17 fireball
- Thread starter kuca_2004
- Start date
Apples and oranges comparison. However, it's not the cartridge being good or bad. It's finding .17 Fireball ammo/brass.
Midway is only showing one ammo maker as available. Remington is shown as unavailable. "This product is available periodically, often on inconsistent intervals."
No brass either. Ditto from Grafs. Cabela's has it on back orderable, at roughly a buck a shot.
The .17 WSM is a rimfire. Ammo is available for it. Runs $16 to $18 per 50 at Midway.
Midway is only showing one ammo maker as available. Remington is shown as unavailable. "This product is available periodically, often on inconsistent intervals."
No brass either. Ditto from Grafs. Cabela's has it on back orderable, at roughly a buck a shot.
The .17 WSM is a rimfire. Ammo is available for it. Runs $16 to $18 per 50 at Midway.
Depends on what you want to do with it. I had a buddy who had one, I shot a few rounds out of it. The expense of brass and barrels really keeps me from wanting one. I went to a local shoot once that only allowed 20 caliber and smaller cartridges and I paid to shoot a few of the wildcats and commercial loads. There were some .17Fireballs and the owners were nervous nellies, and after talking to them I understood why. At least according to them, the barrels did not last long, sensitive to parameter changes like brass, length, etc. more than other cartridges.
If I wanted something smaller than .22 caliber, it would be a 17WSM. Relatively inexpensive to shoot and I would not be tempted to reload for it. I did get to shoot one in January and it was moderately interesting. The consistency of the factory ammo seems to be one benefit and the velocity is less so the barrels should last longer. I would guess longer than a .223 since the bullet mass is lower.
My opinions may be closer to thoughts since I have only a little bit of time with each and have never owned a 17 except in a pellet gun.
If I wanted something smaller than .22 caliber, it would be a 17WSM. Relatively inexpensive to shoot and I would not be tempted to reload for it. I did get to shoot one in January and it was moderately interesting. The consistency of the factory ammo seems to be one benefit and the velocity is less so the barrels should last longer. I would guess longer than a .223 since the bullet mass is lower.
My opinions may be closer to thoughts since I have only a little bit of time with each and have never owned a 17 except in a pellet gun.
Unlicensed Dremel
Moderator
Dear sir, the answer is neither. IMO, .17 Hornady Hornet is the way to go in this general range, due to support from Hornady and CZ.
.17 Hornet is just a bit more expensive than .17 WSM, but comes in quality affordable rifles (unlike the .17 WSM)**, shoots a 20 grainer at 3600 fps (as opposed to the WSM's 20 grainer at 3000 fps), and you have brass left to reload when finished shooting. The .17 WSM looks like a pretty big fail to me.
However, there is nothing wrong with .17 Rem Fireball, and the brass is much better, so you can get many more reloads than from .17 Hornet brass.
.17 Fireball has more powder and power too. But the .17 Hornet will of course be slightly quieter as a result (if that matters to you).
Factory ammo is less than 80 cents a round for the Hornady Hornet, but around $1.20/round for the Fireball, so you're spending more than 40 cents extra every shot if you don't reload.
**Yes, the Win Lo-Wall is a quality rifle but it's also $1500 for a single shot. The Savage B-Mag has multiple issues, and is a fail. A CZ 527 can be had in .17 Hornady Hornet for under $700 new, half the price of the only quality .17 WSM (the Winchester).
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I don't think the 17 WSM is "catching on" like the sellers hoped. Actually, the only available rimfire ammo in the local WalMart is 17WSM and they've had the same boxes on the shelf for months.
If you happen to have a rifle that isn't suitably accurate with the factory ammo-you're elskrewedo.
If you happen to have a rifle that isn't suitably accurate with the factory ammo-you're elskrewedo.
Unlicensed Dremel
Moderator
Oh yeah; they definitely screwed the pooch with the .17 WSM - the ammo is 2.5 times the price of .17 HMR, IIRC, and only a bit less than the new .17 Hornet. But the BIG fail is not making sure there's an affordable *quality* gun chambered for it - the B-mag is a rare mega-lemon from Savage, evidently.
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
I personally think the 17 Fireball is the most balanced & best all around 17 caliber.... that said... DREMIL is correct, that Remington quickly killed it... buying ammo is like hunting the "great white buffalo" Remington is the only source for brass, & they & HSM are the only factory loaders that I'm aware of... however if you reload, it's a terrific cartridge...
as DREMIL mentioned, Hornady's 17 Hornet is much more commercially available... & while I don't shoot that cartridge, I'm greatful for them producing, as I do also shoot 17 K Hornet, & the 17 Hornady Hornet chambers in my K Hornet Contender barrel & is close enough to give me good accuracy & fire forms nicely ( which really cuts down on the process of making cases for the K Hornet )
I'm not totally familiar with the 17 WSM but I do shoot 17 Remington ( 223 case necked to 17 ) & since the 17 Remington burns up barrels in record time... ( FIL used to load that cartridge to 4000 fps or intil the bullet vaporized before hitting the target
) I'd expect the WSM to be similar in speeds & in barrel life
I have about 2500 cases with correct headstamp for the 17 Fireball, & will probably never part with that gun ( a custom built Remington 700 )
if you are still interested, there is a guy regularly on Gun Broker that is making cases from 223 cases, & there is often once fired cases for sale there, or you can just resize the 221 Fireball case to 17...
as DREMIL mentioned, Hornady's 17 Hornet is much more commercially available... & while I don't shoot that cartridge, I'm greatful for them producing, as I do also shoot 17 K Hornet, & the 17 Hornady Hornet chambers in my K Hornet Contender barrel & is close enough to give me good accuracy & fire forms nicely ( which really cuts down on the process of making cases for the K Hornet )
I'm not totally familiar with the 17 WSM but I do shoot 17 Remington ( 223 case necked to 17 ) & since the 17 Remington burns up barrels in record time... ( FIL used to load that cartridge to 4000 fps or intil the bullet vaporized before hitting the target
) I'd expect the WSM to be similar in speeds & in barrel lifeI have about 2500 cases with correct headstamp for the 17 Fireball, & will probably never part with that gun ( a custom built Remington 700 )
if you are still interested, there is a guy regularly on Gun Broker that is making cases from 223 cases, & there is often once fired cases for sale there, or you can just resize the 221 Fireball case to 17...
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Magnum Wheel Man
New member
OK... made me look at the 17 WSM cartridge... it's not the "typical" short fat case, & looks closer to between the 17 Fireball & 17 Hornady Hornet???
ooops I fell victim to the abreviation mis-read... was thinking Winchester Short Magnum, not the rim fire cartridge...
BTW... I have absolutely no interest in rim fires anymore after this last shortage... I built a custom 17 Mach 2 ( 22 LR necked to 17 ) several years ago... factory ammo used to be available, but I've not seen any for over a year... I had stocked up on it though, & still have plenty, but if I can't replace my ammo, I may sell the rifle, with 1000 rounds of factory ammo... which is too bad, as it is MRS favorite farm varmint rifle, it's litterally killed 100's of raccoons & skunks & such, in the couple years she has been shooting it...
ooops I fell victim to the abreviation mis-read... was thinking Winchester Short Magnum, not the rim fire cartridge...
BTW... I have absolutely no interest in rim fires anymore after this last shortage... I built a custom 17 Mach 2 ( 22 LR necked to 17 ) several years ago... factory ammo used to be available, but I've not seen any for over a year... I had stocked up on it though, & still have plenty, but if I can't replace my ammo, I may sell the rifle, with 1000 rounds of factory ammo... which is too bad, as it is MRS favorite farm varmint rifle, it's litterally killed 100's of raccoons & skunks & such, in the couple years she has been shooting it...
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Unlicensed Dremel
Moderator
Ooooh, buuurrrn. Heh heh.
That would be an excellent point.
Bottom line, if you're going to do all reloading, the .17 Rem. Fireball is the way to go.
If you're going to do all factory, or a combo of factory and reloads, then the .17 Hornady Hornet is likely a better choice.
From what I have sseen, the 17 rimfire rounds are just amazing. The english dudes are limited to rimfires, and suppressors are available. the 17 on a suppressor is almost silent, and the explosive hits are amazing. Can they really work at 200-300 yards? yep, some of those guys can wring them out to those ranges, but over here, most people don't even try. they just go centerfire.