17HMR long range?

[coleman1495]

Has anyone played with the 17HMR at long range? I was shooting rimfire rifles with my buddy the other day. We each had custom 10/22’s and he had a 17HMR. We were shooting at gongs mounted at 150 and 220yds.

We had an easier time hitting the 220yd gongs with 22lr rifles. I found that surprising because a 17hmr has a higher BC and velocity. The 22lr rifles both produce better 50yd accuracy but not by a huge amount.
Anyone ever try 17hmr long range in comparison to a 22lr?

 

[IvoB]

Could be the scope on the 17 hmr
I could easily get 2 inch 5 shot groups at 200 yards (no wind)

 

[bush1]

Could be the scope on the 17 hmr
I could easily get 2 inch 5 shot groups at 200 yards (no wind)

The key is no wind… That light, fast 17 round is quite affected by wind. I got a critter sitting on the ice at 175 yards with my BDC scope set at 175 yds. It hit about 2’ to the right on a few shots and I chalked that up to windage.

 

[Bad Bob]

17 HMR is useless in the wind. That and the price of the ammo is why I dumped mine.

 

[coleman1495]

Is there a way that the 17hmr is effected more by the wind? It was a fairly windy day. Our 22lr shots were a little challenging but the 17hmr seemed to land all over the place. I can’t come up with an explanation as to why this would happen. The 17hmr should have the advantage in the wind seeing as its got a higher BC and MV.
Scopes I doubt were an issue. My buddies rifles were both using Nikon 4-12. The 22lr had a prostaff rimfire and the 17hmr had a buck master 4-12.

 

[BCrecce]

Wind. Ive been playing with 17hmr the last couple months and it will fly wherever the wind blows her. Its the cats meow with dead air and no long grass to deflect it.

 

[powerbaitron]

17 wsm shoots flatter. I blasted a rabbit at 224m no hold over.

 

[bush1]

Wind. Ive been playing with 17hmr the last couple months and it will fly wherever the wind blows her. Its the cats meow with dead air and no long grass to deflect it.

That's my experience as well. It's a very light projectile and although fast, it's not heavy enough to overcome the wind.

Absolutely devastating on critters when the wind is light though. I'm pretty happy with mine.

 

[IvoB]

Is there a way that the 17hmr is effected more by the wind? It was a fairly windy day. Our 22lr shots were a little challenging but the 17hmr seemed to land all over the place. I can’t come up with an explanation as to why this would happen. The 17hmr should have the advantage in the wind seeing as its got a higher BC and MV.
Scopes I doubt were an issue. My buddies rifles were both using Nikon 4-12. The 22lr had a prostaff rimfire and the 17hmr had a buck master 4-12.

how was the 17hmr cleaned did someone ram a rod down the muzzle end or perhaps damaged the crown???

 

[.22LRGUY]

I've always been lukewarm towards 17HMR but on the other hand, I've seen where it absolutely shines-western gopher country on a calm day. I've scored doubles with 17HMR, direct hit on the target and something flying through it knocking over it's buddy. Out to 100 yards, even in significant wind, misses are not that common. Well, they can be...but at that distance, you can sort it out and adjust/be consistent. lol I've also seen my nephew (behind my Marlin 917) make hits at distances I wouldn't have thought possible, but I swear he has a sixth sense when it comes to shooting sometimes.

For my abilities, and for how much it can blow around in the wind, 17HMR to me is about a 100-150 yard caliber and past that, I feel like I'm throwing that high cost ammo down a well.

 

[randyhub]

I use .17s for out to 200 yards, then past that .223 comes out, wind definitely can be an issue for .17s but overall it flies so very flat.

Really prefer the .17HMR far more humane, pests just do not go down the hole.

Bought a compact Savage .17, just love it, light and handy for a field/truck gun.

 

[Grizzlypeg]

Don't most or all ballistics tables confirm that 17hmr has less wind deflection than 22lr?

 

[coleman1495]

Don't most or all ballistics tables confirm that 17hmr has less wind deflection than 22lr?

Thats what I figured. I get that 17hmr is susceptible to wind but it should be better than a 22lr. The BC and MV is higher so it seems like a no brainer.
Thats not what we were seeing though. The 17hmr was all over the place and the 22lr was still reasonably consistent.

 

[coleman1495]

how was the 17hmr cleaned did someone ram a rod down the muzzle end or perhaps damaged the crown???

Not sure how/when it was cleaned. To be clear, it was shooting okay at 50, 100 and 150yd. It was 220yd where things went to crap.

 

[Grizzlypeg]

Mine are accurate at 100 yards with ammo they like, shooting MOA no problem at 100. Cheap round for great 100 yard accuracy.

 

[Bad Bob]

Thats what I figured. I get that 17hmr is susceptible to wind but it should be better than a 22lr. The BC and MV is higher so it seems like a no brainer.
Thats not what we were seeing though. The 17hmr was all over the place and the 22lr was still reasonably consistent.

That is exactly what I have found. If there was any wind I found that I could make more consistent hits and that the .22 was much more predictable and it was easier to judge than the 17HMR. The .22 just went where I thought it should and I could hold off accordingly, whereas the 17 was, as you said, " all over the place". Add in the price of the ammo and the 17 went down the road and was replaced by a .22 K-Hornet which is just maybe the ultimate gopher killing machine.

 

[Brian011]

As previously stated, 17HMR is a great round but leave your rifle at home on those windy days. I shot tight groups at 200m with little or no wind...22 Hornet is in my opinion a way better choice.

 

[257Wby]

17 gr 17 HMR vs 40 gr 22LR

 

[randyhub]

So is 40 yards the best zero for the .17 HMR?

 

[Canuck1977]

What's the barrel length on your buddies custom 10/22? Thinking it's super short....