Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .17 Hornet with .172 | 20gr | Impala LWHV LS bullet and 8 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>> | 94% | 46,644 psi | 87% | 3389 fps | 97.3% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 88% | 45,905 psi | 86% | 3606 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,629 psi | 50% | 2218 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 88% | 47,195 psi | 88% | 3458 fps | 99.8% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,292 psi | 75% | 3376 fps | 95.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,251 psi | 47% | 2247 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,434 psi | 70% | 3225 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,138 psi | 90% | 3533 fps | 100% |
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>> | 88% | 39,291 psi | 73% | 3222 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | 8.8 gr | 80% | 34,940 psi | 65% | 3356 fps | 99.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,856 psi | 37% | 1998 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | 7.6 gr | 80% | 38,334 psi | 71% | 3258 fps | 98.8% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 98% | 38,116 psi | 71% | 3320 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,942 psi | 35% | 2024 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,148 psi | 43% | 2779 fps | 96.7% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 7.3 gr | 80% | 27,905 psi | 52% | 3018 fps | 96.8% |
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 8 powders for .17 Hornet loaded with the .172 | 20gr | Impala LWHV LS. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,606 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,218 fps to 3,606 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 8 of the 8 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (370 MPa), the top charges use 47–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 20.0 gr projectile in 0.172" calls for a 1:6.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, Lovex S053, ReloadSwiss RS 14 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 | 20gr | Impala LWHV LS 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.