I recently got a .17 Savage, & I was thinking a .223 round with a .17 sabot would be a cool specialty round that could be kind of fun, & at the same time really devastating to what ever. What do you think of this idea for a new .223/5.56 round? It might have worked well for the skinnies in BHD because they would not have over penetrated, I would guess.

A .17 caliber varmint bullet launched at .223 velocities would likely create a wound larger in diameter than in depth! LOL. While it certainly wouldn't overpenetrate, it would be too extreme with underpenetration on anything besides small varmints.

-Charging Handle

A .17 Remington can already fire a bullet in excess of 4000 fps.  I don't think a 17 caliber bullet "launched at .223 velocities" would get you any different performance than a 17 caliber bullet fired from a .17 Remington.

The real advantage would be the amount of powder that can be loaded behind the sabot.  I would guess that velocities in the neighborhood of 4800 fps would be possible with a 17/22 sabot combo.

I would definately like to try a sabot like that if one were ever to be made.  17 caliber is a small varmint caliber anyway.  Coyotes and deer have been taken with 17 caliber rounds, but that isn't really their forte.

Correct Torf, what I meant to say was .223 case capacity, not velocity. Sorry for the confusion.

-Charging Handle

A .17 Rem is simply a necked down .223.  It has the same case capacity.

Nate,

You are correct. I don't know where my head is today. Maybe I should take a break from the computer and have a strong cup of coffee to wake me up? [:D]

None-the-less, I still stand by my assumption that this would not be an adequate round for anti-personnel use. Too fast and too light means explosion on impact with shallow penetration.

-Charging Handle