Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires 17 wsm. Dead?

Mule deer recently mentioned the 17 wsm being dead, which made me think. Is it floundering?

Me, I was waiting for a nicer rifle to be offered before going into the 17 wsm. Cz, christensen, bergara, or something of the likes.

Unfortunately east coast, I have never seen ammo on shelf for it.

Now it seems other than huntsman really nice rimx it’s a flop

Is the 17wsm going the way of the Indian???

It never really got off the ground to begin with. Few rifle options and even fewer for ammo, plus it doesn't really do anything better than the 17HMR. I always thought it was a bit pointless. If a guy wants a high stepping 17 cal, go with the 17 Rem or one of the other centerfire 17 cal wildcats.

I think it suffers the same destiny as the 5mm Remington Rimfire Magnum.
I have seen much more ammunition for the 17 WSM than I have rifles. I have seen a very few of the Savage semi-autos, and one Ruger bolt action.

I have a Ruger 17/77 and I haven’t had too much trouble finding ammo for it. Maybe it’s dying? Who knows but it’s definitely not out yet. Hard time for any cartridge.

Lets face it, not being able to find ammo (or guns) in many cases, doesn't help for creating or sustaining interest in a particular caliber or gun. Availability is all important.
I have seen just too many ammo shelves that are mostly empty.

Likely dead

Ian't that what was said about the .17 Mach II ?

I like the .17 WSM and bought a lot of ammo years before I had a rifle. If ammo was under my benchmark of $ 8.00/ box I bought all the seller had .

Until new loads come out ...I am set.

I don't give a [bleep] what Mule deer says any way.

Kevinj: I don't think it is near death as of now.
For several months now I have been seeing 17 WSM ammo on shelves where NONE in 17 HMR has been seen.
The 17 WSM is certainly is NOT a barn-burner of a new cartridge either.
My friends who own them enjoy the cartridge and the Rifles they have them in (Rugers and savages) and I have shot my friends 17 WSM's on many occasion's and at somewhat long ranges (out to 200 yards!) on Ground Squirrels and some feathered Varmints and it is slightly (but noticeably!) more perky and flat shooting than the wonderful 17 HMR.
To tell the truth I have been looking for a "good deal" on a Ruger 77/17 WSM heavy barrel - seems folks are NOT letting loose of them.
I hope the 17 WSM hangs around.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Well, you can't have mine.

Just received a LH Zermatt action & carbon wrapped barrel. I sure hope it isn't dead.

I don’t have the desire to build a custom 17wsm, but wish someone would make a rifle worth having in the 17wsm.

Mule deer has his finger on the pulse of the gun industry better than the average chap I’m sure. While it may not be DEAD, it’s definitely not flourishing

Osu. If I was to build one it would be a carbon barrel lite weight build

I’m actually probably gonna order a 18” 223 and a 20” 6.5 proof barrel for builds!!!

Unfortunately it doesn’t seem the rifle is being supported as well as I thought it would be.

When I got mine, I couldn't find a 17 cal carbon. Whatja get?

Make a nice gun and ammo a plenty . I'd love one never liked the b-mag, though the ones I seen shot great .

Oops. It wasn't a Carbon wrapped barrel. That was the 6mm CM barrel I got. The 17 WSM was the Lothar Walther barrel like yours. My mistake.

[quote=cisco1]
Ian't that what was said about the .17 Mach II ?quote]


YEP! And like an idiot; I sold a wonderfully accurate 17m2 partly because of it. And guess what is now in every local shop around here. 17m2 ammo galore.

Ky221,

That's what you get for listening to gun writers.....................

I think the .17 WSM had several unfortunate things all happen around it's introduction.
1. The .17 HMR was already popular and easy to make (put a .17 barrel in a standing .22Magnum rifle, done! You can't do that with the WSM, it's too long for a rimfire action, and more or less too short for a centerfire action, meaning it couldn't be adapted to existing rifles, it needed it's own new rifle action.
2. The .17 Hornady Hornet came out in several existing actions that were pretty popular (specifically the CZ 527) and the Savage 25, both of which were popular in .22 Hornet already.
3, No one made a popularly priced, quality-made .17WSM, Savage built one that was economical, but basically a crapfest, Ruger adapted a M77 action to it, but it was nearly $1000, pricing it out of the "popular" category. Only a few other boutique makers have even bothered with it.

Around here, you can always find .17 WSM ammo, it was often the only thing on the shelves of local stores, even during the horrendous shortages lately. No one was buying it, no one. I have yet to see anyone shooting one at any range I've ever been to, either.

I have no doubt that Ruger's M77 WSM is a good rifle, and supposedly, Savage has finally gotten the kinks out of their offering, but I'd guess that the damage has already been done.
Yeah, 17 Hornet ammo is at least twice as costly per round, BUT IT CAN BE RELOADED, and that brings the cost down considerably, and it has a minimum of 500 fps advantage to the WSM, without much more noise.

From my perspective, the WSM was stillborn, it never had a chance. I really like my .17 Hornet, too.

If they were to neck it up to 22 caliber ,It might just get my attention but other wise I have no use or tears for its passing. I could not wrap my head around the 17 cal, I am just to used to the 22 cal. rimfire rifles in my safe.

Mudstud: Drove 130 miles west to a gunshow this past weekend and NO Ruger 77/17 WSM's to be seen there nor at any of the sportshops, pawnshops or gunshops I stopped at along the way.
Will be travelling east about the same distance this coming weekend to another gunshow and will be getting an early start so I can check the shops along the way in that direction.
Spring will be here before I/we know it and I would like to be bonkin Ground Squirrels with a 17 WSM Rifle then.
What do you use your 17 WSM for mostly?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I’ve used the cheap AE ammo for my 17 WSM mostly and it kills crows and anything small quite well. Usually a puff of feathers. Not to mention it’ll blow minds when you dial the turret and lightly tink on the 400 yard steel. Grew up with the 22 mag but I wished it was the WSM.