Remington Model 7, 17 Fireball - discontinued

[TOU]

HELLLLLO CZ-USA...I hear opportunity knocking! Now get'r done!

"If you will build it...we will buy it!"

[montdoug]

In talking to friends that are owners/managers of 4 different sporting goods and gun shops around here I've been hearing that even out here in gopher country the .17 Fireball sure ain't tearing up the patch. Great round that it is I'd still make a ten dollar bet they discontinue the round within a year or two.
In business "if it ain't selling, it ain't staying" .
Sure hope I'm wrong but I've seen a lot of great rounds go away cause the sales numbers just aren't there. On the horrible chance I'm right and in-spite of the fact I can make brass for it if need be, I still have 500 pieces of .17 Fire Ball brass set back for a rainy day.

[Dean2]

They are selling a heck of a pile in Alberta, but all in, if everyone in Alberta that shoots gophers bought one it woouldn't be enough to keep it on the shelf. I love mine and whether they keep making it or not, I will always have one. Going to have to stock up on a 1000 or so more brass, so I don't have to neck down my 221 supply.

[Larry in VA]

Remington and Marlin are moving there factories this Summer I believe. This might have something to with the lack of stock. However this is just a wild a$$ guess on my part.
Larry

[montdoug]

Hope your right Larry .

[jim barker]

would love to have a model 7 in 17FB - I'd tear it apart and make a 17-222 out of it. like the CZ but I'm a 700 fan first.

[Easy_E]

The guns would sell they are no more expensive than any other Remington rifle.
The problem is they look at the Remington ammo prices and shy away. Seventeen fireball loaded ammo is more than twice the price of .223. When Ruger came out with the .204 all ammo manufactures jumped in with their ammo. Why didn't anyone do this with the fireball ? The .17 bullet has been around alot longer than .204 bullets ? I wonder to myself if Remington wanted to be the only ammo supplier ? Kinda like the printer ink cartridge business.

PS Random thoughts too tired to retype I'm going to bed .

[montdoug]

If the round is selling big numbers everyone makes ammo for it cause there's money in it. Not only that but everyone produces rifles chambered for it as well, as they did with the .204 which is a good seller. Anyone know of another rifle company making a .17 Fireball? Not a good seller, hence no CZ rifles and no ammo forthcoming.
I just checked Remington's web site and as mentioned above they aren't showing a lack of stock, they have "discontinued" all but one rifle in the .17 Fireball. That my friends don't bode well for the future of the .17 Fireball's existence, I seen this kinda thing before. I'd say it's on the top level of the endangered species list as we speak.
My guess is if ya want one ya oughta go looking real soon, I'd be surprised if there weren't a bunch of em on Guns America. Or go directly to the source and build a .17 MachIV which this is a clone of anyway. We were shooting this round a long time before Remington brought out a slightly tweaked "re-do" of it and if they dump it completely we'll all still be shooting one anyway . What do the bean-counters know anyhow?

[kenbro]

I managed, without too much effort to pick up a VTR (triangle) in 17FB for very little money. Used it for a 19FB.
Ken.

[AlbertaAl]

Rem Model Seven "PREDATOR" in 17 Fireball....this has a camo synthetic stock and camo colored steel.

Anyone have an opinion on this model?
Personally, I don't like the rounded forestock and camo paint.
I read an internet article that didnt rate the clip system very highly because it would jam occasionally.