17 HMR?

54rndball · Sep 7, 2015

Who likes to shoot this high powered rimfire? I don't have any experience with it, but am thinking of getting a CZ 455 in .22 lr and then getting a switch barrel in .17 HMR. I've heard that it is very accurate out to plus 100 yds. Is said to be a good varmint cartridge as many loads will fragment on impact, so no need to worry about damage down range.

What can you tell me about the .17?

Tconfo · Sep 7, 2015

During the 22 scare I went out and bought I think 300 rounds. I liked the idea and the ballistics but then it kind of calmed down and I never ended up buying the rifle. I'll probably get around to it. I find it easier to find than 22 mag but then again I haven't really been looking since I don't own one of those either. They have similar ballistics but I think the 17 hmr has a flatter trajectory out to 200

engineerbrian · Sep 7, 2015

Chevellnut and i were just loaned a Savage B Mag in 17 Win Mag for a video review. We shot it yesterday at 200 yards and were making consistent, accurate hits. I say skip the 17 HMR and get the 17 Win Mag, its now on my wish list

Hopefully we'll put the video out in the next week or so.

Rockn93yj · Sep 7, 2015

I use the 17hmr quite a bit. I have the expensive savage model, doesn't matter as the round is very accurate in my henry .17 and savage 17 semi auto. I hunt groundhog and the 17 grain vmax still requires an accurate heart or head shot to stop them. If you get a body shot they will run into the hole and Maybe die later. accuracy is excellent if no wind.

'04 Cummins · Sep 7, 2015

I love my Savage 93r17. I use it mostly on certain bird species at ranges from 50-125 yards, and the occasional groundhog, rabbit, or squirrel. 17g V-Max are devastating on the smaller soft targets. Even out to 125 yards, I have never had a groundhog that didn't go down right away, but I've been lucky enough to have clean shots on all of them.

A coworker of mine has a farm and has groundhog kills even a little beyond 200 yards with good shot placement. Accuracy is excellent, pretty close to MOA if I do my part.

Jimbob2.0 · Sep 7, 2015

'04 Cummins said:
I love my Savage 93r17. I use it mostly on certain bird species at ranges from 50-125 yards, and the occasional groundhog, rabbit, or squirrel. 17g V-Max are devastating on the smaller soft targets. Even out to 125 yards, I have never had a groundhog that didn't go down right away, but I've been lucky enough to have clean shots on all of them. I even have the Taurus pistol (I know pointless but it was cheap) and a Taurus 72 pump.

A coworker of mine has a farm and has groundhog kills even a little beyond 200 yards with good shot placement. Accuracy is excellent, pretty close to MOA if I do my part.

Same here, I have the savage, my father has the Marlin. Both do equally well, the Marlin which was pre-Rem is a little better in build quality. Great for taking the head off a turkey at 50 yards. Who needs to pick buckshot out of flesh!

Good think is ammo is almost always available, even during the panics I could easily get it. Bad is that its almost as much as 5.56 (or a hair more).

Uncle Duke · Sep 7, 2015

I talked myself out of the 17hmr cartridge for 10 years. Wound up buying a CZ455 Varmint, pretty much because I was intrigued by the little .17 and wanted first hand experience with it. Like I needed an excuse to buy another gun.... :innocent0

I'll say this.....That rifle and cartridge combination literally redefined for me what I had previously thought a rimfire rifle to be capable of. If you like rimfires, I think you'll love this combo.

Like others, I'm also intrigued by the new 17WSM. Haven't been too impressed with the initial rollout reviews though. What would really get my attention though is if the future holds a 22 version, and especially if CZ were to produce a rifle for it. One for the wish list...

If you go the 17HMR route, consider treating yourself to some good glass. The accuracy potential of that flat shooting little rimfire cartridge will get your attention. Even more so to the extent that you can see well enough to utilize it.

Good luck!

rgramjet · Sep 7, 2015

I've had a few .17 hmrs.

A Remington 597 laminate stock, bull barreled semi that blew up while I was shooting it. A Winchester 9417 and my favorite, a Ruger 77/17.

All very flat and accurate out to 200. Shoot n see targets are highly necessary. No recoil so perfect for new shooters. The hollow points and ballistic tips turn squirrels inside out. Luckily the .17 is accurate enough for head shots.

I am a fan.

rico903 · Sep 8, 2015

Get the CZ and don't look back. I have a CZ 452 in .17HMR as well as a Ruger 77/17. The CZ is a better shooter, more accurate. With the new 455 line, like you said you can buy .22LR and .22mag barrels to complement it. Extremely flat shooting and cuts thru the wind very well.

friendlyhippo · Sep 8, 2015

Bradmacc can verify my box-stock Savage 93r17 was throwing them in about a 1.5" group at 200 on Saturday. The wind was only about a .1-value or so; almost straight from our backs, so that certainly helped with such a light projectile. But the 200-yard half-size silhouette at DSC got a rousing tink in the head box 5 times in a row (5-round mag).

Great prairie dog round as well; makes them do all manner of neat acrobatics if you hit them just right.

BradMacc82 · Sep 8, 2015

Yes I can confirm that. It was almost hilarious because you can't hear the impact, but you can see the impact and the small vapor type cloud of the round breaking up on steel.

Absolute bad-ass little round, when the wind cooperates.

friendlyhippo · Sep 8, 2015

I really want them to put steel back up at 100, but I completely understand why they don't.

Mike likes me enough that I could probably put one of their 150/250 gongs up and use that for blackout subs suppressed next time I'm there....although that'll be in the spring, so who knows what else will be different by then...

BradMacc82 · Sep 8, 2015

Steel is a nice change from just tagging paper.

sbmike · Sep 8, 2015

I agree with the positive comments about .17 HMR in general and the CZ455 specifically. My shooting buddy and I both bought the CZ455 Combo package (.22LR barrel and .17HMR barrel) and we have had a blast shooting the .17HMR on the 200 yard range. It is VERY accurate at that range and both of us were even more amazed that WE were accurate shooting the rifles too! :lol2:

One other thing we both like about the CZ is the adjustable trigger pull. It is one of the nicest stock triggers on any rifles I have shot.

I don't hunt, so I won't speak to that aspect, but I consider the CZ455 one of my most pleasing purchases in some time.

friendlyhippo · Sep 8, 2015

sbmike said:
I agree with the positive comments about .17 HMR in general and the CZ455 specifically. My shooting buddy and I both bought the CZ455 Combo package (.22LR barrel and .17HMR barrel) and we have had a blast shooting the .17HMR on the 200 yard range. It is VERY accurate at that range and both of us were even more amazed that WE were accurate shooting the rifles too!

Recoil anticipation is the primary cause of poor marksmanship the overwhelming majority of the time. Sure, there are other factors that come into play, but anticipation often leads to things like poor breathing, or other flaws in the fundamentals due to fatigue.

Having a quality rimfire that feeds/functions well (I have an old Marlin 60 that's worn out, but it's the first rifle dad ever bought me so it ain't goin ANYWHERE, but it's not the greatest at the range anymore) can be a huge help for a long day of range time. I've watched groups with big guns shrink substantially after switching over to the .17 or (on a few occasions when i brought it out) the .22 for a period between calls of range cold.

BigDaddy · Sep 8, 2015

engineerbrian said:
I say skip the 17 HMR and get the 17 Win Mag, its now on my wish list

I see a lot of 17 HMR ammo in many stores. I haven't much 17 WMR. The ballistics are better but you have to worry about it going the way of the 17 Mach 2

friendlyhippo · Sep 8, 2015

BigDaddy said:
I see a lot of 17 HMR ammo in many stores. I haven't much 17 WMR. The ballistics are better but you have to worry about it going the way of the 17 Mach 2

It's been out for nearly 3 years now, and few choices of arms from which to shoot it still. And as you mentioned, ammo availability is pretty dismal. Centerfire is no big deal; reloading is easy. Rimfire....not so much.

engineerbrian · Sep 8, 2015

BigDaddy said:
I see a lot of 17 HMR ammo in many stores. I haven't much 17 WMR. The ballistics are better but you have to worry about it going the way of the 17 Mach 2

I hear you, I was thinking the same thing. It seems to be availble on line, but who knows what the future will hold.

I read in an older edition of American RIfleman that Winchester was dedicated to keeping the round alive, but we'll see

riss6270 · Sep 8, 2015

ive got a CZ455 .17 HMR and love it. Sweet little gun. I use it for night hunting. Very accurate. i paid about 400 for it. Sweet looking stock too. ALmost to nice to hunt with. I thought about getting a different stock for it. !00 yds... more like 300 yrd. Ive shot some groundhogs at 300 with it.

riss6270 · Sep 8, 2015

Oh and with the CZ you can change the trigger pull out very easy. Got a 2 2.5 3 and 3.5 trigger kit for 18.95 at Yo Dave triggers. THATS CHEAP!!!

17 HMR?

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