Savage A17 Semi-auto. .17 HMR

[Sidewinder]

I'm actually looking at a Ruger American right now, just because of the price.

Have you checked out Bud's Gun Shop? They are hard to beat...no sales taxes and usually free shipping! Are you considering the .17 HMR, or the .204 Ruger?

[shotgunshooter]

MacGyver, was the recall of the Ruger and Remington semi-autos due to the bolt flying back too soon, while the chamber pressures were stii high? I read somewhere that some earlier .17 HMR semi-auto models were bursting cases, expelling hot gasses and casing fragments through the ejection port. From watching four or five of the videos, it appears they may have solved that problem.

Point well made about the obliteration of small game, such as squirrels...and possibly fox and bobcat! The energy drop off also concerns me on the longer shots...and larger game. Would you say the round is good out to 150 yards for a coyote? It looks like this is a round that requires twisting turrets on the scope for consistant success at hitting the game/target.

You mentioned shooting hedge apples. Do you mostly use your bolt action for target shooting or hunting. If hunting, what is your usual game for this round? I researched the bolt action, before the Savage A17 and was impressed with it's capabilities and reasonable cost. My leaning toward the semi-auto was mostly for a quick follow up shot on a spinning coyote.

If I go for the bolt action, I'd prefer wood furniture. Do you know if the barrel is floated on the wood stocks? Also, one of the vids mentioned barrel leading...possibly with a certain brand of ammo. Have you experienced any of this with this hot little round?

Have you had any experience with this round on beaver? Just wondering.

The round is absolute hell on foxes.

[Sidewinder]

The round is absolute hell on foxes.

The round is absolute hell on foxes.

Shotgunshooter, does the round exit the fox, leaving a blown out hole in the hide. Not sure I know exactly what you mean about "absolute hell on foxes".

[shotgunshooter]

No it stays in. Small entrance but absolutely devastating. I killed one a week for a month at over 150 yards. My longest kill was out to 275.

[shotgunshooter]

Everything I've shot has only taken one shot. My father has even more experience than I do with it. He's shot about everything you can with it.

[gomer pyle]

Have you checked out Bud's Gun Shop? They are hard to beat...no sales taxes and usually free shipping! Are you considering the .17 HMR, or the .204 Ruger?

Yeah, I've looked on Bud's. They're out of stock on 17s. I'll either go with 17hmr or 22wmr. I'm back and forth, I had a 17 once before and it was devastating on whatever it hit but even the slightest wind thru it off. I'm thinking about the 22wmr and using the 30gr ballistic tip shells. I want to stay with a rimfire because I'll be using a suppressor. That is another reason I'm looking at the Ruger, one model comes with a threaded barrel.

I did look at a used A17 a couple of days ago and I was not impressed. I understand why the mag falls out, it is a cheap piece of molded plastic "glued" to a piece of metal. The stock was cheap and flimsy looking but I don't know that it's any worse than others in its price range. Edited July 3, 2015 by gomer pyle

[MacGyver]

MacGyver, was the recall of the Ruger and Remington semi-autos due to the bolt flying back too soon, while the chamber pressures were stii high? I read somewhere that some earlier .17 HMR semi-auto models were bursting cases, expelling hot gasses and casing fragments through the ejection port. From watching four or five of the videos, it appears they may have solved that problem.

Point well made about the obliteration of small game, such as squirrels...and possibly fox and bobcat! The energy drop off also concerns me on the longer shots...and larger game. Would you say the round is good out to 150 yards for a coyote? It looks like this is a round that requires twisting turrets on the scope for consistant success at hitting the game/target.

You mentioned shooting hedge apples. Do you mostly use your bolt action for target shooting or hunting. If hunting, what is your usual game for this round? I researched the bolt action, before the Savage A17 and was impressed with it's capabilities and reasonable cost. My leaning toward the semi-auto was mostly for a quick follow up shot on a spinning coyote.

If I go for the bolt action, I'd prefer wood furniture. Do you know if the barrel is floated on the wood stocks? Also, one of the vids mentioned barrel leading...possibly with a certain brand of ammo. Have you experienced any of this with this hot little round?

Have you had any experience with this round on beaver? Just wondering.

We shoot this gun mostly as a target rifle with the 17 grain V-max rounds. The barrel is free floated. I've not experienced any leading. Zeroed at 100m, it drops about 2 1/2 inches at 150m.

We have taken a handful of varmints with it - namely one large beaver that was destroying an agricultural dam. It was a shot of opportunity, and the beaver was DRT. If I had my choice, I'd choose something a little bigger for stuff like beaver or coyote, but it did seem to do the job.

Keep in mind with a suppressor, that this round is so hot that if your target is further than about 15m away you're still going to have a significant supersonic crack.

[Sidewinder]

No it stays in. Small entrance but absolutely devastating. I killed one a week for a month at over 150 yards. My longest kill was out to 275.

I like it! I like it! I just hope the A17 semi-auto version will perform like that. Have you noticed any particular brand and grain of ammo to perform better than the others? Just wondering.

[shotgunshooter]

I haven't had any luck with the Hornady stuff but I also shoot a bolt gun. I think that gun is also supposed to be run with the new CCI ammo. It is not holding the same zero as the other ammo we were shooting in it. I also wasn't impressed with the terminal performance when compared to other rounds. But it's like this: yes the animal is dead but it could have been messier/more impressive. If I remember I like the CCI a lot more but I'll check what brand when I get back home.

[Sidewinder]

Yeah, I've looked on Bud's. They're out of stock on 17s. I'll either go with 17hmr or 22wmr. I'm back and forth, I had a 17 once before and it was devastating on whatever it hit but even the slightest wind thru it off. I'm thinking about the 22wmr and using the 30gr ballistic tip shells. I want to stay with a rimfire because I'll be using a suppressor. That is another reason I'm looking at the Ruger, one model comes with a threaded barrel.
I did look at a used A17 a couple of days ago and I was not impressed. I understand why the mag falls out, it is a cheap piece of molded plastic "glued" to a piece of metal. The stock was cheap and flimsy looking but I don't know that it's any worse than others in its price range.

Gomer, was this "used" A17 that you looked at right here in the B'oro? If so, I'd be interested in looking at it myself... if you're sure you don't have any further interest in it. What was the seller asking for it? Thanks.

[R_Bert]

Between .17 HMR and .204 Ruger, I kinda favor the latter.  Might wanna check that one out, too.

dead nuts on.

 

They are not even in the same class.

 

That said,  I need one of the Savages.

Edited July 4, 2015 by R_Bert

[gomer pyle]

Gomer, was this "used" A17 that you looked at right here in the B'oro? If so, I'd be interested in looking at it myself... if you're sure you don't have any further interest in it. What was the seller asking for it? Thanks.

It was at the Outpost. Have at it if you want, I'm not going to get it.

[Sidewinder]

A little off thread... but still on the .17 HMR. Does anyone have any hunting or shooting experience with this round through a TC Conter rifle (carbine) barrel? I have a new 23" bull barrel for one of my Contenders, but haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. No iron sights, just a scope, which I need to sight in, before I point it at mr. coyote.

I'm hoping it'll sling that little 17 or 20 grain bullet 150 yards with enough energy and accuracy to take down a coyote, or his smaller varmint friends.

[Sidewinder]

It was at the Outpost. Have at it if you want, I'm not going to get it.

What kind of price were they asking for it? I usually like to deal with individuals in the general local area. As new as it is, I would imagine someone would have to be pretty dissatisfied with it, for it to be on the "used" market. I have bought firearms from Butch at Outpost before, and he matched prices for me.

[gomer pyle]

I honestly don't remember even seeing a tag. I had my 4year old with me and I was so disappointed with the quality that I never looked for a tag. It was on one of the lazy susan's out on the middle.

[Sidewinder]

I honestly don't remember even seeing a tag. I had my 4year old with me and I was so disappointed with the quality that I never looked for a tag. It was on one of the lazy susan's out on the middle.

Thanks Gomer. The fever's cooled down a little! I'm still interested in what it'll do, but the price would have to be right. I may take a second look at some of the other 17 super magnums, being that I already have a .17 HMR carbine barrel for my Contender, that I haven't even shot yet.

[Sidewinder]

No it stays in. Small entrance but absolutely devastating. I killed one a week for a month at over 150 yards. My longest kill was out to 275.

I like what I'm hearing about the performance with the round. For a tiny bullet, that's impressive.

[Sidewinder]

We shoot this gun mostly as a target rifle with the 17 grain V-max rounds. The barrel is free floated. I've not experienced any leading. Zeroed at 100m, it drops about 2 1/2 inches at 150m.
We have taken a handful of varmints with it - namely one large beaver that was destroying an agricultural dam. It was a shot of opportunity, and the beaver was DRT. If I had my choice, I'd choose something a little bigger for stuff like beaver or coyote, but it did seem to do the job.
Keep in mind with a suppressor, that this round is so hot that if your target is further than about 15m away you're still going to have a significant supersonic crack.

I appreciate the feed back. Any experience with the 17WSM? I hear ammo is hard to find. I might research it a little also. One video that I watched, had a pretty massive exit hole, compared to the .17HMR.

[MacGyver]

The 17WSM is really in a different class.  I like the concept of a larger rimfire round.  I've not shot one, though.

 

I've not seen much of the ammo around - seems like one you're going to have more luck with online.

[Sidewinder]

The 17WSM is really in a different class.  I like the concept of a larger rimfire round.  I've not shot one, though.
 
I've not seen much of the ammo around - seems like one you're going to have more luck with online.

MacGyver, just stopped in at Academy Sports in Smyrna this afternoon. Plenty of .17HMR ammo, plenty of .17WSM ammo... and a Savage A17 rifle in stock! I was able to hold the rifle, look it over good ...as well as I could see, as I had just returned from Dr. Ming Wang's eye clinic and my eyes were dilated. The gun felt good and shouldered good. Being an old school guy, I'd prefer one with a wooden stock. I'm just not a big fan of plastic/composit, but I am a big "Savage" fan. The price on the gun was $399.99.

They let me look at some 17WSM ammo... but with the dilated eyes, I couldn't tell the difference in it and the .17HMR. I wish my eyes had been in better shape... as I couldn't tell much about the metal finish. I could tell that the removable dust cover, behind the bolt is plastic. The gun didn't have any iron sights on it, but did have "Weaver type" scope mounts installed. There is a soft recoil pad area on the buttstock.

[shotgunshooter]

[Sidewinder]

Thanks shotgunshooter. I couldn't get the video to play on my cheap Android tablet, but the pics show the difference. It looks like this 17WSM is a completeiy new round, as opposed to one using the 22 Mag shell case. Looks like this round has some some moxy.

[MacGyver]

The 17 WSM uses a .27cal nail gun blank as a parent case.

[netmindr]

I had a Savage 93R17 for a while and it was a blast to shoot. I don't varmint hunt, but I've seen videos of rabbits being shot with it and there wasn't much left. I've shot at soda bottles full of water. If you lay it down and shoot the top of the cap, it will splay the neck wide open and there is no exit hole. With those ballistic tips they are quite devastating.

 

It is very accurate out to 100 yards or so, but like a lot of others have said, a little wind plays havoc with it because it is too light. It also drops off significantly after 150 yards or so.

 

My problem with it was cost. I gave it up in favor or .223 since I don't hunt with it. Not only do I get better ballistics, but I can custom load for less.

[Sidewinder]

The 17 WSM uses a .27cal nail gun blank as a parent case.

That's interesting MacGyver. What do most people use this round for in hunting?