about 3830 fps. 22.0 grains of Big Game also shot well, but again velocity was slow at around 3350. I suspect that it will do really well with about 25-26 grains.

I keep it old school...

IMR 4320, Remington 7 1/2 primers and the Berger 25 grainers. I forget what amount of powder I'm using and I'm not at home right now. But this combo has shot well for me in three different 17 Remingtons.

Welcome to the cool kid's club by the way...


Travis

I should add, that although the Berger's are a bit pricey, I think they are very much worth it.

I use mine on gophers PD's and coyotes and fox, and the Bergers perform beautifully in every category.

If you are going after "goo and pop" type performance on rodents, the 20gr V-Max shines, and the Z-Max is the same bullet only more cheaper.

Hope this helps.


Travis

Travis,

Thanks for the welcome--along with the info on the Bergers. I've used them down to .20 caliber before but not this small!

I've used the 20 V-Maxes considerably in the .17 Fireball, so expect the splat factor to increase!

Have some Varmaggedons coming in soon, in both HP and plastic-tip styles, so will see how they do. The construction and performance of the .224's I've gotten already makes me think the splat factor will be good there as well, especially with the plastic-tips.

the cool kids are shooting .204s...I been told.....

The really cool kids shoot both!

Yes sir. You'll love the Bergers. Especially if you take it after dogs, which you will after more exposure to it's incredibleness...


Travis

I was referring to heterosexual cool kids. Sorry for not clarifying Poo-Bah.


Travis

mine likes 4895 either hodgens or imr 20gr vmax or 25 gr bergers half inch or better 3 shot groups.

Ed

That was just ugly....


Henceforth its "Mr." Poobah to you....

I use IMR-3031 with a Hornady 25grHP bullet. I've had several 17's since 1977 and 3031 has produced good performance in all of them. The one I have now is a SAKO A1.

Sorry Mr. Poobah.

Now go buy a .17 and make it Remington. Not one of those poser Fireball things.


Travis

Kindler 30gr Gold bullets and RL-15 takes the .17 Rem to a new level of killing power.

The advanced class of cool kids shoot the .17-204

22g of H322 with a 25g Berger, always use a thick cup primer in the 17 Remington:

Standard load for a 17 Remington is 24g of 4320, but velocity is 4150 and you will have to de copper after 25 rounds, especially in a new barrel.

Remington 7 1/2
CCI BR-4
CCI 450

CCI military primer

I've never had fouling problems, even when standing on them.


Travis

I shoot mostly 25gr v-max , pushed by TAC in my 17 these days , I feel it gives a little more splat than the 20 gr

I really need to work up a load with some TAC. I'm getting very close to only using two powders in six rifles...


Travis

I'm burning Tac and 25 gr VMAX in my old 17 Rem and it really shoots well. Travis if you are interrested in the load PM me and I'll send it. My 17 won't shoot the 20 gr VMAX and the 25 seems to give better air time.