Looking at a 17 hmr

Okay, so the .22 LR isn't doing the job anymore at ranges past ~50 yards on gophers. I'm looking at a 17hmr mainly, or possibly a .22 WMR. From what I've read more people recommend the 17 hmr than the 22 WMR for use against gophers.

I'm in kind of a dilemma. My price limit is currently around $450 including the scope. Any recommendations on what rifle to buy? I would like something with a really good trigger. Is a 9x scope all one needs for a 17 hmr/22 wmr?

 

Honestly I regret my 17hmr every time I open the safe. It is plenty accurate and the rifle was cheap enough. Ammo prices though are just too much for what you get. I would rather shoot .223 than 17hmr. I reload and can get decent .223 rounds made up for less than what 17hmr costs. If .223 is too much a nice .22 hornet would be my next pick. Even cheaper to reload and very accurate. I just don't see a point to the 17hmr for the cost of ammo. If they dropped the cost to $0.10 a round I would be all over it but at pushing $0.30 a shot I have a lot of other rounds that are more fun for the money.

 

Good idea. I never compared the prices. That makes a lot of sense. It might make more sense for me to buy a .223 bolt with a 14x scope or whatever, and start to reload.

 

While reloading a .223 might be more versatile and cost effective i still like my17hmr. The $.30 per round ammo is for good quality hornady vmax bullets. So how much is hornady .223 vmax going for per round? Probably close to $1.00 per round. I think if you already reload a .223 would be a good choice if not the .17 hmr is not a bad option.
I got a savage 93r17btvs and scope combo from dicks for $400 a few months ago and its a tack driver. The scope is a cheap Simmons 3x9 but seems to get the job done for now.

 

grab a savage 17hmr model in stainless steel bull barrel.. so sweet. i totally regretted not buying the bull barrel version

 

I like my 22 mag lever action just fine...and it does the job on groundhogs (<< thats hillbilly speak for "gopher")

 

Huh? It still is around here.

I prefer a 4x for gopher ranges.

 

Buy a Marlin Model 917V - Also Available with Mounted Scope...



I love mine and you can buy 50 rounds of .17 HMR for around $12. You should be able to get the gun and mount a good scope for less than $250.

Here's what the company says about the gun:

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/17HMRMagnum/917v.asp

 

Savage 17Hmr = 220$ from B Pro shops
Bushnell Banner AO from Optics planet = $85
and the most indispensable hunting item to date, Shooting Sticks Bipod $45

That gets you hunting.

 

Just picked up a Sako quad at sports authority for 450 and pentax 4x12 at sportsmansguide for 62. My first experience with 17hmr and love it.

 

I agree with Noob Shooter and JRSpicer426, cant go wrong with the Savage. This gun is too much fun. Out of all my rifles I shoot this one the most. Makes for great practice.

 

Just got a Slavia CZ-452. Haven't killed gophers, but feel confident a head shot with .17HMR would be quite effective. I don't reload, and I don't know where you folks buy .223 ammo, but I got a box of 50 rounds of Winchester 17gr V-Max for $14.95 (thought that was about 2 bucks too much), or 30 cents per round, and it was one of the few calibers of ammo the local shop still had on the shelf. I picked up 4 boxes. I scoped with a Bushnell 6-18X50mm AO and a set of Air Force air rifle rings. The scope was $175 and came with a free pair of Bushnell 10x40mm waterproof binoculars. Scope seems very clear and perfectly adequate. That puts my rifle/scope/rings right at $600, though -- a bit higher than your budget.

 

It is going to be darn hard to beat the bang for buck you would get with one of the Savage 93R17 rifles. You could spend a lot more without getting any improvement in accuracy.

Dick's regularly runs the blued, heavy barrel with the laminated thumbhole stock for $299.99.

 

The only fly in the ointment of this reasoning is that an many states such as mine it's illegal to shoot certain animals with centerfires.

THIS is where the HMR shines in bridging the performance gap from 22lr or mag and the centerfire world on varmint sized critters

 

I have Savage 17HMR as well. I also have 22LR and 223, but I find myself shooting 17HMR the most around that caliber.

$14 buys you 50 rounds of GOOD, ACCURATE ammo.

No recoil.

Quiet (relatively).

tack driver at 100 yards, reasonably accurate to 150-200 if not so windy.

If you have to choose between 22 WMR and 17HMR, I think the decision is very simple.

 

I have the same basic set up as sbarkowski, except in blue. Its an accurate little rifle, and that little BT bullet just makes the bunnys in the garden explode.

 

I have to agree with benzy2, if you reload. I have an NEF Sportster HB in 17HMR and it is very accurate with the Hornady 17gr BT. The problem is the base cost of the HMR round is quite high, compared to loading my 222 or 223, and are really not competitive performance wise to the centerfires.
The 20gr HMR groups about 50% larger than the 17gr in my rifle.
I'll probably get rid of the 17 eventually.

NCsmitty

 

get the marlin 19v in stainless steel...ive got mine to shoot half inch groups a 50 yards awesome little gun and priced right

 

I have the same rifle as sbarkowski and can't recommended it enough. Also watch for sales on the .17HMR ammo. If you look around you can find it for $10-$11 for 50 rds. Even at regular prices it's not bad at all for accurate ammo that performs.

 

Dick's has these on sale ($50 off) in the model 93R17 BTVSSXP (Walnut) mfg#96230 for $349.98. It has the Stainless Bull Barrel, laminated Thumbhole Stock stained walnut (looks great), with a Simmons 3-9X40 scope that came in the box, but mounted by Dick's and supposedly sighted-in somewhat.

They had seventeen of them in stock. I let them keep sixteen of them.

Les

 

I like my 17 HMR quite a bit, I just don't have the time to shoot it anymore. If you're looking for a semi-auto tack-driver, see the first link in my sig.

 

Run a piece of paper between the stock and barrel to make sure the barrel is totally free floated. Lightly sand any spots that make contact. Then enjoy. Swing by http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/index.php

for tips on ammo and info on everything rimfire. Also be aware that if you have a wife she my commandeer the rifle like mine did.

 

^^^ Thanks charlesb_la! It passes the paper test... uhh... why does that matter... So heat expansion does not "lift" the barrel by pressing against the stock ?

Les

 

You might consider 17 mach2, far cheaper than 17hmr and really good to at least 125yds. Ditto to all who recomended Savage. The Accutrigger is great.

 

I agree with the above, a mach 2 is a dead on hold to 125 yards, and ammo is 1/3 the cost. 4 to 6 bucks a box. if you reload, the best reload ammo is the 22 hornet, hands down; tons of brass, tons of bullets, and powder will last forever, and you can download them to just above 22 mag speeds if you wanna.
the savage 17hmr, pictured above, is top rated, the marlin pictured above, is the best economical deal out there, and will be very accurate, once you channel out the stock some, whether you think it needs it or not.
the CZ however, will have the best trigger, with the set trigger; it is like butta.