Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Which 17 hmr rifle

I love my 452... I don't fool with the safe very much, but it has never been a problem.. Never could warm up to Ruger rifles.. Had a few, but all have gone down the road but one.. My pick would be the older 452, but it may not be what you like..

Salvage,

LAUGHING!

Hint..............

I just installed a Boyd's Pro Target stock on Savage A17. CCI Green is giving 3/4" groups at 100. This is with a less that crisp trigger pull. The A17 has a lot of potential and fun to shoot. I would like to find a better trigger. My Savage model 93 is slightly more accurate due to better trigger. I do find both guns sensitive to ammo. All of the ammo (CCI, Hornady, Winchester) I have tried functioned properly. Accuracy is where the group sizes at 100 yds varied by as much as 1 1/ 2 ".
I might add the A22 22lr by Savage prefers CCI 40 gr Target ammo followed by Remington Golden Bullets. Mini Mag ammo shows the best groups in higher velocity bullets.

I am a bit reluctant to recommend the Ruger American Rimfire in 17 HMR but I have put about 200 rounds through one and it has been flawless. The one I have is the base model in the black synthetic stock, I just adjusted the trigger a bit lighter, snugged the stock screws down somewhere between very snug and farmer-tight and it is shooting Hornady 17 gr ammo inside of one-inch at 100 yds (in calm conditions).

My reluctance for recommending is that brotherand I both had the same rifles in 22 LR and neither could be counted on to keep 5 in one-inch at 50 yds, and that included multiple brands of ammo from plinking grade through mid-level match. I suspect with the RAR it is a case of "luck of the draw".

drover

I bought a RAR .17 HMR four years ago and have shot hundreds of rounds through it. I got the trigger adjusted to 2 lbs., 15 oz. and a Bushnell Trophy 4-12x with adjustable objective mounted. It'll shoot 10 rounds into an inch at 100 yards on a calm day, with 17 gr. V-Max being the most accurate. I've been very pleased with this rifle, especially for the price of around $250.

I have several 17HMRs. Some are factory specs from Anschutz, Marlin, and Savage. Some are parts guns. The Anschutz, like every other Anschutz that I've ever owned, is very accurate, in an almost boringly consistent sort of way, with its preferred ammo, but it is not significantly more accurate than the Marlin and Savage rifles.

If the Anschutz fits your budget, buy the Anschutz.

If the Anschutz is beyond your current budget, either wait/save until you can afford the Anschutz or buy a stainless/laminated Marlin 917VS. There is currently a 917VS with the barrel cut back and threaded for a suppressor on GB with a starting bid of $350. You can usually find the 917V, blued with a hardwood stock, for under $250.

I've had around 20 rifles chambered in 17HMR and only 1 wasn't capable of shooting MOA at 100 yards with its preferred ammo. That rifle was a Savage 93R17F that I rebarreled with a reworked GM 77/17 barrel and installed in a pink Savage laminated stock.

Even the light/sporter contour barreled 917 and 917S are MOA capable with their preferred ammo.

I have had the 1717, Cooper 57M Classic and the 452 American.

The 1717 was the most accurate, the Cooper fit the best by far.

Buying one today, I would look hard at the new Tikka.

If we had more varmint shooting opportunities around me I wouldnt hesitate to invest in a Annie or cooper. Unfortunately we don’t, this was mainly just because I like the 17hmr and rimfires. Plus the dead air mask suppressor makes you wanna buy more things to shoot suppressed.

Guess I’m gonna get Cz or tikka at this point. Ruger American just to many problems I have read about with accuracy.

Plus the CZ I can upgrade barrels down road if I chose to. And I already have a extra 22lr and 17hmr barrel for the CZ. Might get it in 22magnum and then I will have the ability to run any of the three.

I've had a Ruger 77/17 since they first came out and have no complaints.

One option not mentioned yet is the Steyr Zephyr II.

At first I was a bit disappointed in the light color of the stock, but once I shot it I was hooked. It groups a bit better than the old Ruger
and handles better in the field IMHO and I happen to like the Euro look.

I bought an early Marlin 17V in 2002, and it's been a keeper. I've also owned a Savage and a 455 in HMR, and that old Marlin outshot both of those rifles. I still have it, and it averages 5/8" at 100 yards with the original Hornady 17 VMax load. The Marlin doesn't like the 20 gr. loads at all, the Savage shot everything "fairly well", but nothing as good as that Marlin shot the 17VMaxes. The 455 was the combo gun, and it never shot anything particularly well, but it favored the 20gr. load.

Based on that limited experience, I'd say look up a Marlin, save a wad of money, and have a rifle that shoots as well as any of the others, and better than most. I think I paid $220 for that Marlin in '02.

That 77/17 in the classifieds

Funny you don't want a Savage. Both of my Savage 17s shoot lights out. One is a semi auto A17 sporter, the other is a heavy barreled stainless 93R17. I wouldn't trade either one for a CZ. My buddy has a CZ that is a problem child...... To each their own....

Bsa1917hunter: Indeed I have been admiring the accuracy of savage Rifles for decades now - both rimfire and centerfire.
I have shot numerous models of both centerfire and rimfire savages both afield and at the range and again am impressed with most all of them, accuracy wise.
BUT... the horrific cheapness and disgusting styling by the folks at savage actually often makes me ill!
I have never owned a modern (newer than 1950'ish) savage and more than likely never will!
savage puts the cheap and gaudy in cheap and gaudy guns!
PERIOD!
Like your examples demonstrate they often do indeed shoot well though.
Life is just to short to own and take afield ugly, cheap, gaudy guns - epitomized by savage!
I own wonderfully accurate rimfires produced by Ruger, Remington, Winchester, Anschutz, Kimber, Marlin (39's!), Browning, Sako and Weatherby - and each and every one of them are pleasingly styled and built with care and quality components.
But again, I have never and will never own a savage. It seems to me that the only thing that savage rimfire Rifles have going for them is accuracy and that is important, but does not outweigh (in my opinion) their clunkiness, awkwardness and unsightliness.
To each there own I always say - enjoy your savage.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I know savage makes accurate rimfires, they just do not appeal to me and I know I would find myself unhappy with it no matter how well it shoots. Which would mean I would probably give it to my best friend( did this once before with a 22lr). So no offense but not a savage fan

This !

My Savage is high dollar compared to the other one I just got. Picked it up and liked the feel. RB17 $159



B17G, full size, though I have found no clunks. Carry-on.