17 Hornet

[mike hall]

I recently purchased a Savage in 17 Hornet. I was so excited to get the new gun out and shoot it that I didn't really pay any attention to the fact that no one except the store I bought the rifle from had ammo and they only had three boxes. That was three months ago and I still have not found any more 17 hornet ammo. Can anyone shed some light on this for me and is there anyone out there that might know where there is some Hornady ammo for sale for the 17 Hornet?
Gun shoots great and the coyotes in my area hate it but it doesn't take long to go through 75 rounds!!!!!

Help......

 

[Hired Gun]

Sounds like a prime time to take up reloading.

 

[Catfur]

Sounds like a prime time to take up reloading.

17 Hornet brass is made of the same unobtainium as the loaded rounds. (my LGS has the loaded rounds)

And ****, those Hornet cases are hell to prime...

 

[Hired Gun]

I was hoping he didn't toss the first 3 boxes of brass he already had.

Small rifle primers flow through the Lee Auto Prime as good as any. All the rest of the components are available if you shop around.

Catfur is saying his store has live ammo on the shelf. I would ask him to score you about 10 boxes and you should be set for a long time. Give you enough time to get your reloading station set up.

 

[mike hall]

Thanks for the information. I would love to take up the reloading but the Hornady dies are just as hard to find as the bullets, at least around here. Catfur if you have access please let me know I would love to make a purchase.

 

[Hired Gun]

Midway has Hornady dies in stock for $34.99.

 

[Catfur]

Thanks for the information. I would love to take up the reloading but the Hornady dies are just as hard to find as the bullets, at least around here. Catfur if you have access please let me know I would love to make a purchase.

I picked up Redding dies from Midway (I think). They work fine, but they don't prime the brass. I need to pick me up one of those fancy 21st Century priming tools, hopefully that will work.

 

[Hired Gun]

The $20 Lee Auto Prime is the original and sill very valid priming tool. Sixteen more dollars gets you the complete set of shell holders for all calibers. I use mine for 17 Hornet up through 378Wby.

 

[mike hall]

Catfur,
If a store near you has some factory ammo as you stated in an earlier post I would gladly pay you to pick some up for me and send it to me. Would you be interested in doing that?

 

[mike hall]

Catfur,
If a store near you has some factory ammo as you stated in an earlier post I would gladly pay you to pick some up for me and send it to me. Would you be interested in doing that?

To anyone out there that might be able to find some 17 Hornet ammunition on a shelf at your local sporting goods store. I would be glad to pay a finders fee and pay the shipping if you could pick up the ammo for me and ship it. I am down to the last box of 25 and would sure love to find some. I did pick up dies and bullets but am having a hard time finding the recommend powder here in my part of Montana as well.
Thanks,

 

[tuck2]

I have had five boxes 17 Hornet ammo and a box of brass on back order since March 2013. The closest sporting goods store is 40 miles away from where I live.. So Midsouth, Midway, and Cabelas are where I get ammo, reloading supplies and equipment shipped to me when they have it. I started reloading ammo in 1953 and never had a back order until the order for the 17 Hornet shooting supplies. In the past whenever I got a new rifle I would get 200 ea of brass and expect to reload it five times. But this time I did get five boxes of ammo and a box of 50 ea brass before I found a CZ Hornet rifle. Good luck .

 

[MCH]

Except for issues getting ammo, how do you guys like your 17 Hornets? I'm thinking seriously about getting one myself. I like to reload and that's one of the reasons why I'm interested in it. I like the little 17 caliber screamers!

 

[17Fireball]

You must have smaller coyotes. The ones I shoot with a .17 Fireball run a ways before dropping. I'd think the .17 Hornet is too meager for yotes unless you are hunting in daylight and willing to track or head shooting.

 

[mike hall]

Except for issues getting ammo, how do you guys like your 17 Hornets? I'm thinking seriously about getting one myself. I like to reload and that's one of the reasons why I'm interested in it. I like the little 17 caliber screamers!

I have not had a chance to shoot anything larger than gophers and squirrels with it so far. I hope to get out here in the next couple of weeks and give it a go on the song dogs in the river bottom.
I will post any of my results.

As for the caliber itself it appears to be reasonably accurate, I am getting sub 1"groups at 100 yards with the factory ammo, not great but not bad. I do not believe it is a long range coyote killer by any means but it is a blast to shoot and it kicks the crap out of the gophers and is quite a bit less expensive than my 22-250 to shoot.