.17 fireball, 25gr V-max.

[southernman]

Good evening,
I am now the owner of a Model seven in .17 fireball and have begun loading for it, H335, but am yet to find any data, showing COL with the 25gr v-max, can anyone give me a start point, have started out with the data for the 25hr HP off the Hodgon load data, but quite different bullet lengths.
I do not as yet, have the tooling to measure the depth to lands on this rifle.
Have had a try with empty case and bullet and closing bolt and forcing projectial into lands, but seams that measurements are all over the place, bullet might be being partly pulled out during extraction.
Any help or advise, I am not very experianced with rifle reloading either, tons of shotgun.
thanks southernman.

[gunner]

Hi SM , if it were me id use a neck sizing die on a fired case . Put fired case in shell holder and raise it as high as it will go . Now insert / screw in your die / neck or F-length until you feel the risistance on the case mouth . Lower the case , now screw in die JUST a bit at a time ! Basically you want a case that you are able to push in and still pull out a bullet with your fingers ! carefully chamber it / carefully extract using fingers so it doesn't eject thru the eject port/ window ! This method works for me you will probably do a few cases until you have the right "size" make a not of the NEW col and your golden ! - i sometimes use a sharpie on the bullet so you can see that the bullet has just touched the lands ... Good luck - tim

[Hog Patrol]

I use one of these to check bullet seating. Take a couple readings to verify your measurements:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/570...ProductFinding
AND one of these units with the .17 cal. insert:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/231...vc=sugv1231904

You'll need the .17 Fireball modified case to go along with it or if you know someone that has done it, make your own.

You may find that your Model 7 has a large amount of freebore and maybe even excessive headspace.

I HAD an original one and even after rechambering it with a zero freebore reamer, and using literally hundreds of different loads with 20s & 25s, it still shot for crap. I now have a Shilen featherweight on it. Shot two g'hogs with it the last couple days, 256 and 305 meters. It's a laser. If you afford it, best route to go is a custom barrel with a zero freebore. Then you can comfortably shoot the .20s and .25s varying your seating depths for best accuracy and velocity. Best of luck, Hog

Edit: The brass is not the best (Made by Remington) and I found about five out of a hundred, due to loose primer pockets, are scrap after one reload.