Reloading the .17rem

swoo

New Member
Dear all I have recently started to load for my .17rem (18mths ago) and have been having very good accuracy using Vit N140 with 20br Bal T bullets. However good accuracy is really only sustained at short range ie 100yards, at 200 yards my groups have blown out from 0.5'' to 3.0''. I have therefore bought some 25gr HP bullets and was going to give them a go in the hope that with a better BC the bullets will group tighter at 200-250yds, has anyone got any experience in loading the .17rem or could give me a start and max loading using Vit N140?

much apprieciated
8)
 
Hi Swoo,

I have done a fair bit of reloading for the 17Rem but only with Varget, 26gns of Varget over a 25gn Vmax was very good. have a look at your targets, does it look as if the bullet is keyholeing? I had one load that was 1/2" at 100m but went to 2.5"at 200 but you could see the bullet was going in side ways. It's a hard calibre to load well for as it seems really fussy about small changes in powder charge, but the most important thing about loading for the rem is primer choice, they have a habit of rupturing primers. pick a primer with a thick cup ( rem7 1/2 is good or federal Match) good luck trying to find a calm day to test them on. I tried 20 and 25 gn V maxs and the 25s deffinately kill foxes better (not sure what difference 5 gns makes)

Hope this helps in vsome way.

Ezzy
 
Ezzy thanks for the advice, at 200 yds the holes were certainly larger than those at 100yds so I have now tried some Hornady 25gr HP with Vit N-140 and a lighter load at 23.5gr seems to be the best for accuracy producing a near clover leaf three shot group at 100yds- a real tack driver! loads of 24 and 24.5gr we far less accurate so that certainly supports your observations. Going to try it at 200yds as soon as it stops raining!

br

Swoo
8)
 
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