.17 HMR, Thoughts?

[headshot5]

Shopping around for a range gem and small varmint smucker. Initially looking at a Savage G B17 Wood Sock or a Ruger American. Do any of you cats have a recommendation for a .17?  Thanks. RJ

I've shot a couple of the ruger americans in .17hmr, and one in 22 mag.   If you get the one with the bull barrel they are sweet shooters.  They shoot as good as you can hold. 

Here is a link to the one I'm talking about.
https://ruger.com/products/americanRimfire/specSheets/8353.html 

Also, the triggers are extremely easy to work on.

[Eric M]

how far 17hmr with coyote?thinking of getting one for the wife.

It's not my first choice when hunting coyotes but I've killed 2 inside 80 yards with it. I don't think I'd shoot one any further out than about 100 for coyotes. Just my  It drops 3 inches at 150 yards, about 10 inches at 200 yards, and 22 inches at 250 yards. At that distance it has lost more than half its velocity.
Also if you're going to shoot coyotes I suggest the 20 grain bullets for better penetration over the 17 grain.

[CAMPMEAT]

Go to a 17WSM. Much better than a 17HMR.

[Doublelunger]

I've got a 93r17 BTV. Bull barrel, boyds thumbhole wood stock. Thing a sage rat slayer! I wouldn't use it for coyotes but I guess some do.

[Eric M]

Go to a 17WSM. Much better than a 17HMR.

Can you get 1 moa or less out of it? Initially they didn't seem to be great shooters.  I think if I wanted ballistics like that I'd just move up to the 17 Remington fireball and get 3800 fps

[Special T]

I belive most of the guys that used the 17hmr in the Kittitas Valley (rim fire restriction) for killing yotes, but that was before the 17wsm

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[CAMPMEAT]

Go to a 17WSM. Much better than a 17HMR.

Can you get 1 moa or less out of it? Initially they didn't seem to be great shooters.  I think if I wanted ballistics like that I'd just move up to the 17 Remington fireball and get 3800 fps

I never shot it for MOA, just killing ground squirrels around the house. 70 yard bullseye on them, so I wasn't concerned about dialing it in. I did have it zeroed for 100 yards. Plus it's cheap to shoot.

[Biggerhammer]

When the chambering first came out. I picked up several, sold or traded my .22 Magnums. Within 3 or 4 years. The .17's were gone and there were two .22 Magnums back in the safe.

I bet the 17HMR would be fun for ground squirrels. As for coyotes, I'll shoot them with anything.

[bolsen]

I’ve had a marlin 17hmr for years, shoots awesome! It is pretty light for coyotes, most of the time they run off. Did have a confirmed kill on one at 220 yards once though. I’ve got a 17 hornet as well, that I recommend over anything!!

[TeacherMan]

I've killed wolves, coyotes, wolverine and lynx with them in AK out to 200yds. I only use the 20gr. predator bullets not the polymer tip ones. ZERO fur damage. With that said generally I prefer my 223.

[Eric M]

@wapititalk1 I thought of another brand depending on your taste in rifles. CZ made one a while back where u could change the barrel since 22 mag and 17 have the same chamber. I think u could get a 22 LR barrel for it too. I didn't end up buyhing one because I had my doubts about how they attached and my concerns about accuracy. Having said that I have shot the CZ 22 LR and they are not only wonderful to shoot but beautiful guns.

[Eric M]

When the chambering first came out. I picked up several, sold or traded my .22 Magnums. Within 3 or 4 years. The .17's were gone and there were two .22 Magnums back in the safe.

I bet the 17HMR would be fun for ground squirrels. As for coyotes, I'll shoot them with anything.

They are fun and accurate for ground squirrels. The 17 grain bullet is the way to go for those little buggers. Funny though I have a place in my safe for the 22 mag as well. I'm no expert but I believe within a certain distance they pack more wallop with the heavier bullet. Maybe out to a 100 yards?

[Eric M]

Go to a 17WSM. Much better than a 17HMR.

Can you get 1 moa or less out of it? Initially they didn't seem to be great shooters.  I think if I wanted ballistics like that I'd just move up to the 17 Remington fireball and get 3800 fps

I never shot it for MOA, just killing ground squirrels around the house. 70 yard bullseye on them, so I wasn't concerned about dialing it in. I did have it zeroed for 100 yards. Plus it's cheap to shoot.

Interesting. I really wanted one when they first came out but kind of lost interest when I saw one that just would not shoot an inch at 100 which the manufacturer guaranteed. The rifle was even sent back but it never was a great shooter. Maybe it's time to take another look.

[CastleRocker]

We have bunch (7) of them, that we take to shoot Sage Rats with.  I've bought and sold probably twice that many...only bought one of them brand new. I keep the ones that shoot the 17gr VMax best, so I only have to buy one brand/type of ammo. They ALL shoot it very well. I've never had a Ruger American, or a CZ but as much as I'd like to try one ...I just can't justify it.  We have two that we paid $125 a piece for, and two VQ's that are superbly accurate, but they were a bit more expensive. As far as glass goes, ours all wear very good glass.  Best all around Rat caliber out to 150-200yds (depending on wind) in my opinion. 

[b23]

If sage rats/ground squirrel sized critters are your intended targets the 17 HMR is a great choice but if coyotes are on the menu I'd step up to the 17 WSM.  The HB Bmags, especially the ones with a laminated stock, generally shoot very well and cost about the same as the 17 HMR's.  I have a SS HB Sav 93/17 HMR with laminated thumbhole stock as well as a HB SS Bmag that I've done a little customizing to and I can tell you first hand, the 17 WSM is definitely the hardest hitting of all the rimfires.  I don't particularly see a great deal of difference between the WSM and the HMR when the shots are under 100 yards but when you start shooting stuff 100+ and further, the WSM hits noticeably harder and has a higher splat factor.  This is my Bmag, I nearly always shoot it suppressed but it has the thread protector on in this pic.