Shot Show 2015: Savage A17 .17HMR Rifle / CCI A17 .17HMR Ammo

[ceriksson]

One of savages big new offerings for 2015 is their A17 .17HMR Rifle.

It is a semi-auto action with a delayed-blowback action specifically designed for magnum .17HMR cartridges.

Main features:

• Delayed blowback action
• Hard Chromed Bolt with dual controlled round feed
• 10 Round rotary magazine
• case hardened receiver
• button rifled barrel
• adjustable accu-trigger

The rifle handles quite well, decent weight.

I did get to try it out at the range using the ammo that they are also featuring with it (will be posted below). It worked quite well however I did experience a problem feeding a round where the bolt didn't quite catch the lip of the round to chamber and I had to do an IA drill to re-rack the round. It did damage that round by denting the side.

MSRP is $465

[Fremen]

Bolt system.

The A17 uses a delayed blow back system.

This is done with a locking lug built into the top of the bolt that drops once the pressure is safe.


Front


Side


Top

The bolt is removed by taking the back cover off using a 1/8th punch.
Once the cover is removed the recoil spring and bolt handle are removed and this allows the bolt to slide out the back of the rifle.

This also allows for easy access when cleaning.

The Rifle uses a 10 round rotary magazine.
I found the mags very easy to load. However as noted above it can be a bit hard to fully seat.

The bolt does lock back on the last round and also feature an automatic bolt release.

I was also told that a heavy BBL version should be in the works as well.

[ceriksson]

In conjunction with the rifle, they are also offering a complementary new .17HMR round.

As you would expect, the ammo is called A17.

It is marketed as a high performance .17HMR round that is 100FPS faster than other rounds. (2650Fps)

[nonrandomhero]

That ammo looks interesting, I wonder how it would perfor in my bolt action HMR. It would be nice to get ammo in bigger packs than 50. But not if its $80 /200 rounds.

[Redsoilreaper]

Very interesting!

[scariguy]

Looks really good, great price too.

I have always wanted a .17 semi auto. I wonder If my range would allow them on the 25m and/or indoors

[Trinimon]

Look nice.

[.22LRGUY]

The metal finish on that unit looks nice. Wonder what the production units will look like? I can't imagine Savage showing a rifle at SHOT finished the way my (relatively) new FV-SR is. As for the bolt not picking-up a round.. With the number of A17/SHOT Show YouTube vids online now...that gun's barrel likely hasn't had a minute to cool down!

[Aniest]

Did Ruger not try a semi-auto .17HMR that eventually failed? I would not be surprised if the Savage A17 rifle requires the faster A17 ammo to operate properly: just a speculation on my part, but I figure that bolt weight and spring are tuned to that ammo and it may not work with just any .17HMR on the market.

Time will tell.

If this product was a year or two on the market and known to work with all types of 17HMR I would have bought on instead of the CZ I ordered.

[.22LRGUY]

Did Ruger not try a semi-auto .17HMR that eventually failed? I would not be surprised if the Savage A17 rifle requires the faster A17 ammo to operate properly: just a speculation on my part, but I figure that bolt weight and spring are tuned to that ammo and it may not work with just any .17HMR on the market.

Time will tell.

If this product was a year or two on the market and known to work with all types of 17HMR I would have bought on instead of the CZ I ordered.

I don't think a CZ is ever a bad decision. I'm not sure if Ruger ever had a 17HMR semi (VQ stuff aside) but Remington offered their 597 in 17HMR for a short period before recalling them. If memory serves, the round could go off "out of battery" cracking the receiver, damaging the mag, or worse. I suspect that's why Savage are stressing that the bolt locks-up on this semi for a split second.