just bought my first 17hmr
- Thread starter husker
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41magsnub
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I was just looking at one of these for gopher hunting this year literally a few minutes ago except minus the bull barrel. I'd love to hear any range reports!
josh...just josh
Member
a 22lr that shoots almost flat out to 200 yards and makes small game explode.
chestnut ridge
Member
I have several 17 HMR rifles. I find the groups open up after about 50 shots
due to fouling. I get copper fouling; and clean the barrel often.
due to fouling. I get copper fouling; and clean the barrel often.
rangerruck
Member
get yourself a onepiece coated cleaning rod, and clean the bbl FIRST!!!!! THEN , do a bbl break in, 1 shot, clean and lube, for 5 shots. then take 5 shots, do a clean and lube, for 5 groups. that should be enough.
for accuracy , it should be a total tack driver. if not, it may need a pressure pad up front under the bbl, or a full bbl freefloat, or a combination of both.
lastly , keep two boresnakes, or an otis cleaning kit, with 2 brushes in it;
use one snake or brush, to put cleaning fluid on it, and clean the majority of the junk out of the bbl. then the second brush, you keep it clean, but use a light oil with it. So one for cleaning, the second for a light lube. then patch it out, and keep on fireing. to clean your boresnakes after a couple of range sessions, throw them in a nice , thick sock, then throw in the wash machine.
for accuracy , it should be a total tack driver. if not, it may need a pressure pad up front under the bbl, or a full bbl freefloat, or a combination of both.
lastly , keep two boresnakes, or an otis cleaning kit, with 2 brushes in it;
use one snake or brush, to put cleaning fluid on it, and clean the majority of the junk out of the bbl. then the second brush, you keep it clean, but use a light oil with it. So one for cleaning, the second for a light lube. then patch it out, and keep on fireing. to clean your boresnakes after a couple of range sessions, throw them in a nice , thick sock, then throw in the wash machine.
rangerruck
Member
Oh yeah, most guys are getting over 2600 fps from their bbls, depending on their ammo/ bbl combo.
so a 17 zero'd at 100 yds, will drop about 3 inches at 150, and about 7 inches at 200. Still having about 80 lbs of energy at 200. Plenty to drop small game.
winddrift is a little less than 1/2 of a 22lr, at 100 yds, in a 10 mph crosswind
so a 17 zero'd at 100 yds, will drop about 3 inches at 150, and about 7 inches at 200. Still having about 80 lbs of energy at 200. Plenty to drop small game.
winddrift is a little less than 1/2 of a 22lr, at 100 yds, in a 10 mph crosswind
627PCFan
Member
Just a heads up, a lot of 93Hmrs can take up to 3 boxes of ammo to get "shot in" again after cleaning including mine. Cleanings are few and far between now.
rangerruck
Member
JR is right here; I have seen, especially with the Savages, take upwards of 500 rounds shot through, before they start to really tighten up. So after cleaning, and breaking in, should yours not shoot very well, don't give up on it- it may just need another few hundred rounds through it!!!
627PCFan
Member
Stay away from anything larger than woodchucks/groundhogs. Foxes are marginal for a quick clean kill.
settlesdown
Member
I wonder if lapping the barrel (before the first time shooting it) would help. I used to have this problem with (Traditions, CVA etc.) blackpowder rifles and to fix it, I would take Flitz and a cleaning jag and polish the machineing marks down and the groups would be more than acceptable. I had a traditions Hawken that shot almost as good as my Great Plains rifle. Almost.
rangerruck
Member
I don't know if lapping a bbl on a 17 cal is practical, I have heard other dudes doing it, but do not remember the results; which says something in and of itself right there...
using the 20 grainers, it will drop a c'dog in it's tracks, out to 100 yds easy.
I new a dude, who is friends with a sheriff in a town west of Houston. One of his jobs is to cull varmints. he has blasted over 100 yotes a year for about 3 years, with his hmr...
using the 20 grainers, it will drop a c'dog in it's tracks, out to 100 yds easy.
I new a dude, who is friends with a sheriff in a town west of Houston. One of his jobs is to cull varmints. he has blasted over 100 yotes a year for about 3 years, with his hmr...
Don't expect much and you will be impressed. Mine does not group very tight and I don't consider it worth anything past 80-100 yards. It's rimfire! Great on small game under 80 yards. Rabbits will not be exploding though. Great truck gun for small game and who cares if it gets all beat up. Mine was $140 new!
I would not use it for coyotes either. Well if that was all I had I would use it!
Think of it as a 22 for grown ups.
FYI: I have never cleaned mine and didn't do any break in stuff either.
I would not use it for coyotes either. Well if that was all I had I would use it!
Think of it as a 22 for grown ups.
FYI: I have never cleaned mine and didn't do any break in stuff either.
My Savage has a bull barrel, but doesn't have the accu trigger. I've grouped (4) into a little finger nail @ 100yrd, fifth made it a thumbnail sized group. Gun shoots better than I normally can. This is with the 17 gr horandy, the 20 gr aren't near as accurate in my gun. Only have shot ~5 boxes thru it, no special break in. Buy a good carbon rod, I trashed a couple of one piece cheap rods - too skinny to be strong enough in coated steel.
cat_IT_guy
Member
Only complaint with mine was the tiny tube can be a pain to clean. Otherwise, great fun, relatively affordable (when compared with, say .223), very accurate out to at least 100yards, basically no recoil, and not hard at all on surrounding shooters.
Fred Fuller
Moderator Emeritus
Me too. Savage 93R17 BVSS (conventional style laminated stock, stainless steel bull barrel, Accutrigger)
19 rounds out of it so far, 1/2" 3-shot groups at 100 yards is the norm if I hold it right, and I haven't even gotten it to a proper benchrest yet. No cleaning, no breaking in, just mounted the scope (Sightron II 4-16X42 mildot) and zeroed it. Three, three shot groups to zero it- doesn't get any better. It liked the second brand/type of ammo I tried it with (didn't like Federal ballistic tips, did like CCI TNT hollowpoints, both 17 gr. bullets).
Most fun I've had with a rifle since I got my first .50BMG. Who knew???
lpl
19 rounds out of it so far, 1/2" 3-shot groups at 100 yards is the norm if I hold it right, and I haven't even gotten it to a proper benchrest yet. No cleaning, no breaking in, just mounted the scope (Sightron II 4-16X42 mildot) and zeroed it. Three, three shot groups to zero it- doesn't get any better. It liked the second brand/type of ammo I tried it with (didn't like Federal ballistic tips, did like CCI TNT hollowpoints, both 17 gr. bullets).
Most fun I've had with a rifle since I got my first .50BMG. Who knew???
lpl
My older Savage goes about 500 rounds before groups start opening up, and it will shoot dime size groups at 100 on a calm day. I've taken heads off of prairie dogs at 150 yards.
We gave our son a Savage with accutrigger a couple of years ago. After he sighted it in, he made this shot at 100 yards. Sorry for the fuzzy pic:
We gave our son a Savage with accutrigger a couple of years ago. After he sighted it in, he made this shot at 100 yards. Sorry for the fuzzy pic:
My Savage Mako in 17hmr (with some additional trigger work, stock clearancing, bipod, and an 18x scope) has shot 5 rounds into .27 inches at 100 yards, which is phenominal. That was on a perfectly calm/clear day, using the 20gr Hornady load. It shoots all loads good, but only a few great. The 17gr loads from CCI and others shoot damn good, but the 20's are where it's at for accuracy, IMHO.
eight433
Member
here is mine. Below is a target after the first 50 shots or so out of the gun
I have since used that same ammo and it hit much closer to center.... a bit odd I thought.
That was at 100 yards.
I have since used that same ammo and it hit much closer to center.... a bit odd I thought.
That was at 100 yards.
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
member
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Expect around 0.7 MOA or better 5-shot groups at 50 yards, and a smile on your face, if it's like the one I had. Around 0.9 MOA at 100 for me.
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