So you want a .17 hmr...

[doubleh]

My wife bought a Marlin 917 VS for me when the round was so new there was no ammo to be found. I actually made the purchase but she twisted my arm to get me to do it. I amused myself by turning the stock into a custom one with epoxy bedding and a glossy finish to match it's stainless steel while waiting for ammo to become available. It's trigger was not the best in the world and I only managed to make it a little better. Still it was 1/2 MOA rifle at 100 yards and it wasn't too difficult to hit little rocks on the big berm at 230 yards. I waited several months after reading of problems with changing to a Riflebasix trigger to finally install one which fixed my one complain with this rifle. I have made prariedogs DRT there with it at 175-80 yards. It's a fall over kill at that range but more spectacular the closer you are. I have seen it turn a rabbit wrong side out at close range. I installed an 8 X24 scope and with almost no recoil you can watch your shot hit throught the scope.

Later I bought a barrel for my Contender. It is about the same but different as it much prefers the 20 gr. bullet while the Marlin only likes the 17 gr. one. It wears a 4 X 18 scope. I have no idea what the 20 gr. bullet does to little critters as I have never hunted with it. Long time drouth has made little varmint's very scarce and I have quit wasting time looking for them and confine my shooting to the range now.

My SIL has one of the Ruger RPR's and reports it to be very accurate.

If your thing is getting rid of small varmint's or just shooting tiny groups at the range I would say to go get one. The Marlin is now a different model and I know nothing about how they shoot. I know nothing about the Savage's but have read both good and bad posts about them and have no idea if a Contender barrel in that caliber can be found now. I have a RPR in 22 and rather like it and if I wanted another 17 I would probably choose it.

 

[Sniper66]

Welcome to 17HMR World. I've owned seven (7) 17HMRs...#1...Ruger 77/17 which wouldn't group well after it heated up (sold it), #2...Sako FinnFire II, shot well, but bolt was gritty and annoyed me (sold it), #3and #4 Anschutz 1517MPRs-both great shooters ..sold one and kept the other, #5 Anschutz 1517D which I bought because it was a great deal then sold it to a friend. #6 Bergara B-14R carbon...excellent shooter. #7 Bergara BMR-X Steel (which I just bought last week and haven't shot yet). Obviously, I love the round. It is good out to 150 yards on prairie dogs...my good friend and shooting buddy has killed them at 200. While it is fun to shoot at targets and it groups well at 100 yards, taking it to the prairie dog field is where it really shines. I bought #7 to use calling raccoons after following a guy on YouTube who compared the 17HMR to the .22WMR and found the 17HMR to be more accurate on longer shots, killing ground hogs out to 150 yards. (He also killed 17 raccoons one night.) I've killed a few raccoons with my other 17HMRs. I have killed 100s of prariie dogs with the truly explosive 17HMR V-Max 17gr and I've killed a bunch with the 22LR. The 22LR certainly kills them, but I've had too many crawl-offs. The 17HMR really puts them down with authority...Whoomp! I've shot rabbits, squirrels, crows, starlings, pigeons, raccoons, possum, and other assorted pests like rats, all with 17HMR. And I've shot all of those same critters with a 22LR. Trust me, the 17HMR is way more effective. Can't wait to try out my newest one followed by my first raccoon hunt next week.

 

[tallpaul]

I have a Blued thumbholed savage Heavy barrel and a Handi rifle HB in .17hmr I cut the barrel down to 16.5 inch.... love the lil buggers n they are great on groundhogs. I am actually supposed to pick up a standard savage 93r17 with a leupold 3x9 scope this afternoon. I figure for a buy the gun get the Leupold for free type price I cant go wrong. Will likely be leaving this at a friends propertybefore I grabbed one. where I have dispatched over 200 groundhogs over the last several years or so. There have been to many times I see em while over there n don't have a rifle on me we will see on that later

side story the savage bull barrel I got first I bought right after going to a "gun buy back" where I traded three tomato stakes with no real parts value into 300.00 worth of gift cards to dicks sporting goods store.... bought that savage with the scope for 299.00 on the way home ... the 17hmr had been on the want list for years but something else always caught my eye before I could grab one. I have wacked a lot of Ground hogs with that lil gun over the years.

 

[CraigC]

My first was a Savage 93R about 18yrs ago. It's easily a half-MOA rifle. I started out with 17gr loads but ended up using more of the 20gr XTP. It got to be too easy popping crows at 250yds with it. I later got a Ruger American that also shoots very well.

I'm not quite as enamored with CZ rimfires as others seem to be. I had a 452 that shot very well but the bolt handle hit the ocular lens and the backwards safety drove me nuts. My 457 American is accurate enough but nothing special. Been thinking about kicking it down the road.

 

[sparkyv]

If I were going to dip my big toe in the .17HMR pool, I'd get a barrel kit for my CZ. Minimal commitment if it doesn't work out to my liking.

I have a CZ 455 with both barrels. Some day I might try the .17 HMR, I probably would have already but I have a .22 hornet I rarely use and the .22 lr barrel pokes holes in paper and knocks down steel, well enough.

 

[3Crows]

Me neither on the CZ, not so fond as others seem to be. I suppose the patent is out on rotary magazines so maybe CZ could update their rifle to use one? I really dislike those stick magazines but for a Savage or Marlin they work just fine but at the CZ price point, can I have a rotary box magazine like a 1022 and a completely flush bottom?

 

[NorthBorder]

Still the Ruger RPR and a Savage target style are on the top of my list. In 22LR I have had excellent results with any Savage I have owned as far as accuracy. Never had problems with magazines. What concerns me is the extractor issues I have had on my Savages. Its a nuisance thing as long as I have a small knife with me.

 

[doubleh]

Me neither on the CZ, not so fond as others seem to be. I suppose the patent is out on rotary magazines so maybe CZ could update their rifle to use one? I really dislike those stick magazines but for a Savage or Marlin they work just fine but at the CZ price point, can I have a rotary box magazine like a 1022 and a completely flush bottom?

I have large dislike of rifles that have a protruding magazine. So much so that I have scratched several rifles off my want list over the years. I took the magazine apart on my Marlin 917 and cut off to where it's pretty much flush with the stock. Losing one round of capacity hasn't been a bother.

 

[doubleh]

Still the Ruger RPR and a Savage target style are on the top of my list. In 22LR I have had excellent results with any Savage I have owned as far as accuracy. Never had problems with magazines. What concerns me is the extractor issues I have had on my Savages. Its a nuisance thing as long as I have a small knife with me.

Add another "C" spring on top of the one on your bolt and the extraction problem will go away. You will never notice the addition spring. I called Savage and asked if I could order the spring and the nice lady I spoke with sent one at no cost to me. I bought the first MK II with the accu-trigger that I saw and it has never had an extraction problem. Then I bought the redesigned one with the shortened receiver and failure to extract was quite common until I added the additional spring. It was never as accurate as my older one either and I eventually sold it.

 

[Turkeytider]

My first was a Savage 93R about 18yrs ago. It's easily a half-MOA rifle. I started out with 17gr loads but ended up using more of the 20gr XTP. It got to be too easy popping crows at 250yds with it. I later got a Ruger American that also shoots very well.

I'm not quite as enamored with CZ rimfires as others seem to be. I had a 452 that shot very well but the bolt handle hit the ocular lens and the backwards safety drove me nuts. My 457 American is accurate enough but nothing special. Been thinking about kicking it down the road.

“ too easy popping crows at 250 yards with it. “ That’s pretty good shootin’ with a 17 HMR. That would make for some interesting video!

 

[Sniper66]

My shooting buddy has a CZ American 17HMR that is very accurate with great wood. I have a 457 Varmint .22 that is equally impressive. I waited to buy a CZ because I did not like the 90 degree bolt throw or the backwards safety. That changed in later models so I have a 60 degree bolt throw and of course the change in the safety. Another friend bought a target grade CZ barreled action mounted in a chassis style stock that has allowed him to shoot 200 yd prairie dogs numerous times...even on windy days. My hat's off to anyone who finds it easy to shoot 250 yd crows. I shoot prairie dogs with a Tikka T3X super varmint .223 and even with that set-up, 250 yds on windy western Kansas days is anything but easy. With the 17HMR bullet drop of around 2 feet at that range, I would pray for no wind. They are fun to shoot!

 

[1942farmall]

My own .17 HMR is one of those NEF "Handy Rifles" (with a heavy barrel) that were around for a while. It wears a fixed 4X Weaver, and I can really make a mess of a starling in the currant bushes 30 yards from the rear deck with it. However, starlings in the apple tree 80-90 yards from the rear deck are relatively safe if there's a wind - which is almost a constant in this part of Idaho.
I've never used my .17 HMR on the ground squirrels my wife and I kill hundreds of every spring over on our friend's ranch. I'm pretty sure it would work well on them. However, even though I don't believe in "overkill," I just can't see burning through hundreds of relatively expensive ammo (compared to .22 LR ammo) 2 or 3 times a week to kill ground squirrels 5 to 50 yards out. I mean, there's not a doubt in my mind, my .17 HMR would work on ground squirrels at those ranges, it just seems like it would be a lot of fuss (and noise) compared to shooting them with .22 LR rifles. We even shoot them with our .22 LR handguns once in a while - if they're close (like 15 yards or less).

 

[1942farmall]

I also have a heavy barrel Neff single shot.
They are hell on Wyoming prairie dogs

 

[Turkeytider]

My shooting buddy has a CZ American 17HMR that is very accurate with great wood. I have a 457 Varmint .22 that is equally impressive. I waited to buy a CZ because I did not like the 90 degree bolt throw or the backwards safety. That changed in later models so I have a 60 degree bolt throw and of course the change in the safety. Another friend bought a target grade CZ barreled action mounted in a chassis style stock that has allowed him to shoot 200 yd prairie dogs numerous times...even on windy days. My hat's off to anyone who finds it easy to shoot 250 yd crows. I shoot prairie dogs with a Tikka T3X super varmint .223 and even with that set-up, 250 yds on windy western Kansas days is anything but easy. With the 17HMR bullet drop of around 2 feet at that range, I would pray for no wind. They are fun to shoot!

My 93R17 is pretty accurate out to 200 yards shooting CCI TNT hollow points. Beyond that, things get real iffy real fast. The variability in 17HMR ammo alone makes we wonder about some of these claims of longer range ( beyond 200 yards ), especially when it comes to consistent hits.

 

[BreechFace]

My 93R17 is pretty accurate out to 200 yards shooting CCI TNT hollow points. Beyond that, things get real iffy real fast. The variability in 17HMR ammo alone makes we wonder about some of these claims of longer range ( beyond 200 yards ), especially when it comes to consistent hits.

I can make 100 yard headshots on ground squirrels pretty routine. Body shots at 200 yards with a good scope is doable depending on wind. My ground squirrels eradication days from college are behind me, here in Idaho whistle pigs (Townsend ground squirrels) are the pest of target now and they are ~1/2 the size of the ground squirrels I was shooting in college 15-20 years ago.

With 17HMR accuracy is predicated on finding what your gun likes down to the LOT of ammo and sticking to it. People like to say that all 17 HMR ammo is “match grade” as a rule, not in my experiences over 20 years of shooting it.

That target I showed above was a really great lot of ammo, I’m not expecting a replenished supply of the same ammo and different lot to produce the same results. That has been my experience.

 

[doubleh]

Supposedly we have no crows in NM. They are ravens although they caw like a crow, walk like a crow, and do all the other things crows do. Getting caught shooting one will get you in hot water as the only bird legal to kill here is the common pigeon. I once had a game warden tell me to shoot every one I see but I live in the country so I never see any. Our Courthouse used to have big trees surrounding it and they were infested with pigeons. Deputy sheriffs would walk the grounds every once in a while shotgunning them but they persisted.

 

[lightman]

So far I have avoided a 17! The first time that I Prairie Dog hunted with the crew that I am with now all they talked about for 700 miles was how great their 17's were! I was about ready to stop at a Walmart and buy me one! That lasted about 20 minutes once we got to shooting. There was about a 20 mph wind with gust up to 30+ and it was blowing those lite weight bullets all over! I'm like, I'll pass..............

 

[Sniper66]

OK then........I've owned 7 different 17HMRs and haven't even shot the one I bought last week. Now you guys sharing your pics of really great looking guns has me thinking about number 8 !!

 

[NorthBorder]

So, I'm pretty much settled on a Savage. However, there are 3 series of rifles; A, B, and R series. I know A is for the semi auto, B is for the bolt action, and all the R series appear to be bolt action also. So a few questions. Between the B and R series are the actions the same except for the barrel length, contour, and stainless vs carbon steel? Is the difference mostly in the stock configuration? In the semi auto series does anyone have any experience with those good, bad, or indifferent?

 

[Weflyfast]

Once the 17 caliber bites you you will be hooked....they are a blast......and then.....you will want a 17 hornet! .......OMG....... then the speed bug bites you and it's on to the the 17 Rem Fireball!!!!! ......and then.......

 

[Litetrigger]

I've accuracy tested (from bench, 5 shot groups at 100 yds) five different .17HMR rifles, each of which was significantly more accurate than the most accurate .22Mag I've ever shot. Mainly due to superior quality of ammo, especially bullets. The best were/are these two: Weatherby XXII-.17 (action and barrel actually made by Anschutz) and Anschutz 1717, which has been the most accurate of all. I don't know is either is still being made but worth having if they are.

 

[Turkeytider]

I've accuracy tested (from bench, 5 shot groups at 100 yds) five different .17HMR rifles, each of which was significantly more accurate than the most accurate .22Mag I've ever shot. Mainly due to superior quality of ammo, especially bullets. The best were/are these two: Weatherby XXII-.17 (action and barrel actually made by Anschutz) and Anschutz 1717, which has been the most accurate of all. I don't know is either is still being made but worth having if they are. View attachment 1248092View attachment 1248096View attachment 1248097

Beautiful rifles! “superior quality of ammo “ , a statement one will not often see applied to 17 HMR ammunition. If true, .22 Mag ammo must REALLY reek big time!

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

Used to shoot a lot of woodchucks with .17HMR.
It's like a laser out to about 200, and then it's almost like the bullet just evaporates.
Really hard to make good shots out past 2. Cool round though, lots of fun to shoot.

 

[Sniper66]

I watched a great YouTube video that compared the 17HMR to the 22WMR, both CZs, in real time shooting ground hogs from 50 yards out to 180 yards and later shooting raccoons at closer range. The 17HMR won the competition with greater accuracy and killing power in real hunting situations. The 22WMR was good, but had more crawl-offs on ground hogs. I've not hunted with a 22WMR, but have killed 100s of prairie dogs, raccoons, pigeons, starlings, etc. with 17HMR. So, I have no doubt about my report, BUT I call 17HMR ammo "80% ammo". Time and time again I have tested all of my 17HMRs to decide which ammo each rifle likes. Almost without exception, most ammo at 100 yards will shoot 8 of a 10-shot group inside one inch with two flyers, just outside that 1" circle. Hence the term "80% ammo" and the reason many shooters are clamoring for competition grade ammo. I'm betting that your results would be similar.
I would like to try a Cooper and an Anschutz 1717, but they are a bit pricey and I'm not confident that they will shoot any better than the Anschutz and two Bergaras I currently shoot. (I've had two other Annies that shot great too.)

 

[RainDodger]

I can only tell you about my experience. Savage 93R BTVSS. (stainless, thumbhole composite stock). Pretty little rifle. Initially, terrible groups with any of the 17 or 20 grain cartridges, and it was splitting case necks all over the place - maybe 20% of the fired cases had split necks. It went back to the factory and they said everything was fine. Accuracy was still not satisfactory. I sent it to Scott Null at SavageGunsmithing.com. He did a complete accurizing job on it, squared up the bolt, re-crowned the muzzle, and then he found that the chamber was out of spec! He re-lined the barrel and the split necks went away. Groups were STILL approaching 2" at 100 yards. The last thing I did was bed the action, which resulted in no changes whatsoever. By this time, I had more $ into the rifle than it cost me, and it was no more satisfactory. I took it to a gun show and while standing in line waiting to get in, someone saw my "for sale" sign, handed me cash with no dickering, and I was a happy man. Last Savage and last .17HMR I'll own, I'm sad to say. Bottom line... the other thing that turns me off regarding the .17 is the ammo choices. You're locked into the factory ammo, and there's a good chance a rifle may only like one of available loads. As mentioned above, there's no such thing as "match" .17HMR ammo.

Others (as above) have had great and accurate results with the .17HMR. I believe it, and it's a cool little cartridge. It's just not for me. I have multiple CZs and a Bergara in .22LR. If someone made me own another .17, I'd try one of those manufacturers, or a Tikka.