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  #1  
Old 08-12-2012, 07:31 PM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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Default 17vha

Finally got my 17VHA all done, up and running and reloading some of my now once-fired brass.

These cases are small!



I had a forum member build it for me. Rem 700 action, PTG bolt, Lilja 1-9tw barrel, Bobby Hart laminated stock. Wouldn't change a thing...mounted a Nitrex 6-20 on it, works well with the stock comb height. I had him put a sako extractor, sans ejector in it. Works very well. I have over 150 rds through it now with not one feeding issues. Feeds like butter!!
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Old 08-12-2012, 07:36 PM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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I loaded some 20gr Vmax up and also the new 20gr Nolser Varmigeddons...they both shoot well. After my PD trip I cleaned it well and shot a fouler while checking the Noslers. It was a case I had squeezed too hard while setting up my collet die, had ridges on the neck, but I loaded it anyway to see what it would do.


Then shot 3 more. Not too shabby. These were 9.9grs of 300MP, Fed 205's( still need to try the 200's in this tiny case) 20gr Nosler(moly). Velocity is amazing to me for such a small amount of powder.

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Old 08-12-2012, 07:40 PM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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Then I re-sized 5 cases with my now properly setup collet die, loaded them with the previously mentioned recipe and shot 3 more.


Giddyup! Seems it likes the chamber fired brass and using the collet die. All the rounds chambered easily so I'm not getting much case expansion, if any. Time will tell. May have to bump the shoulders back after a few firings.

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Old 08-12-2012, 07:53 PM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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Being new to 300MP and to a case this small, I wanted to leave the other 2 cases in the sun for a few hours to check pressure levels. No sense in loading a bunch for my next trip, if I can't find any shade and pressures get to high on me..

The cases were definitely warm to the touch after 2 hours on the bench...velocity did rise about 50fps or so. Still didn't get any real signs of excessive pressure, so I think the 9.9gr level allows for some safety margin. I went back to the original fouling group to see how these loads compared. Remember these last 2 were once fired, neck sized only, versus the first 4 which were sized down from 4.6x30 to 17VHA in my FL die. I had shot a couple Vmax also into that same group and they held POI very well also.

Warm case velocity.



The only round that can't be covered with a dime, excluding the fouler, was one of the 3850fps hotter cases. Had two different brands of bullets in that group also.

I can't say enough about this rifle, it's simply a joy to shoot. I really like the Bobby Hart laminate stock, fits me well. The lack of recoil and noise is amazing!! This case is approaching 17FB speeds with half the powder. I'm sure I could get it to 3900fps, but I want to make sure I don't stress my brass, as it's just too dam easy to run it through the collet die and load it again!
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Old 08-12-2012, 08:00 PM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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I did notice when shooting PD's with it, that I could shoot longer in any one spot with this rifle than I could anything else. Noise IS a factor...

It's a natural born killa' too!!
292 yds

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Old 08-13-2012, 06:59 PM
17varminter 17varminter is offline
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Its a great little round, far removed from the barrel burners... thanks for posting
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Old 08-13-2012, 07:09 PM
Chuck Miller Chuck Miller is offline
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Default I'll ask

What is a 17VHA, got any pics comparing it to the parent case and something similiar in size? I see in a previous post it's a 17x30mm?

Last edited by Chuck Miller; 08-13-2012 at 07:11 PM.
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Old 08-13-2012, 07:52 PM
17varminter 17varminter is offline
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"I can tell you that the 17 VHA is the 4.6x30mm HK case necked down with no other changes but with less-than-standard neck clearance (I made it just over 1/1000-inch annular, as compared to the typical and phenomenally ridiculous 3/1000-inch annular; and, I made the chamber only 10/1000-inch longer than the maximum-length case, as compared to the typical 50/1000-inch longer than a maximum-length case; and, I made the throat very short, so bullets seated very close to or against the rifling would still have most of the shank within the case neck; and, I made the throat only 2/10,000-inch larger than nominal standard 17-caliber bullet diameter; and, I made the leade match modern benchrest chamber design." McPherson
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Old 08-14-2012, 12:40 AM
Charlie Charlie is offline
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Default 17 Varminter, very

interesting rifle. I just chambered a take off 223 barrel for the 5.7x28 and its great fun to shoot. You can shoot forever and it just gets warm, not hot.

One of the forum members has necked the 5.7 down to 17. I like the idea of using the 4.6x30 parent case a bit better because the sizing is minimized. Is brass readily available? What is the cost of brass? I get 5.7 brass at gun shows once fired for about $10/100 or less.

Its hard to believe how well these cartridges perform and how much fun they are to shoot until you shoot one.

I suspect, but don't know, that the capacity of the 5.7 case is about equal to the 22 Mink from all I have read. But, no case forming necessary with the 5.7.

Great post, thanks,

Charlie
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Old 08-14-2012, 03:41 AM
bowfisher bowfisher is offline
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The 17VHA has been around a while. Any differences from the 17x30 would be reamer preference. Mine has a .199 neck and McPherson uses a .204 I think.

The new part , for me anyway, was using a full size action and getting it to feed properly. I looked quite some time until I found somebody that could do it. When I found out he had actually gotten an AR to feed with it, I was pretty confident he could make it work in the bolt configuration. All the articles I had read, and the guys I had talked to from the VHM, all had Contenders. Which I didn't want for colony varmint shooting.

Brass is somewhat of an issue, doesn't seem to be as common as 5.7x28, but 4.6x30 ammo is readily available, sells for around 22$/50. I have a line on a manufacturer, and supposed to be getting 1K next month. We'll see how it goes.
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