Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires .17 HM2

Anyone made the switch to the dark side?
Swapped my Ruger 77/22 barrel out with a Green Moutain 17 HM2 barrel.

Sure puts a gaping hole in medium sized birds, compared to the classic 22LR standard rounds.

it don't do much for smaller birds, either.....

the mach2 rocks, and is my favorite round for squirrel hunting. which barrel profile you get?

been pretty happy with GM barrels, have one on a 10/22, another on a 77/22, and a spare 16" fluted Mach2 barrel waiting for the right deal to pop up on boat paddle 77/22 to convert.

Count me as a 17HM2 fan x8; Marlin (x1), Ruger (x3), and Savage (x4). 2 of the Ruger 10/22s and 1 of the Savage Mark IIs have GM 96/17 barrels. Of the factory rifles, the Marlin 917M2S and Savage Mark II R17BvSS are my favorites. All of the bolt guns will shoot Eley ammo MOA or better out to 100 yards, if the wind isn't blowing. It is much easier to hit small targets out to 100+/- yards with the 17HM2 than any 22LR that I've ever shot. 1 of the Rugers features a laminated mannlicher stock, the RBIBBZ Wal-Mart format, with a lined 10/22 factory barrel. It is 1 of my favorite woods loafing rifles and is capable of hitting black walnuts that have fallen to the ground out beyond 75 yards. I figure that I'm actually helping the squirrels by breaking the nuts into smaller pieces.

Jeff

I sure wish I had picked up one of the Rugers when they were $399... still kick myself over that.. would love to have one and be able to swap back and forth between 17M2 and 22 LR...

I prefer the bolt actions I have over the 10/22s..

Had one in a CZ...Wish I'd have kept it!

Gotta find a Ruger 77-22 someday, and switch barrels to a Green Mtn. 17MK11 (Kicks toe in dirt!)

Virgil B.

I like the HM2, but didn't have good luck with my first one. It shot OK as long as it was squeaky clean, but went to 2"+ groups at 100 after 40-50 shots, which ain't much use on burrowing rodents. When clean it worked well.

Just bought a CZ off the Campfire Classifieds, and will probably be much happier, based on past CZ experience.

20" Fluted SS

Only one problem: I had an all weather ruger with a SS barrel and it was great. I swapped it out with the fluted and the pits on the fluting rusts very easily. I noticed I had to oil it extensively every time I put it away. Other than that, it's a great rifle. Shot a few groundhogs with it too. Speed kills, man.

Over the last year, Whittakers has been able to get a couple runs of CZ452's done in Mach 2...looks like they currently have some....Blue banner at the top of the page...
http://whittakerguns.com/

I have had good luck, MOA or better, accuracy from the heavy barreled Marlin 917M2S and Savage Mark II R17BVSSs and R17FV. The Marlin barrel was a little rough when I bought it, but 100 strokes with a patch and Flitz polished the rough edges and now it will go at least 300 rounds without showing any signs of accuracy decay. The only poor shooting 17HMR or 17HM2 that I've yet to own was a light/sporter contour barrel Savage 93R17FS. After a couple hundred rounds that patterned, rather than grouped, I ditched the barrel and stock in favor of a reworked GM 77/17 heavy fluted barrel and a pink laminated Savage factory specs stock. With those changes, it shoots like a 17HMR should shoot.

I have thought about buying a $370 CZ 452 American from Whittakers while they last, but have held off 'cause stianless works better for me in our normally humid summers.

www.whittakerguns.com

Jeff

Mpmalizia: I own a humble little N.E.F. "Sportster" (heavy barrel) in caliber 17 Mach2.
I love the caliber and the gun!
I have shot a couple of "Magpie" sized birds to date with my 17 Mach2 and indeed it sure makes the feathers fly.
My nearest neighbors here in SW Montana are elderly and non-gun owners (but they are VERY pro-gun!) and they have a problem with Ground Squirrels in their vegetable garden, lawn and rose gardens.
They rely on me to keep the Gophers down to a minimum.
At times I am literally shooting into and from their yard/gardens. I use the 17 Mach2 for its lethality, quietness, accuracy and highly frangible bullets when Hunting these pests.
Ownership and use of the 17 Mach2 is not a dark side issue it is a form of enlightnement.
Long live the 17 Mach2 (and by the way I have some worries in this regard).
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have a Cooper 57 in 17 HM2. Squirrels hate it. The stock is somewhat plain, but the rifle and 2.5x8 Conquest make a great combo.

I have heard of guys head shooting grey squirrels with 17HM2
rifles at around 80 yards.

My farm on the KS/NE border has a creek on 1 side with a large linear grove of black walnut trees on either side that runs about 3 miles, about 3/4 mile on my ground, and I can hit nuts that have fallen into the farmed portion of the field out beyond 80 yards. Black walnuts aren't all that large, so I'd believe that a skilled shooter with an accurate rifle and a scope that allowed him to see a squirrel's head at 80 yards could kill it with a 17HM2. There is a trajectory table on RFC that compares the 17HM2, 17HMR, and 22LR. It shows the 17HM2 and 17HMR as having almost the same trajctory curve out to 100 yards. The 17 grain 17HM2 rising to 0.79" and the 17HMR rising to 0.45", compared to the 22LR's rise of 2.75".

Jeff

I spent $212.50 OTD on a NIB Marlin 717. It has a horrible trigger and a buggywhip barrel and it shoots like this:


^^^ Three shots @50 yards ^^^

No, it's not for sale.

Marlin 717 is a semi-auto right?

Yup, autoloader. It's actually my very best shooting rimfire. As luck would have it, my second best shooting rimfire is a Remington 597 HB in .17 HMR. The Sturgeon General has warned that shooting either could be hazardous to my health, but he can pound sand. I plan to keep shooting the both of 'em until either the bores are worn smooth or one of 'em tries to kill me.

I had one in a semi-auto, but the cases kept blowing.

I wouldn't mind picking one up in a bolt gun though.


Travis

Dose N.E.F. still chamber their single shot for the 17MK11 ???

Thanks! Virgil B.

Long shot, but does anyone have a green mountain sporter barrel in 17m2 they may want to sell? My old man has an old 77/22 and he loves the 17m2. He’s 83 and I am hoping I can convert it for him for Father’s Day. PM me if you by chance have one laying around. Blue or stainless