Is There Such a Thing as Cheap 17HMR Ammo?

[joe1347]

While trying to decide between a Savage 17HMR and 22LR rifle, I'm having a difficult time getting past the surprisingly high cost of 17HMR ammo. So far, the best price for 17HMR seems to be around $12/box of 50, while comparable 22LR is of course only a few dollars per box.

Am I missing something?

 

[Logs]

I bought some from Buds at $8.99 a box, but that was two years ago and I bought 500 rounds. The cheapest I have seen since then was $9.99 bx. at gun shows CCI's.

 

[zebulonsmith]

.17 is a bottleneck cartridge and much less popular than .22 making it more expensive.

If you want a cheap plinker, stick to .22 but a .17 with it's higher velocity has more potential for long range accuracy.

If you want a good compromise, .22WMR is around $8/50 for the cheap stuff.

 

[joe1347]

Looks like $12 is about the lowest price (for a 50 round box of 17HMR)

 

[jbrown]

midsouth

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/department.asp?dept=AMMUNITION&dept2=RIMFIRE&dept3=17 CAL

 

[joe1347]

Midsouth, Best prices I've seen. I guess that it's no surprise that they're almost out of stock for all manufacturers.

 

[2002gti]

17hm2 has dropped in price, its around $3.50 a box and is pretty close in performance to the hmr. i just picked up a pair of savages, one in hm2 and one in hmr - my first endeavor with 17's.

 

[joe1347]

Still having a tough time getting past the high cost of 17HMR ammo. After a little more reading, it appears that CCI is the only manufacturer of 17HMR ammunition which explains why everyone is charging the same (high) price of around $12/box (of 50). Hopefully CCI gets some competition or decides to lower the price. I'm assuming that if anyone puts 17HMR ammo on sale, someone of this forum won't be shy about letting the rest of us know.

FYI, Dicks Sporting Goods has a 17HMR rifle on sale for $299 with a cheapo 3 x 9X Simmons Scope, thumbhole laminate stock, and heavy blued barrel. I believe that the model number is Savage 93R-17 BTVXP Package. The thumbhole version definitely looks better (surprisingly) in person than in the corporate (savagearms.com) or even on-line owner photos. Length of pull seems just a little on the small side for grown-ups - but still serviceable. The Dicks Sporting Goods 17HMR doesn't seem to be a savagearms.com catalog item, so I'm not sure about the weight - but the gun didn't feel like 7.5 lbs which is what I believe the .22LR thumbhole stock savage weighs. Anyone that is an expert on the Dicks Sporting Goods 17HMR thumbhole please feel free to weigh in.

 

[ryalred]

I thought Hornady made 17HMR ammo, too? Who makes Remington .17HMR ammo.

As far as cost, $12 per box is the lowest price I've been able to find in SE Oklahoma.

I shoot my .22WMR more with its $8.00 per box ammo, and the 22LR much more than either of them.

 

[joe1347]

I thought Hornady made 17HMR ammo, too? Who makes Remington .17HMR ammo.

As far as cost, $12 per box is the lowest price I've been able to find in SE Oklahoma.

I shoot my .22WMR more with its $8.00 per box ammo, and the 22LR much more than either of them.

CCI apparrently makes 17HMR for everyone at a factory in Idaho.

 

[MacGille]

All .17 HMR ammo is made in the CCI plant. Bullet choice is different with different brands, but it's all made by CCI.

 

[blacksky]

17 HMR Ammo

Cabela's
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0064146216856a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntt=17HMR+Ammo&Ntk=Products&sort=all&Go.y=3&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&_D%3Asort=+&Nty=1&hasJS=true&Go.x=19&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form1&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1

 

[joe1347]

17 HMR Ammo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cabela's
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...set=ISO-8859-1

Looks like $13/box from Cabelas

 

[blacksky]

As good as it gets at today's prices!

Sportsman Guide:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=92046&kwtid=211997

MidSouth:

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00129P770

Cheaper Than Dirt:

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/SearchResults.aspx?site=Ammunition&num=10&q=17+HMR+

 

[joe1347]

Sportsman Guide:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c...6&kwtid=211997

MidSouth:

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.co...?sku=00129P770

Cheaper Than Dirt:

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/Searc...m=10&q=17+HMR+

Thanks. Looks like CCI is able to even keep most of the on-line prices around $11 to $12/box of 50.

 

[NWCP]

17HMR isn't a cheap plinking round, but then neither is 22WMR. I still enjoy shooting them. For plinking I use one of several .22LRs. My 17HMR and .22WMR are hunting rounds for me. I still manage to shoot quite a bit of both during the year. They're still cheaper than my centerfire rifles to operate.

 

[levrluvr]

I haven't taken the plunge for a .17hmr, and probably won't. I've been shooting .22wmr for nearly 40 years, and it's more than sufficient. I can buy cheap but functional Fiochhi 40gr. for $5.99/box, and most of the rest for under $10. The only expensive round is the Remington 33gr. at $14. The original round, the JHP Winchester 40gr, is HIGHLY accurate, and an excellent varmint round
Although it's not as flat shooting as a .17, it packs a punch for its size, and has the same or better ballistics at 100 yards as 22lr has at the muzzle.

I don't think the .17 will meet the same fate as the 5mm, but I don't expect the prices on the ammo or the choices to ever meet or better 22wmr.