Anyone have experience shooting both the 17 HMR and the 17 HM2?

[jepp2]

The last 2 years I shot my 17 HMR exclusively on prairie dogs on my annual hunt. Great for learning to read the wind and effective on the dogs. I'm headed down the path of using a 17 HM2 some next year. Ammo runs about 40% less and barrel life will be better. Just wanting to learn from what you experience was the the HM2 vs the 17 HMR.

 

[Mark M.]

The last 2 years I shot my 17 HMR exclusively on prairie dogs on my annual hunt. Great for learning to read the wind and effective on the dogs. I'm headed down the path of using a 17 HM2 some next year. Ammo runs about 40% less and barrel life will be better. Just wanting to learn from what you experience was the the HM2 vs the 17 HMR.

What's the barrel life of both?

 

[jepp2]

What's the barrel life of both?

No experience with the HM2 yet. And on the HMR the estimates seem to vary significantly. Lilja says I should expect 3K accurate shots (assuming you don't get it hot etc.). I had "read" that someone on Rimfire Central still had good accuracy at 30K shots. I didn't put too much stock in that estimate. At today's ammo prices that is over $10,000 of ammo.

Before I left for my shoot, I shot a target with 6 different loads at 100m as I knew I was going to transition from the Hornady 17 gr VMAX I had been shooting in it primarily. Round count on the barrel when I shot this target was around 4600. I wanted to see if POI changed and what the group size was for the other ammo.



When I finished the partial case of the Hornady, I had added 1440 shots. So now I was just over 6K. I went to the CCI tipped and accuracy was gone with the first shot. I switched to my backup rifle and continued. That night I cleaned the barrel (chemically not mechanically) and shot a test target the next morning. 5 of the 10 shots were sprayed. So I finished the shoot with my backup rifle. I've been cleaning the barrel for evaluation if my issue was fouling or barrel wear. I can't use the 90 degree mirror on my borescope, so it is challenging to evaluate the condition of the barrel. Best I can tell it just looks frosted and I don't see any firecracking. But my view is poor at best.

 

[DogBuster]

My 17M2 experience

Have used prob 3 Savage HB SS/Laminated series....sold 'em but very accurate

Have used a CZ Varmint...walnut/blue.....bass ackwards safety....sold it

Currently using a Ruger 77.....with a SS Lilja barrel....shootin' sucker

Over the years I've had my M2 in the p/dog patch..this cartridge will amaze you

Some will laugh....but I have many confirmed one shot kills at 200+ yards

Of course where it really shines is inside 150 yds...Ammo ? Eley......Luv the `smell !

Living in rural Utah...I keep it very handy to dispatch unwanted critters around the house

I'll keep this Ruger around for a long time..pic......great for digging ground squirrels

Scope is Vortex 2-8x Diamondback HP

 

[varmintshooter]

I had a 17 M2 for a squirrel gun and it was very accurate but I didn't like the gun itself so it went away. Never shot it past 100m so don't about longer range. The HMR is louder and is good out to better than 200 yds as I'm sure you are aware.

 

[Gabe22BR]

I prefer the HMR .
Will do more than the hm2, ammo is readily available.
Plus you don’t get the cracked shoulder, accuracy robbing of the hm2..
Just my experience..

 

[jepp2]

Plus you don’t get the cracked shoulder, accuracy robbing of the hm2..

I've had plenty of that with the HMR also. But good to hear.

 

[gtbcolo]

17 HMR for me. I have 4 different rifles in 17hm2 and none of them are very accurate. The only brand of ammo I've try shooting is the Hornady brand. My 17hmr will outshoot the hm2 at any and all yardages. Still have fun shooting it but just not that accurare for me.

 

[jepp2]

I have 4 different rifles in 17hm2 and none of them are very accurate.

Just to help me understand your experience, do you consider the rifles you have in HM2 to be of the same quality as the one(s) you have in HMR?

 

[SShooterZ]

Have both, have shot both on PDs. Out to 100 yards not too much of a difference. Past that the HMR gave more reliable accuracy. HMR ammo is definitely easier to find as well.

My rifles are a CZ 452/3 American and Varmint along with a custom Brian Voelker Remington 581 in HM2.
2x Ruger 77/17s and a CZ 453 Varmint in HMR.

 

[gtbcolo]

Yes, 2 of the hm2s are 10-22 conversions and the other 2 are bolt actions. One of my hmrs is a 10-22 magnun conversion and one is a same brand and model bolt action as the hm2.

 

[Bill K]

I shoot both and enjoy each in its own realm. upwards of 100 yrds the smaller one works fine, up to 200 then I use the HMR. Enjoy either or both.

 

[B23]

The cheapest I've, recently, seen 17HM2 is $9.99 and 17HMR $15.99 both in Hornady label 17gr Vmax. The HMR shoots 450 FPS faster with the exact same bullet than does the HM2 and even though the HMR is 5 bucks a box more if PD's were on the menu I would gladly pay the extra money for the HMR.

With regard to barrel life, I've put thousands upon thousands of 17HMR rounds through multiple different rifles, sometimes getting them pretty hot. especially when shooting sage rats in a field that was full of them, and I've never noticed a change in accuracy from new to when the same rifle had many thousand rounds through it.

 

[B23]

I shoot both and enjoy each in its own realm. upwards of 100 yrds the smaller one works fine, up to 200 then I use the HMR. Enjoy either or both.

Bill, have you found any particular HM2 ammo to shoot better than another and being that you're in Calistan do you mostly shoot the 15.5gr NTX stuff or in rimfires can you still shoot lead?

 

[searcher]

In my two rifles (Savage and Volquartson), the NTX ammo shoots just as accurately as the leaded, though in HMR and out of the Volquartson, the bases of the brass bulge a bit due to the bolt unlocking a tad prematurely when shooting the NTX.

 

[searcher]

No experience with the HM2 yet. And on the HMR the estimates seem to vary significantly. Lilja says I should expect 3K accurate shots (assuming you don't get it hot etc.). I had "read" that someone on Rimfire Central still had good accuracy at 30K shots. I didn't put too much stock in that estimate. At today's ammo prices that is over $10,000 of ammo.

Before I left for my shoot, I shot a target with 6 different loads at 100m as I knew I was going to transition from the Hornady 17 gr VMAX I had been shooting in it primarily. Round count on the barrel when I shot this target was around 4600. I wanted to see if POI changed and what the group size was for the other ammo.

View attachment 1348442

When I finished the partial case of the Hornady, I had added 1440 shots. So now I was just over 6K. I went to the CCI tipped and accuracy was gone with the first shot. I switched to my backup rifle and continued. That night I cleaned the barrel (chemically not mechanically) and shot a test target the next morning. 5 of the 10 shots were sprayed. So I finished the shoot with my backup rifle. I've been cleaning the barrel for evaluation if my issue was fouling or barrel wear. I can't use the 90 degree mirror on my borescope, so it is challenging to evaluate the condition of the barrel. Best I can tell it just looks frosted and I don't see any firecracking. But my view is poor at best.

My buddies and I shoot a bit of .17 HMR. From our experience, 3,000 rounds of "accurate shooting" would be way low. My pal did completely shoot a barrel out on one of his - and was replaced by the manufacturer. But he had probably north of 10,000 rounds and he is not one to keep a sparkling barrel or let a gun cool. I keep a notebook of all rounds fired on each of my guns and both of my current HMR's have over double that 3,000 and still shoot very well. In fact, I'd say as good as they did when new. I would think the HM2 would last considerably longer than the HMR due to the reduced powder and velocity. My borescope also doesn't do .17 ca. and I'm really curious as to the condition of my barrels. Neither of my rifles will shoot CCI products - nor will my pal's rifles. They all like the Hornady - either leaded or the NTX version.

 

[CooperNV]

Bill, have you found any particular HM2 ammo to shoot better than another and being that you're in Calistan do you mostly shoot the 15.5gr NTX stuff or in rimfires can you still shoot lead?

The ntx I shot out of my kimber and Annie produced 1/2 moa at 50 yrds. Just a touch better than eley/rummy. I love that stuff my nephew stated it really wacks the gophers

 

[CooperNV]

I've got 2 semi auto m2, 2 bolt m2, one summit. They all shoot very well. But they are all "premium" grade. Vq, magnum research, kimber, Annie. I have 2 hmr bolt guns. Tikka and cooper 1 semi vq. They are also very accurate. I use the m2 as I start in a ground squirrel field. I'll shoot them out to 125 yards or so. When the close shooting slows I move to hmr , then to hornets and fireballs. By then they are up close again and I start over. Granted these are Richardson and Belding ground squirrels not prairie dogs. Noticeable smaller. I've never shot m2 at pds. Just never take them on PD safari. Mostly just run centerfires . I'm sure the m2 would do the trick to 100yrds. But limited red mist.

 

[CooperNV]

I've got 2 semi auto m2, 2 bolt m2, one summit. They all shoot very well. But they are all "premium" grade. Vq, magnum research, kimber, Annie. I have 2 hmr bolt guns. Tikka and cooper 1 semi vq. They are also very accurate. I use the m2 as I start in a ground squirrel field. I'll shoot them out to 125 yards or so. When the close shooting slows I move to hmr , then to hornets and fireballs. By then they are up close again and I start over. Granted these are Richardson and Belding ground squirrels not prairie dogs. Noticeable smaller. I've never shot m2 at pds. Just never take them on PD safari. Mostly just run centerfires . I'm sure the m2 would do the trick to 100yrds. But limited red mist.

As a note I shoot with mufflers so the m2 is little quite than hmr. Gives me approximately 20 minutes extra shooting before they get nervous and go down.

 

[Rocky Mt High]

I bought an hmr and .17 Mach 2 in Marlin 917 when each cartridge came out. The hmr is a great rimfire and I made several gopher shots over 200 yards, but sold it when I got a Hornet and considered some overlap there and can reload the Hornet cheaper.
When I sighted in the mach2 I owned 16 .22 lr guns. The round was so accurate that I went home and quietly started the selling off of eleven of them. This has become my favorite small round. I recently spent a few years on a farm in the Midwest while taking care of the folks and killed tons of Starlings, cowbirds, sparrows etc. while shooting about 1500 rounds.
Another benefit is low noise. The mach2 is more of a higher pitch snap sound and it doesn’t seem to travel as much as the 22 lr. The HMR does more work but is louder, a consideration for me shooting in the neighborhood.
Don’t know about barrel life yet as mine still shoots well after ~2500 rounds.
Good round, good luck. All IMHO….