Which .17HMR for my Son

[6BRinNZ]

Hi,

I want to get a .17HMR for rabbit hunting for my boy who is 11. I am keen to know your thoughts on which Brand/model to buy, I was thinking of putting a suppressor and bipod on as well.

I have had a read of the review below but it is probably a little out of date now, my local gun smith recommends a marlin.

Weight will probably come before price.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_17HMR_varmint_rifles.htm

Thanks in advance

 

[CJ6]

I've had Ruger and Annies. Ruger was about MOA, Annie was .3-.4 (WIND DEPENDANT for both). Friend has a Savage (not sure the model) HV BBL Laminated that's a good .5 or slightly better, a 1/3 what I paid for my Annie.

 

[SS427]

I think the Chuck Hawks information is still spot on.

My Ruger is MOA as well and my Savage came with a .6 inch target that I can at times duplicate. Wind is not kind to either one of them at 100 yards.

When I take one hunting though it is always the Ruger. Much better built and balances better. The Savage clips are clunkly compared to the Rugers, plus the Ruger holds 9 rounds compared to 5 for the Savage.. While the Savage is more accurate from a bench, I can shoot the Ruger better in the field.

 

[RonAKA]

I think the Savage heavy barrel will beat the Marlin for accuracy. The BTVS has two sling mounts to fit a bi-pod. Not sure what need there would be for a suppressor...

 

[6BRinNZ]

Cool, thanks for the replies...I am not sure about getting a heavy barrel model as an 11 yrd old will need to walk the hills with it...maybe they are still light enough with a HB?

Suppressor - yeah just a thought really, certainly I am open to your experiences or thoughts for that matter.

It is hard to move past the savage name and rep....do you guys bed them etc or pretty much buy off the shelf and shoot...I kinda figure with a rimfire it is as much about finding the right ammo....

 

[hoverp]

CZ 452 American heavy barrel. extremly accurate little gun. 5 round clip.

 

[zedsdead]

CZ 452 American heavy barrel. extremly accurate little gun. 5 round clip.

+1 on the CZ 452. Mine has the sporter barrel, which would probably be better for your boy. Mine is MOA or better and carries very well.

Jason

 

[sdneil]

Savage would be and is my first choice, in a .17 HMR for accuracy. Marlin would be my last , I mean last choice.

 

[Shynloco]

Savage would be and is my first choice, in a .17 HMR for accuracy. Marlin would be my last , I mean last choice.

IMO, for the money and accuracy out of the box, you cannot compare Savage to any of the others including Ruger. Several guys I know have recently bought the Savage 17 HMR and they are extremely happy with them, especially because of the costs and accuracy.

 

[Viperdoc]

If you want an accurate and well made semi auto, the Volquartsen is great. It shoots around .5 for me, but I'm still trying different brands of ammo. I also have Ruger 77/17 that was pretty inaccurate, and I considered dumping it, but I changed to a Shilen barrel that seemed to bring it down to around .5 or so. However, out of the box, the Volquartsen is a lot nicer shooting and better made.

 

[fastcars69]

Savage. My 189.00 Savage with a cheap laminated stock shoots sub moa at 100 yards. Good beginner and can dress it up later with a nice stock from Boyds or similiar. Just my opinion.

 

[jfk]

I have a Savage HV with the cheapo stock, I think I paid around $200 after tax before dros at Ca belas. As long as the wind isn't blowing its super accurate for an out of the box rimfire. If i remember correctly .75 moa was the norm for a five shot group with that rifle. Out to 50yds on nevada jacks it makes quite a mess too. I usually shoot the hornady ballistic tips. Humane kills out to 125yds, never had a jack past that yymv.

Good hunting.

John

 

[Phil]

I have a Cooper JSR,which is understandidly a little much,and a Sako quad.

The sako would be my recommendation if you can locate one...heck of a rifle,lots of aftermarket goodies available,and the ability to shoot 4 rimfire cartridges.....

 

[artbosco]

I want to get a .17HMR for rabbit hunting for my boy who is 11. I am keen to know your thoughts on which Brand/model to buy, I was thinking of putting a suppressor and bipod on as well.

I had an Anschutz .17 HMR, but sold it, and was happy when I did. They're nice, but a novelty that soon wears off. The barrel, as Butch of Butch's Bore Shine told me, is sooooo small, that with all the gases and carbon being extruded into that tiny bore, it's like stuffing 10 pounds of rice into a 5 pound sack. You really have to stay on top of cleaning. Plus, ammo is not all that economical. Then you are dealing with inordinate sized cleaning rods, jags, patches, bore guides, etc. As I said, they're nice, but a good old .22 or .22 magnum might be a better choice for a young lad in the long run. Everything is more readily available and less expensive.

 

[6BRinNZ]

Thanks for the input everyone it is appreciated. I have a Savage 9317tr available which coincidentally the mod wrote a review on the bulletin a little while ago, so I will see how he fits that and go from there.

Outdoorsman - you raise some good points, thanks..

 

[antitactical]

I've got a thompson center contender that will shoot with the best right out of the box (I've got buddies and family that own marlins savages volquartsens czs h&rs rugers and weatherby/anshutz) its light and small enough for an 11yr old and when he gets older he can order other barrels for it and being a single shot it kind of makes you take more time to make that one count.

 

[stuball]

I would have to say I agree with Outdoorsman. I would buy a 22. Reason just a quick look at ammo prices and being a young man like you son is I would image he would like to just plink with it also. At midway I did a quick look and for the price I would pay for 100 rounds of 17 HMR ammo I could purchase 500 rounds of 22 ammo. Most of the rifles I have come across shoot about the same and that is even evident from what everyone says here. What is 2 or 3 tenths of an inch while hunting.
Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.

 

[artbosco]

Outdoorsman - you raise some good points, thanks..

Thanks! If I can raise one more point for thought ...

When I was a young 12 year old, fve and a half decades ago, my father bought me a Winchester 20 gauge single shot shotgun for Christmas. I hunted rabbits with it and because it was a shotgun I was also able to bag a few quail that we flushed while chasing those little puffy white-tailed rodents. Other times that little scatter gun put squirrel in the rear pocket of my hunting vest and when deer season came around I loaded it with a 20 gauge slug or buckshot.

It's a very versatile rifle, shells are plentiful, inexpensive, easy to find, and there's a huge variety of shot for all kinds of critters and fowl. The gun is light and today even lighter because there are many downsized for young shooters. I was able to carry mine for hours on end and if I missed my target, which was often back then, my Dad didn't have to worry about a projectile carrying great distances and maybe harming someone. The shot dissipated and dropped quickly. I hunted with that rifle for many years. Even shot ducks with it.

 

[6BRinNZ]

LOL - at this rate I will have to get a .17, .22 and a shotty, your making it tough to choose ;-).

We walk the hills and park up on a hill somewhere and bomb up on rabbits, I use a 6BR and was going to get him a .17 for shots up to 200yrds, from there me an the 6BR take over.

All good points though...Thanks.

 

[SS427]

I don't like to give unsolicited advice so I only commented on my experiences with the .17 HMR. But I too would advocate a decent .22LR over the .17 HMR for your son. Where I live I can buy inexpensive Federal and Remington .22LR ammo for about $16-17 for a brick of 525. On sale the best I can get .17HMR ammo for is $10 for 50.