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Does anybody else shoot 17 HMR and 17 WSM calibers???

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doctorfronk

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Am extremely interested in finding out how many of you are shooting guns chambered in both .17 calibers.

Other than reports done by basically one group: Varminter.Com, there isn’t much out there reporting experience with these two absolutely superb rimfire calibers.

Other than a variety of 22 LR and Magnum rimfire guns, have amassed a modest collection of rifles in .17 HMR—Marlin 917V, Savage A17, and Garrow upper (waiting for its AR-15 lower)—plus my one and only (but am excited about Garrow coming out with both .17 WSM and .22 Magnum uppers in what am hoping will be near future) Franklin Armory F17-L VS4 rifle chambered in .17 Winchester Super Magnum.

So come on folks...relate your experiences with these rimfire calibers...
 
#2 ·
I have a Savage a17 and love it. Tight group shooting gun. If I had 1 complaint is that once you put a scope on it, getting the little back part of the action off to properly clean it is impossible. For what little I shoot it, I haven't bothered. I plan on pulling scope about every 500 rounds or so to take this off and clean the rear of the action.
I don't have many vermin around here that I have an opportunity to use it on. Most of the time I end up shooting longer range (200-300 yds) and I opt for my 22-250 or 243.
I just enjoy shooting this gun at targets and teaching kids to shoot.
 
#3 ·
I have a Marlin still in the box from a gun bash five years ago, we have few groundhogs now and not much to hunt with that size rifle to expensive to shoot paper.I have a few 22 target rifles less waste.
 
#5 ·
Have both a 17 HMR and a 17 WSM. Haven't shot anything with the WSM yet. The HMR will kill groundhogs but out to 100 yards I can kill them just as well with an accurate 22 and beyond that a 22 mag works just as well. I have read the reports of how well the 17 kills varmints but I have not seen the "death ray" effects that some are reporting. It works well on prairie dogs if there is no breeze. The little 17 bullets don't do well in the wind and it is almost always windy in a pd town. Once again I can kill just as many with an accurate 22 and beyond 125 yards I would rather use my 223. They will kill pd's out to 200 yards if you can hit them but I would limit groundhog shots to 150 or less and you better head shoot them beyond 100. I want them DRT and don't like to see anything run off to die in a hole.
 
#6 ·
I have several rifles chambered in 17HMR. A Ruger 77, Savage 93 and a Volquartzen Autoloader. All of them are tack drivers. Never saw a 17HMR that was not. Last time my son and I went squirrel hunting we were trying for the long shot of the day. He beat me with a 185 yd headshot. This was measured with a laser rangefinder and was 1 shot. Not walking in several shots. I am now wanting a 17 Super Mag. In fact I have ammo but no gun. Have not been happy with the gun selection so far. Might have to get the Ruger77. Would love a CZ in 17 Super Mag but the CZ rep at this years Shot Shot said there are no plans to ever build one.
 
#7 ·
I've had mine for about 5 years. Used it last fall to pick off a chipmunk at about 100 yards just to see if it was still zeroed. First shot blew dust just over his head. Dropped a dot for the second shot and it petty much disappeared. Haven't shot it since. Don't get me wrong, its fun to shoot but I've yet to put a full box of 50 rounds through it. I'll likely have a WSM sometime next year. Also want a decent .22mag. I just can't justify spending more money on rifles when all I really shoot is trap.
 
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#9 ·
All sounds great with these rifles. Accurate hard hitting for the WSM but I have one question. How does the wind affect the bullets? I live in a windy area and have been hesitant on purchasing one.
 
#13 ·
Savage 93 and a Taurus Tracker. Both capable of and have, on occasion when wind is nil and I'm on top, produced sub MOA hundred yard groups. I'm not impressed with them on coyote and stick to chucks, ground squirrels, crows and one feral quail eating feline.
 
#14 ·
I have an Anschutz 1717 Sporter with Bushnell 4.5-30 using Federal V Shock 17hmr . Been able to get 4 shots in a 1' group at a 100 yds It's my plinking gun when not shooting trap.
Great fun and deadly accurate when I do my part.
Been thinking of putting it on the market so I can concentrate more on trap and a bullseye league.
 
#18 ·
Reviving an old thread hopedully... I have the savage 17wsm B mag with heavy bull barrel with 3x9 scope from factory. Had it a few years now. Had to junk the plastic stock as it was, crooked, not free floating, and sent flingers all over. Got a replacement stock from Savage. Same BS. Purchased a Boyd's wood lament stock and glass bedded it. Back in 2019 the winchester ammo often split the case at the neck down to the shoulder in both 20 & 25gr. 2022 winchester ammo - no change. About every 3rd shot was a flyer. I switched to American Eagle 25gr poly tip ammo and no longer have split brass and shoot 1.5-2" groups @ 125yd. Prone with bi-pod havinh an occasional flyer. Significant bullet drop and drift beyond 125yd. But i have to shoot uphill too. Seems like both winchester and the AE by federal do not like Temps below 35F. Maybe the heavy barrel is just too cold - I don't know fir sure. In the cold my groups open up to about 5" @125yd. Prone with bi-pod. No matter what temp the thing will shoot through the same hole @50yd just like my marlin 22lr. The B-mag with heavy barrel and Boyd's stock is pretty heavy to be crashing through the woods with, the heavy barrel or fluted barrel is required for the velocity the wsm delivers. I would really like to find a die set for the wsm so i could verify powder charge and reload with prime all. When chronigraphed, velocity varies up to 1000fps and horrible mean average of 668fps through a box of 50 - disclaimer- only chrono one time and it was about 30F outside. Do your research on manufacturers and different barrels. There are now semi auto's in production with 22" barrels. If I was to do it over again, I'd get a stainless barrel because they are stiffer and more resistant to "barrel wobble" and I'd probably be looking at something other than savage, however the accu-trigger is really nice. My 22-250 is also a accu-trigger and I love em both. My 22-250 savage will shoot 1" groups at 200yd all day long with factory ammo and 1/2" with my reloads. Both rifles are the heavy carbon steel barrel.
 
#19 ·
I have both calibers.

Have shot several guns in 17 HMR - a stunning round out to 200 yards. An old friend and I did 'varmint control' with it (CZ 452) and the goal was head shots - easy to 100 yards, a real challenge beyond, but the round was surely good enough if we did our parts. My current gun is a Tikka T1x with Zeiss glass on it - and it is brilliant.

the 17 WSM - a total waste of time. We thought it would give added performance to the 17 HMR (range and effect) but that was not to be. It was explained to me that the shells for the 17 WSM were initially manufactured on the same presses that make the blank cartridges for Hilti 'pin' shooting guns and that the cases were not uniform enough to be accurate. I was told to 'wait' until the bugs were worked out... Seven years later and the round still shoots like crap.

Both are wind sensitive, but you just need to plan your shooting around those conditions. I never felt either round was NOT a usable round - you just needed to dope for the wind.

I have often thought that if I were allowed a single rifle that I would seriously consider the 17 HMR for that roll. It's terminal performance, if applied correctly is breath taking.
 
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#20 ·
I have a Savage 93R17 in 17HMR that I really like. Very accurate, good for Prairie Dogs out to 100 yards, or so, easy enough. Fun to do each day after limiting out Pheasant hunting in SD. That's about the extent of my rifle shooting.
Wayne
 
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