Does any one own or have shot one of these new 17 rimfires that ruger, CZ, Reminton, Marlin and other are producing I am looking for information,
Thanks.
Old Timer

I got the marlin and love the gun. It is fun to shoot but would not use it on any thing larger than a groundhog or coon.

My wife purchased a Marlin SS laminate for Fathers Day, last year and we took it to Idaho and it was one of the guns we used and were more than happy with it. So much so I purchased an identical gun for her for Christmas and they will both shoot 1/4" groups @ 50yards and 5/8" to 3/4" at 100 yards. The cartridge performes far beyond its size. Our longest shot, in Idaho, was 186 yards (measured) and it would lift a 6-8 lb. rockchuck off a rock our to 50 yards. We killed about 55 rockchucks and all were 1 shot kills. I highly recommend the Marlin SS laminate rifle. (I will also admit I'm not a Marlin guy but these two will shoot the eyes out of stuff.)

Good Hunting, "Z"

Unfortunatly this cartridge will be dead in a couple of years.

Smallfry,

Interesting opinion. I hate to admit it but I tend to view the .17 a bit negatively myself. We are paid pretty poorly out here and we Montanans tend to look at things from a money standpoint more than others may. Out here the cheapest box of 50 of the .17's I have found have been near $11.00. TOO expensive IMHO.

BUT I am holding back on a concrete opinion until I try one. I may buy a CZ or even one of the Marlin bolt guns just to try it. At twenty cents a pop , IF it performs as Zedman states it could be worth it.

FN in MT

Gentelmen,

May I shed some light on this subject. [1] This offering will not go away in 2 years. CCI is working on new ammo for it and so is Remington.
[2] as more manufactures build ammo the cost will go down. [3]It is intended for moderate shooting, its not a 300 yard gun. It will kill coyote, fox and badger with well placed shots and keeping those shots in an effective range[ for me thats 60 yards and under]also knowing your ability helps. [4]Rockchucks, prairie dogs, ground squirels are all in some real trouble at ranges under 200 yards.

This is all fact guys,not just my opinyon. I shoot the Marlin 17V and just love it. Its always in my truck along with a brick of ammo. By the way its cheaper that way. Hope this helps you and at least try it before you talk it down.

Smote the Yote
Slydog

Sort of curious about what advantages this cartidge would have over the long gone 5mm Remington Rimfire Magnum?

Frank... I agree on your post about money, and let me shed light on some of the reasons I think this cartridge will not last much longer...

Primarly the 17 HRM has a very low ultimate yield, coupled with the fact it is a 17 caliber. 17s have alwasy thrived off of speed, but even with 25-30 grain bullets, 17s suffer from BC and area. If you have noticed no one manufacture is comming out with a common soft point, or a common HP, these not only would lower the BC but would require more velocity to be effective terminaly on animals. Matt has a 17 HRM, and both him and I are not impressed with its terminal performance. upto 100 yards it does not do more dammage than a winchester power point 40gr HP in the 22 lr. Thats not to say this cartridge wont kill however.

The rifles comming out today in this cartridge are accurate, and a person who wants this cartridge should buy one now because the rifles tomarrow will be less accurate... it is just the nature of promotion and production from large companies.

[ 02-24-2003, 00:55: Message edited by: smallfry ]

Well said Danno,

I feel that the people who are doggin the 17 HMR are the same ones who try to stretch its limmits and fail. Then its the guns fault and its no good. When in reality its not the gun that failed but the shooter.
If put in perspective, just because someone needs a cannon to make up for pour shooting does'nt mean that a caliber or one of the offerings in that caliber is bad or not going to last. One thing about shooters and hunters, we all think diffrent and have diffrent ideas. Thats ok, when we cross the line is when we think our ideas are the only ones that matter.
Bottom line. You will see in the end that the 17HMR will settel into its own respective place and will serve its shooters well within its perimiters. shoot it for what it is not what you want it to be.

smote the yote
slydog

I've got the Ruger 77/17 with a weaver grand slam 6-20 x 40 scope. It is superbly accurate. It is a safe round in that the bullet is so frangible that it disintegrates in stead of richochet. It doesn't make much noise. It has virtually no recoil, so you can watch the bullet hit through the scope. It is the "right tool for the job" for western ground squirrels. It really hits 'em like a lightning bolt out to about a 130 yards. You can kill these squirrels out past two hundred yards with this rig but the instantaneous kill ratio starts dropping fast after 150 yds.

Smallfry, I believe you are mistaken about this round. Last year there were three rifles available for this round and they were almost impossible to find. Now there are probably 20 different rifles and at least one handgun being introduced. This is the biggest "Buzz" in the firearms industry in many many years. The .17 HMR is here to stay because it is a fantastic cartridge that fills a niche perfectly.

Elmo

hey the prico of ammo is going down a little http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/department.asp?dept=Ammunition&dept2=RIMFIRE&dept3=17+HMR

hey i got one of the NEF's an think its great , killed groundhogs an crows both with it , just all out fun in my book

Long Live The 17 HMR! I don't even have one yet but I am certain there will be a place for a for this cartridge way into the future! Accurate bullets are not cheap! I can not justify the rumored $11.00 a box of 50 prices I hear about but I have seen these cartridges everywhere for $8.95 and I have heard of friends that get them for $7.95 through various means! So lets round that off to 18 cents a shot ($9.00 a box)! Hmmm... if I can kill Ground Squirrels to 175 yards with this cartridge and have a ricochet proof projectile and a quiet report which won't disturb the other rodents much or the rancher and his neighbors then I am sure this "new idea" is gonna work out! There could be problems that crop up (like fouled bores or future runs of poorly made Rifles) but for now exactly EVERYONE that I talk to that has used this cartridge raves about the accuracy - especially when compared to the 22 Magnum! I pay $6.00 per box of 50 for my 22 Magnum ammo (thats 12 cents per shot!) so the extra money will hurt for a while but once Remington starts pumping this ammo out I am sure the price will come down! I saw an Anshutz bolt action pistol in 17 HMR with a Varmint weight barrel on it in Bozeman, Montana last Saturday. The salesman relayed he had sold 2 of them already!
The 17 HMR calibered firearms are selling like hotcakes here in Montana! Lets give this cartridge a chance before claiming it is D.O.A.!
Everybody have fun out here!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

You hit the nail on the head VarmintGuy,By the way you will love the cartridge. I now have two 17V's by Marlin and they both will shoot 1/2" groups at 100 yards if I can hold it there..LOL

I think its here to stay..................

Slydog

Think yourselves lucky.

My friend has just ordered a MArlin .17 HMR.

He's like a cat on a hot tin roof.

He has been quoted �23 per 100 ($36) for ammo with an added �16 ($25) postage on top.

So buying only a hundred equals $51 which is a whopping 51 cents per round.

Doesn't sound as good as 18 cents per round.

Anyway it's all for fun really!!!!!

gairlochbaldman. YES! Got the handle right!!!
I live in Denmark and get ammo at @$16, so maybe i send You a "gingerbread" or two that'll cost you something like $20 a piece. Is that to steep?
Or maybe you by a brick or more and i deliver door to door! MAN @$.5 a pop is OVER the limit!!!!!!
I pay something like @$16 a brick(50) and think it's steep. Availibility is another thing. Sigh.

[ 02-27-2003, 04:58: Message edited by: The Dane ]

THE TERMINAL PERFORMANCE IS FOR REAL SHOOT A PROBLEM WILD DOG IN THE AT ABOUT 80YDS AND WATCH HIS HEAD SPLIT LIKE A PUMPKIN THIS WAS ABOUT A 60-65LB DOG NO SHIT AND IT WILL ABSOLUTELY GUT A GREY SQUIRREL

I have the Ruger 77/17 & its a tack driver. Will explode a squirrel or crow up to 100 yds. Most fun gun I've ever owned.

I recently picked up a CZ 452 in 17 HMR. I was impressed with the accuracy right out of the box. I put a Leupold 3X9 on it for optics. Will be off to E. Oregon to try on ground squirrels in 2-3 weeks. I would think the price of ammo will come down significantly once more manufacturers are tooled up.

Thanks fellows for the reply. I am going to buy one .thanks again.
Old Timer

Old Timer and everyone else, You won't be sorry for getting a 17HMR! I got the first 17VS that got to the local gunshop (ordered 24 at 2002 Shot Show and so far have had a total of 8!!) last June. Having shot and built and been around a lot of super accurate rifles to say I was impressed by the accuracy is an understatement! Without any tinkering mine will stay in the 4/10s at 100 yards but what is more amazing is that it consistently is in the 7/10-1.0 inches at 200 yards! Shot somewhere around 75 groundhogs with it last year with 3 confirmed measured and witnessed kills at 202,202 and 206 yards! The little pill is definitely losing a lot of steam at that distance but the accuracy allows for head and neck shots. Up to about 150-160 yards thru a Nikon 4.5-14 it looks like the varmints kind of swell up and then deflate!! The popularity won't wane like the 5mm because too many big names are involved with it, CCI-cases, Hodgdon-lil gun powder, Hornady-bullets, Most of the current mainstream gun makers and the high end people(ANshutz etc) also! Bullets can be ordered from the supply houses for 7.69-8.00 for 50 in 10 box bricks. Not much difference than premium 22 Magnum ammo. But one thing that also made mine worth a lot to me was that it was the gun that turned my 13 year old daughter into a groundhog shooter also! No recoil and fun for her to shoot! She killed 9/11 that she shot at last year with her longest 155 yards! It also made her want to shoot more and she also shot her first deer this fall with her own 260 Remington at 271 yards(measured with Leica RF). She used the techniques she had learned from groundhog hunting, slow and steady sqeezing of the trigger and dropped him in his tracks!! He was 17"wide and 8 points. Now she eagerly awaits the spring warmup to hit the groundhog trail again!! GHD

i have one in a 12" Contender barrell that routinely puts in 1/4-1/2" groups at the range (my range only lets you shoot to 50 yards with a pistol).

Does anyone have a 17 in a savage? if so what do you think of it ?
Old Timer

[ 03-04-2003, 11:50: Message edited by: Old Timer ]

I have a CZ 452 varmint in 17 HMR it is a peach. Tight groups at 100. Will do a good job at 200.

hey old timer, i dont own a savage in 17 hmr but i have had the oportunity to shoot one. It was a model whatever with a wood stock and heavy barrel, (cant think of the specific model) but anyway a friend of mine owns it and the first and only group i ever fired with it was 3-shots into .4 inch at 100 yards, yes that was 100 yards off of sandbags with a burris fixed 6 power scope. All of this achieved with a six power scope now thats impressive, to me anyway.

Looks to be a great gun and has a reputation for accuracy as my friend gets good groups when shooting it also. Very competitive gun and i would say accuracy is close to on par with the blue Marlin .17hmr.

Good luck !!

SAVAGE RIFLES RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a .17 HMR Savage (blued, plastic stock) that shoots wonderfully. It's rough finished but whaddya want for $160?

It'll readily keep all its shots at MOA or better with the one locally available load but the trigger is so crunchy (see above) that I'll sometimes mash a shot because of it. Haven't bothered to fiddle with it and I may never get around to it, to be honest.

For a hardware store/truck gun, it's darn hard to beat.

Redial

I got my .17 HMR last March/April when the first run of rifles was made for Hornady. Quite frankly, I love it!!!! And, if you're paying $11 for ammo, you need to shop around. The most I have paid to date is $8.99.

TO the naysayers, I think we need to consider a few things. First off, no one rifle caliber is liked by everyone! If that was the case, we wouldn't keep on having these ridiculous debates about the .270 vs. the .30-06. So, just because you don't like it, it doesn't mean the rest of the public won't. And, since when did we ever buy rifles based on NEED? I prefer to buy what I like to shoot. After owning this rifle for almost a year, I like shooting it!

When was the last time you seen rifles in such great demand? Personally, I can't think of one.... What does that say about the cartridge? And, more importantly, what does that say about the excitement that is brought to the shooting sports?

Hornady has been making the bullets for this cartridge, however, CCI has been loading the ammo. Now, Remington, CCI, and Federal are releasing their ammo. Soon, others will begin offering it also. Guns are made by almost every major rimfire gun company. Including rifles that come in every action type. Whether its an auto, lever, bolt, single shot, or whatever, its out there. In less than one year, the .17 HMR has transversed the industry several times over when compared to the WSM line-ups. What does that say about the cartridge?

Yes, I agree that it is a marginal coyote gun. It has an effective range of only 200 yards. But, that works for what most people will use it for. By this time next year, the ammo will be available with bullets in 20 grain and possibly 25 grain configurations. This will again improve its sales ability.

I remember about 5 years ago when I was told that Cowboy Action Shooting was just a fad that wouldn't make it to the year 2000. Needless to say, I've never seen anyone so wrong. People forget that others buy based on what they like. Given the fact that they can't make ammo fast enough, and .17 HMR guns are selling faster than they can stock 'em, I think they'll be here as long as we want them.

And, that's a long time for me...

Well said. I have almost 15 rifles chambered in everything from 17HMR to 50BMG, guess which one gets the most use and it the most fun to shoot. The 17!

I saw one box Hornady .17 ammo in local gun dealer. Price was $22. No, I don�t rush and buy rifle for this caliber...
Greetings from Finland!

Spent the weekend traipsing around muddy fields playing spot & stalk with the gophers and my Savage. First chance I've had to blood the rifle and boy-howdy that 17 does a number on ground squirrels! Never seen a rimfire cartwheel 'em airborne, trailing guts. Heard only one riccochet in 50 or so rounds, which was comforting. The flat trajectory makes it no trouble hitting them out to 150 yards or so, which is as far as I can hold on them from rice-paddy squat anyway. Most shots were just inside 100 yards.

Yeah, it's spendy ammo for high-volume shooting but for walking and stalking, taking maybe 50 shots a day it's hard to beat.

Redial

As of 3-20-03 ammunition is not available from any major stores or internet sites. Who said not popular???

Just read my latest edition of Gun Test Magazine. They rated the Ruger 77/17 as a recommended buy - however, with the rings supplied most scope eye pieces will not clear the bolt - they mentioned that Ruger is well aware of this but to date all you can do is buy high rings from Ruger or another supplier. They rated the trigger as very good - especially nice to hear considering the Model 77 and 10/22 triggers. The Anshutz was rated #1 - low magazine capacity (4 rounds) was their biggest complaint - I'd say so. Marlin had high trigger pull and both the Marlin and Savage had magazines that protrude well below the stock line. Now my latest Midsouth flyer showed both Hornady and CCI ammo for sale at $6.60 - $6.80 or so a box - but the web sight says out of stock. I would really like the Ruger 77/17 but the IRS has its hand out right now - damn government anyway. All the rifles shot darn good.

I have a Ruger 77/17 and have no problem with scope/bolt clearance. The rifle's accuracy is astounding, but it has the crappiest trigger of any rifle I've ever owned. Although I don't recommend using it for such long shots under most circumstances, I did kill a coyote at 286 yards with the bullet completely penetrating the dog's chest. I believe the .17 HMR is here to stay.

I just love it when those "Henny Penny...the sky is falling" types that say the 17 HRM won't last.
You have hell finding a rifle to buy, you have hell finding ammo and that is with lots of folks chambering the rifle and several now making the ammo.
What hole do you have your head stuck in?
It may die out in 30 or 40 years but not likely and if so it will be because of some major advancement in powders, bullets or firearms design....not from lack of fun nor popularity.

rilfeman... I had the same problem with the bolt knob not clearing the scope with their 77/22 22 mag. Since I refuse to have high rings, I filed the top 1/3 of the contact area of the bolt knob off. End of story.
It is doubtfull Ruger will ever fix this problem with anything other than a recomondation.

.17 HMR ain't going no where except gopher hunting! Those that think it's not here to stay ought to shoot one. Yes the ammo is high but Mid South has it for $7.66 less than some high end .22 mag. As popular as this round is the price will come down . This is no 5MM Rem---Shoot Safe---montdoug

Have a Cooper 57 in 17 HRM...Was skeptical about the accuracy claims I'd been hearing but shooting this rifle made a believer out of me...Its accuracy is absolutely phenomenal and I have heard of many Marlins that perform well, too....Lots of the ammo available here in western Pa....Midsouth usually has the stuff at under $8 per box......

Bobcash guess again about midsouth "always having the ammo" I've had it on backorder for >3 months... Just a FYI, or more like maybe you should get your facts straight before you post, excuse my frusterations.

MOA--I share your frusteration with ammo shortage. I'm guessing the reason Mid South is usually back ordered is cause they aren't gouging on the price. bobcash --I'm jealous, the 57 Cooper is my dream .17 HMR. coincidentlly I spoke with Rob at Cooper today (they have my .17 MachIV doing some work on it ) Rob informed me they are in the planning stages yet but a mod 57 repeater is on the way in .17 Mach IV, .221 Fireball,and I believe another caliber I can't remember . I'm particularly fond of the looks of the Light Varmint, by the way Cooper has recently updated their web site, good info. By next spring I'll bet this .17 shortage is just a bad memory. Too many guns , too much interest , too much money to be made. I heard CCI is starting another production line, hope so. I also heard no idea of veracity, that CCI makes all 3 brands currently in production Hornady, CCI, Remington, wonder if thats true? Would sure explain the bottle neck.---Shoot Safe---montdoug