Clarkm: Dang I hope you and your Rifle were not hurt in those mishaps.
I found this which may shed some light on your situation: "Since the .17 HM2 is based on the .22 LR, converting most bolt action firearms chambered in .22 LR to .17 HM2 requires only a barrel change. The higher pressure makes conversion of semi-automatic firearms more difficult, as virtually all are blowback designs that are sensitive to pressure changes. Conversion kits have appeared, and they replace the factory bolt or bolt handle with a heavier one to increase the bolt mass and compensate for the higher pressure".
I have been shooting the 17 Mach2 for 15+ years now and have never seen the situation you describe/picture!
The only 17 Mach2 in semi-automatic configuration I have shot was a Ruger MK-II conversion and it performs flawlessly every time my Hunting partner has brought it along on our Varmint Safaris.
Again I hope you were not injured.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
Kind of based on the LR but more specifically the CCI 22 Stinger case which is about 1/10" longer than a standard LR case.
