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6K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  Boubound 
#1 ·
This gets brought up enough that I thought I'd just make a Sticky. Maybe someone will stumble across this before making some wild statements. I'm not saying the following two know more than anyone else, but in this instance, they're correct.

There are two .17hmr manufacturers in the US, CCI and Winchester, that's it. Anything marketed otherwise is loaded for them, mostly by CCI.
Just to be sure that everyone knows.

The Remington, Hornady, Federal and CCI .17gr V-max's are all identical in every way, except for tip color and box design.

Their all made by CCI on the same machines with the same powder and componets.

You will see lot to lot differences which explains folks love for a particular brand.

Winchester is different animal and has been made by Winchester for the last 2-3 yrs.
It has not shot well in any of my four .17hmrs.

What shoots best is CCI TNT, with a close second being CCI Game Point 20gr (also sold as Honrady XTP). Both shoot quit a bit better than the 17gr V-Max's.

Smooth
This isn't a discussion thread, so PLEASE don't respond unless anything concerning the above changes.
 
#2 · (Edited)
This is useful, also:

...
Looks like the CCI manufacture code is the one to use.
CCI produces for all the 17 hmr brands except Winchester.

The date code is a letter, a number, a letter and an id

Example: M21RX6

First letter is the Month,
Number following is the day
Next letter is the year
followed by the lot id

Months

A - January
B - February
C - March
D - April
E - May
F - June
G - July
H - August
J - September
K - October
L - November
M - December

Years

A - 1995
B - 1996
C - 1997
D - 1998
E - 1999
F - 2000
G - 2001
H - 2002
J - 2003
K - 2004
L - 2005
M - 2006
N - 2007
P - 2008
Q - 2009
R - 2010
S - 2011
T - 2012
U - 2013
V - 2014
W - 2015
X - 2016

Letters I and O are not used as they can be confused for numbers.
The above applies to all CCI ammo.
 
#4 ·
I just got off the phone with CCI. Per their representative the following 3 loads are ballistically identical, made on the same machines, with the same components, to the same tolerances, with the only differences being color of the polymer tip and the sticker on the box.

CCI 17gr V-Max
Hornady 17gr V-Max
Remington Gold Box Premier Accutip-V 17gr

If your gun likes the CCI V-Max, pick up any of the above off a shelf and it'll shoot the same. Hope it helps.
.
 
#5 ·
...

So to be clear, at least 95% of all .17hmr is made by CCI regardless of the "Brand Name " on the box.
Winchester is the exception, and due to many performance issues, I'm not going to comment on it.

So we have 5 versions to chose from. All made by CCI.
Any difference is performance in like types is due to batch differences.
What type your rifle shoots best is up to your own testing.
All 4 of my .17hmrs consistently shoot CCI TNT, and it's identical brother Federal TNT the best for accuracy. Your rifle may like some other type better.
If your hunting with them, you would of course pick what's appropriate.

All of the V-max's. (Bullet made by Hornady)
CCI V-max
Hornady V-max
Federal V-max
Remington V-max

All of the .17gr TNT's. (Bullet made by Speer)
CCI TNT
Federal TNT

All of the 20gr hollow points (manufacture of the bullet unknown to me).
CCI Gamepoint
Hornady XTP

All of the 15.5gr NTX & 16gr TNT non lead (manufacture of the bullets unknown to me).
Hornady XTP
CCI TNT Green

All of the 17gr FMJ (manufacture of the bullet unknown to me).
CCI FMJ

Smooth
.
 
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