17 HMR why?

[Coloradocat]

Not intending to change the direction of the thread, but nobody has mentioned th 17 WSM. I have both and really like both ....
I think the wsm has an advantage after 150 yards or so .
Hornady has the wsm in a 20 grain @ 3000 fps and a - 4.1 " @ 200 yards
They say the same 20 grain in the hmr @ -10.7 at 200 yards..
Not a huge difference but it's enough to consider if your actually shooting that kind of distance on the regular.
You can also get a 26 grain bullet in the wsm and it's still going about 2600 fps.
Once again I'm not knocking the hmr it's a great round but I personally like my wsm just a smigeon more

 

[I594 Sucks]

I have recently acquired a 17hmr in a savage bolt rifle. I am at a loss as to the reason for this round. I have always thought a 22LR was a pretty good all around little cartridge. There has got to be reason so many shoot this cartridge. WHY.?

Because, at 100 yards, my nearly 70 year old friend punched 3 holes through the center of a clay pigeon, without breaking it. Try doing that with 22LR.

If nothing else, they're a blast during target practice.

 

[AButler16]

250 yd approx

Not even close to the same league as a .22LR.

Way better accuracy, better for longer distance and the speed of the .17 HMR (around 2700fps) will just about turn a sage rat inside out.

 

[olyroller]

A decent .22lr can shoot under 1" at 100 yards. Here's a good read, and remember those are 100 yard groups not 50.

You may be right about a good .22lr with the right ammo shooting 1" groups. In my case it is the final piece in the system that is flawed, the shooter. At age 66 I am not as steady as I used to be, and my old eyes have problems even with a scope. No excuses. I am just not the best shooter around, and I don't get to practice as much as I would like. The good news is, you don't have to be the best to have a lot of fun shooting. I am still looking for the brand of ammo that my rifle likes best. So far, CCI mini-mag is the winner.

 

[Alvrez]

At our club we shoot golfballs with our rimfires. I wish we could use our 223's. I'd have a hayday on those suckers with my AR's...

CSC games

Try golf balls with a 6.5 creed. (Or 300 Blk) The giggle factor goes up exponentially.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Try golf balls with a 6.5 creed. (Or 300 Blk) The giggle factor goes up exponentially.

Oh hell yes. My club says they tried shooting golf balls at 100 yards in their normal fashion "once", but it "took too long and too many rounds". I say bring on that challenge again. I'd use 223, 22-250, 6.5 creed. Should only take 5 shots..



Lilhigbee, are you reading this ^^^^

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Nice. When I find my 100 yr dime target will post.

I intend to try out CZ sometime soon.

I've deleted my dime targets, because I guess it's against the law to shoot a dime. I figure I paid for it. Why not?

Dimes are too easy of targets with the 17 though. I like shooting for turkeys:



The X-ring on this target is smaller than a dime.

 

[41mag]

nicely done!

 

[bsa1917hunter]

There we go, that answers my question. So 17 is even cheaper than 223, though a little more than 22. Now I want a A17!!

I was at the range shooting some of my rimfires the other day. The A17 is the one on the bottom:


I noticed I haven't posted a pic of how well it shoots in this thread, so here goes:


It shoots like this religiously at 50 yards.

 

[DuneHopper]

Is it true the A17 only will shoot the a17 ammo ?

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Is it true the A17 only will shoot the a17 ammo ?

NOPE. Don't know where you heard that from. The groups I posted above were actually shot with Federal 17 HMR ammo.. The A17 ammo is dirty filthy crap I won't use again.

 

[DuneHopper]

NOPE. Don't know where you heard that from.

I was looking just for fun when that came out as well as the A1 17hmr rifle. Knowing nothing about it, the counter
guys explained cycling was iffy and was made for the A1 ammo. I have a 17HMR, Bolts action but was curious on these.
So heard it from the sales guy.
Noted that the A17 ammo is slightly faster and a tad more grain.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

I was looking just for fun when that came out as well as the A1 17hmr rifle. Knowing nothing about it, the counter
guys explained cycling was iffy and was made for the A1 ammo. I have a 17HMR, Bolts action but was curious on these.
So heard it from the sales guy.

That explains it.

 

[DuneHopper]

That explains it.

Yep, I have no problems not knowing everything..........I know its a rare thing indeed.
I find the 17HMR in a Bolt Action is perfect, maybe I might entertain a semi in 17hmr, not sure the application as other calibers fit the bill for a semi in my use. but they are priced fair, might look at one someday. Have fun............................

 

[Mooseman]

I won an NRA Marlin 17HMR stainless in a Carbon fiber stock . I put a Mueller APV scope on it and it is what I call My LASER BEAM Rifle.
50-150 yards it kills wild dogs right now. It cloverleafs even with a slight breeze crosswind. Dogs Beware !
It did take 35 rounds to break in the barrel , went from a 2 inch group at 50 yards to a cloverleaf, cleaning after every 5 shots.

 

[41mag]

I labored & traded years ago, for a S&W 647 8 3/8" barrel, factory fit for the 17 HMR. Thought it would be a tack driver. Expected sub 2" groups from the bench at 50 yards. I was unable to achieve that.

Couldn't reliably hit much with iron sights, installed a EER Burris 2-7x30(?) to help out. Disappointed, finally traded it off.

 

[ageingstudent]

Oh hell yes. My club says they tried shooting golf balls at 100 yards in their normal fashion "once", but it "took too long and too many rounds". I say bring on that challenge again. I'd use 223, 22-250, 6.5 creed. Should only take 5 shots..

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Lilhigbee, are you reading this ^^^^

I can report that golf balls are a riot to shoot with a 22-250 at 150-250 yards. I do it every time I go to visit my dad over in Redmond. Even with cheap optics and a cheap rifle it's a real kick. You can put English on them just like shooting pool. Just make sure you have the room to do it safely.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

No where near the speed of the .17HMR...But hitting a golf ball with a .530 round ball pushed by 80 grains of 2F , really puts a "smack" to it...

The .17HMR is a interesting cartridge...I took a few shots with my Brother in Law's Savage rifle and was impressed at what it could do at 100 -150 yards.
Andy

 

[Wombat of Doom]

I really enjoy the accuracy of it. I like shooting the little steel birds at tricounty at 200 yards next to the ram gong at the BP range. It is a real hoot to shoot. I really like my Bolt one and my AR upper from Alexander arms. The AR magazines hate the winchester ammo i got. I like the CCI TNT.

 

[ageingstudent]

No where near the speed of the .17HMR...But hitting a golf ball with a .530 round ball pushed by 80 grains of 2F , really puts a "smack" to it...

Andy

Basically shooting a golf ball at a golf ball...