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I've got a good shooting 22LR. Is the 17HMR a real step up or just a touch better? Lot's of stuff on the internet but most of it is trying to sell stuff so let me know your opinion or experiences. A good rifle in that cal.? Savage or Marlin? Also what about the 22 WMR. The gun would be for plinking and small game hunting.
 
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I have a savage 17hmr and it is a devistating varmint rifle. Far lower richochet than 22lr. I am able to engage ground squirrels to 200 yards with not much problem at all. when used on coyote size targets a lung shot kills very quickly and cleanly. you'll be pleased:s0155:
 
I just bought a savage 17hmr today actually. I did alot of research before I bought and I am very happy with my purchase. Going to break it in tommorow and can't wait. I got the accu trigger, I have heard nothing but good things about them, and I heard the marlin and mossBergen tend to have a heavier trigger but I haen shot either so don't quote menon that. I had a ruger 10/22 and it was great for plinking bu I wanted something more accurate and something I could do some longer distance varmint hunting with. Just my .02.
 
I've got a good shooting 22LR. Is the 17HMR a real step up or just a touch better? Lot's of stuff on the internet but most of it is trying to sell stuff so let me know your opinion or experiences. A good rifle in that cal.? Savage or Marlin? Also what about the 22 WMR. The gun would be for plinking and small game hunting.

The 17hmr is a totally different class. I have a great shooting 22lr and it could not do what the 17hmr can do. I also have a 22mag and it is really close to the HMR, however when I had both the WMR and HMR I grabbed the HMR everytime.
 
I have the savage 93/17 HMR...fantastic rifle, the trigger is great and it is a Tack driver! I also have a good shooting 22LR but for small game there is NO comparison, the HMR is 1000 FPS faster, more accurate and flatter shooting
 
Take your .22 and shoot a scrub jay. Now imagine it being nothing but a big explosion of feathers and you will understand the effect the .17 has, there is no comparison. I have the Savage 93 non accutrigger in blue and stainless and installed the Rifle Basix adj. sears in both and set to 13oz pulls. Bought these before the accutrigger was available and the only ammo was Hornady. I wouldnt trade em for anything. I have several .22 mag rifles as well but the effect just isnt the same.:D
 
The 17 HMR cartridge is a solution to a problem that's been solved for a long time: the 22 WMR. For whatever reason the 17 HMR is constantly being held up against the 22LR cartridge lauded for its superior performance which is a completely unfair comparison. The 17 HMR is just a necked down version of the 22 WMR so your comparing apples to oranges when comparing to a 22lr. A better comparison is the 17 HM2 cartridge vs. 22LR and the 17HMR vs. 22 WMR. Ballistically speaking the 22 WMR has superior terminal ballistics at every point along the trajectory of the bullet path except for at the very end of each cartridges effective range so at very best your getting a slight advantage with the 17 HMR cartridge only at about 125-150 yards, at which point you should probably be using a .223 anyway. Bottom line, in laymans terms with the 22 WMR your pushing a bullet TWICE as big NEARLY as fast as the 17 HMR while getting better stopping power and paying alot less at the checkout counter. I think the recent trend of necked down cartridges (.17hm2, 17HMR, .32 NAA, .357 SIG) are just examples of marketing strategy to steer customers to a different cartridge. I seriously think some people like the 17HMR because it's cool looking and is the newest, hottest thing out there (exactly what the designers wanted). The 22 WMR is a proven cartridge that will be around long after the 17HMR fad has passed.
 
Man, you guys are talking me into keeping my 17. I put a Sharp Shooter Supply stock on mine, and it feels sweeeet. A good investment if you only have the polymer stock
 
The 17 HMR cartridge is a solution to a problem that's been solved for a long time: the 22 WMR. For whatever reason the 17 HMR is constantly being held up against the 22LR cartridge lauded for its superior performance which is a completely unfair comparison. The 17 HMR is just a necked down version of the 22 WMR so your comparing apples to oranges when comparing to a 22lr. A better comparison is the 17 HM2 cartridge vs. 22LR and the 17HMR vs. 22 WMR. Ballistically speaking the 22 WMR has superior terminal ballistics at every point along the trajectory of the bullet path except for at the very end of each cartridges effective range so at very best your getting a slight advantage with the 17 HMR cartridge only at about 125-150 yards, at which point you should probably be using a .223 anyway. Bottom line, in laymans terms with the 22 WMR your pushing a bullet TWICE as big NEARLY as fast as the 17 HMR while getting better stopping power and paying alot less at the checkout counter. I think the recent trend of necked down cartridges (.17hm2, 17HMR, .32 NAA, .357 SIG) are just examples of marketing strategy to steer customers to a different cartridge. I seriously think some people like the 17HMR because it's cool looking and is the newest, hottest thing out there (exactly what the designers wanted). The 22 WMR is a proven cartridge that will be around long after the 17HMR fad has passed.

The OP was asking between the two (.22lr / .17 HMR)
which was better. He did not ask about HM2 or WMR so dont get your panties in a bunch or better yet go take a Midol.
 
I agree the 22wmr is a good round, but for sage rat/squirrel control I seem ti have less skipped rounds with the 17HMR and its light frangable bullet. That for me shooting around farm equipment is a real plus...:s0155:
 
The OP was asking between the two (.22lr / .17 HMR)
which was better. He did not ask about HM2 or WMR so dont get your panties in a bunch or better yet go take a Midol.


Sorry, my bad. You're right, what was I thinking Jeez!!! A midol would really hit the spot right now. You can always tell when someone knows their wrong if they immediately start to get defensive so thank you for helping me make my point. If you read his whole post he did ask about the 22 WMR, but that is neither here nor there as the whole point of my post was to educate the OP about folks who try to pump up the 17HMR as some great, dynamic cartridge because of it's performance against the 22LR which is ridiculous, as they are 2 COMPLETELY separate cartridges. Bottom line is when you compare the 17HMR to it's parent case, the myth of the cartridge's awesome performance is quickly and easily shredded. So take that!! and why don't you take some midol too:s0045:
 
The 17 HMR cartridge is a solution to a problem that's been solved for a long time: the 22 WMR. For whatever reason the 17 HMR is constantly being held up against the 22LR cartridge lauded for its superior performance which is a completely unfair comparison. The 17 HMR is just a necked down version of the 22 WMR so your comparing apples to oranges when comparing to a 22lr. A better comparison is the 17 HM2 cartridge vs. 22LR and the 17HMR vs. 22 WMR. Ballistically speaking the 22 WMR has superior terminal ballistics at every point along the trajectory of the bullet path except for at the very end of each cartridges effective range so at very best your getting a slight advantage with the 17 HMR cartridge only at about 125-150 yards, at which point you should probably be using a .223 anyway. Bottom line, in laymans terms with the 22 WMR your pushing a bullet TWICE as big NEARLY as fast as the 17 HMR while getting better stopping power and paying alot less at the checkout counter. I think the recent trend of necked down cartridges (.17hm2, 17HMR, .32 NAA, .357 SIG) are just examples of marketing strategy to steer customers to a different cartridge. I seriously think some people like the 17HMR because it's cool looking and is the newest, hottest thing out there (exactly what the designers wanted). The 22 WMR is a proven cartridge that will be around long after the 17HMR fad has passed.

While I agree with you that the 22WMR is supperior for hunting. The 17HMR is alot "Funner". So it may lack in penetration when compared to the WMR it more then makes up for it with spectacular impacts.
 
While I agree with you that the 22WMR is supperior for hunting. The 17HMR is alot "Funner". So it may lack in penetration when compared to the WMR it more then makes up for it with spectacular impacts.

Good point. I did not take into account the "fun factor" and unless you're defending your life that is what it's all about!
 
Sorry, my bad. You're right, what was I thinking Jeez!!! A midol would really hit the spot right now. You can always tell when someone knows their wrong if they immediately start to get defensive so thank you for helping me make my point. If you read his whole post he did ask about the 22 WMR, but that is neither here nor there as the whole point of my post was to educate the OP about folks who try to pump up the 17HMR as some great, dynamic cartridge because of it's performance against the 22LR which is ridiculous, as they are 2 COMPLETELY separate cartridges. Bottom line is when you compare the 17HMR to it's parent case, the myth of the cartridge's awesome performance is quickly and easily shredded. So take that!! and why don't you take some midol too:s0045:

My wife has banned me from the medicine cabinet cause everytime she goes to get some she's out......:p
If after an effect in the .22 mag I use the V-Max CCI poly tip but prefer the .17 Hornady V-Max for light varmint shooting. I use my 243 for bigger varmits using the nosler 55gr ballistic tips I load.
 
Keystir is right in the ten ring with his comment about the little 22 magnum,, I'll take the WMR every time, and trust me, I have many various small caliber rifles. If you want to get something small that really goes BOOM, get the old tried and time tested .22 hornet, I love mine. Then its off to the races with the .223 and the 22-250. That said, if you feel the need for the little .17 then by all means get one. I have found nothing wrong with them, although they are a little expensive to shoot. I do believe the little "flash in the pan" will be around for awhile,, perhaps longer than the plethora of short mags that really offer nothing more than is already under the sun, other than to sell to those that should already be satisfied with what they have,, but then again, i always want more too!
 
OP here. Slowly leaning towards 22 WMR. The 17HMR appears slightly more accurate but for hunting small critters the much heavier WMR bullet seems the way to go if I'm not trying vaporize what I'm shooting at. Might just stick with my 22LR and .223. I'm trying to talk the wife into a Nightforce scope for my long range .260 so another gun to fill the nitch between 22LR and 223 might get me a beating!:s0112: I'll squirrel away a twenty here and there and see if I can scrounge for a new rimfire. Savage or Marlin? My 22LR is the Savage with accutrigger and shoots pretty good but the mags suck, a buddy has a Marlin 925 and it shoots as good with no mag issues but has a lot heavier trigger.
 

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