Tell me something cool about the .17 HMR.

[BluewaterTactical]

Just bought a Marlin XT-17 VR, put a Nikon prostaff 4x12x40. Tell me something I don't know about these things. I have owned 22 mags and ehh their ok but sold them. I had a hankering so I bought the .17hmr. Realistically speaking is there anything I should know about this round? Are they better for punching paper or killing critters? Had a guy tell me he has killed all the animals in TN with this caliber. Thanks men for te input

[R_Bert]

dang.

I just got a lifetime license, and now all the animals are gone; by a guy with a .17 cal....

[Will H]

He lied to you. I know he did not kill every animal in Tennessee because my dog is still here....

Seriously, if he is shooting at deer with a .17 he needs a good a** kicking. We should respect animals more than that. There is no shortage of 30 cals out there.

[Westwindmike]

Ammo is at least $14 a box and you could reload most any centerfire round for a whole lot less!

[quietguy]

Over the last few years, I have become a huge fan of the .17HMR, but it does have limited application in game hunting. In my humble experience, it is perfect for fox and bobcat sized game. It is a little light for coyotes, and a little too much for groundhogs. I can tell you that it will make a complete mess of groundhogs, and a well placed V-Max will drop a coyote in its tracks (not ideal, but effective).

Saying this, it is probably the most inherently accurate round I have seen within its effective range. My Savage 93 that will shoot 20 shot groups at 50 yds that cover with a dime. A buddy has a CZ 452 that is almost identical in performance.

Once you get past 130 yds or so, its performance drops off quite a bit.

The bottom line, I wouldn't use a .17HMR for anything I wouldn't use a .22mag. But I do find the .17 to be a little more accurate and effective than a .22WRM.

[c.a.willard]

Not much we can say on here that you havent probably found elsewhere already, but the 17 HMR is a effective small game round and good fun for a day at the range. Should be able to punch nice tight groups with that marlin. Yes it can kill larger game, although i agree with the above post that it is unsporting to hunt larger game with a caliber that small. In the end accuracy counts its very common for these rifles to shoot sub moa, making hits on vital areas easily doable even in larger game. That being said a deer can still run a good ways and a round this small isnt going to give you much of a blood trail to follow. Basically id be comfortable taking beaver size game and smaller with it; anything larger and you better be willing to track it for a while.

[gjohnsoniv]

I had a friend who dropped a deer with one, given he did shoot it in the throat from about 20 yards or so. Good for coyotes, used one tonight along with my ar.

[R_Bert]

I had a friend who dropped a deer with one, given he did shoot it in the throat from about 20 yards or so. Good for coyotes, used one tonight along with my ar.

dropped a deer with a rimfire ? Curious, How was that legal ? In TN ?

Edited March 10, 2012 by R_Bert

[BluewaterTactical]

I understand the legalities of it. Not my cup of tea doing that. Thanks for the replies. My kids also like shooting so that's another reason I bought it, 14, 11, and 7. The 7 yr old girl lives to shoot daddy's "sniper". Now since y'all have said what it will kill, what will it do punching paper? Effective range while not using Kentucky windage?

[BluewaterTactical]

dang.

I just got a lifetime license, and now all the animals are gone; by a guy with a .17 cal....

Excuse me, what I should have said was he has effectively killed ONE of every species of animals in our area with the .17hmr. Bert I think you will be ok, there should be more to go around, lol.

[Guest Aces&8s]

I understand the legalities of it. Not my cup of tea doing that. Thanks for the replies. My kids also like shooting so that's another reason I bought it, 14, 11, and 7. The 7 yr old girl lives to shoot daddy's "sniper". Now since y'all have said what it will kill, what will it do punching paper? Effective range while not using Kentucky windage?

Somewhere I have a dime that I shot four times at 100 yards with my H&R Sportster in .17hmr. It is a very accurate platform. Something I do for fun is to set up those little green army men at 100 yards and plink at them. Paintballs on golf tees are fun too (I picked up that tip on this forum). The .17hmr is more than up to that task, and your kids might really enjoy it, too. I have gone out as far as 150 yards with the hummer, but even a slight breeze starts pushing those 17 grain bullets all over the place at that distance. Set up a small flag ( I use surveyor's flags) near the target and help them learn how to dope the wind.

[I_Like_Pie]

Cool thing about the .17 is that you get to buy a whole new set of cleaning rods and brushes that will actually fit in the barrel.

[R_Bert]

Now go get one.

If suggest a Savage 93R17 (a buddy owns one) or if you are really upscale, a Henry Golden Boy (I have one). Both are awsome little guns and shoot very well.

B.

[BluewaterTactical]

Now go get one.

B.

I did a Marlin XT-17VRO

[R_Bert]

I did a Marlin XT-17VRO

Nice !!

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/xt/XT17.asp

[gjohnsoniv]

dropped a deer with a rimfire ? Curious, How was that legal ? In TN ?

No this was down in Arkansas and it wasn't legal he just saw the deer and fired. Why I don't know but he did.

[R_Bert]

Last year, some kids on Royal Blue poached an elk, with a .22LR (they later bragged, and got busted).

[gjohnsoniv]

That's why you don't brag about it. I don't support this guy doing it but my point is he did and you can drop a deer with it, as someone else said you couldn't.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I was told by a gunshop owner that if you hit a groundhog in the head only the teeth will survive the vaporization. He also said the velocity was over 4,000 fps. I laughed and told him he was thinking of the 17 Remington. He said no, grabbed a box of HMR and said it was these.

I have read, but not confirmed, that the tiny round will pass through soft armor. This might be the reason there are no FMJ rounds available for it.

Dolomite

[Guest Aces&8s]

I was told by a gunshop owner that if you hit a groundhog in the head only the teeth will survive the vaporization. He also said the velocity was over 4,000 fps. I laughed and told him he was thinking of the 17 Remington. He said no, grabbed a box of HMR and said it was these.

I have read, but not confirmed, that the tiny round will pass through soft armor. This might be the reason there are no FMJ rounds available for it.

Dolomite

Heh heh... Yeah, he had to be confusing the hummer with the fireball... the fastest I have chronied an hmr was a 17 grain Remington green-tip at just under 2600 fps. And while it won't exactly vaporize a groundhog, it will peel open a squirrel like a banana. Head shots only if you are bringing home dinner.

[gjohnsoniv]

Do they not make FMJ for it? I could have sworn that I saw some FMJ 20 grain at Gander Mountain the other day.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Do they not make FMJ for it? I could have sworn that I saw some FMJ 20 grain at Gander Mountain the other day.

You are right.

CCI makes some. That would make it easier for the round to defeat soft armor.

Dolomite

[pcrc11]

Ammo is at least $14 a box and you could reload most any centerfire round for a whole lot less!

Have never bought 17 HMR ammo, but plan to, am really wanting a CZ452 in 17. Would assume that $14 is for a 50 round box, not 20 rounds like a box of centerfire, correct?

[R_Bert]

Have never bought 17 HMR ammo, but plan to, am really wanting a CZ452 in 17. Would assume that $14 is for a 50 round box, not 20 rounds like a box of centerfire, correct?

Correct. Some ammo may be a $ or two more.

[gjohnsoniv]

Not as cheap as .22, but not the most expensive stuff either. Gander mountain loves their 45-70, 50 something dollars a box.