Which .17 HMR for my 11 year old lefty?

[45Badger]

Ok, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get a .17 HMR for my boy to shoot. Want to keep this on a reasonable (cheap) budget. Purely for poking paper and busting clays at 100 yards. Seems like Marlin and Savage have lowest priced models. Any major advantages to either? Go with heavy barrel or sport contour?

All preferences and opinions happily received! Any other ideas for accurate plinker in .17 HMR?

What should I pay for a used one in excellent condition? Thanks all!

 

[noob_shooter]

mossberg 17hmr can be had for under $150 @ fleet farms.. You can also grab a savage 93R17 synthetic stock for under $200.

Even on a good 17hmr such as the savage BTVS ($400), i wouldn't pay no more than $300 for a used one.. perhaps even less depending on the condition and round count.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

If your son is left eye dominant, get him a Savage 93 in left hand persuasion. I have two of Savage's LH rimfires -- a 93GL in .22 Mag and a Mark IIGL in .22 LR -- and have been very pleased with them.

 

[rangerruck]

sAVAGE WILL be the only ones' in left hand version, the price really doesn't drop off that much from new to used. I would def get a heavy bbl version, this round is hot, and hi pressure, and after a few groups on paper, will make a pencil bbl rifle , sway in the wind. Prob with savage is, they tend to like 20 grain bullets, so remember that, as you get several boxes for testing, which will be 15 bucks per box!!!! If he can shoot with his left hand, and work the bolt with his right, then i would get a marlin. I have shot both, owned both, owned many 17 hmrs, and marlin consistently gives better, more consistent groups, and with 17 grainers, than savage. Unless you step up and get a thumbhole varminter type from savage; but even then, it may like the 20 grainers better.
if you get the marlin, make sure you sand out the bbl channel a bit, even if you think it doesn't need it; It will, once it heats up, outside, with several rounds put through it.
if you are going to paperpunch, out to 100 yds, and want to shoot tiny groups, you need at least an 18x scope, I prefer a 24x, you will be able to see the holes on paper at 100 yds., and I know a lot of dudes who shoot 100 groups with a 32 or 36x.

 

[rangerruck]

if you wanna plink with the 17 cal bullets; get a 17 mach 2. ammo is 1/4 the cost. Read the thread farther down on the paper here, about the 17hmr/ mach 2.
here;
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=5949492#post5949492

and as allways when it comes to rimfires, check here;
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/
check the 17 hmr thread, and the 17m2 thread.