I’ve got a Contender in .17 Fireball, which pushes a 20-grain bullet at about 4k*, but the slower .17 Hornet (now in factory mode from Hornady) looks interesting, if only for the trajectory match with .223.
Not owning an AR, I must ask: can one run .22 Hornet in an AR platform? Because if so, the .17 Hornet has the makings of a great AR varmint round.
* Come to think of it, I should chronograph my .17 Fireball. I think it’s a 14″ or 15″ barrel. I might duplicate .223 ballistics already.
The answer is yes, but no one makes magazines that I am aware of, so you would have to modify standard mags, and feeding reliability would be an issue.
Easier to go .204 Ruger and get the same performance.
Or go .17 HMR and get an Alexander Arms upper and mags!
http://www.alexanderarms.com/index.php/products/the-17-hmr.html
And….a buck a round is a LOT more than 5.56!
Ooh, didn’t know they did an AR in .17 HMR — love that round!
Just keep in mind that you are launching a tiny bullet, 20 grains, and that magnifies every movement of your rifle into inaccuracy at the target. Consider the effect of trying even a modest timed-fire group with a light rifle like an AR. Putting a heavy barrel on it helps, but there a reason the benchresters and varminters who shoot this round use weapons weighing at least 9#, and up to 13#.
Well, movement at the muzzle is movement at the muzzle. It really doesn’t matter if its a .17 HMR or .338 Lapua. Move the muzzle and the bullet ain’t going where you hope it will, regardless.
David, I’ll have a .17 HMR AR15 at Boomershoot, (I actually had it there last Boomershoot!) I’m thinking about giving it a whirl at the High Intensity events. Joe has told me velocity is the first consideration, and the HMR is certainly fast enough, just don’t know if it will detonate with that little bullet!