Author Topic: .17HMR ammo (Read 756 times)

Zachary · « **on:** July 19, 2004, 11:52:45 AM »

I just received by order of 10 boxes of Hornday .17HMR ammo and I noticed that, when I shake it, you can clearly hear that the case is not full of powder. I know that factory centerfire ammo can be similar, but why didn't hornady put more powder in the case to increase the velocity? Is there a reason that they don't fill the case up?

Zachary

BruceP · « **Reply #1 on:** July 19, 2004, 12:14:21 PM »

In one word, pressure. They probably loaded as close to max pressure as they are willing to go. To load more of the same powder would put the pressure over the max. Therefore to load more powder they would have to go to a powder with a slower burn rate. I'm guessing that they probably tried that in their load development and either got lower velocities (which can happen if a powder is too slow) or less average accuracy or less consistency.
BruceP

ice · « **Reply #2 on:** August 08, 2004, 06:56:50 AM »

Profit. Use less powder, make more money.

jgalar · « **Reply #3 on:** August 08, 2004, 05:17:07 PM »

I agree with BruceP. You are still dealing with a very weak low pressure rimfire case. The thickness of the head is no thicker than the rest of the shell.

Questor · « **Reply #4 on:** August 09, 2004, 08:51:31 AM »

That's true for .22 LR also. Powders have changed during the last 50 years. Pressure is the answer.