Help with 17HMR

29 September 2003, 09:34

gairlochbaldman

Help with 17HMR

I'm posting this o.b.o. a shooting friend.

He has recently got a Marlin 17HMR.

The problem is that if the rifle is clean then the 1st three shots group well.

Then after that it all goes out the window. Its like a dogs back leg.

What's going wrong. Surely it shouldn't need cleaned ever 3 or 4 shots.

He's tried a different scope from a sound 22 rimfire and that hasn't changed anything.

I don't know how he broke it in with shots fired and cleaning etc but hopefully someone can give me a few clues.

Cheers

Brian

29 September 2003, 10:02

glenn asher

YOur friend may be cleaning the rifle too much. I have a Marlin and a Savage, and neither shoot well after cleaning, they can go many, many rounds before cleaning. My rifles powder foul a little, but as yet, I have never gotten a blue patch out of them. When I first got the Marlin, in March of last year, I cleaned it like I would a centerfire, and had fairly poor results, for the first 20 rounds or so, after cleaning. Tell your friend to ignore it for awhile, and just shoot the little bugger, it may come out of it. Most of the guys I know have experienced the same thing, so it isn't just me. Heck, you CAN abuse it a little, and it may benefit.

02 October 2003, 05:04

gairlochbaldman

Thanks Glen.

the problem is that the rfile does not shoot well when dirty.

Once cleaned its back to a 3 shot group at 3/8" (apparently)

Then it goes down hill with shots appearing all over the place.

Are you suggesting leaving it like that and shooting on to see if it improves?

Cheers again

Brian

04 October 2003, 17:19

redial

Brian,

I've noticed after 50 rounds or so, SOMETIMES the accuracy wavers a bit but if that occurs after only 3 shots, something's wrong!

I'd look really hard for a burr or some kind of rough edge that's collecting fouling. It surely doesn't take a lot of crud to disrupt such a fragile, tiny bullet.

Barring that, I'd send it back to Marlin. They'll probably fix or rebarrel it.

Cheers

Redial

16 October 2003, 08:13

whiter

I am having problems with my NEF .17. It is shooting 1.5" groups at 100 yards. They are pretty consistant, but it should be shooting better than that. Any suggestions on what might be wrong.

19 October 2003, 06:43

Old & Slow

Whiter;
Unfortunately; more than likely the reason your rifle doesn't shoot better than 1.5" is due to it's a non "gilt edged" rifle. Several people I know would suggest you take it to a gunshop and trade it for a Savage before you spend alot more money for bullets and frustration filled time. NEF does make some very accurate rifles. They also make some less than "gilt edged" rifles; as do all manufacturers. If you happen to get one that is not "gilt edge" there is little you can do to change it in a factory load only 17 HMR. Several reliable sources I have heard and read indicate Savage seems to have a reputation for more consistantly producing sub inch 17 HMR rifles.

21 October 2003, 13:09

glenn asher

Yessir, just try letting it stew in it's own filth for awhile. Mine never copper-fouls, but it does get pretty dirty from powder fouling. I just let it go, and it still shoots very well. Your friend may have an anomolous Marlin, but all I have heard of, all seem to shoot well, but only after some fouling rounds. I know of some people who haven't cleaned their rifles in over 700 rounds, and they aren't complaining of accuracy problems. Your friend's rifle may have some other troubles, but I can't diagnose it long distance. He should make sure that the rear screw isn't too tight, though, as that might cause some accuracy troubles. My rifle would bind the action, as the rear of the action was floating in the stock. I made a pillar of fiberglas for it, so I could tighten up the screws without putting a bind in the action, and that cured that problem. Even Marlin calls their bedding of this rifle "unconventional", I just think it's weird, but Lordy, how they shoot, when treated right! I have hit prairie dogs at 250 yards with mine, on purpose. Best of luck to you and your friend. If I can help any further, e-mail me.

25 October 2003, 10:55

PcolaJack

quote:
Originally posted by Old & Slow:
Whiter;
Unfortunately; more than likely the reason your rifle doesn't shoot better than 1.5" is due to it's a non "gilt edged" rifle. Several people I know would suggest you take it to a gunshop and trade it for a Savage before you spend alot more money for bullets and frustration filled time. NEF does make some very accurate rifles. They also make some less than "gilt edged" rifles; as do all manufacturers. If you happen to get one that is not "gilt edge" there is little you can do to change it in a factory load only 17 HMR. Several reliable sources I have heard and read indicate Savage seems to have a reputation for more consistantly producing sub inch 17 HMR rifles.

25 October 2003, 10:56

PcolaJack

quote:
Originally posted by Old & Slow:
Whiter;
Unfortunately; more than likely the reason your rifle doesn't shoot better than 1.5" is due to it's a non "gilt edged" rifle. Several people I know would suggest you take it to a gunshop and trade it for a Savage before you spend alot more money for bullets and frustration filled time. NEF does make some very accurate rifles. They also make some less than "gilt edged" rifles; as do all manufacturers. If you happen to get one that is not "gilt edge" there is little you can do to change it in a factory load only 17 HMR. Several reliable sources I have heard and read indicate Savage seems to have a reputation for more consistantly producing sub inch 17 HMR rifles.

"Guilt-Edged" has less to do with it than the muzzle grown . . . check or re-do it.

PcolaJack

25 October 2003, 18:21

muzzle

Try going on to Varmint Al's page. The problem with the 17hmr in the NEF is discussed at some length. I did the rubber washer between the forearm and the barrel and it did wonders for my groups. Using the hornadys I can usually keep it at around 3/4"" for 3 shots.