Breaking News! Nosler .17 Caliber Bullets!

[Rick in Oregon]

I just received permission to tell you guys that "yes", Nosler is finally going to make .17 caliber varmint bullets!

They are working on them now, and the first ones will be 20 grainers, followed later by a 25gr. bullet. These will be Hollow Point to start. I asked if later they would morph into Ballistic Tips, and the answer was "maybe". Release date depends on a bit more R&D and experience in the shooting tunnel.

I don't know about you, but I've been bugging them for over 15 years for some .17's.

FINALLY!!

[WrzWaldo]

Hey if you get a chance let them know I'd be glad to field test both weights for them.

[race4hills]

That good to hear. Maybe Sierra might think about 17 cal bullets too. I will have to give the Noslers a try when come out in my 17FB.

[acloco]

Need my address????

[race4hills]

Rick is Nosler making the Midway USA Dogtown 17 cal 20gr hp bullets that Midway is listing? They say will have 1/23/08.

[blackblue]

From what Ive read on another forum yes they are making them.

[Silverfox]

Rick--Thanks for notifying us!!!

I, for one, have been pestering both Nosler and Sierra to make .172 caliber bullets over the years. I gave up on it about 6 months ago and now Nosler is coming out with them!!! Maybe I need to pick up my pestering over at Sierra???

[Buster]

I love the 39gr. Sierra Blitzkings in my TAC .20, but man they're getting expensive! Around here they're $5.00 more a box than the 40gr Hornady Vmax, and $2.00 more than Nosler Ballistic Tips! I hope if Sierra ever does get into the .17 caliber bullet game that their prices are comparable to the other makers.

[race4hills]

Silverfox , Would you please pester Sierra into making 25gr Blitz Kings!

[glenn asher]

race4hills, it works better if you pester Sierra, too If you were to go back several pages on Nosler's forums, you'd see some familiar names( ) pestering the heck out of them to build .20 and .17 bullets. I kinda let up after the .20s came out, but apparently others didn't stop, and kept after them. Sierra's always been pigheaded about the Seventeens, but since Remington's now got TWO cartridges in .17, maybe they'll see the light in the tunnel, and do something about it. Still, you've got to do your part and pester them alongside everyone else, there's power in numbers.............

[race4hills]

Glenn, I agree fully with you. The bigger the numbers mean, the bigger the $$$ that will or will not go to them. Sent Sierra a nice long pestering e-mail on this today.

[Rick in Oregon]

On pestering: You'll note that almost none of the top bullet makers offered .20 caliber bullets until the 204 Ruger came out, even though there were/are many wildcats based on that caliber. Nosler waited until at least three other makers were getting all the market share on them, then once they saw the twenties were taking off, they jumped in all the way.

Sierra is about the same, not wanting to tool up and suffer all the associated costs with doing so if they would suffer lackluster sales. Now that the 17FB has been added to the commercial 17 caliber list, I'd think with some more pestering, they'll see that the 17's as with the 20's, have a very large following, and they'll relent and tool up.

All of this shows another side of the sport; the small calibers are more fun to shoot, less expensive when compared to the large boomers, and have a very large following.....us! Remember the old adage: "The squeaky wheel gets the grease".......

[JD338]

One thing is for sure, Nosler does listen to what the market calls for.
I have a fair amount of dialog with them and they take a lot of input from their forum members.

JD338

[Prdtrgttr]

Great news for 17 shooters! However, Remington is only producing the 17 Remington Fireball, and not the 17 Remington! What's the word on that? Seems like it's going to be very difficult to buy a factory 17 Remington.
Thoughts?

[Rick in Oregon]

Prdtgttr: Well then, just consider building up a 17 Rem custom, or a 17 Fireball, or a 17 Mach IV, or a 17 Ackley Hornet, or a 17/223, or maybe a 17 Heebee, 17 Ackley Bee....the list goes on, and it's a long one.

Believe me buddy, you have lots of options. If you're really into the 17 Remington, it should be no problem to have an existing rifle rebarreled to that caliber. Factories usually don't discontinue chambering a caliber unless sales indicate it's a money-loser, but there is always alternatives to get what you want.

Do we see a custom 17 caliber rifle in your future?