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17 hmr ?

bandcollectorbandcollector Member Posts: 218 ✭✭✭
edited June 2003 in Ask the Experts
I recently purchased a savage model 93 F chambered for 17 hmr. I have read many articles about people shooting ground squirrels and such up to 200 yrds. Well I got a chance to do some distance shooting today, and at 200 yrds my bullets drops 8 to 10 inches and the wind drift is very significant. I have mine sighted in 2" high at 100 yrds. My barrel is 20.75" long are these authors barrels longer than mine or is it just a bunch of hype? By the way this is just about the most fun round I have ever shot.
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Comments

  • jetjet Member Posts: 543 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't have one but there has been alot of discution on those, use the search buton on top and enter" 17hmr "good reading
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  • jetjet Member Posts: 543 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    rimfire central.com is another place you might want to check out
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  • chuckchuck Member Posts: 4,911
    edited November -1
    If you can afford the Ammo for the 17, why not step up to a 22 center fire and reload fer it? will be as Acc or better and will buck the wind a lot better. cheaper in the long run.
    My 2 cent's worth, Now come on 17 fans get me.
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  • roysharoysha Member Posts: 749 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Let's see if I understand this correctly. The questions are; is 200yd shooting a lot of hype and are there longer barrels on some models of rifles chambered for the 17HMR. And the answer is; step up to a 22 centerfire because it bucks the wind better and you can reload so it will be cheaper in the long run. I guess I missed something. Just for the heck of it, I wonder what would happen if the questions asked were addressed with appropriate answers.
    As far as I'm concerned the 17HMR is a 125-150 yard rifle under ideal conditions on animals prairie dog size and under simply because of the limitations stated by bandcollector. Certainly it will kill further and larger animals, but that is the exception not the rule and usually by someone quite experienced with the little cartridge. And yes, I believe there are some longer barrels on some makes and models but I doubt that it makes much difference ballistically. I have Shilen barreled CZ 452 that is 24" long and chronographs, with Hornady ammo, not quite what the factory says. Typical, and I'm sure that the extra inch or two really doesn't make that much difference. I have mine sighted in dead on at 100yds and if I think I have to hold off very much I'm out of my clean kill range for this round. I agree, it is a LOT of fun.

    BEER IS PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US AND WANTS US TO BE HAPPY!
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  • KdubKdub Member Posts: 713 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Ruger 77/22 that was chambered for .22 WMR. Replaced the barrel with a Green Mountain bbl chambered for the .17 HMR. With no cross winds the accuracy at 100 yds is consistently sub-MOA. A very fun gun to shoot, indeed! The chronographed velocity averages just over 2600 fps - 50 fps faster than claimed. My Thompson Center Contender carbine .17 HMR has a 21" bbl and gets basically the same velocity, however, it's accuracy is just over MOA.

    I would never consider this to be a 200 yd varmiter, no matter what claims have been made by others or what the manufacturers state. As stated above, this is a 100-150 yd max pest shooting rife and should be limited to animals no larger than a prairie dog at those distances. If the wind gets up past 5 mph, sack the rifle up and haul out the centerfire .22's.

    Keep off the Ridgeline
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  • RobinRobin Member Posts: 1,228 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    bandcollector,
    200 yards is a fer piece to shoot any sized varmit with a 17 grain projectile. My experience is that 150 yards with ideal conditions is pretty much maximum for the .17 hmr if you expect good results. I bought a Marlin .17 VS that I think is great fun. We regularly kill golf balls with 100 to 150 yard shots. I have taken several squirrels and armadillos with 100 yard shots, all one shot clean kills. At 100 yards the .17 hmr (17 grain bullet)is rated at 136 ft. lbs. of energy and a .22 LR (33 grain bullet)is rated at 85 ft. lbs. of energy. I sited mine in for 0 drop at 100 yds and find that it shoots just a hair high at 50 to 60 yds, but not much. My marlin drops about 2 1/2 inches at 150 yards which agrees with the ballistics published by the Remington web site.

    I would imagine the little .17 hmr would lose steam pretty quick after 150 yards. I'm going to try a 200 yd. shot to see how far it drops just for fun. I wouldn't attempt to shoot a critter at that distance though. I agree, it is a lot of fun

    Worry is the interest humans pay on the debt of miscalculation.
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  • bandcollectorbandcollector Member Posts: 218 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks guys I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't the only one that decided to keep the 17 under 150 yrds. And I do have a 22-250 which definently has its place, but the 17 hmr has its place to and I'm just trying to figure out where that is.
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  • groundhog devastationgroundhog devastation Member Posts: 4,495
    edited November -1
    The 17HMR is a legitimate varmint round on varmints up to groundhog size at 200 yards!!! Been There! Done That!! I have chronographed all three factory ammos in 2 different rifles(Marlin 17VS and Savage 9317SHB) All ammos turned in faster than published velocities. The Remington and Hornady are extremely close in accuracy and velocity and the CCI needs to stay on the gun store shelf! Slowest of the 3 and at least double the average group size in both rifles! All this data was in another post a few weeks back. Using a decent quality scope with click adjusments it can be absolutely astonishing out to 200 yards! The VS will do under 1 inch consistently at that range! How many of you guys centerfires will do that? I will say that it is definitely losing a lot of "umph" past 150 yards but with the accuraccy of the cartridge, head and neck shots are the norm for those distances! I don't ever intend to hit below the neck with any caliber!!! I have seen some absolutely sickening varmint shots using 30 caliber guns (30-06,308,300Savage to name a few) where the varmints were opened up spilling guts, and still crawled in a hole to die! I don't care what you shoot, SHOOT IT WELL!!!!! The 17 is here to stay and if all the naysayers leave the Remington and Hornady ammo alone, it will be more for the real marksmen to use!! GHD
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  • groundhog devastationgroundhog devastation Member Posts: 4,495
    edited November -1
    One thing I forgot to mention in the previous diatribe! Bullberry who makes the custom barrels for the T/C's and builds fine rifles also, took a 22" barrel of theirs and tested it. They then proceeded to cut one inch off and then retest for accuracy and velocity trying to determine the optimum barrel length for the 17 HMR. They used the same barrel from 22" down to 10". They determined the optimum length was 19" and even down to 10" were still getting >2200fps! Talk about a truck gun!! Savage Striker in 17HMR with a holosight!!! GHD
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  • paboogerpabooger Member Posts: 13,953
    edited November -1
    The Reverand has spoken!!!!

    pa.gif

    To Ride, shoot straight,and speak the truth
    This was the Ancient law of Youth
    Old times are past, old times are done:
    But the Law runs true, O little son!
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