17 WSM

[Ccrider]

and it looks nice, however, very prone to misfires and loading/ejecting problems.

I would pass on it for that reason alone. Never had a misfire with my Savage. Did have a mag spring break. Savage sent me a new one within a few days of me calling them.

 

[dirtclod]

The 17 WSM is far superior to the 17 HMR as far as energy, drop, windage and accuracy. That being said ammo is $0.40/round now, (I keep two years of inventory all the time). I have two Volquarsten's, one Bmag, two Franklyn Armory, Winchester 1885 single shot, and three custom RimX. The RimX's get the most usage!!!
Primal Rights is not building at this time, TS Customs is still build 17 WSM's, just recieved a barreled action from him. Buy once cry once!

​

 

[B23]

The 17 WSM has a fairly thick rim and takes a pretty heavy strike to make them go bang. When I first got my Bmag I had issues with it consistently firing on the first strike and would have to recock the bolt and try again. I little tweaking, mostly on the trigger, fixed the issue and I very rarely get one that doesn't go bang on the first pull.

If I recall the AR based 17 WSM's like the Franklin Armory rifles had to use fairly heavy springs in the trigger to get consistent ignition with the 17 WSM. The downside to that is usually a heavy trigger pull. I don't know if they got that figured out so the trigger pull could be lightened up or not.

Eric Mayer had a few of them and probably has shot more different 17 WSM chambered rifles then about anyone I know. Eric usually is on top of everything in the 17 WSM world.

For a small game hunting grade rimfire the 17 WSM is the stand alone King and easily out does all the others in every department. The main issue with it has always been most of the rifles chambered in 17 WSM are mediocre and the ammo which regardless of what the label on the box says is all the same and made by Winchester. The only difference in any of it is bullet weight. Like Savage, Winchester hasn't done the 17 WSM any favors with the ammo they produce. It's about on par with the 17 HMR ammo which is neither great nor terrible which is why I call it "Hunting" grade ammo.

The 17 WSM for a rimfire is a very capable little cartridge and as I mentioned earlier is easily my favorite ground squirrel gun.

 

[txgs]

Why did Primal Rights stop offering their 17 WSM?

 

[paloduro]

I have a Ruger 77/17 in 17 WSM that is very accurate

 

[17VLD]

I'm still bummed CZ didn't make a 17WSM and that CCI didn't get on board with ammo.I absolutely love my 452 varmint in 17HMR and have shot many pds at 250 yards with the CZ. Like any rimfire 17 the splat factor may leave a little to be desired at distance, to me the real benefit comes from taking a break from the centerfires for the 250 and in shots.A fun accurate rifle that is cheap and easy to shoot with a nice trigger makes it all the more enjoyable, for that a nice 17HMR shines. I think the 17WSM still has a valid purpose and for that my Ruger does quite nicely. For what the OP has said his use for a non reloadable 17 would be, I definitely would buy the latest CZ in HMR. Who remembers shooting paint balls with the 17HMR when it was new at 100 yards in South Dakota at the VHA? That was quite fun and a great way to keep kids engaged with the fun element too. All the rimfire 17s are fun in one way or another but to me the 17HMR checks all the boxes,less expensive to shoot,accurate, effective, and available just about anywhere. Just my .02

Matt

 

[searcher]

Not sure what led you to the .17 WSM,, but here are my thoughts. Unless you are going to give up reloading, I'd get a .17 Hornet - that way you can load to your gun and it doesn't cost much more to shoot than a .17 WSM. That said, I like the WSM. I don't own one, but all my varmint hunting buddies have one (they are all Savages), and they all shoot incredibly well, about 100 yards advantage over the HMR. But if you are shooting within 200 yards or so, the HMR is all you need. Downside is that ammo cost, comparative to the .17 HMR, if considering sticking with rimfire. Couldn't get WSM ammo for a year where I live. It was like that with the HM2 for two years.

I've got a number of "high-end" rimfire rifles and I'll say this with conviction. If you want an accurate .17 rimfire, buy a Savage, tweak the trigger and bed it. If it doesn't shoot, give it to one of the grandkids or sell it. Buy another and repeat. The point is, you can buy a six-pack of them for the price of the high-end numbers that, more often than not - don't shoot much (if any) better - at any price. I have spent 10x what a Savage cost on .22 rimfire rifles I own and, unless I'm shooting in a match, they aren't worth $10.00 more. I like the Rugers, but with the additional cost comes a bit more of a gamble on the accuracy. And, as you know, that is the problem with the rimfires - being stuck with factory ammo that it may not like. Looking back on the guns I've owned, buying a (would have to probably get a used one now) CZ and putting a Lilja barrel on it produced one of the best shooting small-caliber guns I've owned - at any price.

If you go the WSM route, and ever see a sale on ammo, I'd buy a case!

 

[Mike in Oregon]

You have to consider this beauty!

Ruger® 77-Series 77/17® Bolt-Action Rifle Model 7219

www.ruger.com

 

[17VLD]

You have to consider this beauty!

Ruger® 77-Series 77/17® Bolt-Action Rifle Model 7219

www.ruger.com

That's the one I have,before they offered the dangerous end threaded. I was concerned it wouldn't hit 3000fps with its shorter barrel but it does with the 20 grainers.
Matt

 

[Mike in Oregon]

That's the one I have,before they offered the dangerous end threaded. I was concerned it wouldn't hit 3000fps with its shorter barrel but it does with the 20 grainers.
Matt

I too thought the same. So, does it? When the WSM came out, the accuracy reports were awful. Now I'm hearing there great. So, what has changed? Regarding the rifle, I've always been a huge Ruger fan, especially in the 77 RM's series. I've always got my feelers out for the older 24-inch ones.

 

[searcher]

I too thought the same. So, does it? When the WSM came out, the accuracy reports were awful. Now I'm hearing there great. So, what has changed? Regarding the rifle, I've always been a huge Ruger fan, especially in the 77 RM's series. I've always got my feelers out for the older 24-inch ones.

Seems every time something new comes out, there being a limited number of owners, a few disgruntled folks can have a much larger audience. No matter how good - there will be unhappy people and they tend to make the most noise about a product. I wonder how many of those complaining about accuracy really bought a wide variety in ammo to see what would have worked. I know that of the five .17 HMR's owned by myself and my squirrel hunting buds, none of ours will shoot great unless using ammo with a V-Max bullet, the Hornady brand of ammo working best, hand down. If we hadn't tried the V-Maxes - we may have sent them to the junk heap or the back of the gun storage. And interestingly, the unleaded V-Max shoots just as good in several of them. Maybe there were a few poor shooting barrels that didn't like anything - but that is true of all rifles, regardless of make, especially when it comes to rimfire. Reminds me of all the complaining I heard about the .22 Nosler - "poor accuracy, poor velocity, bad brass from Hornady, etc.". For myself, and those I know who own them - our results have been just the opposite. My buds like the V-Max in the WSM as well. I really like those Rugers, too! if I didn't have a ton of HMR ammo and a .17 Hornet, I'd be inclined to get a WSM if the ammo pricing and availability where I live got better. Can't buy ammo through the mail where I live anymore - and that sucks!!!

 

[Schandler]

Searcher you’re so right - i have 3 rifles in 17wsm and reason for that is the first one (bmag) shot lights out with Hornady ammo. So much more than a 100 yard gun and a rimfire. I purchased several bricks of ammo because i knew this was going to be a great cal. Now i like hmr and hm2 but the wsm is the Mack daddy of rimfire. Do i wish i had one of the Rugers or a wsm barrel for contender or a high dollar remx sure but i understand the rimfire ignition problem with producing. But for the ones that have figured this out - i would like to buy one of each ! I have enough ammo to last many years so i have my eye out for a few more rifles in 17 wsm because its just an inherently accurate round that i hope stays around. If you have ever shot a crow out about 100 - 200 yards with a wsm it’s makes you like it ! I can do same with fireball or 204 but no reloading with this - just grab and go !

 

[pauls]

This is my Primal Rights / Rim X barreled action that I put into a Manners stock quietly killing stuff in central Montana. Pretty easily smackin' stuff out to 260-ish yards ( at that distance it just ice picks them - but- they fall over dead ). Farthest I've shot it. But, it's accurate and fun.
As others have said - I tried the .17 WSM in a custom Contender first - had ignition issues from the get go. None with the above set up.

 

[AstroGuy]

I picked up a Savage 93 in 17HMR and I have really enjoyed shooting it. I did try several different ammo’s in it and found that the V-Max type ammo shot well ok to well in it but when I shot the Federal rounds (same V-Max bullet) my groups at 100yds were consistently .75” with that ammo. I now have a bunch of that ammo and it’s $14.95 where I get it from. I could save a couple of bucks on line however but you have to buy a bunch of it for it to pay off.