Built For American Patriots · Independent · Constitutional Absolutist
Guide

.17 Hornet Ammo 2026: Varmint Loads From Federal and Hornady

By , EditorUpdated How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 2 current .17 Hornet loads on Federal's and Hornady's own product pages on November 5, 2026: 1 from Federal and 1 from Hornady. The bullet weights, velocities, energy figures, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is a comparison of popular loads from 2 makers, not every .17 Hornet load sold.

Federal loads show the usage label each maker prints on its own page, copied as written. Hornady is listed in its own table, because Hornady prints no usage label. The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses.

Federal loads

Figures are copied from each maker page. The usage label is the maker’s own wording.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker usage labelMaker status (Nov. 5)
Federal Varmint & Predator17 HornetAE17H20TVP20 gr Tipped Varmint3,610 fps579 ft-lbNot listed on maker page50Predator, VarmintAvailable

Hornady loads

Hornady's pages show no usage label and no stock status on our capture, so these loads are listed by product line, the Superformance Varmint line. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures from each page's ballistics table, and the test barrel is the one the table names.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Hornady Superformance Varmint17 Hornet8300520 gr V-MAX® Superformance® Varmint3,650 fps592 ft-lb24 in25Not listed on maker page

Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures in each maker's ballistics table. Test barrel is the length the maker lists. "Box" is the round count per box. Status is the maker's own wording on its product page, and it changes daily. All pages checked November 5, 2026.

Which bullet weight? What the makers' numbers show

Loads in our tables run from 20 gr to 20 gr. The lightest are Federal Varmint & Predator 20 gr (AE17H20TVP) and Hornady Superformance Varmint 20 gr (83005), and the heaviest are Federal Varmint & Predator 20 gr (AE17H20TVP) and Hornady Superformance Varmint 20 gr (83005). The fastest listed muzzle velocity is 3,650 fps, Hornady Superformance Varmint 20 gr (83005), tested on a 24 in barrel. The highest listed muzzle energy is 592 ft-lb, Hornady Superformance Varmint 20 gr (83005), tested on a 24 in barrel. Because test barrels differ or are not listed, compare across makers with care.

The makers label loads for game or for target use. They don't tell you one weight is right for a species. The right choice depends on bullet construction, range and your state's rules. Check your state hunting rules and your state wildlife agency before you buy.

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length, so compare loads tested on the same barrel. Of the 2 loads, 1 list no test barrel, 1 list 24 in. The loads with no test barrel are from Federal. A rifle with a shorter barrel than the maker's test barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. SAAMI's test barrel for the .17 Hornet is 24 in.

No barrel-length-velocity page exists yet for the .17 Hornet, and we have not charted one. Our barrel length vs velocity data covers other cartridges, so do not read those numbers as .17 Hornet data.

.17 Hornet: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "17 HORNET [17 HORNET]" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, its centerfire rifle standard (approved Feb. 10, 2025). The cartridge drawing was issued 06/06/2012 and revised 02/10/2023. SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 50,000 psi, measured by transducer (the table shows 500 in psi/100). SAAMI prints crusher pressures for this cartridge as Not Established, so we quote only the transducer figure. Cartridge overall length runs from 1.595 in minimum to 1.720 in maximum. Case length is 1.350 in (−.020). The drawing shows 6 grooves and a twist of 1 in 9.00 in, right-hand (marked optional). Bullet, bore and groove diameters are Not yet verified, because the PDF text does not pair each figure with its label clearly. SAAMI reference velocities are Not yet verified, because the PDF text does not clearly pair each bullet weight with its velocity. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.4 PDF. The .17 Hornet MAP row is also on our SAAMI maximum average pressure table (Z299.4, 50,000 psi / 500 psi/100).

SAAMI says all standard rifle test barrels are 24 in long and that exterior ballistic data for centerfire rifle cartridges is based on that length. Its listed exceptions (7.62x39, 277 Sig Fury, 30 Carbine, 300 AAC Blackout, 300 HAM'R, 350 Legend, 350 Remington Magnum, 360 Buckhammer, 400 Legend and 44 Remington Magnum) do not include the .17 Hornet, so SAAMI measures it on a 24 in barrel.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Rifles for .17 Hornet

The .17 Hornet is a rifle cartridge, and the loads in the tables run from 20 gr to 20 gr. See also new rifle releases and the new hunting rifles of 2026.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal and Remington show availability on their own product pages. Hornady's pages show none on our capture. We don't track retailer stock or prices. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see .22 Hornet ammo, .17 HMR ammo, .204 Ruger ammo, .222 Remington ammo, .22-250 Remington ammo, 5.56 and .223 ammo, the SAAMI maximum average pressure table, the barrel length vs velocity data, new ammo for 2026 and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .17 Hornet?
SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 50,000 psi for .17 Hornet, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 (the table shows 500 in psi/100).
What grain is .17 Hornet ammo?
In our tables the bullets run from 20 gr to 20 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your rifle is set up to shoot.
How fast is .17 Hornet ammo?
In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 3,610 fps to 3,650 fps, and muzzle energies from 579 ft-lb to 592 ft-lb. Test barrels vary, and some maker pages list none. See the test barrel section of this guide.
What does test barrel mean?
It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. A shorter barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box.
Do you list prices or stock for .17 Hornet ammo?
No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 5, 2026. Hornady's pages show none.

Sources

  1. Federal: Federal Varmint & Predator .17 Hornet 20 gr Tipped Varmint, item AE17H20TVP (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  2. Hornady: Hornady Superformance Varmint .17 Hornet 20 gr V-MAX® Superformance® Varmint, item 83005 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  3. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 centerfire rifle standard, .17 Hornet drawing (checked Nov. 5, 2026)

Keep exploring

Free weekly email

The Gun Release Report

Get new gun releases and NFA law updates. Free, weekly. Unsubscribe at any time.

About the newsletter · Privacy

Subscribe free on beehiiv