Why is the 17 Fireball not popular ?

[larryinIA]

I don't know that it does anything that the Prac/tac does, at least at longer ranges. I think it, and the VT, probably do about the same thing, giving the advantage to the VT for kinetic energy for things like coyotes.

It will take up another slot in the safe, it will consume bullets, it will pu holes in paper, and kill whatever(within reason) whatever you shoot it at...given you can hit them(you obviously can)

Currently I have two of them, haven't killed a thing with either

My reply is kind of tongue in cheek...please take it at nothing more than that. t is something, I tink, that unless you get to loose a couple of projectiles over, you won't be able to appreciate it. I love the round...thinking I need to have a custom built though...the factory stuff isn't doing it for me

Larry

[jim barker]

Originally Posted by mattri

What does the .17 Fireball do better than a 20 Practical/Tactical/Vartarg? Not trying to stir the pot- real question.

Just my thoughts, the FB shoots a little flatter than the VT and perhaps a little less recoil in like weight rifles. As far as comparing it to the 20 Pra/tac its just less powder, less recoil aka easier to see hits. If you don't need the extra power of the 20 Pra/tac then my choice is the 17FB/M4 and yes over the VT - for my needs perhaps not yours.

[TOU]

Originally Posted by Jim barker

Only a very small percentage of new chambering are bought just because they are new. Most buy because of a perceived need. With calibers that don't fit into the large game area its even harder to find a need. Now, the ones that feel the need are always elated when their favorite wildcat is picked up by the manufactures but its short lived. The sub calibers are used for small targets and quite often long ranges so they need to in the 1/2 inch area of accuracy. More often than not this requirement isn't met. The other is being able to afford shooting of large volumes of ammo. Reloaders can do this but the majority do not reload so are left with paying up toward a dollar per round (center fire) and that makes it very difficult to go plinking with or to a dog town where 300 round day isn't out of the question. This is known by Rem., CZ and others. I think they jump in for the initial surge and make a pretty good profit then cut back rather quickly so as not to loose what they made. JMO

Really good points Jim. I would have to say though that I would be a bit surprised if CZ did factory offer it on their 527, that it wouldn't be near to the 1/2" of accuracy as their QC seems to be a tad tighter than the CDL's have been of late.

Originally Posted by sicero

It took the 17 Remington 30 years.
You probably would have a hard time finding a reloading book that even mentions it.
Remington didn't even support the FB when they first come out with it.

Agreed...it makes me sad as I used to be a pretty big fan. After my conversations with their R&D, I some times wonder who is really running the Big Green monkey farm.

Some dealers had guns with no brass or ammo to go with it.
It was two years before you could find brass for it.
Hornady was far better prepared with the 204 and several company's chambered rifles and made brass.

They really were pretty good about all that with the .204, HMR & even to a certain extent with the HM2...to bad their (&CCI's) followup on the HM2 was not as stellar.

Remington had their head up you know where. They catch on very slow. Kenny

It has been so for far too long...makes me sad.

[mattri]

Very intereesting topic. Have been thinking about the next build and am debating whether I want to try something smaller than a 20.

[larryinIA]

I have a couple you can try...we just gotta figure out when we can meet somewhere. We are only a couple hours apart, IIRC.

Larry

[Oleman]

Originally Posted by woolenmammoth

It makes sense to us because we, whether we can always afford it or not, have a taste for the slightly exotic. Without trying to sound like a snob, I think the average guy looking at a 17 cal based on a 221 case is likely not looking for a factory rem, and the guys looking for a factory rem are likely easily swayed once they compare price per round w a .223.

Could possibly be as simple as that. Then add points already mentioned in this thread...

Or maybe Im just a snob

No you just require more than most factory rifles are willing to provide.