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If you want a "nicer' rifle in 17HM2, I'm a fan of the Anschutz 1502 and Remington 504, but I paid around $650 for each of mine.

That said, even my least expensive Savage Mark II is capable of shooting MOA or better groups at 50 yards with the "right" ammo. If CCI/Hornady could figure out how to make their 17HM2 ammo as accurate as the long discontinued Eley, 17HM2 fans would rejoice.

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Maybe, someday. This was an impulse purchase; saw it and obeyed my impulse.


Took less than a day, and a new stock will ship Monday. Once I'm certain they don't want the broken one, I'll try to glue it and maybe dose it with some of that stone-texture paint to tart it up.


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Okay, first impressions.

No doubt, this is a cheap rifle, but no more so really than say my 1967 Remington 581, just in different ways, clever ways mostly. The front bedding block and the recess for it in the stock appear to allow the same stock to work for both cartridge families by merely swapping the right one in, similar to current CZs. The barrel is completely floated. I'm able to squeeze the stock and barrel together using considerable pressure, but can't see that happening in normal use. The trigger has a touch of creep at times, but is manageable, and I adjusted it down to about 3lbs on average. The interchangeable stock modules are a good idea, though I don't foresee using that option unless I pass this on to a grandchild. One place cheapness rears its ugly head is the butt of the stock which is slick plastic, and the grooves molded in don't help much. For a few bucks, they could have added a rubber pad that would keep it from slipping when leaned against something and at the shoulder. My CZ 455 SS has the same issue, which I fixed with some friction material, but it's a kludge, as the UNIX folks say. Since I have a repaired spare stock now, I may try to figure out a decent upgrade.

Accuracy first time out was fair, but not great, with one kind of ammo. I'll get more to try, and also expect some more rounds fired may smooth things out a bit. I mounted a SWFA 6x42 in Burris Signature tactical rings, so don't expect any scope problems or shortcomings. More trigger time with it and the lighter pull should help too.


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Originally Posted by Pappy348
Okay, first impressions.

No doubt, this is a cheap rifle, but no more so really than say my 1967 Remington 581, just in different ways, clever ways mostly. The front bedding block and the recess for it in the stock appear to allow the same stock to work for both cartridge families by merely swapping the right one in, similar to current CZs. The barrel is completely floated. I'm able to squeeze the stock and barrel together using considerable pressure, but can't see that happening in normal use. The trigger has a touch of creep at times, but is manageable, and I adjusted it down to about 3lbs on average. The interchangeable stock modules are a good idea, though I don't foresee using that option unless I pass this on to a grandchild. One place cheapness rears its ugly head is the butt of the stock which is slick plastic, and the grooves molded in don't help much. For a few bucks, they could have added a rubber pad that would keep it from slipping when leaned against something and at the shoulder. My CZ 455 SS has the same issue, which I fixed with some friction material, but it's a kludge, as the UNIX folks say. Since I have a repaired spare stock now, I may try to figure out a decent upgrade.

Accuracy first time out was fair, but not great, with one kind of ammo. I'll get more to try, and also expect some more rounds fired may smooth things out a bit. I mounted a SWFA 6x42 in Burris Signature tactical rings, so don't expect any scope problems or shortcomings. More trigger time with it and the lighter pull should help too.



Did you check cases for splits? What about the force to close the bolt?

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260RemGuy: First let me say "I am NOT a contrary"!
I am adding my experience with Eley 17 Mach2 ammo as, an experience that differs from yours, not to be contrary, but to prove the old adage "every Rifle is an individual". - I might offer also that each ammunition can differ in different guns!
Anyway on to my experience in one special Rifle in caliber 17 Mach2.
One of my 4 (four) Varmint type Rifles in 17 Mach2 caliber is a beautiful (and extremely accurate!) Kimber SVT (Stainless Varmint Target) with Leupold 6.5x20 EFR scope. When it was new I took it to the range with 2 brands of 17 Mach2 ammo available at the time - 17 grain Hornady V-Max and Eley 17 grain V-Max.
The results on that dead calm first day was:
Hornady 5 shots at 50 yards = .257"
Eley 5 shots at 50 yards = .562"
I used up the relatively small amount of Eley ammo testing it a time or two more at 100 yards on latter days against the Hornady - and the Hornady repeatedly shot noticeably/slightly better all along.
Anyway the Eley ammunition shot fairly well in my 17 Mach2's but I went for the Hornady as it was easier to find and at the time cheaper.
I had friends that were aware of my "testing" of the 17 Mach2 ammo's at the time and they derided me that "it was all the same - it's all made by CCI"!
I bet five different people told me this - but I am sure the 17 Mach2 "offered" by Eley was different in powder/priming compound as the smell of the burnt powder after each shot was significantly different.
Maybe Eley asked CCI to use a different powder in the ammo marked "Eley" but it shot different and sure as heck smells different!
Anyway I am firmly convinced that every Rifle is an individual and probably every factory ammunition must be individually tested as well.
Long live the 17 Mach2.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

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Originally Posted by PaulBarnard
Originally Posted by Pappy348
Okay, first impressions.

No doubt, this is a cheap rifle, but no more so really than say my 1967 Remington 581, just in different ways, clever ways mostly. The front bedding block and the recess for it in the stock appear to allow the same stock to work for both cartridge families by merely swapping the right one in, similar to current CZs. The barrel is completely floated. I'm able to squeeze the stock and barrel together using considerable pressure, but can't see that happening in normal use. The trigger has a touch of creep at times, but is manageable, and I adjusted it down to about 3lbs on average. The interchangeable stock modules are a good idea, though I don't foresee using that option unless I pass this on to a grandchild. One place cheapness rears its ugly head is the butt of the stock which is slick plastic, and the grooves molded in don't help much. For a few bucks, they could have added a rubber pad that would keep it from slipping when leaned against something and at the shoulder. My CZ 455 SS has the same issue, which I fixed with some friction material, but it's a kludge, as the UNIX folks say. Since I have a repaired spare stock now, I may try to figure out a decent upgrade.

Accuracy first time out was fair, but not great, with one kind of ammo. I'll get more to try, and also expect some more rounds fired may smooth things out a bit. I mounted a SWFA 6x42 in Burris Signature tactical rings, so don't expect any scope problems or shortcomings. More trigger time with it and the lighter pull should help too.



Did you check cases for splits? What about the force to close the bolt?


No splits observed.

Bolt is snug, but not inordinately so. A little moly grease made it smoother, but no less snug.


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I believe that whoever told you that CCI made the Eley 17HM2 ammo is wrong.

I believe that Eley made both Eley and Remington brand 17HM2 ammo.

I would agree that every rifle barrels is different, but I don't recall having a 17HM2 that made better groups with CCI or Hornady than they did with Eley or Remington. None of my 17HM2s shoot the 15.5 grain bullets as well as the 17 grain bullets.

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260Remguy: Nor have I tried the 15.5 grain bullets - my four 17 Mach2's all shoot QUITE well with the Hornady 17 grain V-Max's.
I have posted this before on this forum but its worthy I think in this regard.
My close friend (retired Viet nam era Army Intelligence officer and retired gunsmith) bought a CZ heavy barrel wood stocked Rifle in 17 Mach2 several years ago now.
He mounted a 4x12 variable scope on it and started using it to Hunt Ground Squirrels with.
He found a mail order deal on 10,000 rounds of Eley ammunition for just over $3.00 a box - shipped!
He had to resight in his Rifle with the new ammo and I happened to be along at the range with him that day.
He shot a five shot group there at 100 yards with the Eley ammunition that measured right at .250"!
The stars were aligned that day (and there was NO wind!) but his Rifle remains sublimely accurate with that ammo to this day.
He is about out of the Eley stuff and I call him from gunshows on the rare occasions I see the 17 Mach2 Eley ammo for sale but it is almost always $10.00+ a box.
He is ruefully awaiting the day he runs out of the Eley.
But again my heavy barrel high dollar Kimber SVT in 17 Mach2 preferred the Hornady.
I do NOT know who makes the Eley ammunition but I do know it uses different powder than the Hornady ammo.
So maybe my Kimber is the only "preferrer" of Hornady ammo? That is NOT suprising to me at all - I have been watching and comparing Rifles accuracy for way more than 50 years now - the hard and fast rule is there are NO hard and fast rules.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: I am so happy/thankful that the 17 Mach2 ammo "shortage"/stoppage of production is over.
I have not tried the Eley in my heavy barrel Anschutz Model 1502 - I have so little of the Eley left it would be futile to test I guess anyway.

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As I type these words, I have 2 boxes of 17HM2 ammo on the table next to me, 1 Eley brand and 1 Remington brand.

Both are 50-round black plastic boxes that are nearly identical, except for the labels.

The bottom of the Remington box has the following molded into the plastic: "Manufactured by Eley Limited, Minworth, B76 1BA, England".

The bottom of the Eley box has the same words molded into the plastic, plus "www.eley.co.uk", below them.

The Remington box has a label on the side that reads, in part, "MADE IN ENGLAND".

Both boxes have similar labels on one end that read. in part, "BIRMINGHAM CIP APPROVED". I don't have any idea what that means, but it appears on both boxes.

Deductive reasoning would lead one to believe that both boxes of ammunition were manufactured by Eley in England.

Fortunately, I still have around 2,000 rounds of both Eley and Remington on the shelf, plus about 5,000 rounds of CCI and about 4,000 rounds of mixed 15.5 and 17 grain Hornady.

If I ration myself to just 200 rounds per year, used exclusively for hunting fox squirrels, I'll still have Eley and Remington ammo on the shelf when I am not longer physically able to go afield. Since both CCI and Hornady are available on-line and regularly go on sale, they are my brands of choice for casual shooting and plinking.

I would agree that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to rifles, ammunition, and accuracy potential.

That said, in my small sample of rifles chambered in 17HM2, 15 or 16, and Eley ammo from a single production lot, 4105-40073, I don't recall a single time that CCI or Hornady made better 5-shot groups than the Eley. As we all know, rimfire ammo can vary from production lot to production lot, not all are equally accurate, so maybe I just got lucky with this lot of Eley and less lucky with the multiple lots from CCI and Hornady.

I can only report on what I've seen and what I've seen is, as things are prone to be, different from what you've seen.

EDIT: One reason that I won't buy rimfire ammo from MIDWAYUSA anymore is their policy of breaking down cartons of rimfire ammo and packing/shipping it as individual boxes. Awhile back I ordered some Hornady 17HM2 from them and received 20 individually wrapped boxes that came from 3 different production lots. When I contacted MIDWAYUSA to ask why they didn't just pack and ship 2 cartons, I was told that they only sell rimfire ammo as individual boxes, even if the order is in carton size units.

Last edited by 260Remguy; 11/20/19. Reason: Added what I'd forgotten to post originally
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The Limbsaver Small/Medium slip-on pad fits the RAR stock perfectly and only adds 1/2" to the length, which is no problem. Their other pads are 1" thick. Wish they made a 1/2" one that would fit the 455 SS stock.

This one's pretty soft, so I won't leave it on the rifle in storage.

Last edited by Pappy348; 11/20/19.

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