Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires What happened to the Hornady 17 HM2 cartridge?

DeanAnderson: I love my heavy barrel 17 Mach2 Varmint Rifles.
They are both splendidly accurate and the round is simply amazingly lethal for such a small and quiet cartridge!
I AM a "dedicated" Ground Squirrel Hunter and it excels at that task.
I have only shot ONE "suppressed" 17 Mach2 and that was a re-worked heavy barrel Ruger MK-II pistol.
It was just wonderful to shoot and VERY accurate as well.
My friend who owns it and put it together a few years ago was NOT able to travel to Montana this year (due to covid) so I did not get to use it this year - hope to next year.
Indeed that is another MAIN selling point for the 17 Mach2 over the 22 L.R. - no ricochet's to worry about. The bullets are very frangible and simply come apart on impact with most anything.
The highlight of my Hunting with a 17 Mach2 was a "one shot kill" on a big boar Badger!
I shot him head on right in the Adams Apple at the mouth of his den and he never moved an inch!
Badgers seem to easily "absorb" 22 L.R. rounds and run off to a burrow before they expire.
I wish that I could see into the future regarding 17 Mach2 ammo availability - but I can't.
So I have had a "lifetime supply" of Hornady 17 Mach2 ammo on hand for over a year now.
I saw some at a Murdochs hardware and feed store here in SW Montana yesterday at $8.99 per box of 50.
Best of luck to you if you decide to try one.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I bought my brother and I H&R heavy barreled 17M2s at a little place in Vermont that had them marked down to $90.00. After shooting them we have laid in a lifetime supply of Hornady ammo. Between .17 HMR and M2 I've probably got more .17 than .22 LR. Those two guns are crazy as hell accurate and quiet compared to .22 LR.

Every year we squirrel hunt with them but even more fun is to sit in deer stands over food plots and shoot big swamp rabbits that come out before dark. We head shoot them out to a hundred yards. I've often said I'd buy a bolt gun if I came across one, especially a 452 or Marlin. In all honesty for treed squirrels and rabbits the single shot is not a handicap.

Still diggin around for a barrel. Found some Ely ammo on GB but they won't sell to IL, we have enough challenges here without fellow shooters punishing us even more as it's legal here. But anyway... stuck here for a while longer. Best friend's family has 300 acres in central WI, where I've been going for over 30 years for deer, turkey, coyote, squirrel... crow... all kinds of stuff. I'll keep looking and maybe I'll even find something. Thanks for all the advise and stories...

The set back from the shoulder for the 77/22and the 96/22 is the same. The setback on the 10/22 is about 1/8” shorter(forget the actual difference). You can get a spacer made to fill the gap and use a 77/22 or 96/22 on a 10/22. If you want to use a 10/22 barrel on a 77/22 then you need the should set back the additional distance and have a second extractor slot cut in the end of the barrel. Folks have had CPC to that work and make them a shim piece so they could use the barrel in either rifle.

I thought it was going to be DOA but it's lingered on. It will likely take it's place beside the 5mm....

Wish I had one, that and the 5mm Rem Mag is the only rimfire ammo that SGAmmo has for sale; 100’s of 50 rd boxes.

Dean, I have a Green Mountain barrel in 17 Mach II for sale. 16.5 inches, stainless fluted sporter barrel. $125.00 shipped if you are interested.
k2nd

k2nd, sending a PM. Thanks!

Aboltfan: Dang that was a smokin deal for you and your brother that you got on the 17 Mach2's.
Good for you guys.
I think I paid $155.00 for my H&R Handi-Rifle in 17 Mach2 (used!) several years ago.
I would gladly pay more than that for another one, just like it!
I have spoken before on the good accuracy of my H&R 17 Mach2 and have been meaning to put a more powerful scope on it just to more truly test its accuracy.
I have a quality 3x9 variable scope on it now and maybe this winter I will just dig out my 36 fixed power scope to do some "testing" with.
Enjoy your H&R's - mine goes along with me just about everywhere I travel here in Montana - it IS small and handy and fits behind the seat of my truck easily in its case.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I had a cz 452 varmint version shot very well just never fell in love with the combo. Than again I've not got no real love for the HMR either..

I have a Cooper M57 17HM2. Great rifle and cartridge for squirrels. I bought 2 cases of Eley when it was on close out for $3.49 per box of 50. Also have a few thousand rounds on Hornady ammo. I can always debarred to .22 in the unlikely event that I run out of ammo.

cci had some on their site earlier today

Thanks k2nd for offering your barrel to me and just ordered 1,000 rounds from SGAmmo.com, screw GB!

I'm probably gonna have a CZ457 before too long, in .22 LR. If CZ were to offer a barrel made for the HM2 I'd likely have to have it too...

I'm thinking the squirrels are going to be in trouble this coming season! The shorter barrel changed the balance of the rifle a little and lightened it up too. Stainless medium height rings are only mediums I had, with the low height the bolt handle hit the scope and the high height were just too high. I'll see how it shoots and if it bothers me enough, will get medium height matte rings. Having another blizzard here today so who knows when I'll be able to get to the range, but I'll post some pics from when I do. Thanks to all that shared and thanks again to k2nd for the barrel.

Dean, your rifle looks great!
k2nd

I’m a huge fan of the 17HM2.

A long while back, it was essentially the kickoff to me getting more serious about my hunting adventures.

I was looking for a bolt action rimfire and came across CZ and their 452. While looking for a .22LR, I read about the 17HM2. I managed to find one in the Varmint model so I picked it up. It was incredibly accurate. Unfortunately, I really wanted the American and eventually found one, but had to trade away the Varmint to get it (college kid, doing what I had to do). I still have that American, along with a maple American, that get used all the time.

If anyone has a lead on a Varmint Model 452 in 17HM2, I’d love to have a conversation!

You and me both. They have been bringing ridiculous money lately on GunBroker.