22 Hornet to 17 Hornet

[moorepower]

Originally Posted by vonrang

Yesterday I dispatched a squirrel that had been raiding my wife's bird feeder.

The shot was taken from a bit less than twenty yard with my Model 25 Walking Varminter in 17 Hornet.

The load was a compressed charge of 4198, WW WSR primer and a formed PPU 22 Hornet case, with a 20gr Hornady V-Max pill.

My wife was sitting on her loveseat reading her Kindle by the window in our bedroom, which overlooks the bird feeder.

When I took the shot, the squirrel had jumped off the feeder and was crouched on the ground facing me.

All that I saw in my scope's field of view was a burst of fog and the squirrel hurtling backward about a foot an a half.

At the moment the shot had gone off, my wife had just glanced up from her reading, toward the feeder when she saw 10 feet of pink mist spraying from the location of the base of the feeder toward the woods behind and a somersaulting blurr of a squirrel hurtling across the ground.

All she could say is that it was like watching the Zapruder film when she had glanced up, the moment the squirrel was hit.

Upon my inspecting the squirrel, there was nothing but ragged shredded fragments from just below where the squirrel's arms once were.

Everything else had been literally vaporized by the 20 grain V-Max.

I actually enjoyed reading that......eating my breakfast!

[hemiallen]

Thanks for the post.

Have you had a chance to do the same case measurments for 17 HH brass, either new brass or spent factory brass?


With the HH primer pocket problems from factory ammo I am curious if the HH brass is any better than just forming 22 Hornet brass, like you have done?


I also believe the web of the Hornady HH brass makes the case volume less than formed 22 hornet brass.

I don't have a gun to shoot yet, but my 1k of ammo isn't going anywhere for awhile. I'll keep playing with the CZ in 17 AH until the primer pocket issue on the HH ammo is sorted out.


Thanks

Allen

[vonrang]

I'll MIC some of my cases and post the measurements.

I was not aware of primer pocket issues in the 17HH factory cases.

I do not know yet if case volume differences will be significant using full compressed loads of 4198.

That being said, it could be a different story if I choose to use my other pet load of 8.8gr of Alliant 2400 powder.

I only have 20 rounds of factory 17 HH.

The remaining 200 formed rounds are from 22 Hornet and seem to work just great in my model 25.

[vonrang]

Originally Posted by moorepower

I actually enjoyed reading that......eating my breakfast!

Bon Appetit

Next post from the field will include a tasty photo of the high-speed field dressed critter for your dining pleasure!

[vonrang]

Squirrel shot at 20 yards with 15gr V-Max, 17 HH formed WW 22 Hornet Case, compressed load of IMR 4198, CCI BR 4 primer

[vonrang]

Originally Posted by hemiallen

Thanks for the post.

Have you had a chance to do the same case measurments for 17 HH brass, either new brass or spent factory brass?


With the HH primer pocket problems from factory ammo I am curious if the HH brass is any better than just forming 22 Hornet brass, like you have done?


I also believe the web of the Hornady HH brass makes the case volume less than formed 22 hornet brass.

I don't have a gun to shoot yet, but my 1k of ammo isn't going anywhere for awhile. I'll keep playing with the CZ in 17 AH until the primer pocket issue on the HH ammo is sorted out.


Thanks

Allen

17 Hornady Hornet fired case measured avg. 1.345"

17HH from 22 Hornet fired case measured avg. 1.363"

[Tilleyman]

Originally Posted by vonrang

17 Hornady Hornet fired case measured avg. 1.345"

17HH from 22 Hornet fired case measured avg. 1.363"

So are you saying when initially trimmed to 1.355" the 17HH cases formed from 22 Hornet grow to 1.363" on first firing?

Then need to be trimmed back to SAAMI spec of 1.350"?

[vonrang]

That is exactly what I thought, that my cases had stretched excessively.

The mystery was solved last night.

I set had previously set up my Forster case trimmer to trim 250 Savage cases and I failed to fully seat my Hornet case in the collet while setting up the stop.

So the cases are not growing.

I now have to re-trim about 50 rounds.

[Tilleyman]

Phew... thanks for clarifying!

Note to self... anneal Winchester 22 Hornet cases AFTER forming to 17 Hornet, not before

[vonrang]

Yes, annealing is your last step prior to fire forming.

It also helps to have an intermediate 20 caliber die to take the case down in two steps to 17 caliber.

A 20 caliber die can be made from a 20 caliber neck sizer die turned down on a lathe to a working length suitable for your Hornet case.