Food for thought

I stand corrected on the velocity. The 8” was 200 fps faster than the 6-1/2”. That’s what this one is I believe.

I’d like to see some work done with the .204 caliber. The bullets are light but heavier than .17. One issue I had with the .224-32FA was bullet construction. I used a 40 gr. Nosler Varmint bullet at 2100 fps and it mostly just ice-picked on through the small Muntjac. Remember Hornady figures they may be shot at 4000 fps plus by most users! Maybe it was poor placement. He wasn’t being still for me.

In .22 cal. I liked the 30 gr. Calhoun bullet which expanded better. Honestly the best performing bullet was my home cast 45 gr. with a home fabricated hp tip.

But the Hornady .17HMR provides .17 Mach2 ballistics from a revolver, which performs well to 100 yds. or so.

Steve Hornady was and is a good friend and asked us to build the first 17 caliber handgun they had come out with. I must have tried every twist barrel made by man trying to make that thing accurate. Finally I gave up on the project. Later on Steve told me they had accidentally given me a rifle chamber reamer and there was really no way to make that gun accurate. Steve said when they went to a revolver chamber reamer the problems went away. But fighting that 17 caliber revolver was more than I ever want to do with a 17 caliber.

There's a stainless Single Six in 17 HMR with scope at the East Hartford, CT Cabelas. It doesn't appear on their Used Gun website list. I'll post a pic and details if anyone's interested.