Please review and comment : .17HMR bolt and scope combo

Userzero

Userzero

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Hello all,

I plan on buying a .17HMR rifle to go gopher hunting with a few friends. Terrain is reasonably hilly, and from what they tell me, distance is usually around 125-150 meters. I will fire less than 500 rounds a year. Even if I wanted to shoot more, I couldn't for I really lack the time to get heavily involved in another hobby.

I read and read and read, and concluded that the Marlin 917 is about the same as the Savage 93R17, one or the other is better depending on who you talk to. All my friends have the Marlin, so I decided I would buy the Marlin too. I am prepared to polish the parts in the trigger assembly to get a lighter trigger.

I want to buy the 917VR that come with a heavy blued barrel, and a synthetic stock. I am not convinced that the stainless steel barrel and a prettier wooden stock are worth 50% more, so I don't intend to buy the 917VS.

I also intend to buy the Simmons Master Series AETEC 4-14 X 44mm scope, with Weaver steel rings, high.

Finally, I will buy the 13"-23" Shooters Ridge Bipod, the one that doesn't tilt laterally.

Marlin 917VR : 237.99 $
Simmons 4-14x44 : 248.99 $
Weaver steel rings : 33.99 $
S. Ridge Bipod : 61.99 $
----------------
Total : 582.96 $

This is about the upper limit of what I am allowed to spend on this toy. What do you guys think? Am I in the right direction?

Any comment appreciated,
Georges
 
Perfect! IMHO, the 4-14X scope will be more than sufficient.

After all, there will be some gophers closer than 125yds.....;)
 
cz452shooter said:
Sounds good to me :)

Have you thought about getting a higher magnification scope or are you preatty well decided on the simmons?
Click to expand...

Well, I am torn between magnification and optics quality. I read many times that it was better to have less magnification if it meant better optics. My target for a scope was about 200$. What made me decide on that particular scope is this comparison review :

http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_17HMR_scopes.htm

It says toward the end that "...perhaps the standout in a subjective price/performance calculation would be the Simmons AETEC. It is a moderately priced scope with big time optical performance."
 
Userzero said:
It says toward the end that "...perhaps the standout in a subjective price/performance calculation would be the Simmons AETEC. It is a moderately priced scope with big time optical performance."
Click to expand...

I think 14x is more than you need for a 17hmr. 10 is my preferred max for his cartridge, but that's just me. Truth is that cheap scopes are never anygood for their upper magnifications. I see you've quoted Chuck... UserZero: raise your blast shields! (for some (strage) reason lots of people around here don't like him)
 
He he he!!! I have a pretty thick skin. That guy certainly takes his website seriously. I am absolutely not an expert in firearms, but many of his arguments seemed valid to me. I am a newbie and I take wathever help I can get.

Anyway, I had pretty much decided to buy a 3-9x40 Elite 3200, and that review made me decide in favor of the 4-14x44 AETEC.

As for your comment about the bipod, I will switch to the one that cants.

Thanks
Georges
 
I'm a sucker for a Monte Carlo stock so I have a 917V. My 917V's barrel wasn't completely free floated either so it was a pretty simple process to sand it down a touch and hit it with some sealant.

Haven't used my bipod in the field yet so I'm not sure home important a canting one is.....but I sured didn't like the feel of buddy's swivel Harris.
 
Userzero said:
He he he!!! I have a pretty thick skin. That guy certainly takes his website seriously. I am absolutely not an expert in firearms, but many of his arguments seemed valid to me. I am a newbie and I take wathever help I can get.

As for your comment about the bipod, I will switch to the one that cants.

Thanks
Georges
Click to expand...

Glad I saved you from the non-canter!
I really like the Harris. I'm not one for shooting from a sitting position (rather have a wet belly than a wet ass I guess), so I go with the benchrest version. Its big enough for prone and most hills. I really like the new style they have with the slotted legs. Check them out. A little pricey, but the best i've seen. Basically you can set the leg legth by just pushing a clip instead of the old way of having to turn knobs. That sucks, especially if you're on the move or on uneven terrain.
Harris Modell BRMS I think.
IIRC:
br for benchrest height
m for leg style
s for cant
 
RancheroMan said:
.....but I sured didn't like the feel of buddy's swivel Harris.
Click to expand...

Out of curiousity, is the swivelling you didn't like or the Harris product itself? I suggested cantable because it makes it so much faster to level your rifle than trying to #### around setting the leg height which I find almost impossible to get 'just right' in any reasonable amount of time. Just curious. I gave my non canter away.
 
Hope the Marlin is a better built rifle then the Stevens 310:mad: ,got my order from S.I.R this morning and it was sent back in the afternoon on exchange for a CZ452 Varmint:) ,no more Mattel stocked Tonka built rifles for me ,god I thought Norinco,s were tin lizzy,s
 
Sounds like you did your homework. I'm not familier with the scope, but make sure it has adjustable objective. Nothings worse then a gopher popping out at 10yds and the sight is blurred!!!

Personally, I would have gone for the savage. There both good shooters though!!!
 
canuckgunny said:
Out of curiousity, is the swivelling you didn't like or the Harris product itself? I suggested cantable because it makes it so much faster to level your rifle than trying to #### around setting the leg height which I find almost impossible to get 'just right' in any reasonable amount of time. Just curious. I gave my non canter away.
Click to expand...

No, it's my budget that made the bipod the last item on the list. I have never even seen a bipod that wasn't a picture, and the reviews on that subject are scarce on the net.
 
I didn't like the swivel at all.....loved the Harris. I have to honest though, I didn't really know what the swivel was for, and got mine without swivel. A week after I got mine, it came to me that it is for leveling the rifle. I won't get a chance to use it in the field much till the gophers come out, but I hope it is something I can deal with, the non-swivel that is. If not, looks like I will be spending another $100 come summer.
 
I use the Savage 9317 with the regular barrel. I have a Burris 3X9X40mm mounted. I can shoot 5 shots in a 1" circle at 100yds I can also shoot all 5 into a 4"circle at 200yds. The 17gr V-max are the most accurate and can turn a gopher inside out.
 
I have the 917v and a 6-18x Busnell I had a 4-12 Bushnell it was OK but as the range extended it just did not have enough magnificatioin or thin enough crosshairs But I am guessing what you call gopher is a groundhog and not a Richardson's Ground Squirrel what we out west call a Gopher.

BenGopher.jpeg


If it is a groundhog then the scope choise is plenty.

From my experience a benchrest size bi-pod would be next to useless, most of the time you would be looking at grass out here. We use the bi-pods where you could be prone or sitting 13"-25". but if we are stretching the shots then the shooting tables come out.
 
aulrich said:
But I am guessing what you call gopher is a groundhog and not a Richardson's Ground Squirrel what we out west call a Gopher.
Click to expand...

Groundhog! Right! My mistake!

Here, we call them "marmottes" or "siffleux", they're about 10 pounds, I guess. I made a mistake in the translation. We don't have gophers. I should have remembered the title of that movie : Groundhog Day.

I changed my mind. I'll buy the bipod with the swivel and 13-23" legs.

Thank you all for the help
George
 
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