.17 cal hmr vs .17 mach ii
- Thread starter sewerman
- Start date
Grade for what? The problem is they aren't the kill everything that moves rifle that some people thought. Their higher velocities come at a price of smaller lighter bullets. They are good on paper and eggs, like in the commercials. And they are good on small varmints and game, if they are small enough. While both are capable of extreme accuracy their use is somewhat limited. The .17HMR is very similar to the old 5mm Remington which died an agonizing death. They're a great concept, but there just aren't enough rats to keep them busy.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I went prairie dog hunting with a guy who was shooting a .17 Mach II. He was getting great zapping to 100 yards. It took him a bit to work out trajectory and deal with the stiff breeze, but he was doing quite well out to 200 yards. I'd have to think that the hotter version, the Hornady, would do another 50 yards' worth, probably.
As long as folks realize they're not really the thing for larger varmints, they oughta do just fine. Most folks don't seem to do a lot of independent thinking, seems like. Too much strain. Jackrabbits on down? Sure.
Art
As long as folks realize they're not really the thing for larger varmints, they oughta do just fine. Most folks don't seem to do a lot of independent thinking, seems like. Too much strain. Jackrabbits on down? Sure.
Art
I think if it was me and wanted a 17, I would take a good hard look at the new centerfire 17 from Remington
http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/results/default.aspx?type=centerfire&cal=1
Remington tried a 5MM or .20 caliber rimfire a few years back that didn't fare to well. Look how the new .204 Ruger seems to be doing which is 5MM. It will be interesting over the next few years seeing what makes it, and what falls by the wayside.
http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/results/default.aspx?type=centerfire&cal=1
Remington tried a 5MM or .20 caliber rimfire a few years back that didn't fare to well. Look how the new .204 Ruger seems to be doing which is 5MM. It will be interesting over the next few years seeing what makes it, and what falls by the wayside.
FirstFreedom
Moderator
Do you mean the .17 Rem, the cartridge which has been popular with varmint hunters since it was introduced in 1971? 
http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.17remington.html
It has lost a good chunk of it's popularity/appeal since the advent of the highly-marketed .204 ruger. Still, nothing in the realm of "normal" cartridges shoots bullets as fast as the .17 Rem.
.17 HMR is a nice niche cartridge, as is the .17 mach 2. I see more use for the .17 HMR however, which is why I have one. Perfect short to mid-range crow & P-dog round. Other small varmints too.
http://www.gunnersden.com/index.htm.17remington.html
It has lost a good chunk of it's popularity/appeal since the advent of the highly-marketed .204 ruger. Still, nothing in the realm of "normal" cartridges shoots bullets as fast as the .17 Rem.
.17 HMR is a nice niche cartridge, as is the .17 mach 2. I see more use for the .17 HMR however, which is why I have one. Perfect short to mid-range crow & P-dog round. Other small varmints too.
I was a child of the 60's and 71 was still too close. LOL. Gosh where have I been. Ya got me good First.
What little I have seen and shot of the new 17's I thought they were AOK. The cost of ammo is pretty high but a good fast rimfire. For me I am happy with the several .22's I own but a 204 or a 17 Remington does interest me. Especially the 204 since it is a 5MM. I have old Sheridan I bought in the first half of the 60's which is 5MM and I always wondered why a .20 caliber was never offered in a firearm.
Nice comparison here, the 17 is only 25 FPS faster at the muzzle but the 204 wins down range.
http://www.remington.com/products/a...sults.aspx?data=PRA17RA*R17R2*PRA204A*PRA204B
FirstFreedom
Moderator
Yeah, I must admit that that 40 grain .204 bullet, with it's good BC, holds excellent downrange speed, energy, & wind-bucking ability. The .204 ruger is very close to the .17 rem at short range, and very close to the .22-250 or .220 swift at long range, but it IS superior to them when considering the big picture, that you might be shooting at ALL ranges, albeit by only a little bit. It's interesting for that reason. Plus it's easier to get a cleaning rod through a .20 cal bore than a .17 cal bore. So I foresee .17 rem falling by the wayside even more and more as time goes on. There's a CZ 527 Varmint with HB in .17 rem at a local gun store which has been sitting there at $459.99 for about 5 years - I'd bet I could make them on offer on it - wonder if a .204 ruger reamer would clean up a .17 rem chamber or not? And what would a good smith charge to re-bore & re-rifle a barrel like that to .20 cal?
You can get some idea of prices here. Probably cheaper to just buy a new .204 but then that would depend on what you could get the CZ for, and it would be fun to have one made for ya.
http://www.ershawbarrels.com/normal.asp#
http://www.ershawbarrels.com/normal.asp#
I purchased both the CZ 17HMR and the CZ 17HM2 and while I think the HM2 might be on it's way out, the 17HMR is here to stay. The HMR is not only one accurate round it is also a killing machine out to 125-150 yards. I have successfully killed up to coyote with my 17HMR though I think it's better suited for fox and smaller. I love the way it makes feathers fly on crow.