What is 17 HMR for?
- Thread starter Potashminer
- Start date
At Mission 100 Metre rimfire, the 17 HMR is broken off into a class of its own.
They did not appear to be a threat to 22 long rifle until the correct rifle/ammunition combination was found.
Shooting a jacketed bullet versus lead is the difference.
Testing of ammo will show results but probably Hornady or CCI lead the choices.
There are three to five shooters generally.
Cost of match grade 22 was comparable to 17 HMR but currently the 17 is more expensive.
Some of the shooters have tried it at 200 Metres but the problem is to find the holes on the target.
They did not appear to be a threat to 22 long rifle until the correct rifle/ammunition combination was found.
Shooting a jacketed bullet versus lead is the difference.
Testing of ammo will show results but probably Hornady or CCI lead the choices.
There are three to five shooters generally.
Cost of match grade 22 was comparable to 17 HMR but currently the 17 is more expensive.
Some of the shooters have tried it at 200 Metres but the problem is to find the holes on the target.
The 17hmr is best for small varmints where a fast expanding bullet is useful or needed. The bullets lightweight and higher velocity make it flat flagging so holdover issues are lessened. It's great at learning wind calls while pushing distances to targets
It's to violent for body shots on most small edible game and lacks the penetration needed for medium game
Most rifles are fairly accurate more so than the 22 mag but the 17hmr can't match the weights of the 22mag
The 17mach2 to me is a more useful cartridge as even chest shot squirrels and bunnies leave the back straps intact and edible while delivering an immediate death
It's to violent for body shots on most small edible game and lacks the penetration needed for medium game
Most rifles are fairly accurate more so than the 22 mag but the 17hmr can't match the weights of the 22mag
The 17mach2 to me is a more useful cartridge as even chest shot squirrels and bunnies leave the back straps intact and edible while delivering an immediate death
Perfect calibre for rabbits. Just don't be surprised when you see the opposite half of the head from the bullet entry completely gone.
I use 17 grain varmint rounds. Also takes the head clean off a grouse. As has been posted, don't hit the body otherwise it's coyote feed.
I use 17 grain varmint rounds. Also takes the head clean off a grouse. As has been posted, don't hit the body otherwise it's coyote feed.
Gophers for me out to 200 yards, used to use my .223 past 100 yards, now it is just my Savage .17 HMR for the most part. Using a .22 was okay .17s are pure rodent gutters, I have a few pics but they are nasty!
This is my zeroing based on a gopher size.
My new fav field gun.
Just don't get caught shooting off of a motor vehicle in Alberta.
I've tried awfully hard to love 17HMR, and I've bought/sold a number of them over the years. The only one I own now is a Marlin 917 with an upgraded trigger, and it's now living out west as a dedicated gopher gun. Speaking of that, we ran over 1,600 rounds through that gun earlier this week. I'd say "the fur was flying" but if you've shot that caliber at Richardson Ground Squirrels, allot more than fur flies. lol Overkill in a way, but since it has more reach than 22LR (meaning, allot easier to shoot longer range effectively) it really isn't. More reach=more dead gophers without having to move.
I still prefer 22LR for gophers as it's a greater challenge and I like the CZ more than the Marlin. My CCI Blazer HPs do a real number on them, and the audible "pop" of the impact can be heard from quite a distance away. I will say, when the wind picks up it seems to have a bigger impact on 22LR than 17HMR. I was holding almost 12" into the wind and curve-balling them in. (once I had it sorted-out) I sort of discovered that you can get a sense of the wind speed by how flat/low the cloud of dust blows away on the misses. Is that "reading the wind" or reading the dust? lol
HMR seems to be either the ballistic tip variety, or hollow points. I don't believe there is a soft point variety, but please correct me if I'm wrong. I first bought a 17HMR for groundhogs, and after load testing determined the BTs were more accurate in that Savage. First groundhog I shot bang/flop, but it was under 40 yards. Every groundhog after that was @ 100 or more, and body shots did not anchor them. Tried 22WMR before moving to centerfire, and without question, 22WMR was a better groundhog caliber. Simply put, a groundhog body hit and you'll have to look for an entry wound half the time. Not the case with 22WMR.
Could 17 be used in place of 22WMR? Certainly has an accuracy edge and if the rifle likes the HPs, I don't see why not. For me, real world results out to 125 yards=the 22WMR just got it done better, even a quick centre-mass shot you have to get-off quickly, the results were confidence-inspiring.
I'd say "the fur was flying" but if you've shot that caliber at Richardson Ground Squirrels, allot more than fur flies. lol Overkill in a way, but since it has more reach than 22LR (meaning, allot easier to shoot longer range effectively) it really isn't. More reach=more dead gophers without having to move.I still prefer 22LR for gophers as it's a greater challenge and I like the CZ more than the Marlin. My CCI Blazer HPs do a real number on them, and the audible "pop" of the impact can be heard from quite a distance away. I will say, when the wind picks up it seems to have a bigger impact on 22LR than 17HMR. I was holding almost 12" into the wind and curve-balling them in. (once I had it sorted-out) I sort of discovered that you can get a sense of the wind speed by how flat/low the cloud of dust blows away on the misses. Is that "reading the wind" or reading the dust? lol
HMR seems to be either the ballistic tip variety, or hollow points. I don't believe there is a soft point variety, but please correct me if I'm wrong. I first bought a 17HMR for groundhogs, and after load testing determined the BTs were more accurate in that Savage. First groundhog I shot bang/flop, but it was under 40 yards. Every groundhog after that was @ 100 or more, and body shots did not anchor them. Tried 22WMR before moving to centerfire, and without question, 22WMR was a better groundhog caliber. Simply put, a groundhog body hit and you'll have to look for an entry wound half the time. Not the case with 22WMR.
Could 17 be used in place of 22WMR? Certainly has an accuracy edge and if the rifle likes the HPs, I don't see why not. For me, real world results out to 125 yards=the 22WMR just got it done better, even a quick centre-mass shot you have to get-off quickly, the results were confidence-inspiring.
At 100m and further, I would give the advantage to the 17hmr with a load that it likes, but at 50m, a high quality 22lr with a match load that it likes will shoot with a 17hmr.
I use mine mostly for pest control around the property, got tired of squirrels getting into the sheds and making a mess or destroying stuff. I also use slightly edges out shotguns during chicken season. I typically reach for a shotgun in the early season when the leaves are still up. Once the leaves drop and the birds get more skittish, the 17 comes out for making some further shots.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
"The Math" is sorta wonky these days - kind about what is already on hand? And what is that priced at? I do know that I am getting 500 rounds 17 HMR from Cabela's in Saskatoon - picking it up next weekend - was $288.49, so, $0.577 (each) plus 4 1/2 hour drive and back to pick them up, per shot. Hornady brand, 17 grain hollow point TNT bullets. Canadian Tire in Yorkton - an hour drive each way - had one box of 50 one brand and two boxes of 50 of a second brand. The last 1,000 x 55 grain V-Max for .223 Rem that I got on CGN was 0.29 cents each mailed to me. I understand people might be paying $0.08 or $0.09 per primer? Then, 26 grains powder - if paying $70 per pound, that would be $0.26 for powder - so, at those prices, would cost $0.64 per round in consumables to load my 223 Rem - until I run out of this powder and these primers and have to buy more. So, for now, is close to a wash between what I paid for 17 HMR last week, versus what components have cost me in the past, that I have on hand, for 223 Rem.
BUT - the 223 Rem rifle is with my son and grandson, and the 17 HMR is here - so I need 17 HMR ammo for it!! Reloading for the 223 Rem does not help me here!!!
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My buddy carries his HMR for all small game and also for coyotes. He owns better calibers for coyotes but the noise level allows him to shoot with his hearing aids in and still hear the other guys over the radios. Shooting his centrefires don't allow him the same luxury.
Love my 17 for gophers. Not cheap to shoot, but it gives vastly better results than 22lr out to ~200y. With a small fraction of the muzzle report of a 223, which has been a big deal for a couple of the ranchers whose land we hunt on.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
sodburner - I was in to Yorkton, Sask. Canadian Tire yesterday - pleasantly surprised to see a selection of 17 HMR ammo on the shelves for sale - perhaps 4 or 5 brands - 17 grain and 20 grain. Healthy prices, though - I picked up some Super-X 20 grain - $0.74 each, after taxes. So, apparently is easy enough to find, even these days, but pretty healthy price per shot for a rimfire ...
