IMR Trail Boss Powder?

[wally bennett]

Get a lge plastic bottle 2ltr will do fill it with water fire at it
With the 17 gr V/Max out of a 17 HMR the bullet dont touch the back of the bottle you find it in many bits at the bottom of the bottle.
Ive not tried it with other calibres but i woud imagine it would help.
Wally

[Daryl]

CCI has new HMR ammo out- 100fps higher speeds. It is designed for the new semi-auto Savage but must be OK for bolt guns.

[SDguy605]

Originally Posted by Jingle

Update-


Also my primer strikes are perfect now that I smoothed out the end of the pin

I did manage to recover one of the Hornady 25gr HP's and it was pretty much perfect other than the rifling marks. It went through a old piece of three quarter inch plywood and into an old 6x6. I'm guessing at 1.7gr TB with the 25gr HP it would be complete pass through on squirrels? I will try to send some at a pressure treated 2x6 and see if the density will help it open up a bit.

The good news is tomorrow I will be going out squirrel hunting after a long journey with a new rifle and an adventure in reloading all for a bit of expensive squirrel stew.

Disclaimer- be safe and reload at your own risk

I have had two CZ 527's in 204 Ruger that that required similar massaging to the firing pin.

i have read of another individual experiencing similar issues with his 17-204 that benefited from altering the profile slightly to render the firing pin to be less needle like.

Sorry to say I feared the lack of expansion would be the case with the 25 gr Hornady HP's at subsonic velocity.

Seems this confirms that I will wish to focus on the mid south 20 gr varmint extremes and see if I may get them subsonic or close. I have higher hopes for a consistent controlled expansion fit for table fair. Cant overlook we are still striving for bullet performance which will diminish the liklyhood of ricochet at these reduced velocities as well.

Look forward to reading more of your experience. Also look forward to hearing more about the expensive stew

[Daryl]

I would think if you found a way to remove the plastic tips from the 20gr. Vmax without damaging them, they might still expand.

We found, of course, with HMR and the 17gr. Vmax, by the time the bullet got out to 200yards, not much expansion was taking place - on gophers, that is, but some expansion may still occurred, even to 280yards.
I lost my point blank program in my last computer change - so cannot check residual speeds at those ranges for comparison.

[Jingle]

So I must have walked at least 5 miles today and not one bushytail lurking. Just to cold to sit

SDguy,

After I polished the pin down and rounded it I got one iffy looking primer strike which I think was a fluke, but all the rest where perfect, so I feel it for sure was the pin.

I will test shooting into a soda bottle and see what it does at my desired 1.7gr load. I surely don't want ricochets! I will keep trying to perfect it. I have the speed I want and I will harvest at least one squirrel to see how it does on dinner.


Daryl,

Loading the vmax 25gr even at 1400 fps were keyholing, but maybe if I pull the tip as you mentioned it might not because it will be shorter?
I did pull some 17hmr bullets (20gr xtp) (17gr Vmax) but they have a crimped mark that runs around the whole bullet, not sure if it would be ok to use them? Besides it is a pain in the @ss pulling them.

Is there any way to cast lead .172 bullets?

[RareBear]

Have you considered airgun pellets?

[wally bennett]

Originally Posted by Daryl

I would think if you found a way to remove the plastic tips from the 20gr. Vmax without damaging them, they might still expand.

We found, of course, with HMR and the 17gr. Vmax, by the time the bullet got out to 200yards, not much expansion was taking place - on gophers, that is, but some expansion may still occurred, even to 280yards.
I lost my point blank program in my last computer change - so cannot check residual speeds at those ranges for comparison.

Berger used to do a 17cal 20gr called M E F

Maximum Expansion Factor had a b****y big hollow point i was taking rabbit at 180yds found no entrance hole or exit hole and i picked a rabbit skin filled with rabbit soup.
What i am getting at is a normal 17 cal HP could be drilled with a bigger hole for the same efect if a clamp could be made to hold the head without damage and set up in a drill stand to always drill the same depth or even just open up the hole with a countersink type of hollow point they might open up at lower velocities..
If i can get my 17A/H velocities down to subsonic i will be trying this myself,
Wally

[SDguy605]

Originally Posted by Jingle

Nice report Tilley!

I wonder how the 25gr bullets would be with the same tests? Hmmmm,

Not to sure 30gr bergers are still around?

Also how do you think a small rifle magnum primer would change everything?

Would not hold out much hope for the 30-gr flat base Bergers. I tried a few TB loads in the 17HH recently and accuracy was about a 10" group @ 50 yards 20% key holing for me. You could plan for little or no expansion to make things worse.

Not exactly a surprise for me yet I had to try.

[Jingle]

Rarebear,

I have been down that road with my 22-250. Besides pellets are .177 not .172. No accuracy, blown skirts, dirty etc....

I have a few options such as what Wally mentioned about drilling the HP out a bit. I can try Nosler 20 gr HP's as I'm guessing at 1.6 they will be subsonic.

Regardless you always have to be careful where you shoot and what is behind your intended target. Think about this- people use muzzleloaders traveling at 1600 fps or so with a 300gr slug on no minimum acreage, talk about ricochet

I once had a 60gr subsonic .22 wizzz just over my head from a ricochet over 200yards away at a totally different angle so I know first hand, $hitty feeling.

[Tilleyman]

Originally Posted by Jingle

I once had a 60gr subsonic .22 wizzz just over my head from a ricochet over 200yards away at a totally different angle so I know first hand, $hitty feeling.

Good point... when out rabbiting with quiet .22 RF subsonic HP's its amazing how many ricochets happen esp around the dead timber and stumps rabbits love to hide amongst

Using subsonic .17 cals in settled areas may actually cause more problems if the hard jacketed HP's ricochet even more than the pure lead RF's