Guys,
Have the option to buy a Rem700 in 17Rem at a reasonable price. It seems to be a 700BDL with modest external wear, bore seems clean, shiny and with all lands visible. Rifle is stock standard, no bedding work, barrel not floated etc etc...
Question is, what level of accuracy should I expect with Remington factory ammunition? If it shoots 5MOA I'll hand it back, but at say 1.5MOA would you keep it and expect under MOA with bedding tweaks? Eventually it will be rebarelled, but for now I'm after a rifle that's pretty much useable from teh word go.
Cheers...
Con

Go chat with S.Frame at http://www.CoyoteGods.Com on that one. Tell 'em it's your first varmint gun and you want to save pelts. They will tell you more about the .17 than you ever wanted to know.

I have a Remington 700BDL in .17 Remington, and in all honesty have to say it's a real heartache. Oh it will shoot, whenever in hell it so chooses. I've shot as small as .248"
groups (5 at 100yds.) only to see the groups before and after exceed 1". On perfectly calm days I can count on a .4" group somewhere in the mix, but can find no reason for the neighboring groups to be in that 1" ranges. One inch in this caliber looks huge on a target because the holes are so small. Generally I'm using Hornady 20gr VMAX or Berger 25gr HPs, both good bullets, and Varget and IMR4320 powders. The rifle is an enigma to me because I've taken great pains with my loads for this rifle and my benchrest technique, all to no avail. It's also a fouling little beggar, that drives me up a wall. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Cal, I've read that fouling is common amongst the early production years of that chambering. I've no hands on experience with the cartridge however... The gurus at the website I listed above have mentioned this as well, and if I recall it is a function of Rem. barrel quality. Apparently the .17 requires something next to perfection in barrel finish to avoid fouling, though it may shoot well regarless. Or not. One of their oft repeated recommendations for the problem you mention is clean clean clean. Even if you have a good barrel. Most say accuracy beyond 20 rounds w/o cleaning is a pipe dream IIRC.

quote:

Originally posted by DigitalDan:
Cal, I've read that fouling is common amongst the early production years of that chambering. I've no hands on experience with the cartridge however... The gurus at the website I listed above have mentioned this as well, and if I recall it is a function of Rem. barrel quality. Apparently the .17 requires something next to perfection in barrel finish to avoid fouling, though it may shoot well regarless. Or not. One of their oft repeated recommendations for the problem you mention is clean clean clean. Even if you have a good barrel. Most say accuracy beyond 20 rounds w/o cleaning is a pipe dream IIRC.

I've got a custom and don't have a problem with fouling and get up to 50/70rds then may clean. Even in my factory 17rem never had the problem. Rem did have a recall on barrels back in the 80's. I use IMR-4320 and 25gr bullets non moly maybe 30 plus years shooting the 17 helps.

Hello Dan,

Usually my first group of the day is the best. It's following a very thorough cleaning at home during the week. I also clean it again after that first group because I'm familiar by now with the problem. I worded the first posting incorrectly, because there usually is no group fired preceeding the small group, so I guess the clean barrel is crucial. I've met other shooters with the same problem. Most of the shooters who are familiar with this .17 caliber can be fund at the Coyote Gods forum. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Cal, I have a Ruger #1 that fouls badly, and the frustrating point is that it shoots like a house afire so I can't justify replacing the barrel. Well, after a goodly number of years and repeated applications of Sweets and JB it fouls a lot less and still shoots well. I ran 22 shots thru it one day at the range, .77" for the group using the Hornady 75 grain VMAX. The burdens I carry are enough to try Job's patience.

I have managed to avoid the .17 in any form however, and that in itself is a mystery to me. Usually you buy a gun and you already have a cleaning rod that will work, maybe some bullets and primers too. Maybe it's the fact that going to the really small bores is like starting from scratch, thus I've stayed away from that caliber. And the .14s, .20s, and what not. .224 is small enough for me. I have big thumbs anyway.

For pitty sakes Cal, I swear your tring to destroy the 17 Rem single handedly. Why don't you do yourself and everyone else looking at a 17 a favor and sell yours and go get a new one. I know a multitude of people with newer 17 Rem in various makes and they all love them and the all shoot very well. Personally I have the CZ 527 in 17 Rem and it shoots like a dream, it will shoot circles around any Remington I've owned in any caliber. I go 50-60 rounds between cleanings and the first group is as good as the last. Really, no offense meant Cal but the top of the soap box is getting really thin. Con if you want a 17 I would buy the CZ, purely because of my personal experience with them. If the Remmy is a early one I wouldn't buy it they seem to be having better luck with the newer barrels. Either way its a fun caliber.

Must be me but the one of the few guns I wouldn't sell is my 700BDL .17 Rem. I bought it, shot countless coyotes, jacks, rats, in the desert. Added up more coyotes, groundhogs, coons, cats, and rabbits in the midwest. Used it on everything form turkey to a couple hogs in Florida. It's accurate. Fouls no more than my 06 and drops every critter in his tracks (wouldn't recommend it for hogs) I was culling youngsters.
Half of its time with me it was factory with a 6x24 scope. Now it's been "tuned" a bit but basically sits in a glass stock with bipod and is parkerized. Didn't really change performance.
I know they take a lot of heat but it seems like I got lucky with this gun. I've shot handloads and factory. All group well within an inch.
Remember it's not a terribly long range rifle and wind has effect, dramatically past 100 yds.
The big upside for me was no riccochets. The bullet "explodes". Once I explained this to landowners they allowed me access where they normally wouldn't. I used it to shoot groundhogs in a barn and do varmint damage control on farms.
OK enough from me but I'd see if he'd let you shoot it and make the decision.
Best

Con: I have a couple of all factory stock Remingtons in caliber 17 Remington! I LOVE them both!
One is a Remington 700 Classic with the 24" medium weight barrel. It shoots very well and is truely a cool looking Rifle.
The looks and the nice trigger on the Remington and the wonderful performance from the superior 17 Remington cartridge, really pleases me in the Varmint fields!
Take a look at the drop and windage charts for the 17 Remington and decide for yourself if much else surpasses it out to 350 yards or so! I think you will be impressed.
Next - I have a limited offering Remington 700 heavy barrel all stainless Varminter!
This Rifle IS my pride and joy!!!
It has a 26" heavy stainless barrel and the model designation is Remington 700 VSS! Again, this was a limited edition Rifle and I heard they only made 1,000 of them! Its a dandy!
Let me relay to you the last two groups I shot with this Rifle - on a day that according to my loading log I listed the shooting conditions as "terrible"!!! Further notes under conditions made by me noted the wind was 12+ M.P.H.!
I shot two 5 shot groups that day in the cold April gusty air at 100 yards!
The two 5 shot groups measured .413" and .598"!
This is great shooting in a 12+ M.P.H. wind! I have a silver Leupold 6.5x20x40mm variable scope on this beauty!
Your BDL, I am guessing, would shoot under 1.000" groups with good tuned handloads and enough scope power (12X'ish).
Let me also relay the last three groups I shot with my Remington 700 Classic 17 Remington (with 4x12 Leupold variable scope) they were .596", .787" and .562"!
I hope and think your BDL will perform like this medium weight Remington barreled Rifle does. I believe the BDL and the Classics have very similar weight barrels.
Over the early years of the 17 Remingtons existence in Remingtons factory 700 offerings it was only offered in the BDL model. I have seen many of these Rifles at the range and they all shot fair or better. Over the years I kept frittering away my chances to buy them both new and used. I wished I had jumped in sooner!
The 17 Remington is a death ray on all manner and sizes of Varmints!
I recommend you buy the thing and give it a good go! If it shoots even fairly well IT WILL perform impressively on all manner of Varmints for you!
I even know people that have killed Deer with them! I do not recommend that, but Hares and small Kangaroos I am sure will sucuumb to the miniature bombs that will eminate from the 17 caliber hole in your barrel!
Good luck if you decide to try the 17 Remington!
By the way do you know the history of, or the present owner of the Rifle?
Why is it being sold?
Or why was it sold if it is being brokered?
These questions would be nice to know the answers to - to help you make your whether to buy decision!
I use only handloads in my two 17 Remingtons and have never shot the Remington factory offerings.
Again good luck.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

quote:

Next - I have a limited offering Remington 700 heavy barrel all stainless Varminter!
This Rifle IS my pride and joy!!!
It has a 26" heavy stainless barrel and the model designation is Remington 700 VSS! Again, this was a limited edition Rifle and I heard they only made 1,000 of them! Its a dandy!

If you ever run across one of these rifles sitting still with nothing to do, would you let me know? I have located a VS or two, but not a VSS. Thought I would hold out for a VSS.

RareBear: Are you interested in one of these in caliber 17 Remington? Or are any other calibers OK with you?
Sure I will help you look for what ever caliber you are wishing for.
Let me know.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Yip, .17 Remington is the specification.

Hope you are getting back up to full speed.