'm researching 17HMR rifle to purchase. The more I look the more confused I get. I thought I would like a ruger...mid priced, purchased .22 cal for my three sons years ago and they shot well. Now, I'm reading some negative stuff on ruger. I like the price of savage and cz but wonder if they shoot straight. Weatherby comes with a target showing accuracy but is more money. Then there is the German one....can't spell it (Achutz?) If I pay more will I generally get a better shooting rifle? Like everyone I'd like to get a straight shooter for the fewest dollars.

I bought one of the first 452 varmints that came out in 17HMR. It's by far an excellent rifle. I've shot many five shot groups at 100 yards that measured less than an inch with Hornandy 20 gr. XTP's. The only thing I did was free float the barrel after I got it. Now they come with a set tirgger, which is nice.

I have yet to see a Marlin 917 or Savage 93R17V that wouldn't shoot good groups. The heavy barrel Marlins and Savages should shoot MOA or better once you break-in the barrel and find the variety of 17 HMR ammo that shoots the best groups in your particular rifle.

The only 17 HMR rifle that I've seen that wouldn't shoot good groups is a light barrel Savage 93R17F that I bought NIB for less than $100. Try as I might, I can't seem to shoot groups equal to the Marlin 917VS or Savage 93R17BVSS with this rifle. If you want a light (sporter) barrel rather than a heavy (varmint) barrel, I'd recommend the Marlin 917S over the Savage 93R17.

Jeff

The Weatherby is made by Anschultz

It's harder to find a poor shooting HMR than a good shooter. A $200 Marlin will usually shoot right with an $1100 Cooper. My little Marlin has turned in some near 1/4" groups with it's favorite lot # of ammo, but that's pretty rare. It does AVERAGE .6" at 100 yards, better than most of my centerfire rifles.
The HMR has been a happy exception to the notion of buying accuracy with more dollars.

I bought one of the Savage 17 FVSS heavy barrel pre accutrigger.
http://www.savagearms.com/93r17fvss.htm

Paid $200 and change for it, for added a Rifle basix or Timney trigger, shoots hole in a hole all day long. With the AccuTrigger, you should be set to go.

HMR is an inherently accurate cartridge, most rifles shoot well.

I have an Anschutz 1717D and it is excellent. You can't go wrong with a quality rifle like the Annie.

Ditto. I bought the cheap, lightweight barreled, synthetic stocked version as a gun for my 10-year old son, but could not get the thing to shoot better that 2 or 3 inch groups. I haven't decided yet which one to try next, but I am leaning towards the CZ since my .223 CZ-527 shoots so well.

Check out the Sako Quad. They can be had for around $500 and I haven't heard of any that don't shoot well. I have a quad in 22LR and the trigger can be adjusted nicely, it nots a heavy rifle, and it is very accurate. I have a 17HMR NIB that I haven't got to shoot yet but will take care of that this spring. You can buy different barrels(Mach2, 22LR, 22Mag, & 17HMR) for it later on if you should decide to.

Mrmarklin: I agree with your contention completely and would go this, one step, further.
I contend that most Rifles shoot the "inherently accurate" 17 HMR cartridge "VERY WELL"!
There is a beautiful Weatherby bolt action 17 HMR on consignment at my local pawn/sport shop here in SW Montana.
Its like $650.00 asking price and I have been secretly admiring it!
If it would have a heavier barrel (I like the mass of heavy barrels for enhancing my field shooting!) I would own it.
Like someone above mentioned I think the Anschutz folks made the action (maybe the whole Rifle?) of these Weatherby bolt action 17 HMR's.
I thought my Ruger 77/17 V/T in 17 HMR was the best shooting rimfire in the world - back when I first bought it (early 2,003)! But I have seen other 17 HMR's outshoot it on occasion!
And like some of the posters on this thread have done!
I have been shooting rimfire Rifles (LOTS of rimfire Rifles!) for more than 55 years now and I have never owned one as accurate as my 17 HMR!
On dead calm days my Ruger 77/17 V/T has as yet to make a group (5 shots at 100 yards) in excess of 1.000"!
It averages groups (5 shots at 100 yards) in the mid .7's!
And its best group (5 shots at 100 yards) has been an amazing .502"!
I have a Weaver 4x16 variable scope on this Rifle now and I am sure if I were to put a scope of 20+ power on it I could break the .500" group (5 shots at 100 yards) barrier with it.
Long live the new King of Rimfires - the 17 HMR!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: I think its spelled A-N-S-C-H-U-T-Z, Anschutz.

Same here. I bought one of the first ones to come out. All I did to mine was tear the trigger apart to make it better. It is a very fine 17HMR in every respect except for the trigger; but as you say, that has been upgraded to the single set trigger.

I bought one of the first Marlin 917's to come out. It was a good shooter but the trigger sucked. A rifle basix trigger fixed that problem and 3/4" groups at 100 yards were quite common. That was with a 3x9 scope. I recently stuck a 4.5 - 14 on it and am going to give it another try. I think I can shrink those down a bit more.

I understand that Marlin has improved that trigger quite a bit as well.

DMB: A friend of mine owns the Kesselring Gun Shop in Burlington, Washington. Their gunsmith has built a "jig" to place some of the CZ trigger parts in and then the smithy "stones" the parts while the parts and the stone are aligned in the "jig"!
The triggers come out just wonderful!
I am not sure what the charge is for this "trigger job" but I am certain it would be a lot less than a new trigger.
I have shot a few of these CZ's with the stoned trigger jobs and they are indeed a significant improvement.
I will attempt a link for anyone interested:

http://www.kesselrings.com/servlet/StoreFront

Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have the Marlin 917 w/SS bull barrel. This gun is very accurate and beautiful. Just before this past hunting season I took it to the range to shoot it at 100 yards. I got it shooting thru bullet holes. I would recommend it to anyone. I also shoot a Ruger 10/22 SS w/ mannlicher stock that shoots very well also. For the money you can't beat these two rimfires, But you might have trouble finding the 10/22 w/ mannlicher.

Buy the Anschutz 1517D and you won't have to look any further. Mind shoots bug holes. Mine is Left Hand, but you can purchase a right hand cheaper.

I just bought a stainless savage bull barrel with the thumbhole in 17hmr. So far, I like it and it seems to shoot the 17grain v-max into about a two inch group at 100.(it was windy, may not be the rifles fault.) Ill shoot it again tomorrow and let you guys know, hopefully the wind isn't blowing mach IV.

I went out shopping for a 17HMR today, after deciding to
give up on 17HM2s. I can buy a Savage 93 w/laminated stock,
AT, and bull barrel from Walmart for $340 plus tax. Or
I can buy a Marlin 917 w/bull barrel and plain stock from
Academy for $229 plus tax. I also found out I can get the
Savage in a left hand version, but Walmart doesnt carry it.
I might just buy the Marlin, just need to think it over
for a day or two.

To throw this out there...There is a Volquartsen 17hmr for sale in the classified. Even though the Savage and Marlin can be accurate, the VQ are known to always extremely accurate.

I've shot several different models and own a CZ 17hmr. The VQ beats them all and is on par with my 541s. So yes, it's worth it if you have the money.

I sure like my Ruger and have never been let down by it.

Can't go wrong with the Savage. Certainly there are prettier rifles but not many will shoot any better. They seem to like 20 grain bullets from my experience.

I have been shooting a Ruger 77/17 VBBZ ( the heavy one) for years now and couldn't be happier. My shooting partner uses a CZ Varmint- really good shooter, and my wife has an entry level Savage- surprisingly good shooter. As someone else said, they are all inherently accurate- take your pick.
My only caveat here is the volume of shooting you do. I KNOW the Ruger stands up to hard use ( I budget myself to, and use, 3500 rds. per year) The CZ my buddy shoots gets a couple thousand rounds per year with nary a bobble. The Savages and the Marlins may not be up to that, because honestly I don't know, never having seen one pressed into that much service...
We are in Montana,and shooting ground squirrels, hence the volume.....
Ingwe

I've ran one of the savages fairly hard for a few years now. Only issues to speak of is the clips start spreading open. You gotta pinch them back together an then your good to go again.

Annoying for sure but I love the gun.

Still woulda got the ruger if I could do it over again.

Thanks for the input, glad to hear the Savage will take a serious session of "Death in the Short Grass", didn't know that about the clips, when my wife's start to do that, I'll know what to do...

Its just the way they are pinned together. If you look at how the sides fit into the spine of the clip you'll see the tabs that the side pulls away from.

Worst thing it does is spits a handfull of shells in your face. I think I have them bent enough that they are holding. Havnt had any issues in a few months now.

If ruger would have had a 17 in a thumbhole stock I would have been all over it. Hence why I have the savage.

I own two heavy barrel Marlins, a heavy barrel Ruger, and a NEF in 17 HMR...

all three are good shooters... If I saved only one, it would be the 17 NEF single shot... it is accurate with whatever it shoots and being a single shot is not condusive to shooting a couple hundred boxes of rimfires in a day...

I haven't had a chance to use it in the field.. but I picked up a pair of 25 round double stack mags for the Ruger, made by Shooters Ridge...

If ammo was half the price it is.. I'd love this rifle and this cartridge...

Here are my picks,anschutz,CZ and savage.coobie

Interested to know how these clips work for you