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Thread: .17 Rem - Remington 700LVSF

  1. #1
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    .17 Rem - Remington 700LVSF

    Some of you may have seen some of my previous threads and therefore know that my journey into .17centrefire ownership has not exactly been an easy ride.....

    Already owning several centrefires and .22 rimfires, I had a brief dalliance with the .17hmr which I enjoyed but had issues with consistency, possibly due to ammunition. I started to yearn for something light-weight and maybe similar to the hummer but with a bit more oomph which was small, fast and flat shooting and also relatively safe to use due to reduced risk of ricochets. I came across an old article by Bruce Potts on the .17 Ackley Hornet and I was hooked! I even found the same model of rifle Bruce had used, an old Sako M78 with a new Lothar Walther barrel, but this was located in Eire and after several months of waiting it sadly never materialised, so it was back to the drawing board. At around this time the 17 Hornet was announced, but not wanting a Savage rifle, I decided I didn’t want to wait for a better quality offering.

    Then I started to consider the .17 Rem and the more I looked into it and watched videos on YouTube by people like Sir-Slots-Alot, the more convinced I became that this was the thing for me. I really wanted a Sako action, but these are like Hen’s teeth to find in .17 Rem, although I did even consider a re-barrel of a .222. Eventually, after some months and a couple of near misses I found a really nice .17 Rem Remington 700 LVSF in virtually as new condition at what I considered a good price. I had her re-crowned and a Jewell trigger fitted by a local smith, Paddy Dane, whom is highly recommended and the Jewell trigger is sublime.

    I loaded up some ammo with 25grain V-maxes over 21grns Vit N133 and I was ready to go. Initially I was really disappointed with the groups at around 1 ½ -2” at 100yds and the few rounds of Factory ammo I had been given with the rifle were no better. The barrel is 1:9 twist so it should shoot these OK. I tried cleaning her, swapping scopes, mods, etc, but still to no avail. Then I tried some Berger 25Grn Varmint Match HP’s. Bingo - around ½” at 100yds – just what I was looking for! It was then it dawned on me that I had loaded both the V-Maxes and the Bergers to the SAMMI COAL of 2.150” and that the V-Maxes were therefore sitting much deeper in the case and probably had far too big a jump to the lands to have a chance to be accurate (DOH!) I have now ordered an OAL Gauge from the Shooting Shed so I should be able to hopefully improve accuracy even more by loading to the optimum OAL. I will then be re-trying the V-Maxes which I hope to use all the time due to their relatively high BC.

    I went out the other night after some rather frustrating months of ownership to try her out on live quarry for the first time. My first three shots with the rifle produced three clean kills on Rabbits at 196, 372(!) and 206yds. As you can imagine, I am now well and truly hooked - what a terrific little calibre and I really think that most of the other centrefires in my cabinet will now be pretty much redundant. It really is like an HMR on steroids, I chrono’d my initial loads with the 25grn Bergers over 21grns N133 at around 3760fps from the 22” barrel and while for sure I could push things higher, this is probably sufficient for my needs. It pretty much mimics the trajectory of a .22-250 with a lot less noise and hardly any recoil, is inherently safer to use and yet still has the muzzle energy of a 17grn HMR bullet at around 350yards – what’s not to like!

    The rifle itself I think is a little beauty. It features a stainless action and medium profile fluted barrel which is nicely set-off by the black HS Precision stock. It only weighs around 6½lb and to be honest if I were being critical, the only thing I would change is the blind box ADL magazine, and this is perhaps a possible modification for the future. I have to say this is one rifle I cannot see me selling for a while to come – I’d just wish I discovered this rifle and calibre years ago.....
    Last edited by Dodder; 09-05-2013 at 03:52 PM.

  2. #2
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    Is the stock standard?.......if so it's a Bell and Carlson, they have 'pips' in the barrel channel which apply pressure to the barrel........these rifles shoot better with these removed and the barrel floated.
    If you can't get the 25g vmaxes to group when seating them out, try seating them further in (deeper) and you'll find the second sweet spot this calibre likes.
    I've had quite a few LVSF models over the years and have always managed to make them work well.
    Good luck,
    chrono

  3. #3
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    I have a Sako 17 FB and load the Bergers to 1.800 OAL and the Vmax to 1.830 OAL and they shoot to the same POI and are both very very accurate.

  4. #4
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    Ruger_shooter is offline Meadowlark Lemon's Personal Tailor
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    Nice write up and three nice shots. Any pictures to share?

  5. #5
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    Thanks for the input guys. The stock is standard I think and I always thought they were all HS Precision ones, but I could easily be wrong. Its got the soft rubber recoil pad which tends to go a bit sticky with age.

    I would put some pictures up but cannot seem to be able to add them to the original post or to this for some reason - if anyone is able to help me I'd be happy to put a couple up!

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    Unhappy 17 rem

    Excellent info provided but got me undecided now whether a CZ is the best option for .22 purchase or am I leaning toward a .17 the number of reviews lately in the shooting mags all seem to be praising this caliber much along the same lines as your comments. A recently read article /thread (cant quite remember which seem to be overloaded at the mo with fresh info) suggested that there could be considerable deviation in trajectory during shooting in strong winds with the .17 ?confused

  7. #7
    leadpig is offline sheet lead welder extraordinaire
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spanner. View Post
    I have a Sako 17 FB and load the Bergers to 1.800 OAL and the Vmax to 1.830 OAL and they shoot to the same POI and are both very very accurate.
    i have a rem 700vssf in fb,good ain’t they

  8. #8
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    Thumbs up

    Excellent It moderates well too, doesn't it
    I'd try shoving the vmaxes a little faster mate. Get them up nearer 4k
    Marksmanship = Accuracy, Consistency, Observation and a little of The Force
    SharpshootingUK www.sharpshootinguk.com

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by andyhitman View Post
    Excellent info provided but got me undecided now whether a CZ is the best option for .22 purchase or am I leaning toward a .17 the number of reviews lately in the shooting mags all seem to be praising this caliber much along the same lines as your comments. A recently read article /thread (cant quite remember which seem to be overloaded at the mo with fresh info) suggested that there could be considerable deviation in trajectory during shooting in strong winds with the .17 ?confused

    Dont confuse the 17 rem and 17 hmr there completely different beasts

  10. #10
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    The 17 rem is truly a superb calibre which punches massively above its weight.

    Over the years, I have owned at least five 17 rem rifles and have fired many thousands of rounds in this cal - And I am probably this cals biggest fan and completely biased toward it.

    Once you get the powder / bullet combo right - Its hard not to love it. - Low noise and virtually recoiless - trajectory of a 220 swift for half the powder.

    In the past I have pushed the little 20 grn Vmax at 4460 fps - Considering it only uses 22 + grns of powder and has all the attributes listed above and is undoubtedly one of the best point and squirt rifles IMO

    My latest 17 rem has a Pacnor 9 twist fitted, and zaps the excellent and deadly 25grn Vmax at 3940 fps - using a mere 21.5 grn / Vit 133 to do so.

    With a little practice, vermin at 400 - 500 yrds is achiveble in the right conditions. The 17 rem is also an excellent fox calibre - Albiet it doesnt have the hitting power of the bigger 22's ands 6mm pills

    Safety wise, With the 17 FB - It has to be the safest centre fire calibre I know of. I can honestly say - I have never had a single bullet richocet in thousands of rounds

    With the exception of the 30 grn Berger bullet - The 17 cal bullet rarely exits TBH therefore delivers its full payload of energy into the target.

    Not much more to say - Except , anybody thinking of this calibre - dont listen to the guys who say they are barrel burners - they foul up every 15 shots

    Its and more often than not, comes from people with no direct experience or bought a knackered shot out rifle.

    Driven at sensible speeds you will get alot of shots out of a barrel - Probably more in fact than a 204 which uses between 4 - 8 grains of propellent more per shot.

    A friend of mine has over 2500 round out of his Shillen barrel and it is still bug holing.


    One last point - I have had a Remmy LVSF and I too struggled for accuracy , untill I removed the two "Pips" in the H&S stock that touch the barrel - as Rich said - try pushing the 25 grn Vmax toward 4K


    ATB
    Alan

  11. #11
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    Sako A1, 17 Rem, perfect.
    If we weren't supposed to eat animals they wouldn't be made out of meat.....

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    Quote Originally Posted by jordang View Post
    Sako A1, 17 Rem, perfect.
    Glad to hear 17's are being enjoyed. I've had 17 FB in std rem sps 26" barrel and settled on 25 gn vmax with 16.3 of H4195 and loves it. Just considering which mod to get, not that it is too noisy anyway but some of my land is sensitive, any recommendations?
    Normally groups a least clover leafs at range at 100, but have had issues with variable case quality and very sensitive to neck tension I found the usual 0.002" of tension a little tight shaving bullet on insertion so tried .001 and .0015 with different formers on my redding dies and not yet come to any firm conclusions. What has worked for you guys?
    Regards Optomist

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Optomist View Post
    Glad to hear 17's are being enjoyed. I've had 17 FB in std rem sps 26" barrel and settled on 25 gn vmax with 16.3 of H4195 and loves it. Just considering which mod to get, not that it is too noisy anyway but some of my land is sensitive, any recommendations?
    Normally groups a least clover leafs at range at 100, but have had issues with variable case quality and very sensitive to neck tension I found the usual 0.002" of tension a little tight shaving bullet on insertion so tried .001 and .0015 with different formers on my redding dies and not yet come to any firm conclusions. What has worked for you guys?
    Regards Optomist
    Dave Mercer made me one for mine and it is quiter than my HMR.

  14. #14
    Vermin Al's Avatar
    Vermin Al is offline Some say, ..... 4,000fps is enough
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    Quote Originally Posted by Optomist View Post
    ... I found the usual 0.002" of tension a little tight shaving bullet on insertion so tried .001 and .0015 with different formers on my redding dies and not yet come to any firm conclusions. What has worked for you guys?
    Regards Optomist
    Try a VLD chamfer tool then polish the neck with 0000 steel wool in a spinner.
    Al

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Optomist View Post
    Glad to hear 17's are being enjoyed. I've had 17 FB in std rem sps 26" barrel and settled on 25 gn vmax with 16.3 of H4195 and loves it. Just considering which mod to get, not that it is too noisy anyway but some of my land is sensitive, any recommendations?
    Normally groups a least clover leafs at range at 100, but have had issues with variable case quality and very sensitive to neck tension I found the usual 0.002" of tension a little tight shaving bullet on insertion so tried .001 and .0015 with different formers on my redding dies and not yet come to any firm conclusions. What has worked for you guys?
    Regards Optomist
    Dave Mercer (DM80) mod is perfect for the 17's as they are light, cal specific and very effective. As mentioned above mine is hardly any louder than an HMR.
    If we weren't supposed to eat animals they wouldn't be made out of meat.....

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