Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints What’s with .17 prices?

So I have a .17HMR I’m really enjoying so far, and am casually eyeing a centerfire .17. I’ve looked at them before, most notably a CZ527 in .17HH several years ago, but didn’t really live somewhere useful for it so I waited.

The CZ is discontinued so I understand the price jumps on those. But so far the only rifle I can find under $800 chambered in literally any .17cal is the Savage 25. I don’t have anything against Savage per se, but if I’m going to spend that much money I’d prefer something a little nicer. But anything over that is north of a grand, often WELL north of it.

I’d love a .17HH or a Fireball, but I don’t have $1600 to spend. I realize the .17 is a fairly specialized caliber, but these prices are crazy. Even vintage rifles in .22Hornet (that I’d likely use for a re-barrel to .17HH) are crazy expensive. Anybody know what gives?? It’s like varminting is a rich person’s activity now or something lol.

I don’t know why 17s are so scarce, I presume lack of demand killed to manufacturing of them.
I have shot 17s for 30 plus years, mostly 17 Rem, but also 17 fb and some 17 ackley hornet. Just bought a 17k hornet in a Kimber 82.
Like you, Savage just does not do it for me..

Ruger has several models of the American in 17 HMR.

Yep, and based on a sample of one they shoot very well. My wife shot my CZ a little last summer during ground squirrel season, and wanted a .17 HMR of her own, and our favorite LGS had two RARs in stock. It shoots just as well as the CZ, as in 5-shot groups around .6 to .7. (This didn't surprise me, as I've had an RAR .22 Rimfire Magnum for a while now, which is the most accurate--and ammo-tolerant--.22 Magnum I've ever owned, including some that cost $1000 or so.)

NM. Read again and your wanting the centerfire.

I have one of the green stock, heavy barreled guns.

16-18" barrel. It's always in the truck and goes on a lot of walks with me.

My only complaint is the bolt opens too easy, handle sticks out a bit. I have lost a few rounds of ammo so I have to be careful how I sling it over my shoulder.

Buddy has a 22 LR and has same complaint.

IMO, it's pure supply and demand on a free market. All of the prices on CZ527 models have skyrocketed since CZ stopped making them. Based on what I'm seeing for selling prices, the 17 Hornets probably lead the pack with the 221 FB not far behind. I have 527s in 17 Hornet, 221FB, 222Rem and 223Rem, and it stuns me sometimes to estimate their worth at current market prices.

Haha, no worries! I appreciate the comments regardless, I’ve heard great things about the RAR and may consider it in the future if I want another rimfire (I still need a .22WMR…).

As for the centerfire .17’s, MT_DD_FAN is probably correct. I mean, he’s ABSOLUTELY correct with regard to the CZ527, they’ll continue to rise in price until they find their natural equilibrium in the market. I still plan to re-add several in the future at some point (especially a nicely figured 527FS in .223!), one of which will be a .17Hornet.

As for the other CF .17s, they’re probably just not made in enough numbers to bring the price down. I’ll keep saving my pennies and watching the classifieds and try to snag one. I may have to cave for a Savage 25 (gotta read up on them first to make sure they’re worth it) unless I find the .17HMR to be enough for now. I’d also gladly build one out, but the specialized bolts, magazines/followers, and other stuff will likely make it a longer-term option. In my mind though, it’ll totally be worth it, they’re just such a cool and unique caliber!

The 17 Rem. is about as much fun as you will ever have. Load it up, load it down, whatever the need. 20gr. bullets for small varmints, 25 - 30gr. for Fox/Bobcat/Coyote.

Make one.

I am a Kimber fan, but I wanted a 17Rem.

I bought a perfectly good Kimber M84 Montana 223 and had a Lilja 17 Rem barrel installed.

We think alike. LOL
Kimber fan here also. I bought a Kimber Montana in 204 and had a Lilja 17 Rem. installed.

Love the 17 HMR and the 17 Hornet. I have 2 of each and they have killed hundreds of p-dogs.

I have a Grade I Rem. 700 and a ULA, both in .17 Rem. Just a fun varmint gun and not many others that are 4000 fps. with factory loads.

Did a 17 Fireball on a Savage Axxis platform...

handloading it, is really not that expensive...bought bullets when they were on sale right after Biden was sworn in...
like 4,000 plus of them...Fireball takes same powder I use in the 223s I have...

Don’t be deterred the 17 fireball is a thing of insane addiction. I had McGowan put a 17 fireball barrel on my 527. I had the barrel cut to 18 inches and threaded. It’s retired my 17 hmr. It launches 20’s at 4100 fps. It will explode starlings into a puff of feathers. Suppressed it’s got less recoil than a 22lr. It’s my. favorite rifle. In less than a year I put about 1150 rounds through it.

I cannot tell you how much I love the gun. My joy for it is that much

The reason I went with a Savage Axxis, and I liked the barrel balance that came on the rifle chambered in a 350 Legend.. it balances well...

I've probably ran about 600 rounds thru it so far...the barrel I have on it is from Douglas...its accurate as hell.. same contour as the Legend.

Just received another barrel for it from Douglas in 6 x 45 with a one in 8 twist...
that will be spun on there also... both will be for varmint hunting..

the 17 Fireball Barrel is 18 inches... the 6 x 45 is 20 inches...

Running a suppressor is the secret sauce for the fireball. It’s almost like the gun has super powers. It kills way above its weight. That little recoil. Exploding varmints, power to over 360 yards to kill varmints. It’s pure magic

I haven't really been shopping for another .17, BUT I have been looking around on GB, and the OP is correct, the prices these days are insane. Glad I got on the .17 bandwagon a few years ago. About got the caliber covered from A to Z.

IMG_20230303_091626279 by .com/photos/156405073N02/]Tim Richard, on [bleep]

Whatcha got there? Let me take a stab at it:

-HMR
-Hornady Hornet
-Ackley Hornet
-Fireball/MKIV
-Remington
-.17-204

Am I close?!

-HMR
-Hornady Hornet
-Ackley Hornet
-Fireball/MKIV
-Remington
-.17-204

Am I close?! smile

Nailed it, although I no longer have the hmr. It just never tickled my fancy, but yet I still have a little ammo for one.

Any bolt action .223 can become a .17 Remington without too much work. I've stocked up on components and I bought a 700 but I made the horrible mistake of shooting the donor .. and it shoots very well as-is. Oops. I'll probably still do it but it'll take a while longer than I planned.

I think one of the things that cut into the .17 centerfires is the .204. Feed it 32 grain bullets and it does much of what the .17 did with 20s and 25s; feed it 39s/40s and it does most of what the .223 does in a standard twist. As shooters our collective attention has shifted from colony varmints to long range paper / steel and there just isn't enough room in the market for .17s, .20s, and standard twist .22 CFs anymore. This is too bad. My next itch after a .17 was to try a .14. It won't happen now.

PM sent on a 17 Remington

I have a 17 Hornet, Fireball and Rem. The Hornet sure is fun in the squirrel fields.

As TOM mentioned, perhaps a 204 Ruger for consideration? If I could only have one varmint gun, it would be a 204 Ruger.

Anyone ever heard of a .17 being built in an AR platform? I’ve seen some .204’s built but never a 17.

Yes, there are .17 Rem. in the AR-15.

Sounds like a relatively inexpensive way to get a .17 Rem, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Ben Lurkin: I agree with your assessment of the 204 Ruger COMPLETELY!
After 19 years of Hunting with and shooting the 204 Ruger I am COMPLETELY convinced that it is THE BEST "all around" Varmint and predator cartridge there is!
Yesterday I brought on-line my latest 204 Ruger Varmint Rifle. It is ANOTHER Remington XR-100 that I but a Leupold 4x12 A/O variable scope on. This is my fifth XR-100 in caliber 204 Ruger and like the other four this latest find shoots VERY well indeed.
The choice of the lower powered Leupold will give this Rifle advantages while calling and night Hunting.
Long live the 204 Ruger.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: I re-read the original posters posting and "cost" was a major concern of his - I think he would have a better chance of finding a "deal" on a 204 Ruger Rifle than one in 17 Remington Fireball or one in 17 Remington.

Its not just the 17 ammos that are expensive, the gun prices for 17 caliber seems to be going absolutely nuts, there's an H&R bolt action in 17-223 going for over 2Gs with 50 bids on it.

Just some real world info on the M25 walking Varminter from an owner. I have one and it fails to eject like A LOT of them do. I got one in 17 Hornet a few years ago. It is an awesome rifle, the ergos are great, it is an absolute tack driver with tons of different powder/bullet combos as well as factory Hornady 20grn Vmax. That being said the brass extracts fine but falls off the bolt face on top of the mag. Savage sent me both an ejector and extractor which I switched out to no joy.

Since we just use it for jack rabbits, shooting groups and blowing up water bottles I have just learned to live with it and just roll the rifle 45 to 90 degrees to the right when working the bolt and they fall out fine. I don't really want to lose any of my brass so it doesn't bother me a whole lot. I think it was 539 bucks when I ordered it.

Just picked up a Harrington and Richardson in .17 Rem a week ago at a local gun show. Anyone know where to get a couple hundred brass? The .17 has been a dream rifle for about 20 years. There were 3 at the gun show a NIB rem 700 for 1450 a NIB model 7 for 1100 and my Sako/H&R for 1100. I have seen one well used .17 rifle in the last 10 years at gunshows.

I suppose it’s past time I give an update here lol.

It took SEVERAL weeks to get each of them, but I blindly stumbled across both a Martini Cadet in .17 Ackley Bee and a Remington 700 in .17 Fireball (HUUUGE shoutout to member “aboltfan” for connecting me w/ that one)!

I was chasing the Martini first and went back and forth with the seller on some details, one of which twist rate. He initially thought it was a 1:12, much too slow to stabilize anything made these days but the little Hornady 15.5gr NTX that I’m not overly interested in. When he told me it was a 1:12 twist, I went after the R700 in .17 Fireball. The shop it was at was kind of all over the place, super nice folks but a little disorganized. It took them the better part of a week of me pestering them with phone calls for them to finally look around and realize they still had the rifle and hadn’t sold it yet lol. During that week, the first guy said he double checked w/ a cleaning rod and the Martini had a 1:10 twist (which I still need to verify, just barely picked it up yesterday so hopefully he wasn’t blowing smoke up my A!).

So I jumped on the Martini because at the time it was looking like the R700 had sold but they weren’t sure. Several days later I find out they still had it, so I snagged that as well. I got what I thought was a screaming good deal on the 700 initially, but once I had it in hand that got downgraded a tad to a “really good” deal. It has some rust in a few places that I need to clean up, the bore is pretty dirty, the stock is a cheap factory plastic affair, and the scope is an old Cabela’s Pine Ridge 4-12x. But for what I paid, I consider everything outside of the action and bottom metal to be a bonus. If it shoots reasonably well, all the better. If not, then I have the correct action, bolt, and bottom metal to do a build with! I want to replace the stock sooner than later, but components will take top priority for now. It seems there aren’t many composite (McMillan, Manners, B&C, etc.) stocks cut for a BDL popping up on the used market, so it may take a bit to find one to my liking anyway.

The Martini has some miles on it but looks very nice, character marks aside. There’s a bit of wood missing right at the wrist where the stock meets the action and it shows some miles, but it seems mechanically sound and has a LOT of potential. The trigger is crisp if not a touch on the heavy side (should be fixable), and the Nichols 2-7x32 seems a little low on the power scale for it, but it seems clear enough. It pretty unique and I really like it so far even though I’ve not shot it. I’m still very new to reloading, so the idea of forming cases seems a bit daunting but no time to learn like the present!

I now have dies for both and am slowly buying brass and bullets as I can to stock up. Next is powder. I’m making a list of several I need to order a few pounds of to see what they like. I’ve wanted a .17 for years, and when I finally got a .17HMR, the hook was set. Now that I have a few centerfire .17s, I guess I’m in the deep end of the pool! I’ll try to get some photos up this weekend for everyone to see.

Basher, I think you will enjoy the little furball. I had one early on but it was a very poorly made gun. The chamber was terribly oversized and it never would shoot. It got made into a 204 Ruger. The second one I have is a Model Seven action that I had a custom barrel screwed onto it. It’s a fun little shooter but I need to get it out more often. I personally can’t stand the plastic stocks and would immediately throw it out for a nice wood or laminated wood piece. You’ll have to get it cleaned up and let us know how it shoots.