17hmr what is it good for?

good for, not much. had one, gratefully sold it and now prefer the far superior terminal performance of 22 mag with tnt bullets. i will say the 17 hmr was accurate, just not a very humane killer on crows/magpies as it blew them apart, but left them alive...

22 mag w/tnt= instant kill
 
Useful on the farm to shoot rabid coons, possums, skunks, etc. If anyone knows how to kill a skunk without it releasing it's stink let me know, but for now I'll just keep a bit of range on them with the 17.

Also good for driving around the field on a four wheeler while looking for groundhogs (rifle unloaded until your going to shoot of course).

It would be real fun as a pigeon removal round as well, too bad the cats get all of them at our place.

And if I'm in need of more stopping power Ill grab the 22-250.
 
Ultimate predator?

I really thought when this round came out that it would have been the ultimate predator round. I expected big things but after reading a few articles and a few thousand forum posts on different sites it appears to have failed to pass the test. Too bad I would love to tote a light weight, quiet rimfire through a foot of snow any day over a heavier centerfire. The .204 seems to be what the .17hmr wanted to be. Yet it is still a centerfire. I guess unless you are a farmer or target shooter that likes to kill fruit, there really isn't a reason to buy a .17hmr.
Besides my ruger 10/22 kills grapes at 100yrds not quite as fast as the .17but just as good. cdn1

How the heck do you compare a 204 to a 17HMR?
The 17 was designed to be an accurate higher velocity rimfire, nothing more?
How many gophers do you take a poke at in Ontario? Heck you never even owned one of the rifles and you have an opinion on its performance?
I have 3 of them and enjoy shooting them. I can afford the ammo and love to shoot it. FS
 
I love mine too! I hung up my .22 and never looked back. There is no comparing a .22 to the speed and destruction of the HMR. Ammo cost isn't an issue for me, but I can understand why many would prefer the cost of a .22 for plinking.
Also, during the controlled hunts the HMR can be used in place of a .22 for small game hunting while most other rifles are not permitted during that time.
I also shoot a .204, I find it shares a lot of the same qualities as the HMR, only on a much, much larger scale.
For plinking a HMR is much safer, the do not ricochet the way .22's do, no more of that bang! Zing! My wife and son both shoot the .22, and I of course have a couple but the HMR beats the .22 in the fun factor, just not the cost factor.
.17 guys who also own .204's seem to share the same love for speed, I find most are hunters as well.
 
Gophers to 150, 200 on a calm day. I like my centerfires more, but there's times when I'd rather shell out a couple hundred bucks than spent a couple of days reloading .223s. Mass reloading is drudgery. Now, when we could get whitebox winchester for $16 for 40 that put a different take on it.
 
i am on the same boat tring to make up my mind what to buy .from all i have read i am leaning toward the 17 center fire rem .i love the speed will shoot mostly small game with a few yotes and jacks .i just love the new savage bolt with the thumb hole stock was looking at one in 17 or 22 mag .it is a tough call what to buy DUTCH
 
i am on the same boat tring to make up my mind what to buy .from all i have read i am leaning toward the 17 center fire rem .i love the speed will shoot mostly small game with a few yotes and jacks .i just love the new savage bolt with the thumb hole stock was looking at one in 17 or 22 mag .it is a tough call what to buy DUTCH

Dutch, a 17Rem is a way different cannon than the .17HMR discussed here, they are also finicky and hate any form of a breeze. I shoot one in a Remington 700, fast, but not as fast as the .204, unless of course you reload, than it is anyone's guess.
You sound like a .17 HMR would be more up your alley, it is a .22 Mag necked down to a .17.
Plus, where you live the rimfire HMR can be used whenever any rimfire can be used, except for night time raccoon hunting, for now.
The .204 is very similar in size to the .17 Rem with a better ability to buck the wind, side by side they are almost identical cosmetically.
 
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I bought a CZ in 17HMR. It's mostly a safe queen. It's very accurate but I really prefer the CZ in 22mag. It's just a better cartridge for my purposes and fits in far better than the 17.
 
I don't think there was a CZ in .17 when I bought my Marlin. I bought my wife the CZ American in a .22 when she passed and received her PAL, it is the nicest looking gun we have, not to mention the smooth action and accuracy.
I would love a CZ in a .17.
 
If you have a quarry where accuracy is a big issue, but you cannot get within 80 yards of the game - then .17 rocks. I hunt turkey, which is legal with rimfire. You can snipe them from 100 yards out. It still has a lot of punch at one hundred yards to a turkey's head/heart.

LH

You can hunt Turkey with a rimfire in BC? I would love to be able to do that here in ON. Some of those wily Toms just will not come in, and a .17 HMR would be some great medicine.:D
 
Just about the best stray cat medicine around, and even better on Ravens.:pirate::evil:

the first time i took my 17hmr out was to get rid of a few barn cats for a friend. i must say, it puts them down with authority.

some say its a good coyote round, but i think its a little under powered to put yotes down quick. sure it will work, but ive hit a few in the boiler room and every single one of them ran at least 50 yards. sure you can go for head shots only, but a lot of times you dont get the opportunity.

not exactly what you call a great yote gun. ive seen them do a dandy job on fox and groundhogs though.
 
PYD, Go to the CZ website and check out the CZ 452-2E American. You will find it lised in cal 17 HMR. If you'r interested in buying one contact me by pm.

bearhunter
 
How the heck do you compare a 204 to a 17HMR?
The 17 was designed to be an accurate higher velocity rimfire, nothing more?
How many gophers do you take a poke at in Ontario? Heck you never even owned one of the rifles and you have an opinion on its performance?
I have 3 of them and enjoy shooting them. I can afford the ammo and love to shoot it. FS

Fassteel I am not trying to compare the .17HMR to the .204 (there is no comparison) however when the.17HMR first came out the was alot of talk that
it would become the next big predator round. Which in my opinion is what the .204 has become (the newest effective predator round). This is just my opinion, and no I don't take alot of "pokes" at Ground hogs which is what we have in Ontario. As for the performance of the .17Hmr I just feel that the .22 rim/mag already have the same capabillities and cost less to shoot. If you have a .17hmr and enjoy killing oranges and can afford the ammo "fire away". Variety is the spice of life my friend. Now go shoot yourself a glass of orange juice.:D CDN1
 
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