Anyone have one and, if so, what do you think of it. I'm trying to decide on a Remington in .17 Fireball, and it looks like the VTR is exactly what I need for coyotes/fox within 200 yds. The 22" barrel is appealing and should make a nice carry.

I have the VTR in .223 and really like it. Shoots good but not a tack driver. I can get 5 shots under an inch but that is the best so far.

Erict,

I have not had any experience with the Remington 700 VTR.

However I have had excellent results with the 17 fireball in the Model 7 predator and the VSF. I also have the LVSF in the 17 Remington and 221 Fireball. All will shoot under an inch at 100 yds. Should do you proud out to 200 on coyotes.

Lets see,
My go to load in the past has been 18 gr. of Reloader 10x over a 20 gr. Hornady VMax at 1.810 oal. in my Remington model 7 Predator, with excellent results I might add.



This is a Remington 700 VSF in 17 fireball. Here is a load it seems to like with the 23gr. Woodchuck Den Gold., 2015-BR powder and a1.805 OAL 3 shots, 100 yds. Not the highest velocity, but pretty good in the accuracy dept.





Best
GWB

I have a VSF that I set the barrel back a couple threads and rechambered with a minimum spec, zero free-bore, snug but no turn neck, custom chamber reamer. It allows me to seat any .17 caliber bullet in the magazine and still touch the lands. Also I put a Jewell trigger in it, to sweet .



Even though it's the factory barrel it's certainly not a stock rifle and while it shot well as was it shoots a lot better now. I use 25 grain V-Max's and H4198 with 7 1/2BR primers, just over 3,800FPS is where I found the best accuracy.
Here's a picture of a 6 shot group that was a real ripper! They sure aren't all like this and as a buddy says "The wind blows em in and the wind blows em out", it certainly blew em all in on this group. While this is an unusually good shooting rifle this group is an anomaly, clearly as it was actually fired with factory ammo right after I got the rifle back from having it tweaked. I was shooting factory ammo to get brass to reload with. Wish they all looked like this. Great round and capable of serious accuracy and big-time fun.



I'm betting ya love it!

There you are Doug.
Happy New Year to you, your darlin' bride and your small caliber rifles.
Best
GWB

Same to you Geedub. Keep them little bullets whizzing downrange!!
Been doing a bit of coyote chasing with the newly redone .17 Tactical, 30 grain Berger at 4,000ish FPS. BB size hole going in, no exit, life is good. Been well below zero and lots of snow so the furs real prime . Worth nothin but prime just the same .
Happy new year.

I also had a M7 Predator in 17 fireball, and it was a good shooter. Trigger sucked though, and I couldn't get it adjusted much.

Bell and Carlson makes a little M7 stock, and you can get it in Mossy Oak Brush camo for $250 if you want to upgrade to fiberglass later. I didn't do that but I sold my rifle.

I'd buy another one in a heart beat if I lived in the United States.

Thanks Gents!

I bought a Rem 700 VSF like mountdog and Geedubya have. Not sure when they got theirs, but this has the X-Mark Pro trigger - we'll see if there is anything special about that trigger. $710 + NY tax (yep, it's a killer)= $770 out the door.

I already have a new scope ready to mount, just need the extras. Looks like Rem brass, Rem 7 1/2 primers for starters. I already have H322, H335 and Varget, so I think I'll start with them. Not sure of bullets or dies yet.

Any of you guys have any input on favorite dies - do you use body dies when needed, neck otherwise or full length every time or something else?

Thanks again - eric

I think you would do better with reloader 7, h4198 and reloader 10x.
I use std. RCBS dies. Contact Todd Kindler at the Woodchuck Den for 17 cal powder funnel, brass, dies etc.
Inside champfer the case necks. It is also easier to load boattail bullets in these small rounds. I weigh and trickle every load. When your talking 18 gr. of powder or less, a couple of tenths can make a big difference.
I use carbon fiber rods exclusively for cleaning. The small caliber steel and coated rods bend to easy. The carbon fiber may bend but they retain their straight shape.
I don't do typical barrel break in. Rather I get a couple of bronze bore brushes coat them with a JB bore paste/Kroil mixture and run a couple hundred strokes through the barrel. Use a bore guide. Optics planet has had the best price on Tipton carbon fiber rods. Todd will have all the brushes,patches, dies and brass.
Midway supply will also have most of the stuff, but Todd is one of the "Godfathers" of small calibers. Well worth your time to make his acquaintence.
His number at the Woodchuck Den is 330.897.0614.
Tell him Glenn Brown from Pasadena, Texas referred you.
Best
GWB

After first firing I neck size only until the cases get sticky which is near never. I have a snug neck in my chamber and neck size with a Redding S-Bushing neck die but I'm a fanatic and not well balanced as my wife can attest to . My standard full sizer and seater set is in Hornady's Custom Grade line. I've gotten real fond of Hornady dies of late, the seater uses a floating stem that centers the bullet and supports the neck like much more expensive dies and you can add a universal Hornady Micrometer for real cheap and even move it from die to die. A Redding Competition Seater with a floating stem and a micrometer costs about what 4 full set of Hornady's dies do.
A caution on H335. It has been a real accurate summer powder for me but real temperature sensitive so it's off my dance card. H4198, VV N133 and Benchmark have all been top powders for me but I know H322 has been a top choice for others as well.
Good luck and keep us posted how it goes for ya.

Thanks gents. Everything ordered - should be putting things together next week. I still might pick up a pound of Benchmark given all the good things and loads for them.

Went to Opticsplanet for some stuff - free shipping and handling! Thanks for the tip.

Do you guys get by with a regular chamfer tool or are you using a VLD tool?

I use a regular Wilson chamfer tool. Contrary to popular rumors this as well as a number of other .17's are fairly straight forward to load for. The one exception to that is what GeeDub mentioned, things happen real fast in small cases so work up a tenth or two at a time.