Handi in .17 HMR

[Frank V]

Does anyone have a Handi in .17 HMR? There is one at our local shop that really looks interesting. Who has one, & how does it shoot?
Frank

[Kal52]

I dont have one, but i want one, best check out the rimfire forum just under this one, lots of info

good luck

Dave

[trotterlg]

I've had a bunch of them, turned them all into 17 Rem FB's.  Larry

[bobg]

  I have a Handi in 17HMR that i haven't shot yet. Hope to do that when the weather warms up and things dry out. I did the o ring thing on the forearm. That brought the front down and the rear next to the frame up tighter. Have to check that out before i shoot it.
          bobg           

[ELMO]

  I've had one for several years now and it is very accurate. I use it to hunt woodchucks and squirrels. I shoot the CCI TNT ammo out of it most of the time and it also like the Hornady V-Max also....

[bobg]

  ELMO, How does the 17HMR work on woodchucks? Do you have to stick to head shots?  You have that right. They are woodchucks not groung hogs. . Around here if you called them groung hogs people wouldn't know what you were talking about.  .
               bobg

[1 farmer]

I've got a NEF 17HMR. Very accurate and makes a great woodchuck gun out to 200 yards or so. No you dont have to take head shots. The little 17 plastic tipped bullet realy tears things up. Try one out I dont think you would be disapointed.

[MOGLEY]

I got one a few weeks ago and it absolutley awesome. I have a mach 2 as well and they are tack drivers bar none. You will love it. I just got back from a trip crow hunting with it a few min ago. Every crow falls like 5 lbs of concrete straight down. You can see your hits when you shoot. I am shooting the federal v shock tips now but need to try the others. I have them all. I gave my savage 93 17 HMR to my nephew. I could not get that one to shoot at all.

[dorothy daily]

mogley, you got a rarity,a 93 that would not shoot. i have had two,first one heavy ss barrel had cheap scope savage sold as a package. it would cover a dime at 50 yards. i sold it to pay for the one i have now which is the new tactical model and mounted a new redfield 4x12x40. it shoots as good as the first and while i am told the 22 mag is not as accurate mine shoots the cci 40 grain just as tight as the 17hmr, all have had plastic stocks. glad you like the h&r. do not have 17 hmr in a handi but do have 17m2 and it shoots ok but not as good as 10-22 converted to 17hm2.

[Keith L]

I've got a NEF 17HMR. Very accurate and makes a great woodchuck gun out to 200 yards or so. No you dont have to take head shots. The little 17 plastic tipped bullet realy tears things up. Try one out I dont think you would be disapointed.

I disagree.  I bought a HMR for woodchuck hunting and now never use it for that.  I like the HMR (I have three) but had several chucks crawl back into their holes to die after hitting them hard at about 150 yards.  I want a clean, quick kill.  My 204 Ruger does that.  I think that big a critter needs a little more power for a clean kill.

[MOGLEY]

dorothy,
 I know I am a savage fan and am surprised it would not shoot either. I tried everything short of replacing the stock. For 137 dollars I got the nef in 17 hmr and it is what I wanted. I also converted a 10-22 to 17 mach 2 and that is awesome as well. I have a lot of fun with the 2 mach 2s and the HMR. I just got as a present a 17 fireball in the remington sps varmint. I don't big game hunt anymore its all small stuff and long range. I think the mach 2 and the HMR are just the ticket where the 22 cal are a bit much. Questions like is X caliber enough are hard because they all have limitations. Thats why I have all the calibers,,,...... it was the only fair  ethical option I could come up with....... really........ 17 mach 2, 17 HMR, 17 fireball 22, 222, 223 22-250,243 ( I shoot 58 and 75gr in this).  Now when someone says should I get this or that I say yes.... to both.

[Frank V]

Thanks for all the replys. That rifle is still there, & still looks interesting. Sorry I posted in the wrong thread.
Frank

[Sourdough]

During the summer I use my H&R Sportster .17HMR to shoot Beaver, in the overflow channels at the Folld Control Project.  There is a campground nearby, and lots of hiking trails.  I need to keep a low profile due to the kids and bleeding hearts up in the campground.  So the .17HMR is my choice due to it being quite.  A spine shot or head shot is what I want and the 17 is capable of that kind of accuracy.  If I can hit the spine or head they do not dive and disappear.  I can snag them with a Bass Plug and a small fishing rig, then pull them to the shore.  If they dive they stay down for about 2 hours.  After 2 hours they float.  I don't dare to go out there at night alone, so I have to come back the next morning and hope to beat the Grizzlies or Coyotes to them.  I am able to make a spine shot about 75% of the time.  With a .22RF it was 50%.

With the H&R Ultra in .223 I can also make about 75% spine shots as well, but the noise draws unwanted attention from the campground. 

One evening I had shot two Beavers and had put the gun down to snag the Beaver.  I noticed a couple walking down the trail coming my way.  I tossed my coat down over the gun, and made like I was fishing.  The couple came on down to where I was casting and slowly pulling the lure back.  I stopped fishing and walked towards them to talk and be sociable, and to kee4p them away from my coat and gun on the ground.  We talked for a few minutes, they asked if I had heard a shot earlier.  The man said it sounded like it came from across the river, and they had just been able to hear it.  I said yes there was predator hunters working across the river, calling Coyotes and Foxes.  They expressed complete disgust with people who shot those poor animals.  As they turned to leave I tossed the plug back into the water, and got a strike from a small pike.  They watched me pull it in then release it.  They waved bye and left going back to the camp ground.  After they got far enough away they could not tell what I was doing I snagged the beavers and pulled them in.  I tied a cord to their front feet and dragged them up to my truck, and left.   

[kansasj]

Great story Sourdough----I like your style!!

[john-78]

wait, you tied the cord to the beavers, or the hippies?

[bagdadjoe]

Gee, I read and re-read but I didn't see "hippies" mentioned. So it must have been the beavers.  I know nobody better be tryin' to tie a cord to this hippie. Course if they want to crawl over that piece over there to the left...well, that's an option.  But...I did like the story.

[Yak Angler]

I would buy mine all over again if i had the choice. Great gun and the bull barrel makes it one of the badest looking .17s out there IMHO

[myarmor]

I've got a NEF 17HMR. Very accurate and makes a great woodchuck gun out to 200 yards or so. No you dont have to take head shots. The little 17 plastic tipped bullet realy tears things up. Try one out I dont think you would be disapointed.

I disagree.  I bought a HMR for woodchuck hunting and now never use it for that.  I like the HMR (I have three) but had several chucks crawl back into their holes to die after hitting them hard at about 150 yards.  I want a clean, quick kill.  My 204 Ruger does that.  I think that big a critter needs a little more power for a clean kill.

I agree, I have had 2 HMR's and they were very accurate... my Savage BB Stainless was more accurate then my Cus NEF and my brothers Ruger HMR and I had more hits with it on groundhogs out to 200 yards and had several that went crawling back to their holes. in it's own right it's a great cartridge, but if the wind is wipping, go a little larger. My 223 Handi has been the most effective . Still I give props to the HMR just know it's limitations if you are stretching it out there..



-Aaron