17 Rem

[rabbithunter]

I,am looking for a little help ,I have just put i for a 17 Remington and i was wondering how many gun maker make a 17 rem and is there any that should be avoided .Also is factory ammo easy to get or is reloading the way to go

[Baldrick]

That's a bit an odd choice, the .17 Rem, particularly in that you have an .17 HMR on the way. It's got a bit of a reputation as a barrel-eater, but with less of the versatility of the equally flat-shooting (but much punchier) .204 Ruger. I know the Yanks and the Aussies love the .17 Rem, but if I were you, I'd get a more conventional varmint calibre. It's worth adding that you can't shoot shoot muntjac and CWD with a .17 rem, unlike the .222/.223/.22-250-wielding majority.

 

You're a little limited with manufacturers. I've just had a quick look through the brochures I have here, and the Remington Mod 700 is the glaringly obvious choice, unless you want to order a Cooper Varminter. I couldn't comment on Savage or the other American manufacturers, but they'd be worth a look.

[JRDS]

CZ do one also I believe or at least did. However Factory Ammo is extortionate even if you can find it so its really a case of homeloading. If you look in the Firearms Review section on the BBS there is a guy on there talking about loads and performance from his new one. Are you constrained by your licensing authority, if not I would go for something more mainstream and with Factory ammo reasonably priced and available.

[Oly]

Depends on what you want it for really. If you want it as a practical tool - like the guys say, go for a calibre that is cheaper/more available. However, if you want it as more of a collectors piece, or just out of firearm curiosity, then a Rem 700 or Coopers is the only way to go really.

[Dead-Eyed Duck]

I had a Tikka 17Rem for a couple of years.

 

Yes it was flat shooting, and yes it was accurate.

 

I home loaded using 25g heads. Fiddly at first, and then OK.

 

I got it out of my system, and then got rid - the 0.223 would do everything that it would (of course it used a necked-down 0.223 case).

 

Shot a lot of foxes with it, but accurate bullet placement was essential of course - i waukd say even more so than a 0.223 due to the massive loss of energy at long range.

 

I became convinced that it was unduly affected by wind, and that was my reason for changing back to a 0.223.

 

Exotic calibres are very macho - everyone wants a go of one. However, at the end of the day they have to fulfill a very precise requirement if you can really justify one - it's a bit like the 0.204 argument - yes, they will kill foxes, but I remain to be convinced that they are any advantage compared to a 0.223 or 22-250.

 

However, if you want to be different, then have a go.

 

But, one major disadvantage can be selling the beast when they go out of fashion.....

 

Don

[Sako7mm]

I've had 17 Rem's for 10 years and still own a couple. Reloading is pretty well essential- bullet choice is critical. You mut use an appropriately constructed bullet to get the best results. PM me if I can help you any further and I'll pass you my number.

[Baldrick]

Rabbithunter, I came across the following article on an American website, re the .17 Rem. You may find it interesting:

 

http://www.varminter.com/particles/wt17.html