Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .17 Hornet with .172 | 15.5gr | Hornady NTX bullet and 6 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Hodgdon LilGun, Lovex S040 and Vihtavuori N110.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,875 psi | 84% | 4045 fps | 99.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 22,684 psi | 42% | 2493 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,267 psi | 86% | 3888 fps | 98.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 21,944 psi | 41% | 2549 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,183 psi | 58% | 3474 fps | 98% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,697 psi | 74% | 3802 fps | 98.5% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | 9.5 gr | 80% | 27,441 psi | 51% | 3543 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,795 psi | 31% | 2260 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | 8.3 gr | 82% | 33,330 psi | 62% | 3543 fps | 95.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 15,693 psi | 29% | 2280 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 24,816 psi | 46% | 3245 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 8.8 gr | 90% | 29,095 psi | 54% | 3488 fps | 95.2% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 6 powders for .17 Hornet loaded with the .172 | 15.5gr | Hornady NTX. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 4,045 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,493 fps to 4,045 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 6 of the 6 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (370 MPa), the top charges use 41–86 %, leaving at least 14 % headroom. The 15.5 gr projectile in 0.172" calls for a 1:7.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Hodgdon LilGun, Lovex S040, Vihtavuori N110 rank at the top here: for .17 Hornet with the .172 | 15.5gr | Hornady NTX they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.