I have learned that a .223 is good enough for any mule deer hunt here so what is the .17 Fireball good for? I see them for sale quite often and have thought maybe I should pick one up. My big concern is that it is pretty windy most of the places I shoot.

Over agressive cock roaches or maybe Jack-a-lopes!

quote:

Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
Over agressive cock roaches or maybe Jack-a-lopes!

What would you say max range is for those? I think I will only be hunting flys if I get one. No Jack a lopes here.

Let's see,

What's a 17 fireball good for.

A source of factory brass for my 17 MachIV (no more forming from 221 fireball)



Killing foxes



Posting pix of rifles and tiny groups




keepin' my 17 MachIV company





killin' big hogs?



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well not really.........
wouldn't want to start another my bullet is big enough to.......... thread.

Best

GWB

The 17s are too much trouble for me, and they are finiky too boot, but for the tinkerer that enjoys such things its a great caliber to have fun with..Same with wildcats..

I personally don't care for wildcatting these days as its about all been done, and my 22s are as good as 17s and its actually too windy in the Snake River Canyon to use the 17s albiet some of my buddies try and make it work and do so with a modicum of success. My opine only, I don't speak for anyone else.

Some of my pellet guns are .17 cal and some .22 cal, but I find the 5mm 20 cal to be the best of both worlds. So with no experience of a .17 fireball nor any experience with a .204 Ruger, I'd say a .17 Fireball would be good for when you don't have a Ruger .204. In other words I don't know.

The 17 Fireball is a fine round for shooting prairie dogs. Low muzzle blast, accurate and eazy to reload. Any one coming out to prairie dog country can do a lot of fun shooting if they have accurate 17 HMR, 17 Fireball, and 204 Ruger rifles with good quality AO scopes..

quote:

Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
Over agressive cock roaches or maybe Jack-a-lopes!

My only .17 is a HMR. It's a fun rifle.

Terry

No reason for a 17FB when the 20 Fireball (Vartarg) is out there....high BC 40 gr V max @ 3550 fps...p/dogs out to 550+ yds...easy to load...same low recoil & 19 gr charge...mine is a 14# heavy table gun for p/dogs....now if Lapua will build FB brass.....

quote:

Originally posted by bracer:
The 17 Fireball is a fine round for shooting prairie dogs. Low muzzle blast, accurate and eazy to reload. Any one coming out to prairie dog country can do a lot of fun shooting if they have accurate 17 HMR, 17 Fireball, and 204 Ruger rifles with good quality AO scopes..

the .17 Remington would do well alongside those cartridges also would'nt it?

All these little guns are great fun to own and shoot. I am very interested in the New Ruger/Hornady 17 Hornet (K) ? But the reality of it all, is the conditions in which you shoot. In heavy wind, even the fast 22's are a challenge beyond 300yds, so a 20cal at 550yds, not in the wind I think. Nor a 17 in heavy wind at 200yds. I believe!

Jerry

quote:

Originally posted by Donald Nelson:
I have learned that a .223 is good enough for any mule deer hunt here so what is the .17 Fireball good for? I see them for sale quite often and have thought maybe I should pick one up. My big concern is that it is pretty windy most of the places I shoot.

So you hunt MULE DEER with a 223!!

I have owned .17 cal rifles since 1952 (a 17 Bee) down thru a 17MachII and a 17 HMR. Had a 17 H&R when they were the first to make them in a factory rifle and had one of the first Remingtons. So I have more or less been intrigued by them for years but I think they didn't become really practical to own till the 17HMR. I said when Kimber built one I would buy it. When they announced the 17MachII I immediately bought one (a Classic Varmint) and a box of every brand ammo they had in the store. Proceeded to the range. Have a Leupold Mounted on it (a 4.5-14 VariXIII), Made one mistake with the scope it is not the adjustable Obj model so is difficult to shoot at 50 ft and high mag. So I shot it at 50 yds and was really puzzled as when I fired the first 5 shots I thought I only hit the target 1 time. Figured the scope was really off so after checking everything I fired 4 rounds, 1 each at the 4 corner targets. All 4 were perfect bullseyes. The first 5 rounds after triple checking appear to be a single hole. I moved the group to the proper place and shot some more of each ammo. None better that the other in MY gun. So I went out after the wiley coyote and after killing a couple I determined that the 17 mach II is not adequate for any shot except under 100yds and then in or behind the ear only. Stuck it in the safe and that's where it sets. Then the dealer got in a really neat Savage 93R17 in 17 HMR with a thumbhole laminated stock in the prettiest purple colors I have seen. So I ordered one and when it came in put a Leupold Vari X III (this time WITH the adj obj). To the range and after getting used to the AccuTrigger the groups were almost the same as the Kimber. Back out agin after the wiley coyote. He succumbs easily to a shoulder shot out to about 150yds. I am very pleased with the Savage, it has everything you want in a varmint gun,accuracy, decent range (I can't see or judge range much over the point blank range of the rifle and am dead poor at judging wind) which to me is about 150yds, cheap to shoot, (no reloading because that's a total chore with a 17),reasonably quiet. Only downside ,if you call it one, is you do have to clean it fairly often and that is a chore,kinda. A GOOD rod is really necessary but they are no more expensive than anyof my others. My eval of a 17 for what it's worth. I like the rimfire version gangbusters.

quote:

Originally posted by Heavy Barrel:

quote:

Originally posted by Donald Nelson:
I have learned that a .223 is good enough for any mule deer hunt here so what is the .17 Fireball good for? I see them for sale quite often and have thought maybe I should pick one up. My big concern is that it is pretty windy most of the places I shoot.

So you hunt MULE DEER with a 223!!

No I do not. I was being sarcastic because of all the .223 deer threads.