17HMR bolt guns

[mjbskwim]

So I been thinking on a 17 or a 22 mag bolt gun.Maybe both eventually.But I believe the 17 will be first

Doc's up here has a couple Savages' for about 3 bills.Simple little heavy barreled guns.
I'm liking the price if they are nice shooters.Not looking to spend a ton on a little plinker like this
What else is out there? Should I by pass and get the 22mag?

Found this too.
.17 HMR Varmint Rifles Compared: Marlin, Ruger and Savage

Thanks
Mike

Read More

 

[civilian75]

Mike,
Although I guess you already know this, Bi-mart has these for ~ $350 on regular price. I got one recently. Hornady's 17gr Vmax shoot ~.5" @ 50yd and a tad over an inch @ 100yd on a calm day.

 

[mjbskwim]

Heck that's only $50 more than the used ones I mentioned.I better take a look.
And we no know of this bimart thing up north here

Thanks

 

[Spitpatch]

Howdy Mike,

For more information than you can safely digest about .17HMR (and the .22 WMR), go to rimfirecentral.com.

Also, my experience with a Savage 93 (as civilian75 illustrated) can be viewed in a neighboring thread here regarding 10-rd clips for same: http://www.northwestfirearms.com/general-firearm-discussion/49521-10-round-mags-savage-hmr.html

Civilian75 is also to be credited with his honest account of what these guns can do. (You'll find the usual gang claiming far,far better results). Since I spent the better part of a year messing almost exclusively with this gun/caliber, I'd be happy to answer any other questions (and strive for civilian75's honesty).

 

[elsie]

CZ makes a bolt .17 and .22 mag. I have a Savage in .17 and a CZ 455 American in .22 Mag. They both are great shooters. I think my biggest issue is the sloppy magazine feed with the Savage. Sometimes I have to push up on the mag or wiggle it around to get it to feed correctly.


elsie

 

[Spitpatch]

I have just read the comparison article from Chuck Hawks that Mike posted. It is very comforting to see that my accuracy results from experienced shooters using different guns are borne out in entirety there (despite other numerous claims of "half-inch all day", ad nauseum).

I will add that my gun has a distinct preference for the Winchester loading: not only in chrono consistency, but accuracy on target. Curious, I disassembled one cartridge I had from each of the manufacturers. All contained a small, round-flake powder EXCEPT for the Winchester offering. It's powder is of tiny ball-type. This disproves the general thought that all this ammo is coming from one or two assembly lines and is nearly identical. Noted gun writer John Barsness was surprised at my discovery, as he adhered to the "all the same" belief.

Try the Winchester ammo. It could be the one your gun likes, too. (disclaimer: it usually costs a bit more). I noted its absence in the ChuckHawks article.


Sharing a day in the field with a couple partners: Savage M9317BTVSS, and an 8-month old Plott Hound (with a belly full of gopher guts). She goes nuts now when I pick up that gun.

 

[Otter]

The Chuck Hawks info is spot on. My accuracy results match what they got and mirrors what Spitpatch has posted in the past and what civilian75 posted above.

I had two 17 HMRs....the Ruger target model and the same Savage you see above. Ended up selling the Savage even though it was more accurate than the Ruger. The main reason is I didn't have room to take all of my rifles to the sage rat fields and the Savage ended up getting left at home, so I didn't need it. I like the Ruger better because of the rotary feed magazine that fits into stock better, it is of higher quality and I liked it in the field better. The Savage was a great gun, but it just didn't get used.

As for ammo, you have to try them all. I never got the Winchester ammo to shoot well out of either of my 17s. Federal worked the best until I ran out and tried another lot number. Then I found the Hornady worked the best out of both of them.

The 17 is very wind sensitive cause of the light bullets. If you are shooting with lots of wind, I would probably go with the 22 magnum and the heavier bullets.

 

[Whaler]

I have also been researching the 22 LR rifles and the Savage really looks good but for not much more there is the CZ which sounds even better. At my age I will never be a serious target shooter, my eyes just aren't that good so I have had another thought. Just buy a Henry and have fun shooting, lots of thinking yet to do.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

.22 can do 90% of what .17 can do.

I ended up buying .22lr, since I don't hunt. Just paper puncher.

Right under $500, you can purchase CZ 455 combo (.22/.17 barrel) or just single barrel for less. It has beautiful walnut wood and finish is excellent.

Read Savage is excellent for the value, but has sloppy bolt action.

I just got my CZ 455 Lux last week.

 

[mjbskwim]

Yeah,was asking about the 445 today at Wholesale (they were trying to sell me the break down 10/22 and the 22/45 lite as a package,father's day and all....other guys have bought both....nope)

I don't understand why they wouldn't have the 22mag and 17 as a set.Guess they are too close to the same round? Maybe have all 3 barrels.
Now the CZ didn't impress me much more than the Savage today.The wood was nicer but not the action
I wouldn't touch the Browning "T" bolt.Don't want to spend 700 on this venture.

How about the rocket centerfire 22s out there? The little ones,not 22-250s.Or the centerfire 17s?
Would I be doing any better or just costing myself more money on ammo?

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

The wood was nicer but not the action

out of box, action is little rough. But after applying some grease, smooth like butter.

.17 is nice caliber. But for fun, it gets expensive for small caliber. Also with right ammo .22 can be very accurate.

Sound like you should just settle with the Savage.

 

[Spitpatch]

Okay, Mike....you asked for it.

If you do not consider brass (figure you have it already, or after you've shot it once, it's free), you could most probably handload even .223 cheaper (or at least comparable) than you can shoot 17HMR. (This would be figuring bulk powder price, econo but decent bullets, shopping primer prices.) With this attempt at "saving money", you are also discounting completely your time invested in the handloading venture. And the .223 will walk all over a 17HMR at any range for accuracy and poop.

If you go with .22 Hornet, you save immensely on powder compared to .223. Still walk all over a 17HMR for accuracy (in the right rifle) and poop. Again, you work for free handloading.

New on the market right now is the .17 Hornet. Sure to be the "Next Best Thing". Other considerations for economy, light recoil "walking varmint rifles" are the .221 Fireball (my absolute favorite: I have a Sako custom rifle), .17 Fireball (otherwise known as the .17 Mach IV). All three of these (and the standard Hornet) allow the very cool thing of seeing your bullet hit in the scope view (lack of recoil): also a great feature of the HMR.

Or, you run down to the store, pay $10-13 and shoot rats for 2 hours or so with your HMR. Slightly less accuracy at 100 yards (compared to a decent centerfire), and poop really drops off at 200 yards. Ya pays ya money, ya takes ya chances!

I might agree with Skang and his 90% contention, with some qualifiers. With an accurate Long Rifle .22 gun, and a shooter that has learned trajectory, regular hits on sage rats at 100yards can certainly be the norm. The qualifier here becomes the kill. To Skang's credit, my recent trip to the fields resulted in many, many shots that were easy .22 tasks. It seemed as if I was swatting flies with a sledgehammer. BUT: If one "selects" his shooting position with the knowledge (and goal of enjoying) the 17HMR's capabilities, It really shines at 125-150 yards, and the occasional smack at 200-plus is something to be proud of. Best of all, the rat almost ALWAYS is dead.....right...there. Something not achievable with the Long Rifle.

 

[mjbskwim]

I think I'm picking up the 17 Saturday.
Why not? Can I not sell the gun? Give it to the kid for the grandkid?
(thee best excuse for buying a gun!!! Gotta test it for him right? Safety and all)
Cheap and easy.Then maybe the hotrod 22s or 17s.

Sometimes,well almost always with no wife involved,these questions are rhetorical

 

[mjbskwim]

Picked up the 17 yesterday.I'll take it shooting tomorrow to see what it does.
That is if this October weather stops blowing though.
Got the Savage with a bull barrel and a tasco el cheapo scope mounted up for $300 OTD Figure that's around $275 for the gun and scope.
New is in the 350 range,so not too bad .Had to buy it anyway,bought ammo for it.What was I to do?

 

[Goat Herder]

I too have been considering a 17 hmr rifle as a target gun. Since I've already own a few CZ, I've been looking into CZ 452 and 455. I would have to say that , although 455 combo might not seem that much more impressive over a Savage, a 45x Varmint might change your mind. The tapered heavy barrel is all so nice. The thing though is that you will hardly ever find one in stock. Most of the time, i would see one single CZ on the shelve and it's usually the 455 combo.

 

[Tbucket]

I had a early Marlin 17hmr and it was a tack driver, yes you get a flier now and again but overall very accuate. Traded it off for a 41 S&W revolver and missed it so much that I just ordered a new Savage 93R17BSEV and a Mueller scope for it. I know I could have got a cheaper one and put a stock on it but wife was on board so just ordered the damn thing, can't wait to see how this Savage does.

 

[mjbskwim]

Well I took it out and shot it today.Did very well for the first run. Then we got some light strikes.
But it was very accurate.Good trigger too.

I took it home and diss assembled it and cleaned it up. There was a little gummy shyte in there.
I'll wait for a range day with proper targets to shoot it next time

 

[stmcelroy]

Yeah,was asking about the 445 today at Wholesale (they were trying to sell me the break down 10/22 and the 22/45 lite as a package,father's day and all....other guys have bought both....nope)

I don't understand why they wouldn't have the 22mag and 17 as a set.Guess they are too close to the same round? Maybe have all 3 barrels.
Now the CZ didn't impress me much more than the Savage today.The wood was nicer but not the action
I wouldn't touch the Browning "T" bolt.Don't want to spend 700 on this venture.

How about the rocket centerfire 22s out there? The little ones,not 22-250s.Or the centerfire 17s?
Would I be doing any better or just costing myself more money on ammo?

I find the action on the CZ to be considerably better than any Savage rimfire that i've ever messed with, don't know what was wrong with the one you fingered.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

I find the action on the CZ to be considerably better than any Savage rimfire that i've ever messed with, don't know what was wrong with the one you fingered.

Bolt was little rough out of box (it become smooth) though it was not wobble or loose like what Savage people complained.