17 Hornet Ballistics Chart, History, ETC

The 17 Hornet is an interesting cartridge in that it has two different stories to tell. On one hand, the first 17 Hornet was developed by famed cartridge developer P.O. Ackley all the way back in the 1950s.

Ackley took a 22 Hornet and necked it down to accept a 17 caliber projectile. The Ackley Hornet was a wildcat cartridge, meaning that it was not commercially produced.

Then, in 2002 Hornady re-kindled the idea of the 17 Hornet cartridge, and updated it. And because they did, the new 17 Hornet cartridges won’t fire properly in the old guns due to different case dimensions.

Though they can be modified to shoot the new commercial ammo if so desired.

Because the the Ackley Hornet never really caught on and was always considered a wildcat, I only plant to talk about Hornady’s version of the 17 Hornet for the rest of this article, including the ballistics charts.

The main purpose of the 17 Hornet is to hunt varmints and predator animals. Light weight projectiles of 20 and 25 grains are used, and the name of the game is speed.

The 17 Hornet projectiles easily reach 3,600 feet per second at the muzzle and still have enough energy left at 200 yards to kill a small predator like a fox.

Recoil on rifles chambered in the 17 Hornet is surprisingly light and a considerable amount less than the .223 Remington is. This is an excellent cartridge for building up experience and improving shooting fundamentals, all while serving the purpose of a varmint hunter.

17 Hornet Ballistics Charts:

This 17 Hornet ballistic chart shows 20 grain Hornady V-Max Superformance Varmint rounds with a 100 yard zero:

This next 17 Hornet Ballistic chart shows 20 grain Federal American Eagle Varmint & Predator with a 100 yard zero:

Conclusion:

Sub MOA accuracy can be achieved with the right scope and rifle setup. And if you’re in the market for a new varmint round, you might want to check out the 17 Hornet.