Picked up my new Vudoo 17 HMR

[jepp2]

Just picked up my 2'nd Vudoo. Almost a twin to the first. This one is a 17 HMR with a 22" barrel. The other is a 22 LR with a 20" tube. Sharing pics because it DID happen.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Is that port cutout on that stock short or is it just the angle? Did they use a 22lr stock on it? They sure are sweet rigs

 

[RegionRat]

Beautiful rig.
In for the range report.

 

[moorepower]

Way cool!

 

[jlorenzo]

I always found the CCI TNT ammo shot the best for me. Are you going to test different kinds of ammo?
That is a sweet rifle.

 

[jepp2]

Are you going to test different kinds of ammo?

I've got a better selection than ever before. In the past I have mostly shot the Hornady 17 gr Vmax. Just shot a few of the CCI TNT once.

 

[jlorenzo]

How does it shoot?

 

[jepp2]

How does it shoot?

Haven't gotten a chance to find out yet.

 

[jepp2]

How does it shoot?

Ok, Vudoo back from St. George for some minor cosmetic corrections (and I have to say that they went beyond being fair and I am very appreciative).

I got it to the range yesterday, put the first 47 rounds through it. Shooting at 100m, conditions were good but not great. This target is shots 2-23 (first shot was on a separate target for sight in). I didn't WOW me like my 22 Vudoo did, but for the conditions and early rounds through the barrel, acceptable. Already more accurate than my Cooper LV57M and my Annie 1717 D HB. Time will tell if it can outshoot my CZ455.

 

[B23]

With anything but the 22LR match/target ammo if you can consistently and always get MOSR or MOPD (minute of sage rat/minute of prairie dog) with a 17 HMR or 17 WSM you're doing well.

The HMR ammo, like all other non target grade rimfire ammo, has some pretty hefty inconsistencies from lot to lot and sometimes even in the same box so if you can always at least shoot MOA at 100yds you Sir have yourself a keeper for sure. Nice looking rig you have there, what did you scope it with?

 

[Triggerf16]

Nice rifle!

Unfortunately, due to the lousy quality and consistency of 17HMR ammo, I’d rather shoot my 20 VarTarg than my 17HMR. I can reload for almost the same cost.

 

[B23]

Nice rifle!

Unfortunately, due to the lousy quality and consistency of 17HMR ammo, I’d rather shoot my 20 VarTarg than my 17HMR. I can reload for almost the same cost.

I can't speak for the OP but for me where the 17HMR or my 17WSM shine is when I'm shooting sage rats and I'll go through 2-500rnd per day for many days and the shots are mostly all inside of 200yds. I've shot them all the way out to 350 but those are far from the norm. Shooting that kind of volume at the distances that we do the rimfires save sooooooooo much time in the loading room and I don't have to keep track of my brass.

Also, shooting that kind of volume in a CF, even with the small cases like something off of the 221FB, produces a lot more barrel heat. Even my little 17 Hornets get, much, hotter than my 17 HMR or 17 WSM barrels do.

 

[jepp2]

what did you scope it with?

Currently have a Golden Eagle on it, but if I decide to take it on my annual pd hunt, it will have a Viper HSLR. That is what I use on all my prairie dog rifles.

I’d rather shoot my 20 VarTarg than my 17HMR. I can reload for almost the same cost.

I used my 20P for several years. When my hunt was for a month, I loaded 7,000 rounds to take with me. The effort became monumental. Then one year I was hunting the afternoon before a storm was coming in that night. I was using my Cooper 223 at the time. Everywhere I looked, all I could see were what looked like standing loves of bread (mature dogs standing up everywhere). I did my best to control my rate of fire, and despite a slow start that day I had 358 hits when I finished around 4:00. I also swore I would never have to wait with targets, so I started playing with the 17 HMR. First year shot it a little, next year about 60% of what I shot was with it. Last year I never fired a centerfire round.

Two reasons I converted to the rimfire:
- first the dogs stay up much better with the reduced muzzle blast (just don't want the extra effort of shooting suppressed)
- I find the shooting more challenging. Last year I was using 14 inches of wind drift for some common shots. This year I'll be using my Kestrel and my goal is dogs to 150 yards with my 22 and dogs to 300 yards with my 17.

On a good morning with centerfire, I will have hit 100 dogs by 8:00. It slows down some after that and I usually stop when I have either 200 or 300 dogs. By then, after looking through my binos and a scope for 6-8 hours steady, I've had enough enjoyment to call it a day. Wind gets worse in the later afternoon. Last year I would have fired 200 rounds by 9:00 most mornings. So I know my firing rate and target availability is much greater with the rimfire.

Always wanted a VarTarg, but the brass availability for the quantity I need kept me from doing it. And lastly, the barrel life difference is huge. Around 5,000 rounds my 20P starts to lose the best accuracy. I use an AR, so every night I was doing a thorough cleaning of the BCG and upper and removing all the copper. I clean every 50 centerfire rounds in the field. With the 17, at 500 rounds there is almost no carbon or copper in the barrel.

And I'm NOT trying to say what works best for me, is best for you.

 

[Tommie]

In relatively calm conditions the 17 HMR is a solid 200 yard cartridge for colony rodents. An HMR will shoot and kill further than that (my record is 283 yards) but the splat factor disappears at longer distances and at best it’s a bang-flop. Used for what it’s designed for, the cartridge is a very effective tool.

 

[RegionRat]

Like the rest of you, I found myself using 17 HMR as long and as far as I possibly could, even to the point of avoiding pulling out the bigger guns till the wind or distance forces the issue.

The only reason I don't shoot it even more is we usually have rookies with us and we spend time on them and allow them the closer targets. On days when the rookies are not along, the pile of rimfire cases can get deep. They need cleaning less often and no reloading chores.

I also agree that the terminal effects really drop off at about 250 - 275 yards. Out past that the impacts are similar to subsonic airgun hits where the projectile drops below Mach. They poke a hole, but there is no dramatic pop.

I'm on board with the concept that the suppressor isn't worth the extra effort, but I am a little surprised your Vudoo appears to have a plain muzzle, or is it just well hidden under a cap?

@jepp2 No thoughts on trying a muzzle tuner for playing with batch variations or big temp changes?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

They get that port fixed?

 

[jepp2]

They get that port fixed?

Yes via a new stock.

 

[jepp2]

but I am a little surprised your Vudoo appears to have a plain muzzle, or is it just well hidden under a cap?

It is threaded. Never tested the tuner water and probably don't know what I am missing.

 

[RegionRat]

Tuners can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, but.... when you consider that 17 HMR is only sonic for a short distance, and that this particular rimfire ammo isn't nearly match grade, it may be helpful when a different batch comes along and you don't get lucky.

If one of your friends has one you can borrow to try out, you may get a better idea if they are for you or not. YMMV.

 

[Mark W]

In relatively calm conditions the 17 HMR is a solid 200 yard cartridge for colony rodents. An HMR will shoot and kill further than that (my record is 283 yards) but the splat factor disappears at longer distances and at best it’s a bang-flop. Used for what it’s designed for, the cartridge is a very effective tool.

This is exactly right! I’ve made hits out to 300 yards, but the crawl offs really increased at that distance. The 17 HMR gets limited to 200 yards for me.