Author Topic: Ruger's new single action in .17 HMR, anyone have one? (Read 1160 times)

His lordship. · « **on:** August 26, 2003, 11:34:58 AM »

I saw the review in the American Rifleman magazine, and am tempted to get one as the .17 cartridge would give me a nice advantage for longer shots over the .22 LR and .22 magnum. Anyone buy one?

Thanks

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** August 26, 2003, 11:46:27 AM »

One word always pops into my mind when this question comes up. WHY?

:roll:

WHY in the world do all of you people feel so hot to go buy a .17HMR anything? :eek:

It won't do one single thing the .22 mag. will not do better. Even Dick (I never met a gun I didn't love) Metcalf admitted in his recent review of just this gun that it was at best about a 35 yard useful gun. Beyond that he admitted the .22 mag was superior. :lol:

That little light weight pill just ain't gonna cut it. Won't buck the wind and won't hold it's velocity much past 25-40 yards in a handgun or 100 in a rifle. I am just amazed at the people falling all over themselves to go buy one because the writers in magazines say ya gotta have one.

The .22 Mag. is superior at all ranges.

GB

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #2 on:** August 27, 2003, 12:05:07 AM »

I agree with graybeard on this one. Pluse I can load .38s or .32 mags cheaper then I can buy .17 ammo

44 Man · « **Reply #3 on:** August 27, 2003, 07:27:30 AM »

I have a friend that has a .17hmr (actually 3 of them) and loves them. It's strong point seems to be squirell hunting. He says the big advantage is that you can take a shot up in a tree and not worry about killing someones horse in the next mile. The bullet is so light that it has no residual energy when it comes back down. He does not take questionable shots, but it is good to know that if you do miss, you don't have to worry about where the bullet might come down. Just his opinion, but he loves the caliber. 44 Man

His lordship. · « **Reply #4 on:** August 27, 2003, 08:28:02 AM »

For years I hunted mostly crows and grouse with a 12 gauge shotgun, and often carried my Ruger .22 cal LR MK 2. pistol. I grew tired of the crows that refused to come into my shotgun's range, and my pistol had a sizeable drop at 100 yards that caused me to loose shots as well because if shooting at an up angle the trajectory drop is not as profound as level to level where the bullet really dropped, and I got tired of having to calculate angles, I felt like it was a math class.

When the .17 first came out I wanted one because, as 44 Man noted, you don't have to worry about hitting someone or something due to declining residual effects at increasing distance, and the official charts from the ammo makers show that the .17 HMR has a flatter trajectory over the .22 Magnum. Now I have a cartridge that will hit where I aim at 100 yards, and will hit a crow with a reasonable drop allowance at 200 yards and not kill somebody's horse at a mile.

Where I hunt there are farms nearby. I would like to use my .357 magnum revolver over a .17 HMR for hitting power, the drop is about 4"-5" at 100 yards, but that 125 grain slug could carry aways too! :shock:

With the .17 HMR Ruger singe action I could use it as an option for when I do use my shotgun in the future. However, this year I plan to hunt mostly with one of my 2 recently purchased .17 HMR rifles to see how well they do. I know the crows are waiting, and they will fly away if I keep missing them as they are intelligent birds, and the .22 magnum will be difficult to hit them at 200 yards.

I think that the .22 Magnum versus .17 HMR is going to be a test of time issue. We will have to wait 5-10 years to be sure.

DzrtRat · « **Reply #5 on:** August 27, 2003, 01:54:53 PM »

I haven't used one, and don't even have any desire to. What Greybeard said holds pretty much with my thinking on it. I have a .22 mag, and if I need to shoot any farther than it will handle then I'll use a centerfire.

I'd watch that shooting into the air fellars. Horses, cattle, dogs, and people have eyes that can be lost, and depending on the angle the shot was taken at that little 17 grain pill might have more thump than you think. I'd hate to hear about someone losing an eye or being shot through the temple by someone who didn't think that the bullet would hit that hard coming down.

~Rat

Jim n Iowa · « **Reply #6 on:** August 27, 2003, 02:08:51 PM »

I am not to keen on shooting up on squirrels in trees, what goes up comes down and who can tell where it will fall. 410s is what we use. That said I have watched this cal touted in every gun rag about, its as bad as S&W is all you can read about( big ad budget) are the other guys still in bus. As I step down from the soap box I remember a farm kid I ran into hunting coyotes in the winter, he had a 5mm and was very proud of it, saved his money up for this gun.
Jim

Graybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** August 27, 2003, 06:14:02 PM »

Chris D., if you are thinking that little Ruger .17HMR is a 200 yard crow killer then you are kidding only yourself. Not even in a rifle is it a 200 yard killer. You are falling for the magazine hype and will find out that the real world and the world those magazine writers live in are two totally different places.

GB

KN · « **Reply #8 on:** August 27, 2003, 07:10:03 PM »

GB, While I agree that a 17HMR sixgun is probably no more than a novelty, I would guess that you havn't shot a 17HMR rifle at 200yds yet. I can personally attest to the killing power on small animals at 200 yds. And that is with a 14" contender. I havn't gotten my 23" contender carbine out into the field yet. Granted its not spectacular like a good 223 with a v-max but its plenty powerful to get the job done. I really don't understand why you and several others seem to be bashing the 17. I keep hearing that "It wont do anything my 22 mag wont". While that is basically true, Then we really dont need the 22 hornet since we have the 223. Or lets not buy any 454s since we can kill just as well with a 44 mag. Golly look at the popularity of sub sonic 22 ammo in the last couple of years. Why? Who knows, I don't really understand it. My point is, It's just one more tool in a long list to choose from. I certainly hope that list continues to grow and not shrink. While the 17HMR may not be your cup of tea, I think its a little short sighted to profess it as worthless to the rest of the crowd. I'll get off my soap box now, I hope this post isn't taken the wrong way. It was meant as an observation more than anythig else. KN

Graybeard · « **Reply #9 on:** August 28, 2003, 04:51:52 AM »

KN, you are correct. I have not shot a .17HMR of any description. Doubt I ever will. Of no interest to me.

Having said that. I have seen many reviews on it. I've seen bullets fired from rifles into various test media and at 150 yards most either stay intact or at most lose the plastic tip and otherwise except for the rifling marks look like they are new. That's not game killing performance from a bullet weighting only 17 grains and only .172" in diameter.

I'll defer to your experience if you say you've made satisfactory kills at 200 yards. Me I'd want to see it to become convinced of it.

My biggest concern is that folks are reading the rags which purport it to be the greatest thing since sliced bread and go out of their way to make it should like it is something far more than it is. I could care less if someone wants to spend their money on it. I'd sure hate to see folks doing it for the wrong reasons tho.

GB

BlkHawk73 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 28, 2003, 12:28:25 PM »

I'm also with GreyBeard with this one.

KN · « **Reply #11 on:** August 28, 2003, 02:18:26 PM »

I'll tip my hat to the fact that it will never be a serious hunting calliber. I just find it much more challenging and fun on the 200 yd and closer prarie dogs than any of my normal rifles. Its just too easy at 200yds with a 223 or a 22/250. And with that I'll bow out of this debate as it will probably be a never ending opinion tosser for a long time comming. KN

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #12 on:** August 29, 2003, 12:27:27 AM »

my opinion of it is based on the single six. I doubt if theres to many out there that can hit anything at 100 yards with a revolver let alone 200 and out to 100 a .22 mag will take care of anything a .17 will. As far as the sub sonic .22s go I use them and will continue to. They are just flat accurate for punching paper. My major gripe with the .17 and even the .22 mag is that I can load .22 hornets cheaper then either and its better at everything then a .17 is anyway and is available in both rifles and handguns. To be totally honest I have never even shot a .17 of any kind. If I was to get one it would probably be the cheap nei single shot. But why when the .22 hornet and .223 are available in it allready. In all reality I proably shoot about 100 .22 mags in a year. Never really found a use for that either. My dad thinks its some majical cartridge that will poleax anything including deer but reality is that it wont kill anything that a standard .22 wont and its alot more finiky in the accuracy dept. I dont make a habbit out of killing alot of things Im not going to eat and if Im small game hunting id feel alot more comfortable with my .32s or .38s

Oldtimer · « **Reply #13 on:** August 29, 2003, 04:58:40 PM »

The strong suit of the .17 HMR is its accuracy. I have shot several and the uniform report I hear from others is that it is flat out accurate. Its value as a hunting round is questionable, I admit, but being able to hit something consistently is inherently appealing. Col. Townsend Whelen said that the only interesting gun was an accurate one. To me, that sums up the 17 HMR.

Rich Jimbo · « **Reply #14 on:** August 29, 2003, 05:36:09 PM »

I'm with Oldtimer on this one, it is accurate! [by the way, I won't reply to any posts unless I have first hand experience] I always liked the accuracy of my Contender with a 21" match grade .22Lr. I couldn't imagine a .17 cal./17 grain bullet being effective at any distance, so I bought a 21" Contender barrel just to rid the varmets in the back yard. The more I shot the 17HMR the more I liked it's performance. I've dropped 2 woodchucks at over 100 yards...they didn't move! This is now my squirrel gun because it is so accurate. You gotta go for head shots though, that little bullet goes in tiny but comes out explosive!