17 rem
- Thread starter win22
- Start date
Why not just load a smaller cartridge like a 17 FB and a 22-250? You can achieve those velocities while burning less powder. Less powder costs less, and means you're getting less material sandblasted down the bore at each shot. If you don't need the speed, then why buy that cartridge?
I stopped worrying about barrel life a LONG time ago when I realised a few things:
1. the cost of powder and bullets required to burn out a barrel FAR outweighs the cost of a new barrel
2. 'shot out' means VERY different things to me, and to competition level shooters. When a barrel goes from 0.2" to 0.25" groups, it's still in the prime of it's life as far as I'm concerned.
3. even when it is shot out, that's just an excuse to put a match barrel on it, or to go buy a new gun
I stopped worrying about barrel life a LONG time ago when I realised a few things:
1. the cost of powder and bullets required to burn out a barrel FAR outweighs the cost of a new barrel
2. 'shot out' means VERY different things to me, and to competition level shooters. When a barrel goes from 0.2" to 0.25" groups, it's still in the prime of it's life as far as I'm concerned.
3. even when it is shot out, that's just an excuse to put a match barrel on it, or to go buy a new gun
My 17 Rem produces the best accuracy with loads well under 4000 fps and is still an awesome killer on coyotes.
Barrel life seems to be as good as any other round, but I have never shot it to the point of getting very hot either.
Barrel life seems to be as good as any other round, but I have never shot it to the point of getting very hot either.
Bryan, you will probably find that .17 Rem is a FUN cartridge to shoot and as the one lad said, it takes a LOT to "burn out" a sporter barrel. I have noticed in a couple of these that I only get about ten to fifteen shots before I really need to clean it, or accuracy drops terribly.
I am loading 25 grain bullets at a nominal speed of 4000 - 4100 fps, according to the data. I do not have a chrony and have no idea what the ACTUAL speed might be.
HTH
Doug
I think you hit the nail right on the head! I believe that when the barrel gets super hot is when the damage is done. I have a swift loaded with a 55 vmax to 3800+ with over 1200 rounds through it (some at over 4000 fps with win 760) and it still shoots .5 moa. I too have never taken the barrel temp above "warm". JMO
Norm
I have a Cooper in 17 remington, fire it all day long and it needs no more cleaning than any other varmints round i fire, and it is as accurate on the 200th round as it is on the first round. I use 24 grains of IMR4320 and a 20 grain bullet.
