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  #1  
Old 02-28-2008, 08:51 PM
English Marv English Marv is offline
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Default 17 Fireball

I've located a Sako A1 action for a friend who wants a 17 Fireball building on it. He wants to use 25 grain bullets.
Would you go for a 1 in 9 or 1 in 10 twist barrel?
Pacific offer a choice of reamers- one is the SAAMI spec, the other has zero freebore. Which would you have his 'smith buy and why?
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  #2  
Old 02-28-2008, 09:12 PM
Mulerider Mulerider is offline
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I'm thinking 1:9 for positive stabilization of the 25gr (especially Vmax), and a 20gr pill will still be happy.
And zero freebore on a .17 seems ideal, unless absolute max case capacity is desired (I prefer the zero freebore).

Greg
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Old 02-28-2008, 09:38 PM
Tim Anderson Tim Anderson is offline
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Alot depends on what youre friend intends to shoot with it. If its fox size critters on down and maybe a coyote once in awhile i would go 1-10. If he wants to use the 30 gr. which i think is too much bullet for it he can then go with 1-9. Yes free bore wouldbe best choice also...
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Old 02-28-2008, 09:56 PM
English Marv English Marv is offline
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It will be his main fox and crow rifle and will also be used for long range rabbits. There are no coyotes over here, I'm afraid!
He'll be using 25 grain Bergers and, occasionally, 20 grain V-Max bullets. I don't think 30 grain bullets will be on the menu, neither are the 25 grain V-Max bullets likely.
Thanks for the advice so far.
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  #5  
Old 02-28-2008, 11:11 PM
Kevin Gullette Kevin Gullette is offline
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Talking This one's easy......

.........1 in 9.0" twist.

Kevin
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  #6  
Old 02-28-2008, 11:23 PM
Alan in GA Alan in GA is offline
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Default Ditto,,,,1:9"

the 1 in 9" works well with everything even the 15 gr. Bergers. The 1:10" sometimes will, sometimes not stablize the 25 Vmaxs and 30s from what I've been TOLD.
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Old 03-01-2008, 09:06 AM
English Marv English Marv is offline
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Thanks again, guys. Kevin and Alan, what's your opinion on the zero freebore versus SAAMI spec reamer option?
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  #8  
Old 03-01-2008, 12:07 PM
Alan in GA Alan in GA is offline
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Default as far as I know,,,

Quote:
Originally Posted by English Marv View Post
Thanks again, guys. Kevin and Alan, what's your opinion on the zero freebore versus SAAMI spec reamer option?
I'm not sure. All I did was send in my reamer and 3 cases with a 20 Vmax seated one caliber deep {0.017"}and said 'grind the throat for contact at this setting". It had previously been cutting a long throat and I couldn't even touch the lands with the 20 Vmax and even longer bullets. I think a 'standard' 17AH reamer as cut by Clymer cuts a too long throat. Maybe they thought pressure excursions would happen long ago when only a few were makeing 17AHs and using poor powders for the small bore case.
Sorry, you asked me before and I forgot to answer. Hope this helps.
We have since had a new reamer made to our specs with a short throat and very MINIMAL dimensions especially across the head/web area. We measured a bunch of Winchester 22 Hornet new brass and came up with a reamer that will accept all Winchester [we hope] hornet brass unless the 'odd' case comes along and then it's "pass the cleaning rod" time.
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  #9  
Old 03-01-2008, 01:31 PM
Kevin Gullette Kevin Gullette is offline
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Thumbs up What Alan said......

........i.e. zero freebore.

An added plus is that you'll have an added margin for the eventual wearing of the lands in the throat area.

Also, for my last reamer, I spec'd a 0.374" diameter at the web datum line(I used Lapua 222 cases). Gary calls it a 17-222 Gullette.......ouch! Anyway, it worked fine.........no bulged or sticky extraction cases. Caution.....your brass may differ.

You ARE getting a 3 or 4 groove barrel.........aren't you????

Hope this helps.

Kevin
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  #10  
Old 03-01-2008, 01:56 PM
Bayou City Boy Bayou City Boy is offline
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I agree: 1 in 9.0" twist and zero free bore....

A good 1 in 9" barrel will shoot all the bullet weights very well.

JMO - BCB
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