following the other thread on the 17 HMR, I think the biggest obstacle to its popularity has been ammo prices.. many of us who bought some of the first ones out, that the price of a box would be in the neighborhood of the 22 Mag, which was about $6 to $7 a box back then...

I got to the tune that I don't shoot mine much due to the ammo being almost double what I originally was expecting...

however, instead of thinking of it as a high volume shooter like the 22 LR, and getting a 25 round clip for my Ruger, I am starting to see other uses besides a Sage rat rifle...

So you guys who really love this things, how many rounds do you go thru in a year???

If it was going to be the price I originally thought for ammo, I admit, I would have probably gone thru 5 to 7 thousand rounds a year with it..but that is sage rat shooting..

blowing thru 500 rounds in a day is no real big accomplishment...with a 22 LR I have gone thru 1500 rounds in an afternoon and the following morning... and not with a 10/22!
this was with a CZ bolt action with a 5 round clip... I got to the tune I was just single feeding it!

I only quit because I only had 3 boxes of Walmart 550 round bulk packs..also shot off about 250 to 300 rounds in the 223...


so that makes like 1800 rounds in just a weekend!

that would equate to 36 boxes of 17 HMR.. or $400.00 worth of ammo in one weekend!

sure would be fun shooting them tho!

According to my records, it varies between 1500 and 2000 p/a. At £20 per 100 over here, it's expensive to shoot and the 10/22 gets grabbed instead if it's for bunnies. Lovely, accurate round though, as you said, just wish it was cheaper to feed the little bugger. Bit like having an alchy with a penchant for 10 year old malt!

think mach II - $4/box

I'm similar in going through 1500 to 2000 rounds a year as is my varmint hunting buddy. Its just with the number of rounds we shoot, it becomes easier for us just to buy the ammo. Our .223 and larger cartridges take up most of our reloading time.

I was gifted one by a friend who needed quick cash. I kept it for two weeks and decided it had little to offer me and a total waste trying to shoot prairie dogs with. Even slightest hint of wind blows shots way off and even good hits were basically ho hum. I wouldn't want another and I can shoot my .204s for about the same price and get sure hits that have some zing to them.

Approximately 1,000 rounds a year - all at gophers.

I guess I am small time!! I only shoot about 2 boxes a year squirrel hunting. I am only home 2 days a week though 'cause I'm out delivering babies their milk LOL (trucking). .204 for less wind drift? HMMM. I had a cooper 21 in .204 for a minute but my big fat fingers didn't like the bullets when loading.

If I get over to Alberta, Canada to visit my in-laws all I do is shoot gophers to stay out of the house so hundresd upon hundreds of rounds.

If I don't get there only 1 or 2 boxes a year.

Took 2 17 HMR's and a .223 to Wyoming in Oct to shoot prarie dogs. 600 rds of 17 and little over 800 rds of 223. Should of taken more ammo

RM007: I'm with you! Even the winds of Wyoming can be doped if you watch them.

quote:

Originally posted by K20350:
I guess I am small time!! I only shoot about 2 boxes a year squirrel hunting. I am only home 2 days a week though 'cause I'm out delivering babies their milk LOL (trucking). .204 for less wind drift? HMMM. I had a cooper 21 in .204 for a minute but my big fat fingers didn't like the bullets when loading.

Yep. I can go shoot pds just about anytime I choose and get a ton of shootin whilst doin it too. A 17 HMR isn't even in the same zip code as a .204 Ruger when it comes to wind drift or visual effects.

You shoot two boxes...I shoot several thousand rds.

Doping the wind is fine and well but even a well hit pd with the HMR does not offer the same results as a .204. Like I said I had one for two weeks. Sold it.

And this is why we are blessed to have so many lovely calibers to choose from. I have both and use them for different applications.

No a 17HMR is not in the same zip code as a 204. But it has usefulleness!! Same as I've said before, "sometimes it's just fun to shoot and not worry about picking up brass!" Is it really a challenge to shoot a groundhog or prairie dog at 75-150 yards with a 204 or 223? NO!! Groundhog hunting starts at 400 yards for me! Up to that distance it's a "shooters mistake" if it's a miss!! And we play the wind too. "Hold a 1/2 groundhog left to right" or "2 groundhogs right to left". Comes with time and practice. But the 17HMR comes to play on the stupid ones that pop up in front of the truck or at insignificant distances from the set-up. I guess I could just use the 17 Fireball with the 25 grain VMAXS out to 400 or so an pick up the brass, feel no reciol and eat a 223 for lunch at that range! After that the 204 or 6mm or 260 can take over. Niether of which the 223 can claim realm over unless it's a fast twist 223 and then the heavy 6's or the 6.5's will win out spectacularly!! Back to the original question..............I shoot the 17HMR around 5-600 times a year and ammo cost never comes to mind! Charlie (GHD)

I have both the 17 HMR and the Mach II, and I shoot about 500 of each during various gopher expeditions last summer.
Then I shoot some Hornet and a bunch of 22 long rifle.
Next year will be the first trips with the 19 Calhoon and one of the new 222's recently aquired.
Ammo prices up here are $15.99 per box of hmr and $9.00 for Mach II

I have both HMR and the M2 shoot both aprox. 500 a year, but since ammo went crazy we shoot 22rf more than anything but most of my shooting has been around the barn to control sparrows and starlings. at 50yards the M2 can't be beat. by anything I have.

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