Dont, you will regret it, the 17HMR is a superior cartridge in all aspects, i know i found out the hard way.
Ian.
Really? Not sure about
every aspect..
Depends entirely on what you plan to shoot with it and at what distance and conditions
I have both.
I was a big fan of the HMR when they came out but its just not as fancy as the marketeers would have you believe
HMR rarely comes out now...I will use it on a nice calm day when the crows/magpies are out between 100-175yds unless I have the .222 within 6ft of me!
HMR is pointless on rabbits IMO unless you have no reason to pick them up (and expensive if you do!) and genuinely can't get within 100yds of them and not up to the job of regular foxing
WMR trumps HMR by some margin for energy across the full trajectory. Thats it as far as I am concerned
The larger drop at range is easily accounted for.
My WMR is more accurate than the HMR, doubt it is the rifle as its a Sako Quad so I can only assume its the ammo....a known failing
Never had a squib though thankfully
WMR is not affected by wind or the slightest blade of grass as much
Its Much cheaper to feed (which I don't understand at the bullets are twice as heavy as the HMR!)
If you have a decent supply of RFD's locally you will find much more selection of ammo from VMax, GamePoint, HollowPoint ranging from 33gr up to 50gr. 40gr does the job
WMR despatches bunnies without disembowelling them but has the punch to drop a fox without worry of surface splash wounds.
It was my urban fox calibre of choice for several years
as to the original question
plenty of WMR and HMR's been chopped down to less than 16" without issue