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NEF 17 HMR - Burst My Bubble!
rballi
Member Posts: 770 ✭✭✭✭
With all the rave about the new 17HMR ammo, I really wanted to try it out. The local gunshops got a ruger 77 in and it left the same day. I was waiting for the Marlin Bolt action, but one day while browsing during lunch at a local gunshop, they got in a NEF Sportster in 17HMR; I asked about the bolt action guns, and they said they were on order and could be a day, a month, or who knows. I don't know anyone who has shot the 17HMR so I figured $140 for the rifle to try it out is not that bad. If I don't like it, I can probably get most of the money back out of it. I got the gun, some high rings to clear the hammer, and used a so/so scope I had in my stash. I wasn't expecting the refinement of a custom gun, I wasn't expecting Bench Rest Rifle Accuracy, I WAS expecting the gun to go BANG!
Took it to the range, loaded a cartridge, cocked the hammer, aligned crosshairs, deep breath....CLICK! Well the earmuffs are really good, the round is really quite, or missfire! Looked at the back of the rim and it had a firing pin mark, a little light, but there was a mark; loaded the same cartridge back in the rifle, CLICK! Loaded new cart....CLICK!, Loaded third cart...BANG! Exactly 1.5" to the right of Bullseye, minor scope adjustment needed. Loaded 4th cartridge...CLICK! Same with the 5th. The one cartridge that did go bang swelled the case by the extractor cut, and blew the shoulder of the case.
I took it back to the shop and the owner said it looks like a headspace problem. I thought it might have something to do with the additional weight of the hammer spur extension, but what do I know. No questions asked, I'm getting my choice of full credit, cash back, repair, or replacement. I don't think X-Mart would have given me many choices. I'll decide today, but since it was the only 17HMR in stock, I'll either get cash back or just might pick out something else.
Hope is not lost for the 17, I'm counting on the Marlin to at least go bang when I pull the trigger. The Marlin is in the $200 - $300 range, the Ruger is in the mid $400's, the Anschutz is around $900, and I heard the CZ will be coming out at the end of the year. I probably won't get the NEF again if it comes in.
I'm sure mine is an isolated case, I'm sure other NEF owners are more than happy, this was just a bad first experience for me. This is how bias, good or bad are formed.
Roy
Took it to the range, loaded a cartridge, cocked the hammer, aligned crosshairs, deep breath....CLICK! Well the earmuffs are really good, the round is really quite, or missfire! Looked at the back of the rim and it had a firing pin mark, a little light, but there was a mark; loaded the same cartridge back in the rifle, CLICK! Loaded new cart....CLICK!, Loaded third cart...BANG! Exactly 1.5" to the right of Bullseye, minor scope adjustment needed. Loaded 4th cartridge...CLICK! Same with the 5th. The one cartridge that did go bang swelled the case by the extractor cut, and blew the shoulder of the case.
I took it back to the shop and the owner said it looks like a headspace problem. I thought it might have something to do with the additional weight of the hammer spur extension, but what do I know. No questions asked, I'm getting my choice of full credit, cash back, repair, or replacement. I don't think X-Mart would have given me many choices. I'll decide today, but since it was the only 17HMR in stock, I'll either get cash back or just might pick out something else.
Hope is not lost for the 17, I'm counting on the Marlin to at least go bang when I pull the trigger. The Marlin is in the $200 - $300 range, the Ruger is in the mid $400's, the Anschutz is around $900, and I heard the CZ will be coming out at the end of the year. I probably won't get the NEF again if it comes in.
I'm sure mine is an isolated case, I'm sure other NEF owners are more than happy, this was just a bad first experience for me. This is how bias, good or bad are formed.
Roy
Comments
interesting posting, look forward to updates.
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I'm still wondering if the additional weight of the hammer spur extension has something to do with the light primer strikes? Also, in the manual it states to pull the trigger and hold it for the transfer bar to work correctly. I tried NOT to do (on an empty gun) what the manual said by pulling and quickly letting go of the trigger while easing up the hammer. What this does is not allow a firing pin strike. So, even if I did not pull the trigger and hold it like I always do, there would not even be a rim strike at all.