17 HMR Semi Auto

[X-Force]

http://www.excelarms.com/acceleratorrifle.html

I have been looking at semi auto .17's and this seems to be a decent buy. Have any of you used one or read any reports on it?

[bow-n-head]

With the price of ammo I don't know how anyone could afford to shoot a semi auto .17

[huntnphool]

Nice looking rifle but a little spendy for a .17 IMHO.

[Mookie]

Notoriously bad reputation. I was going to get one until a friend bought one. Did nothing but jam, predetonations, ect. That did not bug me, sometimes a lemon leaves the factory. The problem was customer service, took over a YEAR to get it back and it still did not work. Impossible to get hold of anyone.

Then I started reading up on them, bad rep all around.

If you want a semi auto, Volquartsen makes the best, and you will pay for it. Magnum Research is alright but still has a lot of issues. Remington had the 597 but plenty of issues with that as well. Some work excellent, most don't. I have read that Majestic arms is going to be coming out with a conversion that does all four calibers, based on the AR7. http://majesticarms.com/id3.html

The 17's are incredibly hard to time, whether it is the HMR or HM2. The power curve is crazy different than the 22's, magnum or long rifle. Plus the put a lot more energy into the receiver.

People do have better luck with converting 10/22Magnums over to 17's, but they still have to do some tweaking.

Wearing safety glasses is a must.

[ing]

I used to have a Ruger 10/22mag that I converted to a 17hmr.  I never had any problems with it. All I did was swap the barrel and it was a done deal.  It never jammed up or anything.  I sold it to a friend of mine and he hasnt had any problems with it either.  I thought about doing it again but Ruger dosnt make the 10/22mag anymore and they are hard to come by in my neck of the woods.  If you can get ahold of one try it out.  If I remember right the barrel only cost me about $130.  If you ever think about getting a bolt action 17 check out the Ruger 77/17 with the laminated stock...sweet rifle...

[demontang]

I would get a bolt gun if I was you. I have seen a lot of semis blown up and its not something I would ever want to happen.

[jackelope]

there are a lot of safety precautions that should be taken if you're converting  a 10/22 to a .17. maybe a .22 magnum is different but you have to slow the bolt down. it's too light for the added power of a .17. lots of info online to google to find out more.

just a warning.
you can just change the barrel, but you are risking your safety doing so.

[Mookie]

There is more to changing a barrel on a 10/22M, you also have to change the bolt buffer. That was the big downfall of the 10/22M. Ruger was to cheap to replace a 2 cent part with a 1 cent part. If everything else works, don't touch it, but change the buffer.

What happened is a lot of the receivers and bolts would break because there was no cushion. Still happens.

The 10/22M is selling for nearly $700 now. Stupid.

I have done plenty of the 17HM2 conversions with 10/22's. Sometimes it is straightforward, usually not. My first conversion took every bit of tweaking and manipulating to get it to work. Second conversion took the basic parts and was a total drop in, no customizing at all. The one I am working on now is just waiting for the custom barrel to be finished.

[X-Force]

Thanks for the info. I don't have any experience changing out barrels or anything so i doubt we will be doing that but it sounds like it would be fun to get into. I have shot 17 bolt actions and i like the way most of the guns Ive shot, shoot. I was just looking for something a little different. I know Volquartsen makes a great gun and i have been looking at them but there is no way i can justify the price. How much is that majestic going to be. It would be interesting being able to have interchangeable barrels.

[Mookie]

Majestic is going to be running over a grand for the kit.
The Ruger 10/22 is such a simple rifle to work on, if you cannot figure it out you have no business owning tools  All you need is a flat head screwdriver, a 5/32 Allen, and a small punch. With those tools you can completely disassemble and reassemble the 10/22

[Little Stu]

MAgnum research is building a 17 on the 10/22 frame it is a 17/22 they chamber it in 17 mach2 and hmr as well as 22 and 22mag. they got the patent from ruger and reworked the action added a carbon fiber barrel and laminent thumbhole stock. they say it will shoot better then you and your scope. I bought one yesterday and cant wait to shoot it. there website says msrp is 979.00 but the local UFA Sportsmans had one and it was only 789.00.

[X-Force]

I like the magnum research 17. That thing is pretty sweet. You gotta up date me on how you like it.

[Mookie]

Wear glasses when you shoot it, and keep the chamber clean. The MR is a great rifle, they are a good price and can be upgraded plenty. They use a factory Ruger trigger, bolt and all other hardware. They send the trigger group to Clark Custom to have it worked over, so it is the same trigger that comes with the 10/22T.

Weatherby is making a new XXII semi auto based off the 10/22, even using the 10/22 magazine with a Weatherby bottom. Looks like they are using their own bolt and bolt handle, could be VQ, Ruger T/G. Seems that Magnum Research is building the receivers.
Basically it is a good way to go if you want a very nice 10/22 style rifle without the hassle and extra cost of building it yourself.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/gallery/guns/rifles/centerfire/2009/01/shot-show-2009-new-rifles?photo=5

Although the Axiom models could be considered a radical departure from Weatherby tradition, the new Mark XXII SA may outshine them in that regard. Designed with the assistance of Magnum Research, the Mark XXII SA was built from the ground up to be an upper-level target-grade detachable-magazine-fed semi-auto rimfire rifle chambered for the .22LR and the .17 HMR. The XXII SA features a 20-inch No. 3 contour barrel with a .690 muzzle diameter, a raised comb Monte Carlo walnut stock with cut checkering and a recoil pad for a non-slip grip. All metalwork is finished in a matte blue with a soft luster finish. The rotary-design magazines (10-shot .22LR, 9-shot .17 HMR) feature a quick-release button, and the line accepts existing aftermarket accessory magazines. SRP: $999 to $1,099. (805-227-2600; weatherby.com)

http://www.weatherby.com/_docs/Weatherby_2009_Catalog_72dpi.pdf

[JoshT]

Don't overlook the Remington 597T if you're considering a semi-auto 17hmr. Pard of mine had one when the 17hmr first came out and it was a sweet rig. had the black laminated stock and the med-heavy barrel. It was a shooter and never had any feed/function problems.

[Little Stu]

Hey X-Force I shot the MR for the first time yesterday and it seems to shoot great. it jammed a few shells for the first 75 rounds or so but didnt at all after that. once i got it sighted in it was shooting 3/4 inch groups at 100 and would probably do better if i had a bench and no breeze.