17hmr
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tmwinds
Gold $$ Contributor
Distant second is CZ.
searcher
Gold $$ Contributor
There are high quality firearms in .17 cal and those that are accurate. They don't always go hand in hand, and seemingly less so in .17 HMR. I have a Volquartson, Anshutz and two Savages. As you might know - there isn't a tremendous selection of ammo out there relative to a lot of rimfire - so you either end up with a gun that shoots or one that doesn't more often than with other calibers. If you pay big bucks for a high-end rifle and it doesn't shoot - it is a bigger bummer, for sure. Regardless of price of the firearm - or maker, if I had to buy only one and wanted a shooter, I'd probably opt for the heavy-barreled Savage. I have no experience with the Ruger and some of the others. Savages are low on the list of refinement - so it depends on what is important to you.
DirtySteve
Gold $$ Contributor
Zermatt RimX...
ohlongarmisle
Silver $$ Contributor
Targets, or live or paper?
I had an Anshutz that shot very well. I believe it was a model 64 MPR. I bought it used and had to tighten up the screws that held the stock to the action. I didn't have a torque tool of any kind. So, I just counted the number of turns. I mounted an old Weaver T36 on it. It shot like a laser. I wasn't shooting it much, so I sold it with a couple of boxes of the ammo it liked. I got more than I paid for it.
PopCharlie
PopCharlie
jsof
Gold $$ Contributor
Regardless of the rifle, we all know the problem is the ammo. I'm told there are only 3 real manufacturers producing 17hmr rounds and that CCI is the main one since they make CCI, Hornady, and Federal. I called them and after much run around the rep told me it's true. It's not a priority for them so getting a good lot is a real crap shoot. That said, good lot or not they are a real hoot to shoot.
jepp2
Gold $$ Contributor
For what?
I started down the 17 HMR rabbit hole with an Anschutz 1717D HB. Added two Cooper 57 LVT's. In between picked up a CZ 455. Finally needed to pare the herd down. Accuracy is most important to me (shooting prairie dogs at distance). Sold the Coopers and the Annie and kept all my CZ's.
The Lilja barrels stole the show from the Annie and Coopers. And I hated the Annie and Cooper magazines only hold 4 rounds.
Rick300
Gold $$ Contributor
It may be a barrel lottery on any of them. My CZ 457 24"At-One Varmint was okay when I got it, but after dumping the (IMO, others may vary) junk Boyds stock and replacing it with a new OEM Varmint stock, and doing a McMaster Carr trigger spring change out the thing came alive. After those two changes, 1" 5 shot groups at 100yds went to about 3/4" with the same good lot. OAL length sorting cut groups down to 1/2"-5/8". These were bench groups from a bipod and rear bag with 27X scope setting. Plenty good enough to end quite a few P-dog's day out to 250, and a huge improvement over the 453 Varmint fluted barrel I had. Keep in mind, this is a very good lot. Not all the ammo I have will perform this well. Another hunter on the same trip dumped one at 302 with his Styer Zephyr, which is also a nice rifle. He was shooting the old original Hornady in the old style box. I have some of that same lot and it is also very good.
Just my .02.........Scott
Just my .02.........Scott
dgeesaman
Gold $$ Contributor
I’m aware of CCI and Winchester. Cci makes most and Winchester makes the worst 17hmr. Who’s the third?
Btw Remington branded 17hmr is also by CCI.
Lots and qc are all over the place. I do occasionally buy off the local shelf and test and if a lot is great I buy the rest I can get.
I’ve found the CCI “TNT” to be the most consistently accurate ammo type.
I’ve shot 17hmr in both Anschutz and Sako. The Anschutzes ranged from good to outstanding and the Sakos were good to very good. The best I’ve ever shot was a custom 1727 with I think a Hart barrel. I don’t know what magic went into it but it seemed very accurate and not too lot sensitive. The Anschutz 1717s also have a reputation for being consistently very accurate.
David
Both of the above statements/experiences, I have no doubt, are true. Totally different from mine though, which goes back to the facts of RF. Three most important things are, barrel, consistent ignition, and ammo lot. Trigger could fall in there, but if you don't have the first three, trigger doesn't matter much.
My 453 preferred the 17gr over the 20gr, but I did not have much to pick from though. Both of my rifles were acquired during the ammo shortage. 17gr was easier to get and testing 20gr was limited. hogpatrol's barrel must obviously like 20gr and from the sounds of it, he has tested to acquire the data needed to make that judgment.
dgeesaman's barrels must like the TNT Green bullet. In fairness, I have only one lot of the TNT Green, and bought it because it has a good rep on the interweb for being accurate, but that particular lot is less than stellar in my 457 and the 453 was long gone before I got the brick of TNT. His custom barreled 1727 is no surprise either. While still a crap shoot, a custom barrel has much higher odds of getting a good one than a factory tube. His statement that the rifle is 'not too lot sensitive' tells me he has a very good barrel. I shoot sanctioned RFBR and when you get a very good barrel, that is one of the traits associated to it being very good. It will eat several different lots and shoot them well.
A lot of good information in this thread and I applaud those that have posted experience based on actual testing, instead of what is way too common on forums......oh, my rifle likes this 'brand', or my rifle likes CX better than Midas+.....etc. I will call BS and say the ones making statements like that haven't put in the work to properly test, or don't know how to properly test.
To the OP, almost any rifle with a good barrel, ignition, and diligent lot selection can perform to what the .17hmr was conceived for......hunting. Pick your price point and roll the dice. After that, only well thought out testing and experimenting will bring out the truth about how good the rifle is, or can be. I do know of several scratch built custom .17hmr benchrest rifles that have been built for 'egg' shooters. They are amazing!.........but only after proper testing and I would assume some type of ammo sorting.
Scott
dgeesaman
Gold $$ Contributor
I don’t think I’ve ever tried TNT Green (lead-free). I use the standard TNT. https://www.cci-ammunition.com/rimfire/cci/tnt/6-53.html
I wish I could claim I owned the 1727 with hummer barrel but it belongs to a friend. Maybe someday I can gather the cash and work out a deal.
I wish I could claim I owned the 1727 with hummer barrel but it belongs to a friend. Maybe someday I can gather the cash and work out a deal.
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