Looking at a 17 hmr

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.17hmr's are a kick over .22, but cost of ownership is something I always consider.

I have some .22lr's and would love a .17hmr, but having to spend +$300 for the rifle, AND have to buy ammo that is many x more than .22lr, makes up for an expensive investment for some kicks. i say that but only live 30min from Savage hq's! Ohhhh...the agony!
 
if you will hunt, then the hmr is cheaper, that is, if you need to make shots out to 150 yards, the hmr can get em in one shot, just a simple straight on shot almost. whereas , generally speaking, outside of 100 yds, even the most accurate 22lr, will take more than 1 shot, to take out a varmint, since you will proly have to walk in your shots, before your varmint is hit, and that is, if he stays there.
 
I've got a Savage 93R17 heavy barrel stainless with synthetic stock. What a sweet little gun. I put a cheap Millett 3X9 on it. That's a bit of an advantage to be able to put on a scope that doesn't have to be particularly rugged because there is just no recoil to speak of. At 13.00 bucks a box it isn't the ultimate plinker. You can't go burn up a bulk 500 box like you can with a .22 but I find it's a lot more fun to try to utilize the accuracy in the gun. It's a monster on turtles out to 150 yds. And so cool to be able to watch through the scope with barely a blink of the eye.
 
For a 17 hmr, if I do buy one it'll be a Savage /w bull barrel. I'm still considering 22 magnum. I'm having trouble weighing the benefits of 17 hmr over 22 WMR. So one benefit 17 hmr has is better, more accurate ammunition for a farely low price. The 17 hmr also has a flatter trajectory. At 150 yards -2.6inches (17 hmr), while the 22 WMR has roughly -5.8 inches at 150 yards. The 22 magnum really does bad at 200 yards, so its basically a 150 yard cartridge unless you compensate really well for 200yd shots. The only benefit I can see the 22 magnum has over the 17 hmr is a slightly lower cost, and more killing power if one wanted to shoot 'yotes or rabbits further away maybe.

While a .223 sounds like a g reat idea, I can't afford to buy all of the reloading equipment. Reason being: I have an ar15, and if I buy reloading equipment it'll be some kind of dillon which are kinda spendy. So, I'll probably stick with a 22 wmr or 17 hmr.
 
^^^ 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 ?
Click to expand...


Yes, that's the idea. If there is even a little pressure on the barrel from the stock it can cause accuracy problems.

Enjoy the rifle.
 
What scope do you recommend? I was looking at a 17 calibre 3-12x Barska for $110.
 
I wouldn't go anything caliber specific. If $110 is your limit then I would look at a Sightron SI 3-9 or right now a few places have some Weaver scopes on sale for at or under $110. If you can swing a little more money you get into the Nikon Prostaff and a few more Weavers and maybe a Bushnell Elite 3200 or two. I would stay away from Barska. I had my fill with them and other low cost high feature China made scopes. The only China made scopes I would consider are the Mueller line and the Pentax line but even then if I could avoid it I would. Just too many problems for me coming out of China to make it worth the gamble that a little more money gets you out of.

I originally only bought China made scopes because they had great features for a better price. I have taken all but one of them off of my rifles, the only one left sits on the 917v I haven't shot in over a year. Japan made glass is worlds a head of the cheap China stuff and the build quality is worlds better as well. I have struggled with everything I bought made in China other than a Mueller APV and that is currently sitting on the shelf since I don't have a rifle I used that doesn't have a better scope. I am all for a good deal but I think you more than get your extra money's worth buying a Japan made scope. Even if you have to settle for less magnification it is amazing in the field how much better 9x looks through Japan glass than 12x looks through China glass.
 
as far as 22 mag or 17 from the dude listed above, there is no way on this planet, well maybe at high altitude, that a 22 mag only drops 5.8 inches at 150, it is more. You have to check it yourself. consider that a hmr is still faster at 100 yds, than a 22 mag is at the muzzle. after 80 yards, the hmr continues to have more energy downrange than a 22 mag, and lastly , simply from a speed perspective, hmr has less wind drift than a 22 mag as well. Again, you are more likely to get a 1pull, 1 hit , 1 dead varmint at 150 yards, than you ever will with a 22 mag.
to above dude, you picked out a seriously nice Savage , really!!! I love their classics, the wood, fit and finish is very good.
I would consider a higher power scope; if you wanna paper punch, you must have at least 18 power, to see the holes at 100 yds, if you wanna. Otherwise a great all around hunting scope is the mueller scope that goes to about 15x, good scope for a nice price.
otherwise, up to 150 bucks, you cannot beat a nikon or a Pentax. that is way too much money
for a Barska.

such as here;
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=354554&kwtid=249678
or if you can do a 50 mm then their next scope up , with a 50 mm obj.
 
I decided to go with the Mueller 4.5-14x. I also bought a .17 boresnake, and a nylon coated .17 rod. I really can't wait to get the scope....That way I can actually shoot the gun I have in my hands :)
 
Cz 452 17hmr

Bought the CZ 452 Varmint and it took about 15 minutes to change out the trigger spring, lightening the factory stock 6# pull to a very nice, crisp 1.3# pull, and saved about $100 over the cost of the single set trigger. I hear the single set is very nice, though. Great little rifle. Very accurate. Paid just under $400 with tax and 4 boxes of Winchester 17 HMR ammo. Opted for the Bushnell Trophy 6-18X40mm AO. MidSouth had them for $179 with a free set of Bushnell 10X40mm waterproof binocs. Had thought about a mil dot, but at 100 yards, don't need it -- just put it in the cross hairs and pull the trigger. Haven't had a chance to shoot at longer ranges. The CZ seems to like a small forearm rest much better than a Harris bipod on the front lug, at least in my hands. Not much difference in 17 vs 20 grain at 100 yard. First time out, I was getting about 2.0 - 2.5 inch x 10 shot groups in windy conditions with the factory trigger. Sure it will do much better though. I am going to get myself a set of tripod shooting sticks and I think I will be good to go.
 
TEC
I think your CZ will do a little better than that with the right ammo. Try a few other brands to see for sure.
I have the Varmint and American in .17HMR and normally shoot near MOA on average at 100yds. Best 5 shot groups out of both rifles has been under 5/8" at that range. Just plain fun to shoot.
 
I love the .17 HMR, but for me, it's more of a target / fun round. I don't often get a chance to hunt prairie dogs or other similar target-rich environments, and so if I'm going to lug a rifle to the woods for smaller stuff, it's gonna be something that will buck the wind better and hit harder: a .223 rem rifle, for crows, coyotes, beavers, raccoons, skunks, possums, etc., or even turkey in the fall. Crows are so danged smart, they rarely light on a tree less than 150 yards, so the hummer is hard pressed to get there easily & quickly in wind. As mentioned, the .22 hornet or .218 bee are good choices as well.

The hummer is the perfect noob-smile-inducer round at the range - seeing noobs make dust out of a lump of charcoal at 80 yards will make both you and them smile - something not very easy to do with a .22lr. I would also drag one of the hummers along on a p-dog hunt, for those that are dumb enough to let me get within 150 yards.
 
Better 4 sure. 6# factory trigger & gusty winds weren't conducive, and spent a good deal of time sighting in and letting a couple of buds shoot, too. It didn't seem to like the bipod. More ammo has been laid in. Plan to spend much of the weekend shooting off my own bench. Will run a couple of hundred rounds thru. I will have some MOA groups by the end of the holiday weekend, I promise. Plan to join the MOA club on RFC soonest. I am also leaning strongly toward a companion CZ 527 Varmint Laminated in .223 rather than .243.
 
I do love CZ products. But, this Savage 17 HMR Classic T was such a good deal at $380 brand new, and fit me so well I couldn't leave the store without it. The accutrigger is awesome. I still need to adjust it. I can't think of how a company can make a rifle much better than the Savage ;) Maybe CZ, but other than that...
 
I held that Savage in a RH thumbhole laminate. So right you are, but -- sigh -- no LH thumbhole was available, and I really prefer the RH bolt. I didn't feel like I cold go wrong w/ CZ, though.
 
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TEC, don't think about the 527. Just go buy it right now. Outside of my Garand it is my favorite rifle. It shoots amazing with black hills ammo and reloads. I get a bit below MOA at 100 yards with black hills and with the right handloads it shoots right around though maybe a little over 1/2 MOA. That trigger is the best thing since sliced bread. It tops every factory trigger I have tried to date on a rifle under $1000 and even then is right with many of the custom triggers out there.
 
Not sure if anyone mentioned it, but the 17 hmr has a very flat trajectory. I sighted my at 25 yds and can still hit at almost the same spot ay 100yds using the same dot on my mildot scope.
 
Try the HM2 round.

Have you looked at the HMR ammo prices? Now go look online for .17 HM2 ammo prices. Much more economical and dead nutz out to 125 yards. This from a $200. Marlin.
 
I bought a Savage 17HMR on a whim and put a decent scope on it and it's a real tackdriver out to 150 yds and deadly on small ground varmints.I really enjoy shooting this little gem. However as the others have said it's expensive to shoot at almost 24 cents a shot. It is much cheaper for me to use my 22 Hornet instead, since I do reload this round and it costs less than half the price of the 17HMR. Go figure. :rolleyes:
 
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