17 HMR rechamber to Centerfire

[Matt3357]

Hmmm.  I just read a post that got me thinking.  What would be the process of rechambering a 17 HMR to a 17 FB or 17 223 or 17 mach IV.  I know it would have to be mounted on an SB2 frame to accommodate the increased pressures.  I have read about you guys renting a chamber reamer before for pretty cheap, and I have access to some machining equipment.  Do you think it would be cost effective?  It seems as if I remember reading something posted by Quick that Remington was planning on releasing a 17 caliber centerfire later this year or something along the lines too so i might be ahead just waiting and buying a complete new rifle.  Oh yeah, which 17 caliber would you reccommend for paper, coyotes, fox, general varmints?

Thanks,
Matt

[trotterlg]

I've done quite a few to .17 FB.  Two were rechambers of a .17HMR, and 4 werer stub jobs using other barrels.  I ahve also had a .17 Remington Handi that started as a .17 HMR.  None have blown up yet to my knowledge.  Larry

[NFG]

As far as velocity goes...ball park figures, no hair splitting...17 HMR - 2500 fs, 17 FB - 3500 fs, 17 Rem - 4500 fs, using the 20 gr Vmax...you decide what you want...you can go higher on the velo and pressure with the 17 FB and 17 Rem the action/barrel will handle SAAMI spec pressure for each.

Search the small game forums for the results of each on actual game and distance and preferences...I keep the FB to around 250 -300 yds and the Rem about 75 - 100 yds farther...both will shoot and hit well  farther out, but by that time the velocity is down and the wind/drop/hits get iffy...why waste a shot when I can use a larger cal for the longer shots.

Both are nice shooters...lots of claims...lots of smoke...I shoot 500-2500 rounds per year of 17 cal...stick to squirrel size game mostly...I leave the fox, yotes, cats and badgers alone because they keep the mice/rat population down(I hate those meeses to peeces) and leave the food for the squirrels.  I also shoot about half that amount of 223, 22-250 and 22-243, 6mmBR/243W, and 256W/25-06 cal rounds, 7mm-08(XP100 and rifle)...pistol for shorter ranges and heavy varminters/cals for longer ranges and wind conditions, but the 17's get the bulk of the shooting work. 

The ranchers like the FB because it's quieter and when I showed then the round they didn't wonder if I'm gonna hit one of them or there stock off in another county...the 17 HMR is the best for field hunting on an ATV because it doesn't make hardly any noise...doesn't scare the ranchers, stock OR rats.

Luck on your quest.

[mtbugle]

Is there any good data on how long the softer metal in the rimfire barrels is holding up to erosion under the higher velocity center fire cartridges?

[mtbugle]

still curious if anyone has enough rounds down a rechambered rimfire barrel to say if erosion is a big problem in the softer metal.  I am thinking of trying this on a rimfire barrel and would like to know if there is anyone who has enough rounds down one of these to either say yes they hold up pretty good, or don't waste a good rimfire barrel.
Thanks Don.

[trotterlg]

First thing I would like to see is if it is really true that the RF .17 barrels are really 1024 steel.  When they first were produced they were 4140 steel from greenmountian barrel company.  It has been reported they changed to 1024, however I do not find any barrel maker that makes barrels for 17 cals that make them from 1024, they are all made from proper CF barrel steel.  If I were to place a bet I would say the people at H&R either don't really know what the barrels are made from or are telling people they are made from inferior grade steel to satisfy the lawyers.  I have cut a bunch of chambers in known 4140 steel barrels and in those that are perperted to be 1024 steel and can tell you the reamer cuts exactly the same in both of them, guess we need someone who can tell what steel is what, but my guess is the H&R 17 cal barrels are 4140.  Only my opinion of course, but the people at H&R proabaly know less about where the parts of the guns come from than you do.    Larry

[quickdtoo]

1137 Larry, not 1024. That info came from Marlin who makes them.

Tim

[trotterlg]

But do you really know they make them or is that just the company line?  I got a lot of strange stories from them until I finally called G.M. which told me they made them for H&R, I don't think H&R ever admitted that GM made the barrels, only G.M. let that cat out of the bag.  Larry

[quickdtoo]

I believe GM made them at one time, so older barrels may well be 4140, but Marlin started making them in 2007.

Tim

[trotterlg]

Could be true, but then it could just be the company line, I've survived a long time by not believing exactly every thing I am told, and I can tell you the two barrel steel "types" machine exactly the same on my lathe.  I think we need an "Expert".  Any "experts" out there that can tell the difference?  If they do offer the .17 Rem FB barrels do you think they will then have two different .17 blanks they will make barrels from? I doubt it.  Larry

[NFG]

The only way to know for sure is to see the properties spec sheet from the barrel maker...whoever it is....or run a spectral analysis...who's gonna rat and who's gonna pay??? 

You can look up the specs for 1137 steel on line by searching for ANSI 1137 steel and 4120, 30 or 40 and compare the two as to all the different parameters.

What difference does it make anyway...1137 is good steel and will last long enough, then you have the mak'n's for a stub barrel, THEN you can pick the metal you want.  If you keep the pressures reasonable the barrel will last longer...or just wait to see if Rem will offer a CF 17FB.  I'm betting mine will last 1500-2000 rounds at least.

[mtbugle]

Soo... If I have barrel that is previous to 2007 it should be made of better steel. If it is 2007 or later it may be questionable which type steel it is made of. Is that a correct assumption?
Also wonder if anyone has a piece of the 1137 type scrap that trotterlg could see if machines diff with.

[briannmilewis]

Regarding rechamber jobs. I recently purchased a 22 Hornet Super Lightweight Compact that someone had for years and never used. Really accurate. My boys just love their "sniper" rifle, and so do I.

I have two projects I want to do. Rechamber a regualr 22 Hornet synthetic to 221 Remington Fireball. Looks like the only change would be to replace the 22 Hornet extractor with a 223 extractor after the rechamber.

The second project is rechamber a regualr 22 Hornet synthetic to 25 Hornet. The rechamber is straight forward, but reboring the barrel to 25 cal or getting a new barrel blank seems to be the big hurdle. I wish I could get a 25 cal H&R barrel fitted with the accessory barrel program that was not chambered. Or could I get a 25-06 barrel fit and then get it modified?

Any ideas would be greatly appreicated, also some idea of costs would be good too.

[trotterlg]

The 221 FB from a Hornet will probably work, the length of the cartridge will be close however.  The 25 Hornet would be a trick, I made up a 257 Winchester Mag Handi barrel using a 25 Cal blank and a Shotgun stub, that would probably be the way to go if you can find a reamer for a 25 Hornet.  You could try just using a pioleted Hornet reamer with a 25 pilot and then reaming the neck and throat with seperate reamers, but it is a lot of work.  Larry