Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .17 Hornet with .172 | 22gr | Peregrine VLR5 (VLR-5) bullet and 9 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N110, ADI AR 2205 and SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 92% | 48,501 psi | 90% | 3442 fps | 97.4% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 94% | 48,124 psi | 90% | 3346 fps | 98.8% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 88% | 47,863 psi | 89% | 3540 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,483 psi | 47% | 2133 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 86% | 46,717 psi | 87% | 3356 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,698 psi | 78% | 3337 fps | 97.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,918 psi | 46% | 2185 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,870 psi | 72% | 3173 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 98% | 47,326 psi | 88% | 3422 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 86% | 39,479 psi | 74% | 3248 fps | 95.2% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 8.6 gr | 82% | 33,040 psi | 62% | 2999 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,201 psi | 67% | 3304 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,768 psi | 35% | 1923 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,885 psi | 72% | 3192 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 32,982 psi | 61% | 3117 fps | 95.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,695 psi | 33% | 1946 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 7.2 gr | 80% | 21,959 psi | 41% | 2687 fps | 97.7% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 7.6 gr | 80% | 27,630 psi | 51% | 2949 fps | 98.2% |
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 9 powders for .17 Hornet loaded with the .172 | 22gr | Peregrine VLR5 (VLR-5). Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,540 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,133 fps to 3,540 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 9 of the 9 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (370 MPa), the top charges use 46–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 22.0 gr projectile in 0.172" calls for a 1:8.0 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. Vihtavuori N110, ADI AR 2205, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 rank at the top here: for .17 Hornet with the .172 | 22gr | Peregrine VLR5 (VLR-5) 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.