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  #1  
Old 05-03-2019, 06:07 AM
20VarTarg 20VarTarg is offline
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Default 17 ACKLEY BEE!!!! Tell me more!!!

Went to a local sale Wednesday evening and like usual I couldn't pass up any good deals and I snagged a set of 17 Ackley Bee dies and some brass. It appears that the brass has not yet been fire formed because it certainly does not have the Ackley Shoulder. I want to know everything there is to know about this caliber. I know ZERO and have not resorted to searching anything on it yet. I have a 17 Ackley Hornet already but it's the only 17 caliber rifle I own. Was thinking this would be a nice caliber to add. What's everyones thoughts and experience with the 17 Ackley Bee???
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Old 05-03-2019, 10:34 AM
17VLD 17VLD is offline
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Default I love mine!

A very nice addition to your 17 AH,I think you will be pleased with the Bee.
I will never forget how impressed I was with how accurate it was with 20 V-Max bullets in my little Falling Block Works rifle.The 17Ackley Bee is a very efficient round and the brass is very strong too.Lots of neat wildcats are made from the Bee case as well,hold on to your wallet because later you may get a hankering for a Killer Bee and perhaps even a HeBee
Keep your eyes peeled for a model38 Cooper or build something nice for yourself in the 17 Ackley Bee and you will be hooked for life
Matt
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Old 05-03-2019, 11:15 AM
JohnHenry JohnHenry is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 20VarTarg View Post
Went to a local sale Wednesday evening and like usual I couldn't pass up any good deals and I snagged a set of 17 Ackley Bee dies and some brass. It appears that the brass has not yet been fire formed because it certainly does not have the Ackley Shoulder. I want to know everything there is to know about this caliber. I know ZERO and have not resorted to searching anything on it yet. I have a 17 Ackley Hornet already but it's the only 17 caliber rifle I own. Was thinking this would be a nice caliber to add. What's everyones thoughts and experience with the 17 Ackley Bee???
Here is a start. A lot more out there if you search. Just google "saubier, 17 ackley bee".
http://www.saubier.com/smallcaliber/johndelozier.html
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Old 05-03-2019, 11:47 AM
Kevin Gullette Kevin Gullette is offline
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Thumbs up Here's a Martini......

.....that my old friend Larry left me.

It was built in the late 1960's........in 17AB.

Friend Of The 17
Kevin

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Old 05-03-2019, 11:58 AM
GLWenzl GLWenzl is offline
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That’s a beauty Kevin!!!

I really enjoy the 17 Killer Bee and shoot the 25 gr vmax. That said, the 20 Killer Bee has brought me way more joy and entertainment shooting the 32 gr vmax even at very extended ranges.

The low powder volume but high end performance of the bee makes it a winner especially with longer shooting strings before needing to cool the barrel.
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Old 05-03-2019, 12:00 PM
foxhunter foxhunter is offline
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local shop Missouri guns in Cabool mo has a model 43 Winchester in 17 ab on the rack. not sure what he is asking but it was there a week ago.
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Old 05-03-2019, 01:50 PM
rick w. rick w. is offline
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I suspect that you will enjoy a 17 Bee. Guess you are on to that already....with the die buy etc.

I looked into the 17 Bee after seeing some rifles in such some years ago, one was a marvelously impressive Cadet customized. The other aspect of my looking was wondering thru Mashburn Arms in OKC as a younger person.

I finally decided to take the plunge but ended up with the 17 A&M Bee mainly due to pricing. I bought a set of A&M RCBS form and reloading dies for about 1/3 of the Ackley version. The A&M has a 33 degree shoulder, otherwise pretty similar to the Ackley and others of that venue.

Some form of factory form dies, a custom bushing(neck/shoulder) die set will be quite helpful to go from 22 to 17 sucessfully. Lots of ways of doing it, but some type of form set is good.

My 17 Bee is on a Ruger No.1 chassis. Pretty stout brass. The rim is a boon if you are into martini's. I looked at Winchester 43's over the years, nice to carry, but seems a bit weak for case stretching, but guess that is all relative to you and the needs of the day.

A Cooper is a nice semi custom rifle for the bee set of cases, the 38 is recently discontinued and I suspect you will find that every current 38 owner has a new 401K plan in hand. I just saw a M38 in hornet sell for 1700 while its sister mate, a 21 cooper in 17 mach iv with form and loading dies sell for under a K. Just a observation on those things recently.

All in all, the bee calls or yearns for a single shot rifle I think.

My best in your endeavor, will be a trip.....
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Old 05-03-2019, 02:31 PM
GLWenzl GLWenzl is offline
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One last thought... if I was doing another 17 Bee (I’m not, two are enough for right now) I’d consider doing a 17 Bee of whatever form with a OL about .030” short. Since 218 Bee brass can at times be hard to come by a guy could form brass out of 32-20.

I recently purchased 500 pieces from Starline for a new 32-20 lever and also a 32-20 pistol as well as to use sone of it for my 25-20.

I’m stocked up well enough on 218 Bee brass but it’s something to consider. I did form two pieces to 218 bee when I was set up to form my 25-20 and it’s nice brass to work with just comes up a little short...

I suspect the next run of 228 Bee brass could be fairly expensive?
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Old 05-03-2019, 03:08 PM
Ackman Ackman is offline
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I shoot a 17AH. The fellow I shoot with finally succumbed and got an Ackley Bee. He loves it. Both our guns are T/C 20" carbines, perfect for handling in and out of a truck. His Bee is very accurate and pretty much the same as my AH but a little more, uses a bit more powder and goes a bit faster. Shoots 25's well. I'd take either. Shot many thousands of rounds through that AH and never had any reason to fault it. But if brass wasn't the hangup I'd also like to have a Bee.
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Old 05-03-2019, 03:57 PM
Daryl Daryl is offline
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I chambered a Pac-Nor barrel for the .17AB for a friend and got it mounted on his 579 Sako. It had been a .22-250, quite accurate, but Len wanted to see the effects of his shooting. With the .22-250 he didn't get to see any hits. Letting him shoot my .17AH just made him want a .17 for himself.
The above group I fired with his rifle, fire forming brass. H4227 and a 20gr. Vmax. Appears the low shot might have been my fault.
The Sako L579's extractor has no difficulty pulling the .408" rimmed, .17AB from the chamber.

Here he and it is.

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Last edited by Daryl; 05-03-2019 at 03:59 PM.
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