Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .17 Hornet with .172 | 17gr | Hornady V-MAX bullet and 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 98% | 46,949 psi | 87% | 3671 fps | 96.2% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 94% | 48,443 psi | 90% | 3970 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,844 psi | 44% | 2405 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,282 psi | 88% | 3766 fps | 99.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,076 psi | 43% | 2457 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,111 psi | 60% | 3373 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,046 psi | 76% | 3694 fps | 99.2% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 96% | 44,338 psi | 83% | 3615 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | 9.4 gr | 80% | 29,486 psi | 55% | 3491 fps | 97.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,853 psi | 31% | 2142 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | 8 gr | 80% | 32,967 psi | 61% | 3402 fps | 96.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,520 psi | 31% | 2198 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 86% | 22,698 psi | 42% | 3035 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 8.3 gr | 86% | 27,369 psi | 51% | 3294 fps | 95.4% |
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 7 powders for .17 Hornet loaded with the .172 | 17gr | Hornady V-MAX. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,970 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,405 fps to 3,970 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 7 of the 7 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (370 MPa), the top charges use 43–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 17.0 gr projectile in 0.172" calls for a 1:8.0 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 | 17gr | Hornady V-MAX 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.