flatpicker9972
Member
Go with the 17 HMR. It destroys anything it hits. I like the Horady 17 HMR bullets
2550 fps at the muzzle. Butt kicking fast.
Jerry
.17 HMR or .22 mag
- Thread starter acmax95
- Start date
- Status
2550 fps at the muzzle. Butt kicking fast.
Jerry
flatpicker9972
Member
What ammo are you using in your 17? I use the Hornady 17 HMR 2550 ftps.I found that my Savage is really particular about ammo, but once I got that sorted out, I'm printing about .7" groups at 100 yards when the conditions are right. Mine seems to like the Hornady 20 grain XTPs and I get out to 1.5" groups if I stray to the 17 grain bullets.
Other than finding the ammo you shoot the best with, I've found the .17 to be a lot of fun, and I'm one that likes the AccuTrigger. I think it's just going to be whatever you like the best!
edit: the scope is a $109 Simmons 6.5-20X "Whitetail Classic", from Midway. First non-Leupold I've had in years. Seems ok.
Savage 93R17 BTVS:
rangerruck
Member
Above guy is onto something; Savage seems to make the most exotic benchrester type for under 400 bucks, and also the best field beater, with the synth stock and pencil bbl if you can find it-- but on those, you need to do a fakey bedding job, so the stock doesn't flex around on you, around the action/reciever area. And the savages do tend to like the 20 grainers.
If you can find a cz for 400 bucks or less, if 400 is your limit, then I would go cz every time. Otherwise, the marlins are absolutely fine, and will not let you down, quite accurate, for around 200 bucks.
If you can find a cz for 400 bucks or less, if 400 is your limit, then I would go cz every time. Otherwise, the marlins are absolutely fine, and will not let you down, quite accurate, for around 200 bucks.
williamedward
Member
I went with the .17HMR in a Marlin 917VSF. I'm really happy with the rifle and cartridge for what I use it for which is mainly target shooting and gophers/prairie dogs. It seems to be very accurate especially for longer range. My dad and friend both went with the Savage which is basically the same gun with a much better trigger. I may swap out my factory trigger to a Rifle Basix but so far I'm just as good as them for practical hunting. If you go for the .22WMR you have a little more power but IMO you loose a bit in the accuracy and wind drift department at longer rimfire ranges. It is a common misconception that small light projectiles are more affected by wind drift. The faster a projectile is going the less it will move in a crosswind. They all move but the less time it spends being affected by wind the less it moves although there are other factors such as bullet design. Either way you just learn the cartridge. Best thing to do is always buy the rifle/cartridge you prefer and understand its characteristics.
Maverick223
Member
Not really; there must be a fine balance between weight/length (actually the ballistic coefficient) and velocity. Honestly the BC is typically the most important factor, but neither the .22WMR or .17HMR have a great BC so the velocity is the key in this instance.
RainDodger
Member
For flatpicker9972 - in the pictured rifle, I've had the best luck with the Hornady 20 grain XTPs. My rifle doesn't seem to like the 17 grain bullets very much. With the 20 grain, I was getting about .7" groups at 100 yards. Overlapping holes at 50yards....
Vern Humphrey
Member
Correct -- I used my .22 Mag once on squirrels years ago, and it literally blew them in half.
Again, correct. For ground squirrels at long range, I'd go with the .17 HMR. For woodchucks and coyotes, it would be the .22 Mag, although I'd be limiting my shots to around 150 yards or less.
My real choice, though, for a mild, cheap-to-shoot varmiter is the .22 Hornet and a set of Lee Collet Dies.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Using .22 WRF ammo in a .22 mag makes it into a great small game gun if that's what you got.
Ballistics are about like a .22 LR.
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=75601
rc
Ballistics are about like a .22 LR.
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=75601
rc
TheMichiganGunKid
Member
Well i got a dilema im trying to choose between a Savage 17 HMR or a 4 10 single shot shotgun. The 17's got far more range and where we hunt thats a good gun but on the other hand the 4 10 gots a bigger chance of hitting something. Can anyone help me out with this one?
oldfool
Member
^^^^^^^^
I sure wish more people these days appreciated the 410
but it is a mostly for running rabbit gun at 15-25 yards (the ultimate wunning wabbit gun), or jumping squirrel gun at same w/ #6 shot (and far better than credited at busting thrown clays at the same distances as the larger gauges bust 'em, you just have to be on target instead of near target)
but the 17HMR can do "not running/jumping" on small game at 100-150 yards
(as can 22WMR of course), and do to fox, coon, even yote size, what #6 shot will not
got to decide what you do most, where and how
PS
if you were here, instead of there, would happily loan you a real nice old Savage 410 pumper and/or not-prestige but really nice 410 O/U for wabbit, and you wouldn't need to worry about it, could just get yourself a hummer for the other
I sure wish more people these days appreciated the 410
but it is a mostly for running rabbit gun at 15-25 yards (the ultimate wunning wabbit gun), or jumping squirrel gun at same w/ #6 shot (and far better than credited at busting thrown clays at the same distances as the larger gauges bust 'em, you just have to be on target instead of near target)
but the 17HMR can do "not running/jumping" on small game at 100-150 yards
(as can 22WMR of course), and do to fox, coon, even yote size, what #6 shot will not
got to decide what you do most, where and how
PS
if you were here, instead of there, would happily loan you a real nice old Savage 410 pumper and/or not-prestige but really nice 410 O/U for wabbit, and you wouldn't need to worry about it, could just get yourself a hummer for the other
Last edited:
Jeff F
Member
Having shot and hunted with both if I was going to eat what I was shooting I'd take the .22. The .17 will work if you only make head shots on small game otherwise it will turn them inside out. I have seen a rabbit explode into mist after being hit with a .17 about 90 yards out.
oldfool
Member
yup, 22 LR will do for brer wabbit, WMR not req'd..
but either the WMR or 17 hummer will reach out and put 'em on the dinner plate, w/ no meat damage on them head shots, and wabbits do tend to set in one place longer than a prudent wabbit ought on out there at 50-150 yards
but either the WMR or 17 hummer will reach out and put 'em on the dinner plate, w/ no meat damage on them head shots, and wabbits do tend to set in one place longer than a prudent wabbit ought on out there at 50-150 yards
Last edited:
im shooting a 93r17 myself right now, and so far its been working great for me. I have noticed tho that it likes to be kept cleaner then my .22 and .22mag (both semis and neither of which gets cleaned till they start having issues). My 17m2 is the same was and the hmr
oldfool
Member
shucks, I thunk nobody shot 22 WRF anymore, except me
makes for some little bit cheaper range fodder in a S&W 48 k-frame than WMR, and any extra round count in that one, bang for buck, worth having "on the "cheap" (about half of WMR prices), local hardware store stocks it up regular, maybe cause I keep 'em out of stock pretty regular
but I never have yet run thru a box of 50 without ~10% misfires on 1st hit, half of which never do go bang
never happens w/ WMR, but still worth it for the extra rounds sent downrange
never did hunt with it though
TexasPatriot.308
Member
why debate? clearly a matter a choice, line an ######## everybodys got one. this could debate forever, get a life...
Vern Humphrey
Member
What are you hunting?
If it's squirrels or rabbits, it's the .410, hands-down. The .17 HMR is too much gun for small, edible game mostly shot at short ranges. The .22 LR is also ideal for such small game.
On the other hand, if it's woodchucks, ground squirrels and other varmits, they are usually shot well beyond the .410s effective range, and you don't plan on eating them, anyway.
I have both in mode 93 savage paid 265 dollars each but I prefer the 22 mag we shoot at prairie dogs and while the 17 has a flatter trajectoy it is too easily affected by wind both guns will do great out to about 100 yards but when they get there the 22 mag really shines with bigger and more solid hits
Just my pinion
Just my pinion
I've shot both cartridges a bunch. Like a lot of others have said, they are different beasts entirely. I finally dumped my last 22WMR rifle. I just couldn't find a use for it beyond shooting at cans. I found the 22WMR to be inherently inaccurate and more gun than needed on squirrels and such, not enough on ground hogs or coyotes.
As far as hunting with the 17HMR, I tried it on squirrels, once, and it just makes a mess. (Even though it will shoot them in the head at ridiculous ranges.) So I couldn't find a use for it either...except on prairie dogs.
It is exactly what the doc ordered for pd's out to 150/175 yards. It's quiet so it doesn't put em down in the holes. There's no recoil so you can see exactly where the shot goes (and what it does). It puts em down with authority (bang...flop). It shoots pretty flat inside that range (none, or little hold over). A big wind will get it, but it's still OK out to 125 or so even with a full value 10mph wind blowing. It's cheap to shoot...well, pretty cheap anyway. Just an absolute ball. But that's the only use I have for it.
As far as hunting with the 17HMR, I tried it on squirrels, once, and it just makes a mess. (Even though it will shoot them in the head at ridiculous ranges.) So I couldn't find a use for it either...except on prairie dogs.
It is exactly what the doc ordered for pd's out to 150/175 yards. It's quiet so it doesn't put em down in the holes. There's no recoil so you can see exactly where the shot goes (and what it does). It puts em down with authority (bang...flop). It shoots pretty flat inside that range (none, or little hold over). A big wind will get it, but it's still OK out to 125 or so even with a full value 10mph wind blowing. It's cheap to shoot...well, pretty cheap anyway. Just an absolute ball. But that's the only use I have for it.
maybe your guns were...the round isn't. I've got a Mossberg Chuckster 640KA and my dad has a Savage 65M...both are super accurate.
He shot a groundhog in the head at 160 yards last week...a groundhog's head is about the size of a baseball.
Hunterdad
Member
^^^I have the same rifle with a Simmons 3-9x50 in .22mag. Hands down, my favorite gun. It's far more accurate than me.
MATTHEW QUIGLEY
Member
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2010
- Messages
- 51
A .17 cal 20 grain bullet at 2200 fps or a .22 cal 40 crain bullet at 1900 fps? Hmmm? The HMR's largest bullet is half as big as the WMR's and only 300 fps faster. Logic says go with the .22 WMR.
Hunterdad
Member
Thats the reason I went with the 22mag
Honestly, for me, if it was out of .22lr range or game size, it was out of .22mag or .17hmr capabilities as well and the .223 was used. I do reload as well so that makes the price of .17hmr and cheap reloads about on pace with each other.
I like my .17hmr I guess. It just is too expensive to shoot for fun when I have more fun with the centerfire rifles for the same cost.
I like the pick to go with a .22mag. Something about it seems more enjoyable. I think you made the right call. I also think going with Marlin was the right call. I may be out alone here, but Marlin barrels seem to be capable of a little more than Savage. The factory trigger isn't up to the factory Savage trigger, but once that is sorted and maybe bedded, they all seem to shoot fantastic. Enjoy that rifle.
I like my .17hmr I guess. It just is too expensive to shoot for fun when I have more fun with the centerfire rifles for the same cost.
I like the pick to go with a .22mag. Something about it seems more enjoyable. I think you made the right call. I also think going with Marlin was the right call. I may be out alone here, but Marlin barrels seem to be capable of a little more than Savage. The factory trigger isn't up to the factory Savage trigger, but once that is sorted and maybe bedded, they all seem to shoot fantastic. Enjoy that rifle.
Maverick223
Member
Velocity counts for more than mass (as noted in the equation: E=0.5MV²), so that isn't necessarily the case.
rangerruck
Member
The 17 cal , will have more energy from 100 to 200 yds than a 22 mag bullet.
most 20 grain bullets are doing over 2300fps from a rifle, some guys with better bbls clock in at near 2400 fps with 20 grainers. Now if you are shooting game, and keeping your shots under 100 yds, then a 22 mag has more energy; but once you cross about 80 yds or so, the 17 takes over in the energy dept. And if you are looking for accuracy, the 17's are double tough to beat.
most 20 grain bullets are doing over 2300fps from a rifle, some guys with better bbls clock in at near 2400 fps with 20 grainers. Now if you are shooting game, and keeping your shots under 100 yds, then a 22 mag has more energy; but once you cross about 80 yds or so, the 17 takes over in the energy dept. And if you are looking for accuracy, the 17's are double tough to beat.
- Status
