17 HMR barrel length

[stevenedwards]

I have a need for an up close'ish and discrete rifle and am thinking 17hmr. Can those with the knowledge please advise on barrel length, tikka are offering 16 and 20 inch.
What is the practical effect of the velocity difference if any. Your thoughts are appreciated.

 

[FISH BOY]

Shorter the better for a useable truck lamping gun.

Believe the .17HMR gets up to speed in 14 inches.

 

[billy_boyle_2010]

Shorter def better for all reasons. Speed difference is negligible.

 

[PhilSN12]

I have a CZ455 with a 16" barrel, which is very accurate and will drop Charlie at 100y.

 

[User00035]

My Weihrauch is 14". Very handy in a vehicle but I prefer a bit more barrel length for shooting standing off sticks because it acts as a counterweight and steadies the rifle. Velocity difference is negligible at the muzzle and will make no difference at all down range.
16" is a good compromise. I wouldn't bother with 20". Unnecessarily cumbersome by the time you add a moderator.

 

[Bowland blades]

i suspect you would not see a difference with a chrono graph even if you went shorter still , indeed chances are it might speed things up going shorter . That said you should just go with what feels right . My daughters 22 rf is slightly slower than mine mine is a good few inches shorter than the std CZ short barrel hers is the std . Seem to remember it was after 11" ? that velocity in the 22 rf declines after you make the barrel longer , could be wrong because i would with the exception of a long range rifle in CF choose the shorter barrel especially using a moderator .

 

[stevenedwards]

So the consensus would seem to be less is more so 16 inch it is. Many thanks.

 

[the_greenman]

Be aware that if you intend to drop it into an aftermarket chassis and then fit an overbarrel mod, a 16" may not have enough forward relief to screw the mod on. Other than that, my 16" .17 does the job on anything it hits.

 

[Squirrelbasher]

Had mine cut down from 22:1/2” to 15” and it was the best thing I did with it. It lost 70fps muzzle velocity, which is negligible. Accuracy remained the same.

 

[PhilSN12]

Try a Stalon RF moderator. They are small, slim and light and it does the job on my .17HMR.

 

[Tazz]

You don’t need more than 14” in a 17HMR in my experience

 

[The Grouse]

I'm shooting a 16" T1x and there is certainly no issues with accuracy or effectiveness at point of impact. Nice to carry and fairly compact, with a wildcat over barrel mod to keep the length down.

 

[User00035]

Had mine cut down from 22:1/2” to 15” and it was the best thing I did with it. It lost 70fps muzzle velocity, which is negligible. Accuracy remained the same.

And of course that velocity loss is measured at the muzzle. Down range where it matters there will probably be no difference, or the drop will be even smaller.
I'm sure I read somewhere that a barrel greater than 16" on an HMR actually reduces velocity as well, as the cartridge completes its burn within 16" so any additional length only acts as a drag on the projectile. Don't know if that's trues but it sounds reasonable.

 

[Bowland blades]

i suspect you would not see a difference with a chrono graph even if you went shorter still , indeed chances are it might speed things up going shorter . That said you should just go with what feels right . My daughters 22 rf is slightly slower than mine mine is a good few inches shorter than the std CZ short barrel hers is the std . Seem to remember it was after 11" ? that velocity in the 22 rf declines after you make the barrel longer , could be wrong because i would with the exception of a long range rifle in CF choose the shorter barrel especially using a moderator .

And of course that velocity loss is measured at the muzzle. Down range where it matters there will probably be no difference, or the drop will be even smaller.
I'm sure I read somewhere that a barrel greater than 16" on an HMR actually reduces velocity as well, as the cartridge completes its burn within 16" so any additional length only acts as a drag on the projectile. Don't know if that's trues but it sounds reasonable.

something that starts slower ( of equal BC) cannot catch up to the barrel that sends the bullet faster . velocity lost is equal from both so the faster barrel will always be faster
I personally have my doubts that the HMR needs or can use the extra length and could only be convinced by a string of shots through both barrels same day . There is hardly any powder to burn in the rf rifles ( the parent case for the hmr being the 22 mag , a cartridge designed for a small pistol like a Deringer ! ) Its so little powder , Seem to remember when i ran strings of HMR over the chrono that it spat out a few weird fluctuations ? But it was a good while ago now that i dumped the HMR so i could have mis-remembered

 

[Dave_424]

something that starts slower ( of equal BC) cannot catch up to the barrel that sends the bullet faster . velocity lost is equal from both so the faster barrel will always be faster
I personally have my doubts that the HMR needs or can use the extra length and could only be convinced by a string of shots through both barrels same day . There is hardly any powder to burn in the rf rifles ( the parent case for the hmr being the 22 mag , a cartridge designed for a small pistol like a Deringer ! ) Its so little powder , Seem to remember when i ran strings of HMR over the chrono that it spat out a few weird fluctuations ? But it was a good while ago now that i dumped the HMR so i could have mis-remembered

Being pedantic, the rate at which the bullet slows down is not constant. It changes with velocity. The same bullet fired at 1000fps and 3000fps, over the same distance the 3000fps round will lose more velocity than the 1000fps one. Some quick and dirty ballistics of a .17HMR shot at 2550fps vs 2450fps at the muzzle (100fps difference), shows a 74fps difference at 150yds.

In reality, the velocity change due to being a few inches shorter will make next to no difference due to the small amount of powder in the case.

 

[Bowland blades]

Being pedantic, the rate at which the bullet slows down is not constant. It changes with velocity. The same bullet fired at 1000fps and 3000fps, over the same distance the 3000fps round will lose more velocity than the 1000fps one. Some quick and dirty ballistics of a .17HMR shot at 2550fps vs 2450fps at the muzzle (100fps difference), shows a 74fps difference at 150yds.

In reality, the velocity change due to being a few inches shorter will make next to no difference due to the small amount of powder in the case.

26 FPS ? well i would suspect the HMR and a 22 would vary shot to shot greater than that

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

Mate of mine has a 17hmr, never had shot one before he let me have a go. His is a 16" and the first shot I had with it turned a rabbit inside out at 150 ish meters

His is a 16" barrel so I'd say it's still effective with quite a short barrel!

I'm a convert for short barrels, I was out last night with my 22lr thats 16" and getting in and out the car makes life so much easier!

 

[Bowland blades]

Mate of mine has a 17hmr, never had shot one before he let me have a go. His is a 16" and the first shot I had with it turned a rabbit inside out at 150 ish meters

His is a 16" barrel so I'd say it's still effective with quite a short barrel!

I'm a convert for short barrels, I was out last night with my 22lr thats 16" and getting in and out the car makes life so much easier!

that's unusual unless very badly placed mostly 17 HMR start to fail to expand at about 160 just ten yards further , was the range guessed ? Closer up body shots are certainly messy when they occur . if i am shooting rabbit i only head shoot and even a 45 grain bullet at 2600-2700 fps from the 22 hornet or downloaded 223 close up is fine on a rabbit carcass at 50 yards , the head just goes missing leaving just a flap of skin with ears often still attacked like a glove puppet

 

[Stalker-of-the-deer]

that's unusual unless very badly placed mostly 17 HMR start to fail to expand at about 160 just ten yards further , was the range guessed ? Closer up body shots are certainly messy when they occur . if i am shooting rabbit i only head shoot and even a 45 grain bullet at 2600-2700 fps from the 22 hornet or downloaded 223 close up is fine on a rabbit carcass at 50 yards , the head just goes missing leaving just a flap of skin with ears often still attacked like a glove puppet

Range was gestimated at first then we lasered it at 152 or somthing like that a few hours later.

shot it in the chest with quartering towards me made a propper mess of the front end

 

[old 30-06]

I had a standard barrel on my CZ 22LR and wanted to make it vehicle friendly so had a LOT chopped off and an over the barrel moderator fitted. I tested it before and after and it made no difference to the accuracy. Get chopping.