17 Ackley Bee

Historical Notes:

The 17 Ackley Bee is a step up from the 17 Hornet as it is based on the 218 Improved Bee case, which has larger powder capacity than the Improved Hornet case. It was developed by P.O. Ackley back in the 1950's, and he considered it the ideal small case for the 17 caliber cartridge. There is relatively little gain in ballistic performance by using cartridge cases larger than the 17 Bee. In fact, cases of very much larger capacity often produce erratic results and poor accuracy.

General Comments:

The 17 Bee, like the 17 Hornet, is chambered mostly in single shot rifles, usually of the under lever type. Bolt actions are sometimes used but will not always handle the rimmed case well when feeding from the magazine. The small Sako bolt action was favored when available. Like most of the small 17 caliber cartridges, the 17 Bee is noted for its mild report and low recoil. It is a good 200 to 225 yard varmint cartridge for use in settled areas. P.O. Ackley recommended IMR 4198, or H-4198, as the propellant that produces the most uniform results, and there are several new choices recently available that would work as well. Bullets are available from Hornady.

Source: Cartridges of the World

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