Real world 17 HMR results

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gixer1

gixer1

Well-Known Member
Supporter
I’ve used a few different 17 HMR’s and was never really that impressed with knock down power on foxes or the blowing up ammo/rifles - however they seem to make sense for longer range bunnies.

Does anyone have any real world opinions on their accuracy at 100-200 yards? Grouping at 150 or 200 yards? Does it completely run out of steam at 200 yards?

I have a need for a longer range bunny tool but don’t want to go down the centrefire route as it needs to be easy and cheap to feed. (So buying factory ammunition)

Even more specifically out of the 16” Tikka T1X as I was impressed with my 22LR version so guess it would make a good rifle in 17 HMR?

Regards
Gixer
 
I'm a reasonably stalwart supporter of the HMR as an economic high-volume rabbit round (forget it as a fox stopper unless it's under 50 yards) but for consistency I would never consider it as more than a 150 yard cartridge.
In perfect conditions it's 10 mm groups at 100 yards. Sub 1" out to 120-130 yards and all over the place by 180. In other words, brilliant till it starts to get loose, then it all goes to pot very quickly. Certainly got enough knock down to level a rabbit at 200 yards and the furthest I've bang-flopped one was 184, but that was after the first one went wild and I'd adjusted about 10 inches for wind drift on the second. And there was only a slight breeze.

150 yard max, in my view. Rabbit's head every time if it's still. Awesome out to 130 in most reasonable conditions. Beyond 150 looses the plot very quickly.
 
Agreed with Finch above. A super round for rabbits but very selective short-range shots for fox only. The infamous case-splitting is still around so advanced checking of every case is a must - I had three split cases after firing only yesterday - out of 11 shots. There is no indication of a split when firing and accuracy/performance is not adversely affected but it is mildly annoying! I examine my cases after every shot and have about 50 now with neck/shoulder splits.
The tiny 17gns vmax is a really very good round but it does run out of steam pretty quickly which means that the “explosive” nature of that bullet is much reduced the further you shoot it (see link below). That said I have found 200 yards shots are definitely possible and a good shot will drop rabbits in their tracks even without the bullet performing. I certainly would not like to be hit with one at any distance!
Energy-wise, the little bullet will certainly kill rabbits at much, much greater range but hitting them will be the problem. Much has been said about the noise of a 17 but in general I have not found it to be an issue - only yesterday I shot two rabbits about a foot apart, the second one didn’t react at all to the shot or strike on its pal so two nice bunnies at about 130 yards and on video as proof! If you want to see it in honest action pm me your mobile and I will send some short videos.
Like most chamberings (6.5/270/308 etc.) it has its fans and its critics and much has been written about this little round but In summary I would say buy one, it is a completely different animal from the 22 lr, very accurate and extremely effective at surprising ranges. I sold my 22lr soon after buying the 17. Nuff said.
🦊🦊

 
I've noticed rabbits within the line of fire just look up and around in confusion at the noise. Close bystanders are more spooked by the thock of the impact than they are from the sonic crack.

However, as with lamping, they learn association quickly and if you visit the same spot day after day, it won't be long before the the first crack clears the field.
I've always used the HMR to shoot hot-spots from a fixed position. It's brilliant if you've pinged your field of fire with a range finder. You can sit in cover and nail everything that shows. I leave a few days between visits and after about three I give them a rest and then come back at night with the NV. They've usually taken a proper hammering by then.
 
I've had my Anschutz 17/17 since the 17HMR was introduced and have shot thousands of rounds through it. I would say it's the perfect rabbit round, especially when driving round after them at night. Although I've shot rabbits at greater distances I would say for general rabbit control 120-150 yards is about the maximum range I would shoot them after dark.
As far as foxes go, I've had a few cubs at around the 100-yard mark but the 17HMR isn't a foxing calibre. When I've been out after rabbits at night I've shot a lot of foxes with it but all have been about 50-70 yards maximum.
The wind hasn't been a problem at night as you don't know which direction it's coming from anyway when driving around the fields. All in all a very good small vermin calibre but it has its limitations on the bigger stuff.
 
I would say in the real world 150 yards for chest shot bunnies. Perhaps a head shot if prone. Knock down power on bunnies is fantastic and there is some room for error. I find that things open up at and after 150. I have a Tikka tx3 in 17 and love it. Have a .22 slot on my ticket but haven’t bothered to fill it as .17 is spot on. Wouldn’t use it on foxes though...
 
As a rabbit caliber it comes into its own after dark when distance is hard to judge. It's normally accepted range out to 120 or so makes it point and shoot for most rabbit control.
 
Shot a few foxes with the .17 HMR out to 130yds or so, all chest all dead.
However the .22 Hornet does a much better job even out to 200 with my homeloads. Beyond that use a more powerful tool. Am loading Hornet for about 40p at the moment, fired cases neck sized.
 
Was shooting my .17 hmr last night on a short range from the high seat@50m, out of 8 shots at least 3 were split- all shots hit the target bang on. I’m now less concerned about the splitting. (Note I check all my rounds pre firing and none of theses showed signs of splitting, although out of 3 boxes 3 were split already)
 
doric_prince said:
Was shooting my .17 hmr last night on a short range from the high seat@50m, out of 8 shots at least 3 were split- all shots hit the target bang on. I’m now less concerned about the splitting. (Note I check all my rounds pre firing and none of theses showed signs of splitting, although out of 3 boxes 3 were split already)
Click to expand...
Pretty much my experience too, some split in the box, some split after firing but most are ok. I do find it odd that there hasn’t been more made of all this - if it happened with .308 or some such popular cartridge I imagine more would be said/done. Maybe the manufacturers are just sitting on their thumbs and making money or perhaps they have conducted tests and found no risks from split cases?
I do remember Steve Hornady issuing a video statement saying that their ammo was fine and that if you had split cases it was down to the gun not his ammo! I haven’t seen it for a few years - I wonder why?
🦊🦊
 
Anschutz 1517.
Rabbits at 100m is effortless,headshots obv to prevent internal soup
Fox (head up to150m ) again, effortless.
Obv in optimum conditions
Probs my favourite calibre and highly underestimated!

I've also been lucky with ammo, no splits until now, maybe the odd duffer
 
wully1234 said:
Anschutz 1517.
Rabbits at 100m is effortless,headshots obv to prevent internal soup
Fox (head up to150m ) again, effortless.
Obv in optimum conditions
Probs my favourite calibre and highly underestimated!
Click to expand...
Got one of these myself with 14.5” barrel and full bore mod- compact, light’ish and Manoeuvrable , v accurate!
 
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