We report on experimental and theoretical investigations of a 17GHz RF photocathode electron gun. This is the first photocathode electron gun to operate at a frequency above 2.856GHz. The 1.5 cell, π mode, copper cavity was tested with 50ns pulses from a 17.150GHz klystron amplifier built by Haimson Research Corp. A Bragg filter was used at the RF gun to reduce the reflection of parasitic modes back into the klystron. Coupling hole theory in conjunction with cold test measurements was used to determine the field profile in the RF gun. The particle in cell code MAGIC as well as coupled envelope equations were used to simulate the beam dynamics in the RF gun. With power levels of 4MW, the on axis electric field at the cathode exceeds 300MV/m, corresponding to an average accelerating gradient of 200MV/m over the first half cell of the gun. Breakdown was observed at power levels above 5 MW. Electron bunches were produced by 20μJ, 1ps UV laser pulses impinging on the RF gun copper photocathode and were measured with a Faraday cup to have up to 0.1nC of charge. This corresponds to a peak current of about 100A, and a density at the cathode of 8.8kA/cm 2 . Multiple output electron bunches were obtained for multiple laser pulses incident on the cathode. Phase scans of laser-induced electron emission reveal an overall phase stability of better than ±20°, corresponding to ±3ps synchronization of the laser pulses to the phase of the microwave field. A Browne–Buechner magnetic spectrometer indicated that the RF gun generated 1MeV electrons with a single shot rms energy spread of less than 2.5%, in good agreement with theoretical predictions.