.17 Remington is dead

[260Ackley]

I have small calibers in ar 15 as well. I just dont like the idea of large gun companies thinking if it won't fit in an ar 15 it's not worth trying or shooting. You have limited mag length so not only do they restrict what parent cartridge but now bullets get discontinued because they won't fit what works with an ar 15. Gas guns are great but bean counters get tunnel vision and a lot of cool stuff dies. Just my 2 cents.

[.17 Longshot]

This is nothing more than a difference of perspectives, what is dead to some is thriving for others. Definitely not dead in my household. Brass can be found if you look or formed from 204. Funny, almost all the cartridges that interest me have never been mainstream, probably a reason I keep coming back to Saubier, the site is full of brilliant people that do oddball stuff the mainstream doesn't and get a kick out of it.

[Bayou City Boy]

Originally Posted by .17 Longshot

This is nothing more than a difference of perspectives, what is dead to some is thriving for others. Definitely not dead in my household. Brass can be found if you look or formed from 204. Funny, almost all the cartridges that interest me have never been mainstream, probably a reason I keep coming back to Saubier, the site is full of brilliant people that do oddball stuff the mainstream doesn't and get a kick out of it.

Very well stated.

What many folks choose to not recognize is that those of us here at Saubier and a few other web sites that have small caliber interests as well as others in the shooting world are an EXTREMELY SMALL market in comparison to the general shooting market, so expecting companies to cater to us and our wishes is delusional. Its maybe not a good situation, but it is reality.

Its kin to asking a major company to continue to produce something that their customers seldom or rarely buy just because a few of us want the product. Profitable companies sell what people will buy in quantities big enough for the company to be profitable producing the product. Crying about that fact is not beneficial for anyone.

As an example, I ran across five boxes of Hornady 17 caliber 25 grain HP bullets while traveling last week. The store owner thanked me for buying them and he told me that they had been on the shelf for several years, so he was glad to see them go. And he stated that he has no plans to refresh his shelf with a similar product. They were a non-mover in his inventory in an area that one would think they might sell easily.

In addition, I live in a relatively large metro area and there are four family owned gun and out door stores in the area that are very profitable. They have been a very successful business for years by selling guns and other products that the shooting public wants in large numbers, and its very seldom that you can see anything on their shelves that contribute to small caliber shooter interests. Why, because they can fill their shelves with other products that sell quickly to mainstream shooters. Fortunately there is also one gun shop in the metro area that caters to everyone, but they brag about having over 10K guns under one roof (likely the truth). That's what it takes to please everyone, and finding small caliber stuff there is not a lead pipe cinch when you walk in the door. However, they fortunately will trade for stuff that the other 4 stores don't want in their inventory taking up space from items that will sell quickly. Other area gun shops that have small caliber stuff in their inventory have to dust them frequently before they sell while anything from 223 Rem on up sells quickly to the mainstream shooter.

Again, its not what we might like to see, but it is reality. And if one looks clear back to the 1970's, the 17 Remington has never been a big seller in US markets. That is a separate but related reality in itself.

-BCB

[UTcaller]

.17 Longshot,

Don’t get me wrong. I couldn’t agree more with your post. I guess I meant as a factory offering that the .17 Remington was dead. I used one for a few years and liked it. It only had two problems, it was a 10 Twist so 30’s didn’t group great and it was alittle finicky with powder. So I built a .17 Tactical with a 9 Twist. I buy .223 Lapua brass. It holds about a grain more powder than the 17 Remington, so 24.5 grains of RL15 pushes a 27-30 grain Kindler Gold around 4000 fps. And a 25 grain Berger Match bullet around 4100+ fps.

To be Honest most of my Rifles are Wildcats. I only have 2 factory guns. A Cz527 .204 Ruger, and a Remington 700 .270 Winchester. So I Agree with having oddballs...

Good Hunting

[.17 Longshot]

Absolutely agree from that view. I suppose the reality of it being a dead factory offering is something I accepted years ago. The recent Hornady findings have me a little startled but reality does sink in. With the three .172 rimfire cartridges and newer .17 Hornet "appearing" to be popular I hoped we'd see one of the big boys drop a new 25gr offering, instead we lost one. At one point in time a representative from Speer told me they dont offer .17 caliber projectiles for reloaders because all their bullets get stuffed in the rimfire cartridges. Although the 25gr VMAX produces stellar accuracy I still thank goodness we have the boutique bullet makers we do.

[GoWyo!]

Originally Posted by UTcaller

.17 Longshot,

Don’t get me wrong. I couldn’t agree more with your post. I guess I meant as a factory offering that the .17 Remington was dead....

How strange, here I thought I started this thread!

[GoWyo!]

Originally Posted by Displayed Name

Going off topic but I’m curious how you like the .17 cal lothar Walther barrel?

You know, I've never counted. I love the quality of LW barrels, this one cleans up in a snap and I can get under an inch with a couple different loads. It's only 18in but velocity doesn't seem to suffer too much for short-range calling rifle.