A while ago i picked up an SR-22 pistol for my kids and fell in love with it. Thought maybe I would look for something similar in 17 HMR. Upon investigation i couldn't turn anything but revolvers up.
Does anyone make a semi-auto type pistol in any 17 caliber now.... or ever did?
When the HMR first came out, a few daring souls converted the Grendel .22 Mag autoloaders to the new round. They had issues, big issues, with the guns firing out of battery, just like Remington did with their 597 rifles, and most everyone else's .22Mag autoloading rifles.
It's not a good idea, and whenever someone gets a wild hair and tries it, they have innumerable problems. If you want an HMR handgun, buy a Single Six or a Taurus, and just forget about an autoloader.
Ratsmacker: I agree with your advice - and want to add this - don't forget the wonderful Smith & Wesson Model 647 revolver in 17 HMR.
I bought mine when they first came out and have been happily and successfully shooting it ever since.
This stainless 6 shot revolver with 8 3/8" barrel is accurate to the point of shocking.
If the OP can find one on the open/used market i highly recommend it.
Long live the 17 HMR!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
There's always Contender, too.
My dad built an autoloading 17 HMR rifle out of a 10/22 22 Mag. He put an aftermarket stock on, and a carbon fiber barrel, along with a heavier bolt and spring. He never shot it. I inherited it from him and replaced the trigger. It shoots like a dream. The autoloader needs more mass in the bolt and a heavier spring than a standard 22 Mag, or the brass can separate near the case head.
My dad built an autoloading 17 HMR rifle out of a 10/22 22 Mag. He put an aftermarket stock on, and a carbon fiber barrel, along with a heavier bolt and spring. He never shot it. I inherited it from him and replaced the trigger. It shoots like a dream. The autoloader needs more mass in the bolt and a heavier spring than a standard 22 Mag, or the brass can separate near the case head.
A buddy of mine built one, too. A genuine fancy walnut stock, yadda, yadda, and it worked fine, until it didn't, when his granddaughter was shooting it She got a faceful of gas and a bad attitude about shooting. Ruger quit production of the 10/22M because of out-of-battery firing. The bottleneck case of the HMR will be even more susceptible to such shenanigans, especially in a pistol.
Again, it's a bad idea. A PROVEN bad idea.
I've had a Taurus Tracker 17 for about twenty years now. Only T gun I've had zero problems with and that will shoot 1.5 MOA at 100 yards, scoped, on a dead calm day. Gun was $225 back then. I doubt twice that would tempt me now.
Ratsmacker: I agree with your advice - and want to add this - don't forget the wonderful Smith & Wesson Model 647 revolver in 17 HMR.
I bought mine when they first came out and have been happily and successfully shooting it ever since.
This stainless 6 shot revolver with 8 3/8" barrel is accurate to the point of shocking.
If the OP can find one on the open/used market i highly recommend it.
Long live the 17 HMR!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
I have the same gun, let’s just say that not all of them are great shooters.
Tndrbstr: I wonder if you could expound on your brief contention a bit - regarding questionable accuracy in your Model 647?
My Smith & Wesson Model 647 has a Burris 7 power pistol scope on it and shoots amazingly well (in my opinion!) for a revolving pistol.
Have you tried different munitions in your Smith & Wesson Model 647?
Do you have a scope on your pistol or are you relying on the open sights?
The Model 647's are kind of a rare bird and I only know one other owner personally and he is a Varmint and Grouse Hunter like myself - and he loves his Smith and its accuracy.
I have not shot my 647 at 100 yards like Papag has his Taurus - but in the field I have killt the very narrow Ground Squirrels often out at the 70 - 80 yard ranges with my pistol.
In full disclosure (and I have relayed this numerous times in the past on this forum - including when it first happened) my first Smith & Wesson Model 647 in 17 HMR that I purchased new came from the factory with NO rifling in the barrel!
This created a painful situation when I first fired it impacting my cheeks with tiny bits of shrapnel.
This painful firing continued for a short time until I was certain something was wrong with the pistol - my bore scope once I got back home, discovered the shiny reamed out barrel with NO rifling and thus no where for the 17 caliber bullets to expand into normally.
I sent that pistol back to Smith & Wesson who promptly replaced it with the aforementioned dandy shooting Model 647. How that first pistol got out of the factory with no rifling still puzzles me - human error for sure.
Looking forward to your particulars.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
Varmintguy, I had a 4x32 eer scope on the 647. It has since been moved over to a 617 lr 6" barrel that I small game hunt with. I have ran every .17 load through my gun that I could get a hold of. None of it made much difference.
There is a reason the 17 hmr 647s are rare. A s&w rep told me they discontinued the model due to accuracy issues. Not saying that there are not some great shooters out there but according to the guy I delt with the issues were enough to stop production of the model.
S&W offered me a straight exchange on another 22lr pistol but I declined. The 617 shoots great and the 647 just keeps going up in value.
My dad built an autoloading 17 HMR rifle out of a 10/22 22 Mag. He put an aftermarket stock on, and a carbon fiber barrel, along with a heavier bolt and spring. He never shot it. I inherited it from him and replaced the trigger. It shoots like a dream. The autoloader needs more mass in the bolt and a heavier spring than a standard 22 Mag, or the brass can separate near the case head.
A buddy of mine built one, too. A genuine fancy walnut stock, yadda, yadda, and it worked fine, until it didn't, when his granddaughter was shooting it She got a faceful of gas and a bad attitude about shooting. Ruger quit production of the 10/22M because of out-of-battery firing. The bottleneck case of the HMR will be even more susceptible to such shenanigans, especially in a pistol.
Again, it's a bad idea. A PROVEN bad idea.
I rebarreled a couple of 10/22 Magnums to 17 HMR some years back. Found that a heavier bolt and springs would work if the chamber was kept spotlessly clean, but it would fire out of battery if there was any foreign material buildup, not a good thing. I put mine back into its original configuration and sold it for about twice what I
had into it. I sold the barrel and bolt to a guy who knew that he could make it work 'cause irt was obvious that I was doing something wrong. I heard that he had at least 3 out of battery firings.
I hate scopes on pistols, reddots are much better. All you have to do is put the dot on the target and pull the trigger.
I've had a Taurus Tracker 17 for about twenty years now. Only T gun I've had zero problems with and that will shoot 1.5 MOA at 100 yards, scoped, on a dead calm day. Gun was $225 back then. I doubt twice that would tempt me now.
Simpson LTD has a 6.5" Taurus Tracker in 17 HMR for sale on their site for $382.50, their inventory number 36935 in the "other manufacturers" section.
I have a S&W 647 and am pleased with it so far. I want a Freedom Arms 97 in 17HMR but alas my pocketbook isn’t deep enough.
About right. Add in my 2-7 scope and we are near $450.
conradKa: I think all you have to do with a pistol that has a "scope" on it is "put the crosshairs on the target and pull the trigger" as well!
At least that is what I do.
I have numerous pistols with scopes on them and numerous pistols with red dot type sights on them - both seem to get the job done for me.
To each their own I guess?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
BKS: That is good news on the accuracy and happiness you have with your Model 647.
Do you Hunt with it or just shoot at the range and such?
I have never been to Arkansas - do they have Tree Squirrels there?
I have Hunted all manner of small game and Varmints with my 17 HMR pistol - it is challenging and fun.
When I am out on a "walkabout" with my 17 HMR pistol I always bring along my tall Primos bi-pod - at 73 years of age I am NOT as steady as I used to be.
When Hunting Ground Squirrels with my 647 I most often shoot from the VarmintMobile over either window bags or while standing on the tailgate and shooting off the roof of the canopy over large shooting sandbags.
The 7 power Burris pistol scope makes this a very deadly (accurate) shooting platform.
One MUST be careful where they place their "off hand" when shooting thusly as the "cylinder "blow-by" will hurt/harm ones fingers and hands.
Been there - done that.
Enjoy your revolver.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
Kimber made a1911 platform in .17 Mach !!.
Anschutz made a bolt pistol in .17 HMR.
I have several Annie Bolt pistols , Exemplar and others . a.22 Hornet, 2 2 LR and .17 HMR. All shot better and better.
Cisco1: One of my Ground Squirrel Hunting buddies years ago had a Ruger MK-III re-barreled into 17 Mach2 and the new barrel is silencer capable.
I have shot this pistol and it is just a hoot to shoot when silenced.
I forget what type scope is on it but it is deadly accurate and quite quiet.
When shooting Ground Squirrels prone from my Keb-Lab shooting mat the Ground Squirrels just can't figure out what is hitting them!
I wonder if the T/C people make a single shot pistol barrel in 17 HMR?
My centerfire 14" heavy barrel T/C pistol is amazingly accurate - I bet a heavy barrel 17 HMR T/C would be the cats meow.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
Varmintguy,
The .17's are fun to shoot. Yeah the "quiet" Ruger would be a blast.
I find my self shooting my 1885 or Annie in Mach II the most. I bought out all the MachII ammo at a gun shop in Northern, WI. several years ago when the bloom had fallen off.
The Mach II rifles are so damn accurate it ain't fair.
I usually shoot coyotes in the yard with a hornet.....but, I had the MachII 1885 out when a stupid coyote , that had been living on borrowed time , came around the bait. When he cocked his head to see who was sucking on a finger ....he got it in the ear.
He was as surprised as a near sighted porky trying to make it with a cactus.
Cisco1: I agree on the inherent accuracy of the 17 MACH2 firearms - I have as yet to come across one that was/is "inaccurate"!
My personal most accurate 17 Mach2 is a kind of rare bird - its a Kimber SVT (stainless Varmint target) that I have a Leupold 6.5x20 EFR scope on.
I just shake my head at the accuracy that this rig always produces.
BUT... the most accurate 17 Mach2 I have seen belongs to my local Varmint Hunting friend who owns a CZ heavy barrel in 17 Mach2.
I was with him at our local range one rare windless day and he shot a 5 shot group at 100 yards with it that measured just a tad over 1/4"!
He was so impressed with his CZ 17 Mach2 that he tried to buy another one just like it but alas CZ has quit making them.
Even my lowly (humble!) NEF heavy barrel "Sportster" produces really good accuracy although according to my loading log book I have only shot it at 50 yards to date. Reasons being it so often windy where I live/shoot and I only have a 3x9 power scope on it. I may have shot it at 100 yards in the past but I just did not enter it into my log book.
I was caught short in the "rimfire ammo shortage" of a few years ago and since then I have acquired a lifetime supply of 17 Mach2 ammo for myself.
Good work on the Coyote.
Keep after'em.
To date I have kill't 3 Coyotes with my 17 HMR Rifles all one shot kills at relatively close range (100 yards'ish) I don't take it out specifically to Hunt Coyotes with but at modest range and careful shot placement it works.
I have also kill't ONE Badger with my 17 Mach2 - it was a head on shot to the Adams Apple area (if Badger have Adam's Apples!) DRT.
My friend with the suppressed 17 Mach2 pistol was unable to come to Montana last year because of the china flu worries so I hope he makes it next spring.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
VarmintGuy yes sir we have tree squirrels. I’d love to shoot prairie dogs one day but just don’t know where to start.
Twintips16: My close friend and Varmint Hunting partner here in SW Montana just bought and has just shot a Freedom Arms revolver in 17 HMR!
He usually runs past me any new guns" he is considering before he buys them but this one snuck up on me.
He is very happy with it so far and claims it shoots one of the Browning offerings the best?
So far he only has the the open sights to judge by - I can't wait to shoot it myself next spring at Ground Squirrels.
BKS: I would be happy to give you some tips on beginning Prairie Dog Hunting - if you have enough time on your hands the SE corner of Wyoming would be a good place to start so plan an early summer or spring trip up that way do some sight seeing and scouting for Prairie Dogs - get off the beaten path and stop and chat with some locals up that-a-way.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy