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Old 10-16-2020, 10:37 PM
20VarTarg 20VarTarg is offline
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Default 17 HeBee Load Questions

So my newest Cooper 38 is chambered in 17 HeBee. I've got a bunch of brass fire formed and now I'm ready to really find a load for it. I've already tried RL-7 and VV-N130. Todd recommended the N130 and the guy who made the 17 HeBee liked RL-7. Well neither one is very satisfactory at this point. And on the burn rate chart they are a long ways apart. Lots of powder in between the two. I'm mainly shooting a 20 VMAX but also may play with the Hornady 25 HP. Anyone have any ideas on what to try next??? I'm thinking CFE BLK may be a good one to try.
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Old 10-17-2020, 05:24 AM
Kiwishooter Kiwishooter is offline
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I found RL-7 works quite well for me, I haven't tried N-130 or anything else.

I found a couple of burn rate charts, the ADI one isn't very helpful and the Hodgdon doesn't show the ADI powders that are more easily available locally.
http://www.adi-powders.com.au/powder-equivalents/
https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploa...rate-color.pdf


I see in The Sensational Seventeens by Todd Kindler that he lists N-130, RL-7 and N-133 (for 25gr) in the HeBee, fast lots of H322 apparently also work well, Todd lists N-120, N-130, RL-7, H4198 & H4227 for the 17 Ackley Bee.

There was also an article in the October 1993 issue of Precision Shooting about the 17 HeBee which may have other data...……...Kiwi
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Old 10-17-2020, 12:16 PM
20VarTarg 20VarTarg is offline
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Kiwi, were your loads anywhere near the RL-7 loads in Todd's book??? I started at 14.5 and went up. Never found anything worth testing a second time with the RL-7. Kinda surprising because my go to powder is RL-7 in just about everything.
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Old 10-17-2020, 09:30 PM
GLWenzl GLWenzl is offline
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I have no clue on the difference in case capacity but this is from an old post on the 17 killer bee showing a few options that might work? I personally like 1680 in both of my 17-KBs although I did fireform most of the brass with lil gun which worked out for F-forming but way to fast for a formed case??


Bob, 680/H116/1680 was the best powder out of several I tried. Did you get that rifle from Charles or is buddy whose name escapes me?

Here is from an old post:

DELETED- Wrong information, this data was for a 20 killer bee instead if a 17.
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Last edited by GLWenzl; 10-18-2020 at 01:20 PM. Reason: DELETED- Wrong information, this data was for a 20 killer bee instead if a 17.
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Old 10-17-2020, 09:59 PM
Kiwishooter Kiwishooter is offline
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My loads are a bit higher than Todd's with RL-7 and a 20gr Vmax, I've been meaning to try BM1 and the 25gr Vmax to see what accuracy and velocity are like, but just haven't gotten around tuit

My 17 HeBee is a M38 Jackson Varminter and I notice that Todd used a Kimber 82 when he did one article and used RL-7 and then a Cooper M38 when he used N-130 and N-133

My 218 Bee brass was purchased sometime ago, 10 years or so, I really need to stock up on some more 218 Bee brass but it seems to be hard to come by.

Kiwi

Last edited by Kiwishooter; 10-17-2020 at 10:01 PM.
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Old 10-17-2020, 10:04 PM
Kiwishooter Kiwishooter is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GLWenzl View Post
I have no clue on the difference in case capacity but this is from an old post on the 17 killer bee showing a few options that might work? I personally like 1680 in both of my 17-KBs although I did fireform most of the brass with lil gun which worked out for F-forming but way to fast for a formed case??


Bob, 680/H116/1680 was the best powder out of several I tried. Did you get that rifle from Charles or is buddy whose name escapes me?

Here is from an old post:

Dan C. load data (*load with caution in your rifle): W-W brass, Fed 205M primers, and Vmax 32's.

N-120
16.3 gr. 3600 fps
16.7 gr. 3690 fps
16.9 gr. 3730 fps (fired same case 10 times, primer pocket OK), (must dump slowly to fit)

1680
17.5 gr. 3745 fps
17.8 gr. 3820 fps
18.2 gr. 3864 fps (fired same case 10 times, primer pocket OK)

H-4227
15.0 gr. 3584 fps
15.4 gr. 3640 fps
15.7 gr. 3730 fps

H-116
17.2 gr. 3640 fps
17.5 gr. 3750 fps
17.9 gr. 3815 fps
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I would love to get hold of some 1680 powder but it isn't imported into NZ …...Kiwi
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Old 10-17-2020, 10:07 PM
ray h ray h is offline
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Gary I noticed the 32 gr VMax, are those loads of Dan's for the 20 Killer Bee.
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Old 10-18-2020, 02:50 AM
dsandfort dsandfort is offline
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I had trouble fire-forming my brass using R#7. They were not hot enough at 13.5 Gr.
Luckily, you are past that.
I ended up going with H4198 @ 13.8 Gr. using 25 Gr V-Max and WSR primers.
Bullets are seated to 1.440" to Ogive.
I've found Kindler loads to be pretty hot as he uses molly'd bullets.
Hope this helps.
Del
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Old 10-18-2020, 11:40 AM
20VarTarg 20VarTarg is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiwishooter View Post
My loads are a bit higher than Todd's with RL-7 and a 20gr Vmax, I've been meaning to try BM1 and the 25gr Vmax to see what accuracy and velocity are like, but just haven't gotten around tuit

My 17 HeBee is a M38 Jackson Varminter and I notice that Todd used a Kimber 82 when he did one article and used RL-7 and then a Cooper M38 when he used N-130 and N-133

My 218 Bee brass was purchased sometime ago, 10 years or so, I really need to stock up on some more 218 Bee brass but it seems to be hard to come by.

Kiwi
Kiwi, if you happen to pick up some other 218 Bee Brass make sure you weigh it. I started this project with 200 pcs of NEW WW Super Brass. Soon found out that one bag weighed right around 76 grains and the other bag weighed right around 66 grains. Way too big of a spread for me. So now I gotta keep it separated and its a real pain in the butt. I'd like to get my hands on some more as well and get 200 pcs that are all within .5 grains of one another.

If 1680 works well in the Killer Bee then I'm sure it would work well in the HeBee. Personally I've never been a fan of 1680 but have found that CFE BLK meters just as well and is typically more accurate. If I get time this week I'm gonna try some CFE BLK and will update this post on my findings.

RL-7 @13.5 grains with a 20 grain bullet worked well for fire forming. I did fire form a few pieces with 13.0 grains and 25 grain bullet. It too worked. (I got those loads from Todd's book). I do believe some of the loads in Todd's book are too hot for my gun. I forgot he shot a lot of moly bullets. I'm going to back my loads off a bit and start over. I bet I will find an accuracy load somewhere.

My 17/23 SMC I could get up over 4200 FPS pretty easy but the accuracy node was way lower then that. Ended up settling on a load using Benchmark with a 20 grain Nosler Varmegeddon Tipped 20 grain bullet. Its running right at 3850 and shoots little clover leaf groups.
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  #10  
Old 10-18-2020, 01:00 PM
GLWenzl GLWenzl is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ray h View Post
Gary I noticed the 32 gr VMax, are those loads of Dan's for the 20 Killer Bee.
Thanks Ray! I was searching 17 and it must have showed up. Appreciate the good catch
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