Hornady Varmint Express 17 HMR 20 gr XTP
At a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Hornady |
| Cartridge | 17 HMR |
| Product Line | Varmint Express Rimfire |
| Primary Use | Varmint and predator hunting |
| Bullet Type | XTP Jacketed Hollow Point |
| Bullet Weight | 20 gr |
| Case | Brass (rimfire – action-length class not applicable) |
| Primer | Rimfire – neither Boxer nor Berdan |
| Packaging | 50 rounds per box |
| Typical Price | ~$23–25 / box (~$0.46 per round) |
| Closest Competitors | Winchester Super-X 17 HMR 20 gr XTP · 17 HMR – Remington Magnum Rimfire 20 gr JSP · CCI Game Point 17 HMR 20 gr JSP |
Official Specs
Verified manufacturer specifications for this exact factory load. Missing values were not calculated.
| Spec | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Muzzle Velocity | 2,375 fps | Current Hornady manufacturer data |
| Muzzle Energy | 250 ft-lbs | Current Hornady manufacturer data |
| Bullet Weight | 20 gr | Current Hornady manufacturer data |
| Bullet Type | XTP Jacketed Hollow Point | Current Hornady manufacturer data |
| BC G1 | .125 | Current Hornady manufacturer data |
| BC G7 | — | Not found in verified official manufacturer sources |
| Manufacturer SKU | 83172 | Current Hornady manufacturer data |
| UPC | — | Not found in verified official manufacturer sources |
| Case Material | Brass | Current Hornady manufacturer data |
| Primer | Rimfire – neither Boxer nor Berdan | Rimfire cartridge design |
| Reloadable | No – not conventionally reloadable | Rimfire cartridge design |
Not verified: G7 BC, UPC. These fields remain blank where applicable.
Ballistics Table
Official Hornady data from a 24-inch test barrel. Hornady publishes muzzle, 100-yard, and 200-yard values with a 100-yard zero. Blank cells were not published.
| Distance (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lbs) | Trajectory (in) | 10 mph Wind Drift (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2375 | 250 | -1.5 | — |
| 50 | — | — | — | — |
| 100 | 1755 | 137 | 0 | — |
| 150 | — | — | — | — |
| 200 | 1274 | 72 | -9.9 | — |
| 250 | — | — | — | — |
| 300 | — | — | — | — |
The XTP Bullet
Hornady identifies this exact 83172 load as a 20 gr HP XTP. Current factory data lists 2,375 fps muzzle velocity, 250 ft-lbs muzzle energy, a G1 BC of .125, and a 24-inch test barrel.
Variants
This page covers only Hornady Varmint Express Rimfire 17 HMR 20 gr XTP Jacketed Hollow Point, SKU 83172. Different bullet weights, bullet designs, product lines, or SKUs are separate factory loads.
Best Uses
- Manufacturer-designated fit: Varmint and predator hunting.
- Lead restrictions: This load is not identified here as a lead-free option.
- Firearm fit: Use only in a firearm correctly marked for 17 HMR and follow the firearm maker’s ammunition guidance.
Reliability Notes
AmmoReports has no approved structured field submissions for this exact SKU yet. Manufacturer figures above are controlled test data; actual results can vary by firearm, barrel, lot, and conditions. For semi-automatic firearms, follow the ammunition and firearm manufacturers’ current instructions.
Competitors
| Published AmmoReports Load | Weight | Bullet | Official Muzzle Velocity | Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester Super-X 17 HMR 20 gr XTP | 20 gr | Jacketed Hollow Point | 2,375 fps | Different factory load – compare in the same rifle |
| 17 HMR – Remington Magnum Rimfire 20 gr JSP | 20 gr | Jacketed Soft Point | 2,375 fps | Different factory load – compare in the same rifle |
| CCI Game Point 17 HMR 20 gr JSP | 20 gr | Jacketed Soft Point with Dimple-Tip | 2,375 fps | Different factory load – compare in the same rifle |
Each link above goes to the exact published AmmoReports page for that manufacturer, cartridge, product line or bullet, and weight.
Price Reality
- Typical retail range: $23–25 per box of 50 (US market, 2025–2026)
- Per-round cost: approximately $0.46
- vs. Winchester Super-X XTP: the Winchester X17HMR1 uses the same bullet at the same velocity and lists for ~$13–15/box — roughly half the price. The Hornady load carries no recall history; the Winchester load does. Whether that premium is worth paying is a personal risk assessment.
- vs. CCI Game Point JSP: the CCI load is ~$0.28/round vs ~$0.46 for Hornady — a significant difference for a 20 gr hunting load; the trade-off is XTP controlled expansion vs JSP terminal behavior
- Fair price benchmark: under $24/box is competitive; above $26/box is difficult to justify
Prices change. Check the Where to Buy block for current listings.
Where to Buy
Affiliate links. These do not influence ratings, data, or any editorial content on this page.
- Ammunition Depot — add link
- MidwayUSA — add link
- Brownells — add link
- Palmetto State Armory — add link
FAQ
What exact factory load does this report cover?
This report covers Hornady Varmint Express Rimfire 17 HMR 20 gr XTP Jacketed Hollow Point, manufacturer SKU 83172.
Are the ballistics in this article official manufacturer data?
Yes. Published manufacturer values are shown unchanged, and distances the manufacturer does not publish are left blank.
Does 17 HMR use a Boxer or Berdan primer?
Neither. 17 HMR is a rimfire cartridge. The priming compound is located in the rim rather than in a separate centerfire primer.
Can the fired 17 HMR case be reloaded?
17 HMR cases are not conventionally reloadable. The rimfire priming system is not designed for normal Boxer-primer reloading.
Submit Your Data · Real-World Results
Manufacturer velocity figures are measured under controlled lab conditions — barrel length, temperature, and lot number all affect real-world performance. The data below comes from community submissions tied to specific test conditions and reviewed before
publishing.
Once this page reaches 3 approved submissions, aggregate velocity
and confidence level will appear here automatically.
| UPC # | Firearm | Barrel (in) | Avg Velocity (fps) | Shots | Temp (°F) | Chronograph | Lot | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shot this load? Share your results — firearm type, barrel length, average velocity, shots fired, temperature. No account required.
All submissions are manually reviewed before appearing on this page.
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Results vary by firearm, barrel condition, ammunition lot, and environmental factors.
Submitted data is for reference only.
AmmoReports does not guarantee accuracy of user-submitted results.
Last updated: April 2026 · Data confidence: Low (0 submissions) ·


