17HMR bullet retention and penetration testing

[AlbertaAl]

Two brands of bullets tested, both shot at 80 yards.
Phone books wrapped tight with haywire and soaked in horse trough for 24 hrs., very heavy !
Both bullets are 20gr. with decleration on each package of 2375 fps
CCI penetrated 4-3/4" @ 14.1 bullet retention
Winchester penetrated 5-1/2" @ 14.2 bullet retention

My conclusion to this test was that they're virtually identical in performance.
Both "shot" bullets looked identical with intact bases, straight bodies and mild deformation at the nose.
Will do some accuracy comparions at a later date.
The Winchesters are $2.oo per pack cheaper then CCI
I was surprised at the deep penetration for both bullets.

[fat cat]

The XTP is the one my son in law shoots in his 17hmr and he kills coyotes with them. Thanks for the pics.

[georgeld]

I agree, that's a lot of penetration. BUT: the range is out there a bit too.
Try one of each at 40-50yds and see. Though 80yds is about mid range when using them so that's a good test.

What surprises me most about it is they're not mushroomed any.

Way back in the mid '70's another fellow and I fired several cart's at a scraper blade. They're thicker than a grader blade at 1 1/4" or so. IT was flat and straight on shots about 50yds.

Each of these bullets were C/L's and all my reloads.
.222mag,(same as .223) 55gr
'06 180gr,
7mmag 175
and 300win/M 180gr.

The ONLY difference we could tell from any of them was the dia of the crater into the steel. All three of the big bores couldn't be judged to be different at all, not even the 300. The .222mag was about half the dia. Everyone of them was the same depth. Amazing to us the lack of difference and the light wt was still the same depth too.

That was before I had access to any .17's, even before I'd ever heard of the cal in fact.

[AlbertaAl]

George...yes, the lack of mushroom is surprising but even more surprising is how straight they are...they aren't bent over or twisted.

Years ago I did a similar test with my 20PPC @ 100 yds. using 35gr VMax which penetrated only 5 inches...I would have never thought a 17HMR to have this kind of energy.

[wally bennett]

I only use the 20gr gamr point now ive gone off the V/M if you fill a plastic bottle with water and hit it with a 17V/M at about 50 yds when it hits the water it fragments and dont reach the back of the bottle.
Wally

[fat cat]

I shot the Horndy 17HMR XTPs into wet news paper at 50yds. got a perfect mush room. They also chronoed at 2,480fps.!Taken at 10ft from muzzle. Great little round!

[trotterlg]

You have a difference in penetration of over 15%, I think more testing would be needed to call them identical. Larry

[260Ackley]

anyone run these test on a standard ballistic tip 17 hmr round? probably wont penetrate at all, but I'm just curious. i havent seen a phone book in years..............

[Daryl]

Most Columbia ground squirrels shot in the body, show only an entrance hole - no exit and the guts blown back out the entrance hole - 17gr. Vmax. I haven't shot any with the 20gr. HP.

[fat cat]

I shot the 17gr. v-max at 50 and 100yds. and 150yds. into the wet news paper. Very explosive at 50yds. hardly any penetation. At 100yds. penetrated a little better but not much. Perfect performance! At 150yds it went controlled expansion nice mushroom, actually at 150yds. the 17gr. V-max out penetrated the 22 magnum.