aether tech: The 17 Mach2 has NOT failed in my neck'o the woods!
The folks I Hunt Varmints with love this tiny power-house of a rimfire cartridge.
I personally own three heavy barrel factory Rifles in 17 Mach2 and one sporter weight barreled 17 Mach2 Rifle. They ALL are impressively accurate.
My Kimber SVT (Silhouette/Varmint/Target) in 17 Mach2 is so amazingly accurate (with Leupold 6.5x20 EFR scope) that several of my Colony Varmint Hunting partners keep pestering me to sell it to them.
One of my Hunting partners customized a Ruger MK-II Target pistol to shoot the 17 Mach2 rounds and I have shot this rig afield on many occasions - again with amazing results for such a tiny cartridge.
Looking at my stores of munitions I would estimate I went through at least 600 rounds of 17 Mach2 ammo so far this season!
The last two sporting goods stores I traveled to both had 17 Mach2 ammo on their shelves - it was NOT cheap - at $10.99 per 50 rounds. I, fortunately, now have a lifetime supply of Hornady 17 grain V-Max ammo on hand and purchased it before the most recent "shortage" at well BELOW that price.
Lastly the lethality of this tiny cartridge on small game and Varmints also impresses me. For one instance last year a Badger made the mistake of coming out of a hole and stared at me from about 100 yards distant. I had my 17 Mach2 in use at the time and ONE shot from it into the Badgers Adams Apple area kill't that big boar right there!
Like others have alluded to YOU need to get out more, or, hold off on your attempts at besmirching this amazing little cartridge.
Good luck with your letter campaign.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy