Just picked my new 17HMR Sportster yesterday. I did a trigger job on it right away, cleaned it up, and
J-B'd the bore. Made it down to the range at 7:30 A.M. Unfortunately the Santa Anna winds were
blowing pretty good. (up to 35 mph gusts) This makes shooting the 17HMR, and most other rounds
for that matter, all but impossible to shoot for accuracy. The wind was gusting so strong it was blowing
the targets down all over the range. Luckily I had a roll of duct tape that I used to tape the target
backboard to the uprights. I didn't even bother to set up a target at 100 yards. The wind was getting
worse as the morning wore on. I set up a target at 50 yards. My plan was to get the Sportster sighted
in and just put some rounds down the tube to break it in. I tried a bunch of different rounds. Federal
17 gr V-Shock TNT, Hornady 17 gr X-Max Varmint Express, Hornady 20 gr XTP, and CCI 17 gr TNT.
From what I could tell the Hornady 17 gr V-max shot the best. I mounted a Tasco 6-24X42mm mil
dot scope on the rifle. It seems to be working very well. I shot about 125 rounds today. I'm sure
this nice little rifle would group around an inch at 50 the way it is right now. I hate the recycled
milk jug stock and forend. I ordered a laminated thumbhole stock and forend from H&R last week.
When it comes in I am going to rtv bed the forend. I am thinking the combination of the new
bedded wood and more rounds down the barrel on a less windy day should yield some respectable
groups. Several people came up to me asking questions about the Sporster during the morning.
They were impressed with it. Especially when I told them what I paid for it!
I'm looking
forward to going back in a couple of weeks with the new wood and see how this sweet little
rifle does. I split about 10;30 when the wind started "sandblasting" me when I was trying to shoot.
Robert
