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17 Hornet Savage M-25
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The 17 Hornet was my second center fire 17 caliber to pick-up. The first being a 17 Rem FireBall. The biggest reasons I chose to go with another 17 is it has the recoil of a 22 WMR. In the spring when the pups first come out there are large numbers and they are close in. Using the bigger 22 calibers is kind’a over kill. Shooting the close in pups (out to about 175 yards) saves on the cost of the big 22 calibers and is easier on my shoulder when shooting all day. I haven’t got a lot of loading and testing done YET, getting the Website going has taken a lot of my time.
When I started making 17 Hornet from 22 Hornet/22 KHornet I finally had some brass to load. In Denver finding 17 Hornet brass was hard to do. Some factory rounds could be found if you was willing to give up an arm and/or a leg to get. New brass was costing around $50 for 50, that’s a dollar a piece. I had a couple thousand pieces of 22 KHornet and some 22 Hornet I had picked up at a gun show on hand to start making 17 Hornet (see video below).
Once I had some rounds to fire form. I started with the 20 grain Hornady VMax and 11 grains of Accurate 1680. For fire forming it worked well. This winter I’ll get caught up on brass prep of around 5,000 pieces of brass in different calibers I have around my loading area. Then I’ll do some more testing of 17 Hornet for next spring, I hope.
Just started with the 17 Hornet. Gonna reload for it and am trying to get a good load to start with and work up to make it a tack driver. I’m shooting a Savage model 25. Can you give me any good load to start with and any suggestions or tips. I’m very familiar with reloading and load a lot for my 204’s and other rifles and pistols. I like all your video’s and do refer to them from time to time. I also read your articles in the Varmint Hunter magazine as I’m a life member.
Joe;
I haven’t got very far with the 17 Hornet, mostly fire forming brass I made from 22 Hornet and 22 KHornet. My starting load is 11 grains of Accurate 1680 with the 20 gr VMax.
Not much sorry, working on the Website and and shooting over 5,500 varmints has kept me busy this year.
Joe;
Thanks much. I hit the wrong button and deleted you last message, sorry. But in regards, It has taken a lot of time, and a lot of hair pulling. I have a degree in Computer Systems, not WEB design, it’s a whole different ball of wax. Also thanks about my nephew, he had a hard and short life, too bad. Thanks again, think I’ll take some time off and shoot some prairie dogs.
I’m really enjoying my Savage Model 25 in 17 Hornet, been shooting it for 2 years and have a longest shot at 370yds on a groundhog in calm conditions. I’m interested in getting a 20 practical and my understanding is I can buy a reamer and have a gunsmith convert a 204 Ruger over to 20 practical. Is that correct?
Todd;
Thanks for the comment. I haven’t done much with the 17 Hornet, YET! I do plan to use it a lot when the prairie dog pups come out. Most of the time they are dumb and stay up very close, less than a hundred yards. I finally found some factory loaded rounds that were reasonable, haven’t shot any yet.
On the 20 Practical all a gunsmith has to do is cut-off around an inch of the barrel and re-chamber to the 20 Practical. I did it because I couldn’t find any 204 rounds or brass a few years ago. Making the cases isn’t very hard and the 223 brass is cheap cheap. My article tells you how I did it. You might check on YouTube and find some other ways people had it done. I like mine, I shoot it a lot. I keep the velocity around 3,800 fps, I have loads up to 4,000 fps, but the barrel will not last at those pressures and heat. I haven’t found a prairie dog that can out run the bullet at 3,800 fps, so why load them any faster?
I’ve found the Hornady factory loads to be excellent in my hornet, but I never shoot them now that I load my own. I load Hornady 20 grain Vmax or Zmax (same bullet) with 9.8 grains of Lil Gun and Rem 6-1/2 primers in my gun. I feel like I could hit groundhogs out to 450yds, with the right conditions and a little more scope. Right now I’m using a Vortex Crossfire 2 in 4x12x44 and have been extremely pleased with it. I also use an app called istrelok on my iPad that has all my distances for my reticle.
The 20 grain Zmax bulk bullet has been on hold for a year, but will be back in a month or so, be sure to grab some when they hit the shelves.
Do you have a favorite, affordable “go to” set of scope rings you use on all your rifles or is it not that critical a piece of the puzzle? And do you lap your rings? I have a hunch my rings are the reason my scope bumps out of zero a little too easily, I have weaver Quad Lock rings and would like to upgrade.
Joe Stackhouse
Just started with the 17 Hornet. Gonna reload for it and am trying to get a good load to start with and work up to make it a tack driver. I’m shooting a Savage model 25. Can you give me any good load to start with and any suggestions or tips. I’m very familiar with reloading and load a lot for my 204’s and other rifles and pistols. I like all your video’s and do refer to them from time to time. I also read your articles in the Varmint Hunter magazine as I’m a life member.
Thank you Sir,
Joe Stackhouse
will
Joe;
I haven’t got very far with the 17 Hornet, mostly fire forming brass I made from 22 Hornet and 22 KHornet. My starting load is 11 grains of Accurate 1680 with the 20 gr VMax.
Not much sorry, working on the Website and and shooting over 5,500 varmints has kept me busy this year.
Will
will
Joe;
Thanks much. I hit the wrong button and deleted you last message, sorry. But in regards, It has taken a lot of time, and a lot of hair pulling. I have a degree in Computer Systems, not WEB design, it’s a whole different ball of wax. Also thanks about my nephew, he had a hard and short life, too bad. Thanks again, think I’ll take some time off and shoot some prairie dogs.
WWill
Todd
I’m really enjoying my Savage Model 25 in 17 Hornet, been shooting it for 2 years and have a longest shot at 370yds on a groundhog in calm conditions. I’m interested in getting a 20 practical and my understanding is I can buy a reamer and have a gunsmith convert a 204 Ruger over to 20 practical. Is that correct?
Todd
will
Todd;
Thanks for the comment. I haven’t done much with the 17 Hornet, YET! I do plan to use it a lot when the prairie dog pups come out. Most of the time they are dumb and stay up very close, less than a hundred yards. I finally found some factory loaded rounds that were reasonable, haven’t shot any yet.
On the 20 Practical all a gunsmith has to do is cut-off around an inch of the barrel and re-chamber to the 20 Practical. I did it because I couldn’t find any 204 rounds or brass a few years ago. Making the cases isn’t very hard and the 223 brass is cheap cheap. My article tells you how I did it. You might check on YouTube and find some other ways people had it done. I like mine, I shoot it a lot. I keep the velocity around 3,800 fps, I have loads up to 4,000 fps, but the barrel will not last at those pressures and heat. I haven’t found a prairie dog that can out run the bullet at 3,800 fps, so why load them any faster?
Todd
Hey Will,
I’ve found the Hornady factory loads to be excellent in my hornet, but I never shoot them now that I load my own. I load Hornady 20 grain Vmax or Zmax (same bullet) with 9.8 grains of Lil Gun and Rem 6-1/2 primers in my gun. I feel like I could hit groundhogs out to 450yds, with the right conditions and a little more scope. Right now I’m using a Vortex Crossfire 2 in 4x12x44 and have been extremely pleased with it. I also use an app called istrelok on my iPad that has all my distances for my reticle.
The 20 grain Zmax bulk bullet has been on hold for a year, but will be back in a month or so, be sure to grab some when they hit the shelves.
Thanks for the advice on the 20P,
Todd (Pittsburgh, PA)
Todd
Will,
Do you have a favorite, affordable “go to” set of scope rings you use on all your rifles or is it not that critical a piece of the puzzle? And do you lap your rings? I have a hunch my rings are the reason my scope bumps out of zero a little too easily, I have weaver Quad Lock rings and would like to upgrade.
Thanks,
Todd