17 Squirrel - Tell me more.

[Broom_jm]

Does anyone have anything from MGM ?

I don't, personally, but have several friends who have worked with MGM. The reviews have been mixed; barrels are good, but the service left a lot to be desired, in some cases.

 

[jamesb]

My encore barrel is an MGM. Not sure what it cost the original owner, he only fired a few test rounds through it and moved on to another project, so I also do not know how old it is. I guess we shall see how it shoots soon, have 50 annealed cases primed and ready for powder and bullets. Hey squirrel, I only found one fire forming load, 7.6 gr win296 under a 20 gr v-max, which looks to be a mid-range load. Kindler's sensational seventeens does not mention a fire forming load. What did you use? Also any info on how far you can download it? I was thinking of trying to come up with a load that could mimic the 17HM2.

 

[17 squirrel]

That 296 load is popular, I have used it along with V V 110 , 4227 with a minimum load of powder in Todds book, or the Cooper data I have. Mostly when I fireform I load a couple grains of Bullseye and press in a chunk of wax for a bullet and shoot while im the at the loading bench and quickly a hundred are done. I add a .5 grain until I get the cases blown out almost fully.
I would believe any low end load will work just fine. How has the annealing going ?

 

[vernw]

I've got an MGM Encore barrel in 35BFG with their integral muzzle brake. Mine shoots pretty well, extremely boring spitting 180 gr TTSX at 2750 fps into half to three quarter inch 100 yd groups all day long using Rel-10X, BR-2's, and WW 25WSSM brass that I bought ready to load from Brian (Mr. BFG).

 

[jamesb]

Was able to get to the range and fire form the 17 Squirrel rounds. I started with the Woodchuck den formed 17 Squirrel brass. I annealed the cases on recommendation from the woodchuck den using a number 2 annealing tip. I set up my full length sizing die so it only neck sized and ran the cases through it before loading, the formed brass necks were to large to hold the bullet. I used a load of 7.6 grs of 296 under a 20gr midway varmint nightmare and a winchester small pistol primer. I had no split necks and the shoulder blew out nicely. It was fairly windy out but my groups were minute of squirrel at 50 yards. Overall I am very happy with the brass and barrel. Now to do the other 50 I have and then start on load development.

 

[bulletsmith]

Nice progress. I have done nothing yet. Thinking about that MGM barrel for my contender though. Still working on a couple other projects for now.