17 hornet hand loads??

[GMX]

Just picked up a 17 hornet the reloading dies and extra brass. Has anyone here worked on a load yet. With factory 20gr hornady ammo I got .40" to .578" groups out of the heavy barreled savage.

[elkhunter11]

That is actually quite good for five shot groups at 100 yards/meters. N-120 worked well in my CZ rifle averaging around 1/2moa for five shots, but I just did some load testing with my Cooper this morning, and Lil Gun seems to be more accurate in this rifle. I started very mild, and the groups are tightening up as I increase the powder charge. I will step the loads up another .1 grain to 9.7 grains, and take my chronograph along when I shoot again. 9.7 grains is actually the listed starting load in the Hodgdons data, but many people are finding that they are matching the velocity for the maximum load of 10 grains, using only 9.6 to 9.7grains. I am using the 20 grain v-max, for all of my loads.

[Dean2]

9.7 Lil'Gun in Privi or WW brass with a 20 grain V-max and a cci primer. The factory ammo is great and at the price it isnt much more expensive than reloading if you save and sell the brass.

[elkhunter11]

I ran some loads over the chronograph today, and 9.7gr of Lil Gun in a Hornady case with a Remington 7-1/2 primer, behind a 20gr v-max produced 3777 fps at 28 degrees. Accuracy was good, but I will be reducing the powder charge enough to get the velocity under 3700fps at 20 degrees.