This weekend my parents, brother and his family, and my family along with a couple aunts / uncles / cousins all went down for a puesdo reunion / getaway of sorts at my dads property. I tossed in my new savage for squirrel control.

Man after my first real weekend of putting alot of rounds through it I must say, its a very impressive and fun caliber. I guess I got a lucky one as I havent noticed any dropoff in accuracy over time after a good cleaning. We had a great old time popping a couple jackrabbits... then returning to pop magpies that would come to scavenge (we detest them).

I'm very glad people here clued me into the .17's, quite useful and a ball to shoot.


-DallanC

Out of interest Dallan how much you paying for your rounds over there? In good old England we have to pay £11 per box of 50!! I took my shooting bench and set up 150yds from a majpr rabbir warren and shot 88 rabbits in a couple of hrs! by the end i was just doin head shots! Must add though i did take the cleaning rod along to keep accuracy tip top. Have found accuracy begins to tail off after around 20 odd rounds. Have shot tiny groups at 150yds. Have even shot a few foxes (all head shots) and they looked like they just dropped their head on their paws and went to sleep!! Know a few guys who have killed muntjak and chineese water deer with theirs within 30 yds, they said u could barely see the entrance wound and that the tiny round liquified the heart without reaching the opp side of rib cage!

About $8 US. Prices are slowly dropping but I dont expect them to get much lower except for a few rare sales.


-DallanC

The .17 HMR is a unique caliber and the only thing holding me back is the $9.50 a box price for 50 rounds at Wal-Mart. I can get a brick of .22 l.r. or a box and a half of .22 mags. for that price. All the best...
Gil

Don't let the $8.00 a box stop ya, 17HMR's are so accurate, most 17's shoot 5 shot's under 1inch at 100 yards, and 1/2inch groups are not uncommon. Marlin's 17V and the new 917v with a better trigger is a great gun. Most 22LR's and 22magnum's just cain't complete with 17HMR accuracy.

I'll try my hand at some disagreement here. And I am not speaking from experience....I don't have a 17. But..........if you are going to spend $8 for a box of 50 why not go to the 22 Hornet. Reload those guys for <$14/100 and you can tweak it to where you want it????
It ain't broken.

squirrelbait wrote:

I'll try my hand at some disagreement here. And I am not speaking from experience....I don't have a 17. But......

Go get one!

Quote::

....if you are going to spend $8 for a box of 50 why not go to the 22 Hornet. Reload those guys for <$14/100 and you can tweak it to where you want it???? It ain't broken.

Its a personal thing I guess. I dont have any interest or desire to reload 100 plus hornet's for some minor plinking. My time is worth more than that. Last box of .17HMRs I bought cost me $5.99 ... thats about the cost of a lunch anymore... and a fraction of a tank of gas.

Another major factor to me is how quiet the 17hmr is compared to a centerfire equivilent. I use mine most often around my parents cabin keeping squirrels and other varmints in check. Its not so distruptive to bother the other family members enjoying the outdoors...

It all comes down to preference... IMO I like mine and am very happy I bought it. There is something neat about that little cartridge. The cost of ammo is very cheap still compared to the preformance you get out of it. Others will stick with larger calibers and I wish them fun times.


-DallanC

I love the .17HRM! I have had 3 different rifles, the first was the Savage with the sporter barrel, it was extremely accurate(killed a couple of groundhogs @ 89yds. and one @ 96yds. Both were head shots and only one shot each). I thought that rifle was so accurate that A T/C Contender barrel would be so much better. So I sold the Savage,bought a T/C barrell and I was dissatisfied, sold it and bought a stainless bull barrel Savage and the rest as they say is history. I agree the .17HRM is much more accurate than a .22 mag. is, I have had many of them and I like the power, but they still are not as good as the .17 HRM. I still own 22mags. I read and enjoy your forums almost every day. Thanks for all the info.
Good Shooting,
Boone

Welcome to huntingnut boone sit and stay a while

Welcome Boone,

Yea I have the savage too... no complaints other than the trigger... I plan to give it a trigger job one day when I can sneak a $100 bill out of the wifes cookie jar


-DallanC

Thanks,
I will.
Boone

I have the Marlin 917vs and am loving it. Mine is extremely accurate. I guess as Dallan stated earlier that it comes down to personal preference. Either setting at the bench reloading or just paying the piper and start plinking. So I will pay the extra and enjoy the difference in the woods where I belong.

Ok, you guys have sparked some interest. How loud is the 17 compared to the 22lr or 22hornet?

I have never shot a .22 Hornet, but I would say the noise of the .17HRM is close to the .22LR. Maybe it will depend on the barrel length also. I really don't know for sure.
Boone

squirrelbait wrote:

Ok, you guys have sparked some interest. How loud is the 17 compared to the 22lr or 22hornet?

A little louder, maybe "sharper" would be the better word than a .22LR... and a little less than a .22Mag. I havent really compared them in a sound test but it wasnt noticably louder.


-DallanC