Thinking of getting a .17 HMR....
- Thread starter WIN1886
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Blindstitch
New member
I have mixed views on it but regard it to be as effective as 22mag.
One question I have is who owns one? I haven't talked to anyone first hand who owns one and I know a lot of gun people. I have kind of been monitoring the stock of ammo at certain stores and it doesn't seem to be changing.
I'm sure it will be around for some time but if I bought one I would find the ammo it likes and stock up. Oddly enough I know of several stores I can go to this second and get 22mag just as easily as 17hmr.
One question I have is who owns one? I haven't talked to anyone first hand who owns one and I know a lot of gun people. I have kind of been monitoring the stock of ammo at certain stores and it doesn't seem to be changing.
I'm sure it will be around for some time but if I bought one I would find the ammo it likes and stock up. Oddly enough I know of several stores I can go to this second and get 22mag just as easily as 17hmr.
Hunter2678
New member
I had one and sold it. It was too finicky in wind for my tastes. In a perfect world with no wind it would be great but I can count the number of non-windy hunting days Ive had in the past ten years on one hand
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
I've used one a fair bit on woodchucks out to 200 yards. It's very effective. Check out any ballistics calculator you'd like, the HMR drifts less with any bullet I've ever seen than any 22mag bullet. I've had folks say it ain't so in "real life" but if it ain't it's the first time I've seen such calculators be so wrong, because it's not even close. We're talking close to 50% difference between the two.
You have to take any such "I shot a..." stories as single points of data and not conclusive testimony. I've shot literally hundreds of woodchucks with my .204 Ruger and I've had exactly TWO get away. If those 2 had been the FIRST two, I'd have probably never shot a 3rd but I'd have been wroooooonnnnnggggg.
You have to take any such "I shot a..." stories as single points of data and not conclusive testimony. I've shot literally hundreds of woodchucks with my .204 Ruger and I've had exactly TWO get away. If those 2 had been the FIRST two, I'd have probably never shot a 3rd but I'd have been wroooooonnnnnggggg.
pwalston25
New member
Had a marlin 22 mag but ended up selling it after my brother bought me a savage 17hmr with thumbhole laminate stock and stainless heavy barrel. The 22 mag was a great gun but just wouldn't group at 100 yards. Thats the farthest I would ever shoot it but I just wasn't happy with it. Ammo availability sucks. I still have 500 rounds that Im gonna hold on to. With the 17hmr I can consistently shoot 5 shot groups sub MOA. You can find ammo for it just about anywhere too. As far as shooting animals with it I don't know if I would go much beyond 150 yards just for my preference. I have other guns for that.
Hunter Customs
New member
I have a very good friend that has one, he calls it his "high speed BB gun".
He uses it to shoot starlings out of the tops of cottonwood trees.
I've never found a need to own one, I have a 5mm magnum that will cover any needs I would have for a 17HMR.
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
He uses it to shoot starlings out of the tops of cottonwood trees.
I've never found a need to own one, I have a 5mm magnum that will cover any needs I would have for a 17HMR.
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
Search "squirrel .17 hmr", and you will find one I shot at 50 yards and its pretty graphic, you can see clear through the torso. One limb was severed, and like 7 feet away from the rest of him. It easily has the accuracy to head shot them at that range and out to 150 if the rifle and shooter are capable.
I've dropped squirrels on the move at 150+ yards. So I would put it's minute of stationary squirrel at 200-250 yards on a calm day to dead still morning, but out to 150 is where it really shines. Less if it's windy but inside 100 yards I've not found it to affect me much. Just hold over an inch or less up wind on a mildly windy day depending on wind and distance. Inside 75 yards even on a windy day its going to be a laser.
I wouldn't own one if I lived in the Midwest where the wind is violent, but here in Georgia where it's usually not very windy I love mine. I can shoot better than half inch groups at 100 for as long as I do my part with my used $200 marlin. This translates to having the potential to make a dime sized or better group at 150 yards if conditions are perfect and I do my part... With a rimfire.
I have seen the external and terminal ballistics of the 17 grain v-max from 20-150 yards. Impressive, devastating, and rediculously accurate for its diminutive size is my opinion. If your just hunting with it. You can expect nearly as many animals as bullets, but it's so much fun to target shoot with and ammo is reasonable and usually available.
I expect it to stay around a while.
I've dropped squirrels on the move at 150+ yards. So I would put it's minute of stationary squirrel at 200-250 yards on a calm day to dead still morning, but out to 150 is where it really shines. Less if it's windy but inside 100 yards I've not found it to affect me much. Just hold over an inch or less up wind on a mildly windy day depending on wind and distance. Inside 75 yards even on a windy day its going to be a laser.
I wouldn't own one if I lived in the Midwest where the wind is violent, but here in Georgia where it's usually not very windy I love mine. I can shoot better than half inch groups at 100 for as long as I do my part with my used $200 marlin. This translates to having the potential to make a dime sized or better group at 150 yards if conditions are perfect and I do my part... With a rimfire.
I have seen the external and terminal ballistics of the 17 grain v-max from 20-150 yards. Impressive, devastating, and rediculously accurate for its diminutive size is my opinion. If your just hunting with it. You can expect nearly as many animals as bullets, but it's so much fun to target shoot with and ammo is reasonable and usually available.
I expect it to stay around a while.
shootingblanks
New member
I have a Savage 93 17 HMR regular barrel and a Savage 93 22 WMR in stainless steel bull barrel. Both are used to hunt squirrel in PA. Sometimes the 17 HMR with Hornady ballistic tips does more damage than the hollow point 22 WMR. I have yet seen the Hornady WMR ballistic tips. As for availability, the 17 HMR seems to have ammo readily available. Both shoot great but think I'd take 17HMR over 22 WMR on longer distance.
Shot group with 17 HMR at 75 yards:
Shot group with 17 HMR at 75 yards:
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Id say whatever your brand of choice, get a heavy barrel version and a decent optic to really enjoy the accuracy this round is capable. If I was going to get one I would look at the CZ 455 American combo. Then get me the varmint .17 hmr barrel. It's made to swap barrels quickly. They also make .22 magnum barrels.
You then have a rifle you can shoot whatever rimfire barrel and caliber is available or practical. Light .17 barrel for hunting, heavy for bench or prone varmint hunting. .22 barrel for cheap plinking or quieter hunting.
You then have a rifle you can shoot whatever rimfire barrel and caliber is available or practical. Light .17 barrel for hunting, heavy for bench or prone varmint hunting. .22 barrel for cheap plinking or quieter hunting.
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Shooting blanks, those groups pretty much mirror my Savage 93R17 groups, I sold it after I got my Marlin and found it to shoot consistently 1/4"-1/2" better groups at the same distance. Was great for a rimfire, and at least it was consistent, but I stopped shooting it when I found something better.
It's really hard to beat the Marlin and Savage heavy barrel rimfires in any caliber. I have three. A Marlin 17 Mach 2 and Savages in 22 mag and 17 HMR. The HMR is the most accurate followed by the Mach 2 then the 22 mag. The HMR will give me 1/2 inch groups with fair regularity at 100 yards. I have buds who have them and report similar accuracy. I give the nod to Savage because of the excellent accu trigger.
I have done some penetration testing with all of them. The Mach 2 doesn't penetrate well at all. It's perfectly adequate for squirrels and rabbits though. I have fired into 1 gallon milk jugs filled with water. The HMR has sometimes failed to penetrate the far side. Sometimes I have had fragments penetrate the far side. The 22 magnum violates the far side pretty good.
Wind moves those little 17 bullets pretty easily.
I have done some penetration testing with all of them. The Mach 2 doesn't penetrate well at all. It's perfectly adequate for squirrels and rabbits though. I have fired into 1 gallon milk jugs filled with water. The HMR has sometimes failed to penetrate the far side. Sometimes I have had fragments penetrate the far side. The 22 magnum violates the far side pretty good.
Wind moves those little 17 bullets pretty easily.
I have a Savage 93/17 bull barrel. It's a shooter. A few notes.
Shootings silly wets, it will not knock down the center fire targets. Sometimes not even the chickens @ 25 yards.
accuracy is as good as my 541-T. I have shot a few squirrels with it. Just make sure it's a head shot. I have never shot a squirrel beyond 50 yards.
David the happy hunter
Shootings silly wets, it will not knock down the center fire targets. Sometimes not even the chickens @ 25 yards.
accuracy is as good as my 541-T. I have shot a few squirrels with it. Just make sure it's a head shot. I have never shot a squirrel beyond 50 yards.
David the happy hunter
I've got a 93r17 that I put into a Boyds varmint stock. The one thing I wasn't happy with were the stock scope bases but I put a one piece base on and its been great ever since. Ten shots into a dime size group at 100 (with little wind) is fairly easy. As for its performance on game, I literally turned a rabbit inside out at 25 yards (17 grain ballistic tips) and made a significant mess of one at 100. If I plan on eating what I shoot instead of pest control I will switch to the 20 grain FMJ rounds.
Mine shot the best with CCI ammo, followed by the Winchester, then Hornady. Can't explain that, since the rumor is that they are all made in the CCI factory.
Mine shot the best with CCI ammo, followed by the Winchester, then Hornady. Can't explain that, since the rumor is that they are all made in the CCI factory.
bamaranger
New member
high performance rimfire
The 17 HMR is here to stay, provided we can start getting any rimfire ammo in quantity again in the future. There have been a large number of 17HMR firearms produced so demand will be high for sometime. But I might add the future concerns me greatly.
There is a public range near me that I used to frequent a great deal. One of the interesting aspects was that I could scavenge reloadable brass, and note what was left behind in the spent rimfire calibers.
I was always surprised at the amount of .22 mag, AND .17 HMR spent cases lying about. No more of course. People sweep up any rimfire stuff for scrap....and hardly anybody leaves reloadable brass on the ground for long these days.
The 17 HMR is here to stay, provided we can start getting any rimfire ammo in quantity again in the future. There have been a large number of 17HMR firearms produced so demand will be high for sometime. But I might add the future concerns me greatly.
There is a public range near me that I used to frequent a great deal. One of the interesting aspects was that I could scavenge reloadable brass, and note what was left behind in the spent rimfire calibers.
I was always surprised at the amount of .22 mag, AND .17 HMR spent cases lying about. No more of course. People sweep up any rimfire stuff for scrap....and hardly anybody leaves reloadable brass on the ground for long these days.
My experience with the 17 HMR is that it's scary accurate but lacks killing power. I've killed several varmints up to a 40# beaver(that was a head shot so not much proof of effectiveness-the kicker was the range at which I was able to make that precise shot). On coyotes, the effect has been less than stellar. The only kill(s) were the result of head shots which are too tricky for general use-the body hits escaped w/o blood trails.
buck460XVR
New member
I like the little .17 for hunting 'yotes out to 150 yards here in the heartland of Wisconsin. Most prime 'yote habitat around here is 120-200 acre farms intermixed with folks that moved to the country and their 20-40 acre piece of heaven with their horses and ATVs. Hard to make a setup without seeing a house in the distance. If you can't see a house, it's most likely it's because there is a hill in the way. Best time to call 'yotes around here is winter, because you see them better against the snow and they are more willing to come to calls. Problem with winter around here is frozen ground. Problem with frozen ground is ricochets. The problem with ricochets is the change in direction after they hit the ground. You may be shooting in a perfectly safe direction when you take the shot, but you don't know where your shot is going after it bounces off the ground. The little .17 bullet disintegrates when it hits frozen ground and tho it may ricochet, the little pieces left don't go far like a .223, 243 or other centerfire. Most any rifle bullet is going to pass thru a soft skinned, small bodied 'yote. This means anything downrange within miles of a centerfire rifle is still threatened. The little .17 doesn't have much left after it passes thru a 'yote and even misses don't travel far enough to go outta sight. IOWs, it's a very safe platform for where I hunt. It is also a extremely accurate caliber and has been quite effective for me. Anything hit in the chest has gone down. Gut shots and leg hits are no different than any other caliber....maybe you find 'em, probably you don't. Most of us consider those dead 'yotes anyways so taking the time to bloodtrail them very far ain't gonna happen.