17 Hornet fouling?

[Lizard]

I was looking at a Savage 17 HMR, then started reading about the 17 Hornet. My 22 Hornet is one of my favorite calibers. I love the small bang and lack of recoil, not to mention the low cost of reloads.

But, looking at the 17 Hornet, the speed worries me. I wondered if anyone has experience with them as far as fouling. When that tiny pill goes down the chute that fast, I'm wondering if it winds up leaving copper on the walls as well as how dirty the powder winds up leaving the bore.

I've heard that some of the 17 HMR's came with instructions to not bother cleaning the bore because they didn't foul. And of course, the 17 Rem was/is known for it's bore fouling.

I've read a few reports, but gun writers for magazines are usually cheerleaders that won't give any negative info that they don't have to. They also don't give a gun a real workout. They tend to go and shoot it with a bunch of other writers and get only a short time on it. They also want to keep getting their invitations and free ammo.

So, looking to see if anyone has real world experience with this caliber. I'm looking at a Savage and getting reloading equipment. I can't see paying over $25 for 20-25 rounds (at a minimum) except to get the initial brass.

 

[08H3]

A friend just recently got one, in the black syenthetic stock. Its a blast to shoot, he played heck finding the powder to reload it though. He hasnt had any issues with fouling that I know of, but at the same time he cleans his guns after shooting reguardless.

 

[Lizard]

I still plan on getting a .17HMR. Rethinking this post, I oughta ask about the .17 Hornet in the centerfire area. But I'd really like some feedback on the HMR.

 

[Master Carper]

No matter which .17 caliber you get, there are two things to remember: 1- always use a good "coated" cleaning rod with a bore guide and 2- always clean from the breech end...

.17 calibers have a raised land (rifling) height of .004 and this can be damaged quite easily through improper cleaning with an uncoated cleaning rod...

I see over 100 .17 caliber barrels a year, for muzzle recrowning, from guys who haphazardly "clean" their rifle barrels and ding the heck out of that little exit hole at the end of the barrel. Not to mention the guys who get in their truck and put the rifle in the floor board MUZZLE FIRST and all that sand, dirt and grit plays havoc on the rifling at the muzzle crown and they wonder why their little tack driver can no longer hit the broad side of a barn, with them standing on the inside of it...

I follow my own advise given here and I've put well over 7,000 rounds through my favorite little .17 Ackley Hornet and on a good day with no wind to contend with, it will still put 3 shots into a 1/2" circle @ 200 yds. with both the 19 gr. and 22 gr. flat base bullets....

DAVID

 

[boshoot]

I can't find enough 17 Hornet ammo to foul the bore in my new Ruger.

 

[FamousAJ]

hmm, this is interesting. I've been looking to get one for my son. I suppose a good cleaning session after each range trip will make for some good muscle memory when he gets older. is it even worth it? My .22 marlin seems to keep plugging along no matter what I throw at it.

 

[Master Carper]

Your small .17 caliber cartridges like the Hornet based cartridges, 357 and even 357 Maximum based .17 calibers actually require very little maintenance as far as bore cleaning goes...

My 19 gr. load in the .17 Ackley Hornet is running over 3,800 fps. and my .17X357 Max well exceeds 4,000 fps....

Both barrels get a very careful and "light" bore cleaning at each 500 round mark and then it usually takes at least half a dozen rounds down the bore before they settle in and start shooting like what they are suppose to...

Taken proper care of, these little .17's will last for many thousands of rounds, are a real joy to shoot and their small appetite for powder makes shooting them easy on the pocket book. The last 1,000 rounds I loaded cost me less than $200! How's that for economical shooting....

 

[08H3]

Your small .17 caliber cartridges like the Hornet based cartridges, 357 and even 357 Maximum based .17 calibers actually require very little maintenance as far as bore cleaning goes...

My 19 gr. load in the .17 Ackley Hornet is running over 3,800 fps. and my .17X357 Max well exceeds 4,000 fps....

Both barrels get a very careful and "light" bore cleaning at each 500 round mark and then it usually takes at least half a dozen rounds down the bore before they settle in and start shooting like what they are suppose to...

Taken proper care of, these little .17's will last for many thousands of rounds, are a real joy to shoot and their small appetite for powder makes shooting them easy on the pocket book. The last 1,000 rounds I loaded cost me less than $200! How's that for economical shooting....

Thats all good information with what looks like some sound research.

 

[Lizard]

No matter which .17 caliber you get, there are two things to remember: 1- always use a good "coated" cleaning rod with a bore guide and 2- always clean from the breech end...
DAVID

That being said, do you have a recommendation for cleaning my semi-autos? Which can only be cleaned from the breech end if I remove the barrel. I have bore snakes, but I've also read quite a few postings from people that have what sound like reasonable objections to those, also.

Michael

 

[Master Carper]

Thats all good information with what looks like some sound research.

More information from first hand experience than research and its just what I've found works best, at least for me anyways....


Michael - I just finished building a Ruger 10/22 and added a heavier than normal barrel, that I chambered for the little .17 HM2 and since the barrel is screwed into the receiver, this one will only be cleaned with the Hoppes .17 caliber Bore Snake and I see no reason why or how it would pose any type of a problem. I drilled a cleaning port through my action and drop the trigger mechanism when I get ready to clean the bore and pull the "snake" straight through. Cleaning is straight forward, plain and simple. I do not and will not use a liquid bore cleaner UNLESS there is a bad case of copper fouling. For the most part though, these .17 calibers seem to be pretty good about not getting a lot of copper build up....

DAVID