al4x Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 Well I've just spoken to my FEO and he's more than happy to grant the variation he even said I could keep the HMR if I wanted . However just to throw a spanner in the works he suggested that I might want to consider one of the .17 centrefires as I've already got the .223? So what do you guys think, has anyone got any experience with any of the .17 centrefires they'd like to share? From what I can find on t'internet they can be pretty handy bits of kit but I'd love to hear some first hand experience.Cheers Ads they shoot very flat and pack a fair punch it depends what you want it for, the .223 is a good fox gun so if you're keeping that for foxes then it depends if you're keeping the HMR or not. If you do then you've got a bunny gun and anything else is for fun and either option will do or you could look at a .204 just to confuse matters more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads03ads Posted April 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 .204 you've gone and said it now al4x!!!! Better throw that in the melting pot too! So if anybody would like to share some experiences with this feel free to chime in I'd like to keep th HMR but to be honest it depends whether the funds will allow it. Incidentally my FEO said if I swap my HMR for another caliber and send the variation in at the same as the transfer notice it'll be treated as a 1-4-1 ie: Free. Is this normal? I'd expected to pay for a swap of calibers Ads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 yep that is normal and as you already have a centrefire then it is just a formality. Its an interesting dilema, I like my HMR and its usually out in the truck when we're lamping and has been known to come out to shoot foxes where I don't want to use a centrefire. Thats the only thing to bear in mind and does depend on your ground as to whether you have areas where less power is good. Personally I'd be tempted to suggest you have the best combination and actually if you wanted to go for a 17 centrefire or 204 then the .223 might be the one to change. Just depends if you shoot muntjac with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads03ads Posted April 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 Swap the .223 you say? Its a thought I suppose? I've not shot any munty's yet as we don't seem to have many around are way, however it'd be nice to have the option so I think the .223 is here to stay, besides which I love my remmy an don't think I'd be without it. I guess I need to decide weather the HMR needs to go, before I can make any real decisions about what to get next Ads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 .17 Centrefire you say? Well, don't get me started on the .17 Ackley Hornet! I love mine. It's not quite up to .17 Rem velocities but its got 1000fps on a HMR! It will cost you a fortune to get started with that though - custom gun, custom dies, no factory ammo available. You have to be really keen to take on that sort of rifle! Loading cost of the .22 Hornet is cheap. If you want to start off on a budget buy a Lee loader. £30 and you're sorted. Look at it that way and you can reload your first 100 rounds of ammo for less than it would cost to buy them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rem223 Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 17 Ackley Hornet is a great round. Though probably not something I would recommend for a beginner. The case forming is a bit of a pain in the neck, but once that is done they last a long time. They are remarkably efficient with an amazing barrel life. I wouldn't recommend a 17 Remington either to be honest. I have had mine for a number of years and it shoots amazing groups now with 20gr Vmax running at 4200fps. But it has taken a while to get it to the point where I am happy with it. If I was doing it all over again I would probably get the 17 Fireball. More efficient, better barrel life, and the factory Remingtons come with a 1:9" twist so you can use the 25gr Hornady Vmax. This is five shots with 20gr Vmax @ 100metres I have now swapped the .223 barrel on my Sako 75 for a .204 Ruger barrel and I am very impressed with this round. Velocity is not as high as some places claim. It is around 3850fps with a 32gr bullet and accuracy is excellent. With the 40gr bullet velocity drops to 3550fps but the bc of these is higher than a .223 calibre 55gr bullet. Given the choice of 17 vs 204 I would probably take the 204 but I doubt you would be disappointed with 17, 204 or a 223 to be honest they all get the job done. A five shot group with 32gr Nosler BT's @ 100metres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted April 26, 2010 Report Share Posted April 26, 2010 i picked up a brand new cz 452 varmint .17hmr this afternoon, new scope should be here tomorrow so i can get it zero'd and get after those jumpy bunnies that we cant get near with the .22 anymore, should also be ideal for hares when the winter comes round again, if i need to make a big snotty hole in anything i take the .243 but at 20p a pop the hmr will be ideal for what i need mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads03ads Posted April 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2010 Well took the .22lr out this morning for the first time in an absolute age and now I'm considering keeping the HMR and swapping the .22lr My god doesn't it seem slow after shooting the HMR and .223 for awhile!!! I bet you lot wish I could make my mind up Anyway I took the .22 out on one of my main permissions today to see how it would preform, its an area of flatish land that I usually only shoot with the HMR and .223 on due to being seen from miles away and now I know why. Its just so much better to have a bit of range behind the bullet. I know your all shouting if my fieldcraft was better it wouldn't be a problem and maybe your right, but I've got a job to do on this permission and need to rid it of as manny bunnies as possible in short windows of time (can only shoot it for a couple of hours first thing in the morning) so being able to tag them at 100yards certainly helps. So now I'm in two minds once again, if I can find the cash I think I'll keep both and purchase either the hornet or possibly the .17 fireball, but if I can't find the cash I need to get rid of one of the rimmies and I can't for the life of me decide which one? Ads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted April 27, 2010 Report Share Posted April 27, 2010 I wouldn't get rid of the .22lr. I did exactly the same a while ago thinking that it was slow and loopy and that I'd never use it and it was a mistake. It's very quiet and I'll bet that as soon as you sell it someone will say "have you got anything that can shoot Rabbits in my Horse paddock without making too much noise?". I bought another! The HMR is a great round but if you were to get a Hornet I doubt you'd use it. If you can keep them all then all the better as you can always sell it later if you don't use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 27, 2010 Report Share Posted April 27, 2010 do you shoot many bunnies Ads as I think that is the decision maker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Logic Posted April 27, 2010 Report Share Posted April 27, 2010 I don't see how rabbit numbers really affect things since HMR and Hornet are the same cost and noise. I would also keep the .22lr because you never know when you will need that silenced tool. HMR is redundant in a Hornet world, so if you are dropping one, drop that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted April 27, 2010 Report Share Posted April 27, 2010 I guess that if you're letting off a couple of hundred rounds per week then reloading may become a bit of a pain? I throw all my loads and it works fine. Lil-gun isn't a fussy powder and I could make up rounds that were better than factory pretty quickly that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Elvis Posted April 27, 2010 Report Share Posted April 27, 2010 :thumbs: I agree with njc, DONT get rid of the .22lr, youll regret it.I have one permission that i couldnt shoot if i didnt have mine, they have neighbours that dont like loud cracks during the night. I havent used mine this year but i wouldnt dream of getting rid of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads03ads Posted April 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2010 Well decision made, the paperwork has gone in for the .22 Hornet and I'm going to keep the Hmr and the .22lr aswell :thumbs: I'll see how much I use the others over the next couple of years and make a more informed choice at my renewal. Njc I don't suppose you'd like to share any of your recipes for the hornet would you? It'll give me something to play with until I can buy the rifle. Cheers everyone for your advice, its been alot of help. Ads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Elvis Posted April 28, 2010 Report Share Posted April 28, 2010 :thumbs: GOOD DECISION Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads03ads Posted April 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2010 Cheers Mate I thought so :thumbs: Ads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted April 28, 2010 Report Share Posted April 28, 2010 I used to use S&B brass, small pistol primers (it's a very small case for a rifle primer and the pistol ones keep things more steady), 35grn V-Max and over 13grns of Lil-Gun powder. I made them to the longest length that would reliably feed from my mag so as a starter I'd do them at SAAMI spec. Finish them off with a light crimp from a Lee factory crimp die. On second loadings neck size only. The crimp and neck sizing are very important for good accuracy with the Hornet. The pressures are so low with Lil-Gun I've heard of people using the case as a dipper and then compressing the load when the bullet is pressed in! 13grns in S&B cases left a bit more room for the bullet to seat, but not enough for it to rattle around. There's no start load with Lil-gun. Even a full case only reaches just over half of max pressure if I remember correctly. It's certainly not got the potential to go over because it won't fit in the case! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads03ads Posted April 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2010 Cheers njc, that should get me going thanks for all your help Ads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Logic Posted April 29, 2010 Report Share Posted April 29, 2010 Yep, you'll be fine with LG. H110 works better for me, gives higher velocities and excellent accuracy and the case isn't full either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads03ads Posted April 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2010 Thanks Mr Logic, I don't suppose anybody has any recipes using Vectan powders, its all my local shop stocks so would save me a bit of a drive? Cheers Ads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Logic Posted April 29, 2010 Report Share Posted April 29, 2010 I'm not familiar with those, but for Hornet the Hodgdon powders do seem to work best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads03ads Posted April 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 Fair enough, Can anyone recommend a good hodgson stockist in the south Cheers Ads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Logic Posted April 30, 2010 Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 Roding Armory shouldn't be too far away from you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads03ads Posted April 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 Thanks mate, I will look them up. Ads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted April 30, 2010 Report Share Posted April 30, 2010 Roding Armoury are in Essex - bit of a trek from West Sussex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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