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Help me pick a ground squirrel rifle!

Tesoro

Tesoro

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Gold $$ Contributor
I have my trusty 22lr Annie 1416 22in. sporter barrel with a 6-18 Leup vx2 fine duplex. It shoots moa at 100 and been my ground squirrel gun. I lost the alfalfa ranch I would shoot at and the new one only permits 17's. So I need to buy a 17 and sell my 22.

My budget is $1000 for a replacement rifle (less scope/rings). I dont live where I can check any out. Seems like my choices are Browning T-bolt target or target/varmint or nuthin. T-bolt trigger is not great but there is a proven replacement avail. Tikka is hollow plastic stock and has complaints with mags and extraction.Stock sucks but can put in a boyds but they dont have HB's. I have looked at CZ 22's in the past and wasnt impressed with fit n finish compared to the annie or browning. Ruger 77/17's are overpriced for what they are and not as accurate as the others. I dont do savage. Sako quad is out of my price as are the 1700 annies. Anyting else out there I am missing?

Also if anyone knows...are there any down sides to the Browning target over the varmint/target? chamber on the target the same? I dont field carry just shoot out of truck window or off my bench. Seems like the target would be the best pick. maybe?

thx
 
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The CZ 17 HMR is a great rifle. With the money you save, you can buy more ammo. I've had mine for many years and I start off with it each prairie dog season. With a suppressor you can make so many more shots before they go down. I still use my 20 VT, but I always start off with the 17 HMR.
 

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If you can find one a CZ-452 in 17 mach 2or 17 hmr will do the job. I've easily head shot woodchucks to 100 yds. with the mach 2 ,and to 175 yds with the hmr.
 
usmc 0311 rvn 67-68 said:
If you can find one a CZ-452 in 17 mach 2or 17 hmr will do the job. I've easily head shot woodchucks to 100 yds. with the mach 2 ,and to 175 yds with the hmr.
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I am not in search of the most accurate because they all shoot good enough at around an inch at 100, including the ones you can buy at Wallmart. No point trying to make it shoot paper because there is no .17 rimfire match ammo!

My #1 contender is still the Browning T bolt varmint with better quality fit 'n finish, cut checkering, beaver tail stock and refined bluing. Trigger and the guard is crap but for $250 can get a drop in proper one and still stay within my 1k limit. Straight pull action is a plus for varmint shooting. The 1502 Anschutz would also be nice but scarce and paying a premium for accuracy which is made mute with bulk ammo only for the 17hm2.





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Look for an Annie 64 MPR in .17 HMR. I had one I bought used for <$500. I had a 24x fixed power BSA scope on it. The scope was OK. It held zero well. That thing was a laser at 100 yrds. I used to line up fired 12 ga shells with the spent primers showing. I could hit 'em easily. Sometimes I'd knock the primers out of them. I sold it because I needed seed money for a .223 bolt gun project. I sold it for more than I paid for it.

PopCharlie
 
PopCharlie said:
Look for an Annie 64 MPR in .17 HMR. I had one I bought used for <$500. I had a 24x fixed power BSA scope on it. The scope was OK. It held zero well. That thing was a laser at 100 yrds. I used to line up fired 12 ga shells with the spent primers showing. I could hit 'em easily. Sometimes I'd knock the primers out of them. I sold it because I needed seed money for a .223 bolt gun project. I sold it for more than I paid for it.

PopCharlie
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I hope you sold it for more than you paid for it!!! if I could find a decent price on a 64 action Annie I might take it but time is not on my side due to squirrel season.
 
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I snagged my Annie 1715HB at a local pawn shop for $600 with an old Leupold M8 6X aboard. Deals can be found if you poke about. I also had a CZ 452 Varmint 17HMR prior to that. Both shot well on ground squirrels or rock chucks, but I just liked the Annie better for reasons we're all aware of.

I regard our buddy snert highly, but disagree with the 17M2. Limited range, sketchy ammo availability, less varmint-smacking effects when compared to the much more popular 17HMR which seems available everywhere.

I'd take my time, monitor LGS's, gunbroker and the like and eventually you'll find a nice one.
 
I sold my Annie a few years ago, in a weak moment. Last year, I bought a Tikka and I'm pretty happy with it. Not as pretty as the Annie, and not as accurate, but I did kill pd's out to 230 yds with it. Shoots most of the ammo about the same. A $10 spring reduces the trigger to just over a pound. And when I ding or scratch up the stock, it doesn't hurt quite as bad.
 
A recommendation - buy a Tikka 17HMR use it as is for this season and in the meantime keep your eyes open for a T3 Hunter (wood) stock to drop it into.
As far as issues with the Tikkas like most internet threads it is overblown. I have been shooting T1's since 2019 and have never had an extraction or magazine problem. I attribute most of the problem hype to people like a friend of mine - he is inept and nothing is ever his fault, its always the equipments fault.

The easy button would be the Anschutz MPR but it may take a bit of luck to find one in the price range you want to pay.

Another week or so and the gophers will start popping up around here, I have my Tikkas ready to go.

Good shooting

drover
 
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