Anybody here relaoding for the .17 Hornady Hornet?

[geezerbiker]

I'm on the process of getting a .17 Hornady Hornet barrel for one of my Handi rifles and right now there is only Hornady brand ammo available.

I know this round is similar to the old .17 Ackley hornet and I'm not sure if I'm going to try necking .22 Hornet cases down or starting off with factory ammo.

I'd love to hear from anyone else working with this round....

Tony

[AtlLaw]

How are you getting the barrel Geeze?   
 
I halfway want one my own self and am thinking on that 17HMR barrel in the classifieds but I don't know where to get it rechambered.  After ol' Brie's experience rechambering his two I don't want to do it myself... 

[geezerbiker]

I bought a .17 HMR barrel and when fitted to a SB2 frame, the firing pin hits in the center.  After that it's a matter of sending it out to be rechambered.  Right now the barrel is on the way to me.  After that, I have to wait for my gunsmith to get home from safari in Namibia...

I figure I'll be in this barrel about $200ish when it's done.  It's probably a silly purchase since I have 2 rifles in K-Hornet but who ever said wants are logical...

I'll probably pick up 1 box of factory ammo to start with but I want to hand load after that.

Tony

[LaOtto222]

If you have 22K Hornets, I would start with loads from them. Use a starting load of your favorite powder for the 22K Hornet. I would start with a Remington case with a CCI 500 primer and 12.8 grains of W296 or H110 with a .172 bullet at or under 30 grains. Run them over a chronograph and check velocity to published data to make sure you are not too far out there. I am afraid it will be a while until you can get published data for it.

Good Luck and Good Shooting

[dorothy daily]

hornady's version is shorter than an original hornet and is thicker bodied just below the neck, also different shoulder angle. if you are going to use hornet brass you will need to trim after resizing. i have had 17 hmr barrels rechambered to 17 k hornet and 17 mach 4 with no problems. have also done two contender 17 hmr carbine barrels in the same caliber with no difficulties. have a  17 hornet contender 9 inch barrel by coyote(out of business) which is loud. you can find a baker's dozen loads on hodgdon's website using 20 to 30 grain bullets. i am using aa1680 for both. have vv  but not loaded any with that powder. using 20 gr bullets in hornet and 25 gr in mach 4. i did buy some of hornady's 17 brass and after fireforming in the k hornet neck is very short. best of luck.

[Ladobe]

I've had a bunch of 17 Ackley Hornets going way, way back... TC Contender handgun and carbine length's, custom bolt rifles that I shot so much in the digger fields that I had around 10K pieces of brass for them.
 
Don't let "rolling your own" for the 17 Hornet/17 Acley Hornet's be a blocker.   It's very easy to preform from 22 Hornet brass with a cheap Bullberry DE die ($25-$30), load with the 17H dies, and shoot to fireform with hunting loads... they are so darn close to as accurate as they are after fireformed most shooters wouldn't see the difference, even in a Handy (sorry, not a fan of them  ).
 
Any 17HMR barrel with a 1:9 or 1:10 twist is a good candidate for the 17H/17AH.   Lots of shops should be able to rechamber it, some might even have multiple sets of reamers to pick your chamber/lead.
 
One of the most fun cartridges there is, awesome accuracy and knock down, and at ranges that will surprise most.
 
 

[geezerbiker]

Thanx guys.  The barrel came in today and now I'm really getting excited about the project.  I'll do a search for that forming die, it's sounds like the way to go

Tony

[Ladobe]

http://www.bullberry.com/acc.html
 
Bottom of dies on this page.   Pricwe went up some, still a good deal.
 
Be sure to tell Fred it's for a 17 Hornady Hornet, not 17 Ackley Hornet (although I think this die will work on any 17 caliber cartridge - mine did).

[geezerbiker]

Thanx for the link, I've bookmarked it and I'll order one when I start reloading for this round.  I'm hoping to be shooting it by the end of August...

Tony

[quickdtoo]

Here's Hornady's data. 

Tim

[geezerbiker]

Interesting, the data is so new it's all hand written...  Too bad they don't list any loads for Lil'Gun powder.  It's my favorite for Hornet loads. 

I know it's going to be awhile before I'm loading for this round but I'm wondering how close .17 Ackley Hornet data is.  Hodgdon lists Lil'Gun loads for the .17 Ackley...

Tony

[Ladobe]

The 17 Ackley Hornet and 17 Hornet are so close that I would use the data if it were me needing it... but you have to make your own decision.   If you do just keep in mind that in the small case 17's as you approach max they can go from safe to ooops with a very small increase of powder.   With the 17AH in a tight chamber that can be as little as 1/10 grain.   Probably the same in the 17H, although the firearms out there so far probably all have SAAMI chambers, and they wouldn't be as tight.   To be safe ALWAYS leave yourself plenty of slack to work up from using any load data for these cartridges from anybody.  15% below max on these smallies is being prudent, more critical than larger cases where you get away with less.   No two chambers are exactly the same, not even in the same model firearm, powders vary by lot number, and brass capacity varies between manufacturer.   All of my 17AH's had sweet spots just below max, and another a ways lower that made for extremely accurate ammo.   So there is not good reason to push these little cartridges that are based on weak brass.
FWIW