Best .17 caliber available to buy today?

[drgunlimited]

I am looking to buy a 17cal. I've read quite a few posts but would like your input on todays offerings. I'm looking at 17HMR, 17WSM, 17 Hornet... plus some 17 wildcats that would be fun. I like the idea of a rim fire and not having to worry about policing brass. 17HMR seems tried and true but lacking in punch. 17WSM is hard to fine and havent heard alot of buzz on accuracy... 17H seemed to have feeding issues early on and would have to pick up brass... whats the one to buy? what wildcats should make my short list... Thanks.

 

[Ackman]

17HMR seems tried and true but lacking in punch. 17WSM is hard to fine and havent heard alot of buzz on accuracy... 17H seemed to have feeding issues early on and would have to pick up brass...

Sounds like none of them are right for you. So get a .223.

 

[eww1350]

Get a 17 Hornet...for good accuracy and a real varmint grenade...a 17 Remington for larger varmints...avoid the 17 Fireball...

 

[snowpro440]

My thoughts would be Get the 17 fireball and forget the rest , that is if you reload... 25gr berger @3800 is just right for me. Stevens 200 trued, rem factory barrel off LVSF, trigger

 

[MrMajestic]

avoid the 17 Fireball...

???, especially if you hate pushing the 25 grain V-Max to 4023 fps from a 26" tube with 18 1/2 grains of powder! :

 

[hogpatrol]

My .02, an Anschutz sporter or MPR in .17HMR, dependent on your shooting regime, excellent trigger and superior accuracy to any other factory rifle. With a light wind, good out to 250 yds., no load development or reloading, worrying about brass or bullet availability. Grab a box of ammo off the shelf and go shoot.
Background, I have rifles in .17HMR, .17HM2 and .17 Fireball.

 

[moorepower]

My 77/22/17 Ruger feeds like butter out of the rotary mag. My .17 FB shoots 5 in a nickle, and cost less than $300 with its cheap soon to be replaced BSA sweet .17 scope. It started life as a H&R .17 HM2 that I robbed the barrel and put on a $65 N.E.F. SB2 receiver and had reamed to .17 FB. I love the .17HMR Savage 93, which I use for shots under 150yds. I prefer the Ruger, because of the great feeding rotary mag, but with the PacNor .920 supermatch barrel on it, it is also a shooter.

 

[johnmyers]

Fireball practically same as 17 MachIV which is probably most efficient 17 cal of all, looks like a downsized br case. Don't know why anyone would say to avoid it. Get a 17 MachIV with a 1:9 twist so you can shoot 30s and you will be happy. Even better now with Lapua 221 brass. 30gr Gold Woodchuck Den bullets are great in a 9 twist.

 

[drgunlimited]

17HMR seems tried and true but lacking in punch. 17WSM is hard to fine and havent heard alot of buzz on accuracy... 17H seemed to have feeding issues early on and would have to pick up brass...

Sounds like none of them are right for you. So get a .223.

I have a 222 and a Dasher... looking for close range gun...

 

[Jeremy(WI)]

17HMR seems tried and true but lacking in punch. 17WSM is hard to fine and havent heard alot of buzz on accuracy... 17H seemed to have feeding issues early on and would have to pick up brass...

Sounds like none of them are right for you. So get a .223.

I have a 222 and a Dasher... looking for close range gun...

Buy a pistol ;D The 17 Hornet is nice and I have shot rabbits out to 200 yards so far with 25 gr HP and whoever said varmint grenade was right as they look like something destroyed them from the inside. No feeding issues with the CZ 527 American I have

 

[searcher]

It is assumed you do not live in California or other parts of the country that require us to be "lead-free". There are NO lead-free .17 caliber bullets, to my knowledge, sold for reloaders. I just sent Barnes Bullet Co. another email yesterday asking them to come out with them. If you are in a lead-free area, please join me! If you reside in an area talking about this, you might consider your bullet options or another caliiber.

 

[17Hunter]

.17 Rem and Fireball are both awesome rounds. I wouldnt give up either one. My Fireball loves IMR 4227 and 19 grain calhouns. Shots under .5" pretty consistently with that combo.

 

[Alycidon]

Sub 200 yards then the 17AH or 17HH is ideal using 20 grain Vmax for smaller vermin. No good for fox though unless you can head shoot, think 25s will sort that but not actually found a fox to try it yet.

Want to reach further the 17 Fireball/Mach 4 using 25s, fox capable and some,

A

 

[Travelor]

Cartridges, like most things in life, are compromises.

So, what do you intend to use the 17 caliber gun for? This will determine what fits you desires much better than asking with no explanation of its use.

Love my 17 HMR's for paper and critters at 200 yards or less.

 

[drgunlimited]

Cartridges, like most things in life, are compromises.

So, what do you intend to use the 17 caliber gun for? This will determine what fits you desires much better than asking with no explanation of its use.

Love my 17 HMR's for paper and critters at 200 yards or less.

for the most part p-dogs... could be a coyote or two...
The last time out the guy a shot with had an 17hmr and I shot it some. The shoot n toss aspect of the rimfire was one less thing to worry about and why I asked about the rimfire cartridges.
That being said I like things that are a bit different and not everyone shows up with. I also want to get an AR platform in 20 Practical... but thinking the 17 will come first.

My thoughts would be Get the 17 fireball and forget the rest , that is if you reload... 25gr berger @3800 is just right for me. Stevens 200 trued, rem factory barrel off LVSF, trigger

I do reload several calibers so whats one more, right....


Thanks for the comments guys...

 

[tuck2]

I m a 17 caliber fan. Most all of my shooting is at prairie dogs and I like low muzzle blast and recoil rifles to shoot them. I have 17 HM2, 17 HMR, 17 Hornet, 17 Fireball, and 17 Rem rifles. I ll pass on the 17 WSM cartridge until there are less problems reported about the ammo and rifles. Since getting a 204 Ruger rifle I no longer use the 17 Rem for p dog shooting. Tell use what you will be hunting and ranges you my be shooting.

 

[drgunlimited]

I m a 17 caliber fan. Most all of my shooting is at prairie dogs and I like low muzzle blast and recoil rifles to shoot them. I have 17 HM2, 17 HMR, 17 Hornet, 17 Fireball, and 17 Rem rifles. I ll pass on the 17 WSM cartridge until there are less problems reported about the ammo and rifles. Since getting a 204 Ruger rifle I no longer use the 17 Rem for p dog shooting. Tell use what you will be hunting and ranges you my be shooting.

currently the 222 out to 300-400 Dasher after that..
the fireball or the hornet seem more like what i would lean towards

 

[tuck2]

Drgunlimited- My first p dog rifle 1956 year was a very accurate Sako 222 Rem rifle. I traded it off for a Browning chambered for 243 Win.-big mistake.. Back then I could only go shooting on week ends when it seamed like it was allways windy . The 243 bullets did have less wind drift with a lot more muzzle blast and recoil. I now am retired and live in prairie dog country. Some years ago I started looking for the perfict p dog cartridge . I v shot them with the rim and center fire 17s , 204 Ruger , 22 LR, 22 WMR, 22 Hornet, 221 Fireball, 222 Rem, 223 Rem, 22-250 Rem, 220 Swift, 243 Win , and some big game cartridges. Every cartridge at some point because of bullet drop that cause a high holdover and wind drift becomes useless. In the spring when the p dog pups first come out there are a lot of shots from a few yards out to 150 yards when the 17 HM2 and 17 HMR are fine rounds to shoot them. Prairie dogs become muzzle blast smart so I don't use the 22-250 Rem, 220 Swift, and 243 Win rifles until late fall and winter when I need the extra range. I got accurate sub 1/2 inch 100 yard groups CZ 527 Varmint 17 Hornet rifle to use this year along with a older accurate SS Rem 17 Fireball rifle . The Hornet uses 10-12 grains of powder and my accurate reload for the Fireball is a 18 grain powder load when using the same 20 grain bullet in each cartridge. If you are going to do a lot of shooting within 250 yards use the 17 Hornet for longer shots get the 17 Fireball. I don't use my 17 Rem for p dog shooting, the barrel heats up to fast.

 

[thekriebles]

Fireball practically same as 17 MachIV which is probably most efficient 17 cal of all, looks like a downsized br case. Don't know why anyone would say to avoid it. Get a 17 MachIV with a 1:9 twist so you can shoot 30s and you will be happy. Even better now with Lapua 221 brass. 30gr Gold Woodchuck Den bullets are great in a 9 twist.

I agree with the points mentioned above. You can purchase loaded cartridges, load your own, it's very efficient, and it packs a solid punch for a variety of varmints at respectable distances.

 

[ab_bentley]

Why not a 17-222?

Adam