New 17HMR Barrel!!

[dghuppert]

I picked up a new Contender barrel today while at Cabela's- 17HMR.  They had one of the 23" heavy barrels left so I grabbed it.  I was shooting prairie dogs last week in South Dakota and a friend had a Contender carbine set up with the 17HMR and let me shoot it.  What a difference between the 17 and the 22 mag.  That extra 500 fps does make quite a difference.  I've got another frame deal worked out but I need a stock set.  Has anyone got one of the semi-finished walnut thumbhole sets from EA Brown?  This looks like the same set as Fox Ridge sells but you can save a little by finishing it yourself. I've got a nice Bullberry set on a 223AI Contender carbine but thought I would try a thumbhole.  Any input would be appreciated.
Darnell

[KN]

I don't have one but I read where you'll have to take your thumb out to cock the gun. Not very desirable for a hunting gun but it would probably be alright for a bench gun.  By the way, I just got back from SD shooting prarie dogs. Took a 14" contender in 17HMR to play with. Wow was it nice! I was making 200yd shots with very little trouble. I was thinking of getting a new 17 G2 carbine barrel myself.  KN

[tommyn]

I have one of the 23 inch 17HMR barrels and it is accurate.  Under half inch with Hornday, around inch with CCI and Remington ammo.  Now just got to find a varmint.

[Ladobe]

I have one of the 23 inch 17HMR barrels and it is accurate.  Under half inch with Hornday, around inch with CCI and Remington ammo.  Now just got to find a varmint.

I can see the TNT's and V-Max's not shooting to the same POI or with the same precision in a particular gun, but since the Hornady and Remington ammo are exactly the same except for the poly tip color, why would you get such a big difference between these two?  

Just returned from Digger Wars a weeka go where around 2000 Beldings and nearly 400 jacks were sent to meet their maker.   85-90% of the Beldings were taken with 17's - and the lions share of these with the Hummers... all of the jacks fell to the Bullberry Hummer.   I shot Hornady and CCI this trip in both my Hummers - the Bullberry No.1 carbine shoots them both to about the same POI, and the 17VS almost does.   Made it very simple for me to keep hitting while switching back and forth on the ammo.   In the Bullberry, best 100 yard 5-shot group has been .182 - in the 17VS .264, and both stay under 3/4 MOA all of the time, even when I am having a bad day with the jitters.

On the stock, I'd guess a thumbhole would have been a little inconvenient in the fast a furious shooting (mostly off portable benches), but not enough so that I would have considered it a problem.   I too have been thinking of getting a thumbhole just 'cause I don't have one for the 'C' frames.

Ladobe

[KN]

I had the same experience as tommyn, Hornadys shot best followed by the Remington and then the CCI. Not very much difference, not enough to not shoot the other ammo.  KN

[tommyn]

Ladobe I just sighted in the new barrel and fired groups with each brand and there was a Big difference.  Go to Yahoo Specialty pistols group and the photos are posted  I don't know how to post them here.  With some time I might get smaller groups but just have this barrel to shoot critters bothering my garden and friends.   [/img]

[MINNESOTA DICK]

I jsut got back from SD shooting p=dogs.  I shot my 597 Remington at dogs with Hornady vmax ammo.  The best was 191 yards, measured with a range fider.  I found out that you had to hit them in the head to stop the in their tracks. Any other hit and it would roll them over and they would crawl back into their holes.  But I still had fun :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

dick

[KN]

Tommyn, Is that 23" barrel a full bull or do they have a slight taper? Kind of hard to tell in the pictures.  KN