Changing my username to .17M2GUY
- Thread starter .22LRGUY
- Start date
Well, you can get a sense of the accuracy from my initial post (granted, under 100 yards) and for drop, I copied this from the Hornady site;
According to Hornady, with a 100 yard zero, it's approx. +.7" @ 50 yards, and -4.4" @ 150 yards. For what it's worth, it's the performance of 17M2 that had me so intrigued, not so much the rifle. The rifle DID over-deliver a little though~no complaints!
Very flat out to 100-110 yards, and closer to .22lr prices ammo-wise. If there is any way to figure-out a gopher hunt this spring/summer, Rifle Basix might get a phone call.
hometownhero
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toon Town, Sk
Well, you can get a sense of the accuracy from my initial post (granted, under 100 yards) and for drop, I copied this from the Hornady site;
According to Hornady, with a 100 yard zero, it's approx. +.7" @ 50 yards, and -4.4" @ 150 yards. For what it's worth, it's the performance of 17M2 that had me so intrigued, not so much the rifle. The rifle DID over-deliver a little though~no complaints!
Sounds pretty good thanks for that. It has me interested now for sure. Its a shame I have so many 22lr's lol
hometownhero
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toon Town, Sk
I have three HM2 rifles... it is my favorite rimfire loading... that does not mean, that if I was pressed to choose ONE that I would take HM2 over LR... LR is just too cheap and available... but when I want fun (not volume) and accuracy (squirrels), I choose the HM2.
hometownhero
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toon Town, Sk
Wow I have been searching all morning and cant find anyone with a markII in 17mach2. How sad is that lol
hometownhero
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toon Town, Sk
Well bought a savage mark II fv in 17hm2. THanks for spending my money 22lrguy LOL
hometownhero
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toon Town, Sk
You will most likely have to look out of province. I didnt find any in saskatoon. Wholesale had some but sent them back to calgary because they didnt sell fast enough
My pleasure hometownhero.
Truth be told, I'm pretty late to the party where 17M2 is concerned, but boy...am I impressed. Here in Ontario (if you're not a squirrel/rabbit hunter) they're pretty much target or small pest guns...but I hope to put it to use in both of those roles. Gophers beware....I'm practicing allot. 
brucecorporal
Regular
- Location
- the prairies
once you're started on the M2 you won't look back !!! I'm ready for the gopher zombie apocalypse and waiting for one of the gunnutz online dealers to stock savage M2 rifles....!
i have had a CZ 452 American since 2003, also HMR's in 452 both American & Varmit guess which ones are still in the Stable-- ( the M-2 are obsolete
p, the M-2's are probably the best kept secret in the Rime Fire world, just because of the Internet Know it all naysayers that haven't ever shot one)
My pleasure hometownhero.
What happened --- did Ontario run out of Woodchucks? Way back when, I shot a lot of them with the .22 LR and the 17 HM2 is a lot more effective than that round. While I still use the .22 LR for Gopher hunting here in Manitoba because of the inexpensive ammunition, my Marlin 17 HM2 goes along in the back seat of the Explorer. It has accounted for Coyotes, Badgers, some Raccoons (one at 135 yards that was a real monster - one round behind the shoulder and it rolled over feet up,) Crows, Pigeons, and quite a few Gophers who thought they were well out of range.
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Well, depending on who you talk to...yes, Ontario has run out of groundhogs. Truth is, they're still out there...but talk to any old-timer here and their numbers are a mere fraction of what they once were. Opinions vary as to why, I suspect it's a combination of factors. Anyhow, we've all heard the stories of .22lr dropping moose and I have NO doubt a well-placed shot with one on a groundhog would rapidly do the same thing...BUT, I think there are better tools for the job. I've been at it several years now, starting with a .17HMR
Did the job, but only head shots would reliably drop them in their tracks and even some of those seemed to need a second shot. I then bought a .22WMR and honestly, it took them with more authority.
Then, as the season wore on...it became difficult to get within rimfire range of any groundhog~they'd bolt the moment they see you~which I assure you, can be more than 150 yards away. Allot more. Might speak to the amount of hunting pressure..the time of the year they have their young...but centerfire is the answer for that kind of reach. Good shot placement with a .223 and a good scope really makes for a forgiving groundhog rig, and it really anchors them. That is, the ones that don't go airborne.
Yes...I felt like talking groundhogs and showing some photos, but I get your point buffdog. I'm not a "bigger is better" kind of guy with anything, let alone, rifles but I DO have countless hours under my belt chasing groundhogs around. It's the way I've spent every free moment for the last 4 summers. I'm still learning of course and YES, I will have the 17M2 out to try on them next spring. I don't have a pile of faith in it for shots outside of about 50 yards (on groundhog-sized game).... you see the size of the ones in the photos. They're tough animals, and get pretty big. One thing I can't stand is seeing an animal suffer so whatever minimizes that possibility, I'm keen on doing. I'm not looking to change anyone's opinion on the matter, dead is dead where varmints are concerned. I will, however, keep an open mind with this new (to me) round and take into consideration everything that's been said about it. Easily 1/2 the reason I got it is to get it out west somehow...and see what this gopher scene is all about. Average groundhog day is 4-6 groundhogs seen...2-3 shot. From what I hear, most gopher hunters wouldn't even bother going out unless the numbers were about 10x that!
Did the job, but only head shots would reliably drop them in their tracks and even some of those seemed to need a second shot. I then bought a .22WMR and honestly, it took them with more authority.
Then, as the season wore on...it became difficult to get within rimfire range of any groundhog~they'd bolt the moment they see you~which I assure you, can be more than 150 yards away. Allot more. Might speak to the amount of hunting pressure..the time of the year they have their young...but centerfire is the answer for that kind of reach. Good shot placement with a .223 and a good scope really makes for a forgiving groundhog rig, and it really anchors them. That is, the ones that don't go airborne.
Yes...I felt like talking groundhogs and showing some photos, but I get your point buffdog. I'm not a "bigger is better" kind of guy with anything, let alone, rifles but I DO have countless hours under my belt chasing groundhogs around. It's the way I've spent every free moment for the last 4 summers. I'm still learning of course and YES, I will have the 17M2 out to try on them next spring. I don't have a pile of faith in it for shots outside of about 50 yards (on groundhog-sized game).... you see the size of the ones in the photos. They're tough animals, and get pretty big. One thing I can't stand is seeing an animal suffer so whatever minimizes that possibility, I'm keen on doing. I'm not looking to change anyone's opinion on the matter, dead is dead where varmints are concerned.
I will, however, keep an open mind with this new (to me) round and take into consideration everything that's been said about it. Easily 1/2 the reason I got it is to get it out west somehow...and see what this gopher scene is all about. Average groundhog day is 4-6 groundhogs seen...2-3 shot. From what I hear, most gopher hunters wouldn't even bother going out unless the numbers were about 10x that! Even back in the 1960s, a half dozen shots at Groundhogs was considered a very successful day. When I started out at about 13 or 14 with an old Cooey single shot, I learned a lot about stalking them and getting in range. Back then, a kid could clip a rifle to the handlebars of a bicycle and away you went. I really thought I had a varmint rig when I saved up enough money to buy a used Brno .22 Hornet, complete with a Weaver J scope and reloading equipment. Later on, Remington brought out the 788 in .222 and 22-250, at the price of $89.95 and those two wonderful calibres really provided a lot of Woodchuck shooting. But those Groundhogs provided me with a lot of experience in shot placement, stalking, and a love for accurate rifles that has stayed with me for almost 60 years after my Father gave me that first .22 rimfire.
And you are right about the Gophers in the west. It is nothing to shoot half a brick during an afternoon in a reasonably good Prairie Poodle Pasture, and you generally don't have to leave the quarter section you are on to do that. I usually have the .17 HM2 and a .223 rifle along with me, while my partner has a .17 HMR and a .204 for the longer range shots. It means we carry six rifles with us, but these cover a lot of circumstances.
Due to the wet weather last year, the Gopher population in Southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan was way down in numbers. Saskatchewan has also authorized a more effective Gopher poison for certain areas. Three years ago, we shot in the Mankota area, and the Gophers were so numerous that the Farmers could not buy Crop Insurance for their fields. We had Farmers offering to buy our ammunition, and even come for a Supper meal each day if we would shoot on their property. I took 5000 rounds of .22 LR with me, and came home with one full brick and part of another, and expenditure of about 4300 rounds of ammunition for the rimfire alone in five days. There were a lot more hits than misses, and one of the local Farmers told me later that it really stank from the decaying Gophers for about 4 or 5 days after we left. And NOBODY in the West has ever refused me permission to shoot Gophers.
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And you are right about the Gophers in the west. It is nothing to shoot half a brick during an afternoon in a reasonably good Prairie Poodle Pasture, and you generally don't have to leave the quarter section you are on to do that. I usually have the .17 HM2 and a .223 rifle along with me, while my partner has a .17 HMR and a .204 for the longer range shots. It means we carry six rifles with us, but these cover a lot of circumstances.
Due to the wet weather last year, the Gopher population in Southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan was way down in numbers. Saskatchewan has also authorized a more effective Gopher poison for certain areas. Three years ago, we shot in the Mankota area, and the Gophers were so numerous that the Farmers could not buy Crop Insurance for their fields. We had Farmers offering to buy our ammunition, and even come for a Supper meal each day if we would shoot on their property. I took 5000 rounds of .22 LR with me, and came home with one full brick and part of another, and expenditure of about 4300 rounds of ammunition for the rimfire alone in five days. There were a lot more hits than misses, and one of the local Farmers told me later that it really stank from the decaying Gophers for about 4 or 5 days after we left. And NOBODY in the West has ever refused me permission to shoot Gophers.
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