Suggestions of a 17hmr or 17 mach 2

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I had a Bull Barreled Savage in 17 HMR. Shot great but I traded it for a guitar. Too heavey and expensive to shoot. Also had a CZ 452 in 17 Mach 2. Again, shot great but still expensive. I don't varmit hunt and the 17 is pretty nasty on squirrels, so I traded for a CZ in 22 Mag. Yes it is still expensive to shoot but at least I can legally hunt hogs in my home state thru most of the year. I didn't want to pop a hog with a 17.

To tell the truth, it is hard to be a good 22lr.
 
to be honest, I would proly get rid of all my rimfires, if someone introduces a new rifle in 5mm, and someone gets a 32 grainer up to 2500 fps. and keeps the cost under 15 bucks with tax, for the ammo.
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Your prayers are answered. It's called the .22 Hornet. My load is a 35-grain Hornady V-Max loaded ahead of a compressed case full of Hodgdon Li'l Gun. That leaves the muzzle of my Kimber at about 3,000 fps. And I can load 50 rounds for well under $15.
 
Frankly, with the variety of 22 LR cartridges available (hypervelocity light bullet Stingers, Vipers, regular 40 gr. hypervelocity Velocitor, Aguila Interceptor, etc..) there is really no need for these new rimfire cartridges......the 22 Magnum was lucky to barely survive...the 17 Mach 2 is on its way out and the 17 HMR may be as well.....you cannot beat the flexibility of a 22 LR rifle...from cheap plinking at $1.50 a box to the more specialized ammo (Stingers, Velocitor, etc...)

The limited extended capabilities of these cartridges compared to the good old LR do not justify the cost (ammo and a new rifle)

If you need a more serious varmint cartridge (longer range, coyote getter), step up to the wildy popular (and cost effective) centerfire 223.

I think that if some ammo manufacturer will come with a spitzer bullet 22 LR, it would sell extremely well.
 
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I think that if some ammo manufacturer will come with a spitzer bullet (flex tip for safe tubular magazine loading) 22 LR, it would sell extremely well.
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Since the .22 LR is a rimfire, spitzer bullets in a tubular magazine would be perfectly safe.
 
Is a few dollars per box of ammo really a good reason to choose one round over another? Choose the round that delivers the performance you desire, if a few dollars per box is a financial hardship, don't buy the rifle at all.
It would also be my reccomendation to steer clear of thumbhole stocks on a hunting rifle. They are great at the bench, but less comfortable than a traditional stock in the field.
 
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Is a few dollars per box of ammo really a good reason to choose one round over another? Choose the round that delivers the performance you desire, if a few dollars per box is a financial hardship, don't buy the rifle at all.
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That's one way to look at it.

Another way to look at it is to realize a rimfire is a shooting gun -- and with a .22 you can shoot a lot for cheap. So when you choose a .22 WMR or a .17 HMR, you're buying performance. And for about the same price, you can get a .22 Hornet, which is reloadable and outperforms any rimfire.
 
Since the .22 LR is a rimfire, spitzer bullets in a tubular magazine would be perfectly safe.
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Ooops!! You are absolutely right...I forgot to turn on the brain before spouting that nonsense!! I corrected the original post....Thanks!!!
 
Another way to look at it is to realize a rimfire is a shooting gun -- and with a .22 you can shoot a lot for cheap. So when you choose a .22 WMR or a .17 HMR, you're buying performance. And for about the same price, you can get a .22 Hornet, which is reloadable and outperforms any rimfire.
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Unless you wish to purchase a $199 rifle vs. the price of a centerfire rifle.
Also consider: less recoil, and less noise than the hornet, and the fact that many do not reload nor do they care too.

I like the hornet as well, but for many folks the HMR provides plenty of performance without the hassle of reloading.
 
Unless you wish to purchase a $199 rifle vs. the price of a centerfire rifle.
Also consider: less recoil, and less noise than the hornet, and the fact that many do not reload nor do they care too.

I like the hornet as well, but for many folks the HMR provides plenty of performance without the hassle of reloading.
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That's why we need a good, low-cost Hornet.

The Hornet was originally developed in a .22 rifle, you know, the M1922 Springfield. There are plenty of .22s out there that could be offered in .22 Hornet.

And anybody who don't reload jest ain't right.:neener:
 
I have the CZ452 Varmint. I put on a Simmons Whitetail Classic 6.5-20 X 50mm scope and a Harris bipod on it. It will put .17HMR rounds on top of each other with relative ease at 75 yards. It is excellent for groundhogs provided you hit their vitals.
 
The .17 hmr will provide superior ballistics but costs more. I would recommend the hmr over the Mach2 for varminting every time but if your just plinking and taking squirrels at or under 100 yds the Mach2 will perform admirably.
 
I'll speak up in defense of the 17 HM2.

Compared to the HMR, 17 HM2 is cheaper and not as big of a step down in performance as many people would claim.

Compared to .22 LR, well, there is no comparison. As much as I love .22 LR, it can't hold a candle to 17 HM2, especially when you start talking about making shots from 100 to 200 yards.

It's a flat-shooting cartridge, and one that I've used to pop prairie dogs as far as 200 yards away.

It's also a surprisingly effective cartridge on small game, putting down rabbits and prairie dogs with a level of authority I wouldn't have thought possible with such a small bullet.

As for the death of 17 HM2, detractors have been decrying it's death as being just around the corner practically since the day the cartridge came onto the scene in 2004, and yet cartridge companies, including Eley, who makes high-end rimfire ammunition for Olympic-level shooters, still make it.

The one downfall to this cartridge is wind. The bullets are light, and very susceptible to wind drift.
 
I stand for hmr, If your worried about cost of ammo your not doing it right! You got to get the HMR for long range black bird eradication and the 22 for fun. I have a savage 17 that I love, http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/93R17BTV The stock is a lot darker on mine and the bolt was a bit rough at first but after a few boxes of ammo it smoothed up nice. I have made a 180 yard kill on a crow and it was a DRT shot. Crows are smart enough to not land by my brothers house but the 17 will reach out and get them, And nothings more fun then droping one way out there and having all of his buddies land by him to see whats up and taking them with him. :)
 
Let's talk wind drift of 2" or less for those tiny headshots
Both .17 Mach2 rounds outperform the .22 Long Rifle 36 grain remington plated hollowpoint for wind drift. Both HM2 rounds have a range of 92.5 Yards with 2" of wind drift in a 5mph sidewind. The .22 Long Rifle 36 Grain plated remington has a range of 85 yards with 2" of wind drift. Both .17 Mach2s deliver 3,374 Foot Pounds per square inch of frontal area. The .22 Long Rifle delivers delivers 2,214 Foot Pounds per square inch of frontal area. http://www.lambadafan.com/ballistics.html
 
My favorite rifle is a Rem 511 relined to Mach 2. With 212 Pecan trees, it comes in real handy and saves our family a ton of money. The liners are slightly tighter bored than fac bbls and accuracy is very good. At the time I made the conversion I owned 19 different 22s. The only 22 ammo I buy now is to test fire guns and I'm down to 3 of the org 19 22s I had.
 
Well, I arrived a little late lol. I bought a Savage 17HMR and I love it! I use it to practice so that I'm better with my deer rifle. Its a whole lot cheaper then 30-06 and I can pepper the bulls eye all day. I've never had a problem with my Savage and its only $200 OTD at Wally World! They also had a Remington version that was semi automatic that they discontinued. They claimed it wasn't safe or some B.S. I think the Government realized that it was too dangerous. A quiet semi automatic rifle that fires bullets that explode on impact, etc ... :uhoh: ... :D. Good luck!
 
Virtues of 17 Mach 2

I believe the 17 Mach 2 to be the best cartridge for tree squirrel hunting for the following reasons: Because of the precision 17 grain bullets it uses, it is superbly accurate (just as accurate as the HMR which uses the same bullet), with many guns chambered in this caliber capable of 1/2 minute groups (with no wind). It is much flatter shooting than the 22 LR, and holdover is unnecessary out to 100 yards or more when making head shots on gray squirrels. Out to 100 yards, there is an insignificant difference between the trajectories of the Mach 2 and the HMR. If a 22 LR is sighted in at 50 feet, it is dead on at 50 yards and 6.5 inches low at 100 yards with 22 Standard Velocity ammo and sights mounted 1.5 inches above the bore. The Mach 2 is somewhat noisier than subsonic (standard velocity) 22 LR ammo, and some hunters consider this very important, so they choose the 22 for squirrel hunting (I suspect at distances less than about 60 yards). But, the Mach 2 is MUCH quieter (about like a high velocity 22) than the HMR. Late season squirrel hunting (when the leaves are down) often affords shots well beyond 60 yards, so I favor the 17 Mach 2. The 17 HMR is MUCH noisier than the Mach 2 and blows up squirrels when you hit them. While a head shot with the HMR ruins no meat, it sure makes for an ugly dead squirrel. And too often on ground shots, a squirrel hops just as you shoot, and you end up with a body shot, despite the best of holds and trigger squeeze. The Mach 2 doesn't damage much more meat than a 22 LR. For example, I took a squirrel at 25 yards with a Mach 2 with a shot into its right eye. The only evidence of the shot was a missing right eye and a somewhat bulged left eye. I shot another that hopped at 25 yards, and the bullet struck just behind the right shoulder. It produced a 3/8 inch entry wound and no exit wound and killed the squirrel instantly, with no loss of meat. Finally, neither the Mach 2 nor the HMR ricochets like the 22 LR does--they just vaporize when they hit a hard object at squirrel hunting distances. This is an important safety factor when taking ground shots. IN SUMMARY, IF YOU WANT TO EAT WHAT YOU SHOOT, AND YOU SHOOT AT DISTANCES MUCH BEYOND 60 YARDS, USE A MACH 2. Regarding squirrel rifles, if you can afford one, get a Cooper Firearms Jackson Squirrel Rifle in 17 Mach 2 (with AAA Claro walnut stock with rollover cheekpiece, inletted sling swivels, and fluted stainless barrel) like mine. It is as nice a rifle as can be made by humans (great trigger and superbly accurate), and if there are no squirrels about, you can still have a good time just admiring the stock in the sunlight. This rifle (along with my Springer Spaniel and side-by-side shotguns) helps bring meaning to my retirement!
 
oldandcreaky

I've been into 17m2's for about 6 years (soon after they came out). I am so happy with them, I parked all my 22lrs and haven't used them much since.

Accuracy, trajectory. While more expensive than 22lr, they are much cheaper than the HMR or the 22wmr. Recently bought 9 boxes of the new non-lead m2's for about $8.50. I'm in a lead ban area. Lead variety probably cheaper.
 
I have solved the prolem of choosing between the Hornady .17 Mach II and the Hornady Magnum Rimfire. A .17 MachII is perfect for barnyard woodchucks among farm equipment with rubber tires but you should have a scope. The .17HMR 20 grain FMJ will pierce .031" A-36 soft steel at 400+ yards. Today I will find out exactly, to the foot. The next target is a 6 inch .010" steel lid from a pizza paste can, type of steel unknown, and my range is only 500 yards long at the moment. The results of shooting a series of steel targets can be found here: http://lambadafan.com/17hmr20grainfmjsteel.html
Unfortunately the rest of the targets in the series were shot in both below freezing cold and hot conditions so they will all have to be shot again with better record keeping of conditions. Cold barrels shorten the effective range. The Savage .17HMR heavy barrels are available with plastic stocks at $250.00 and I prefer to spend money on good glass rather than expensive wood. I think that when the NTX .17 Mach II ammo is in good supply that production of .17MachII FMJ will begin. Buy enough ammo for your great grandchildren, keep good records, buy at least 32 power scopes, and both heavy and light barrels in plastic stocks. Use one-piece hardened cleaning rods after you remove the sharp edges at the end of the rod. I insert the chamfered rod very carefully from the muzzle end, attach the mop, anoint the rod end of the mop with two or three drops of 3 in 1 oil, and pull it carefully out the muzzle - once! Do not use a brush, they clean out the sealing debris in the corners of the rifling and allow gas cutting. Hang your rifle high - by the buttstock so that excess oil doesnt collect on one side of the barrel and produce fliers. Keep the excess oil and dirt out of your bolt and buttstock. Do not use a soft coated rod. Debris will embed into the soft surface of coated rods and act like sandpaper in the bore. Do not push a cleaning rod through the bore. Wherever the pushed rod contacts the rifling several pounds pressure is exerted against the tiny area that the rod contacts, very bad news if it's a plastic coated rod embedded with debris. If you must use a jointed rod be sure and chamfer off all the sharp edges at the joints. Bore snakes are better than nothing but keep the cord centered. Oh yeah, I solved the choice problem by buying for my grandchildren heirs. They will each have three rifles, a Savage .17MachII, a Savage light barrel .17 HMR, and a heavy barrel Savage .17 HMR. Uh oh, the new .17 Hornet !
 
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