I keep seeing 17 HMRs for sale, and I saw one at Cabelas yesterday for a good price (used) I thought I possibly could use it as a fall turkey gun and for small farm groundhogs. Are they useful guns, or just toys that require specialty cleaning tools?
I have a decent 22 LR already. Thanks.

They're fun for shooting paper. Can be frustrating at 100 yards if it's super windy though.

They also make good varmint guns but I'd stay away from it for hunting to get meat. They are devastating inside their targets bodies.

For me, .22LR is good enough for both those purposes.

It is perfect for scrambling the head of squirrels.

I have several friends here in the midwest who bought them and most of them are saying they wish they had gone to the .204, .243 or the .22 mag or Hornet. Reasons were; very difficult to clean, guns weren't cheap, accuracy easily affected by wind and/or brush-----I'm seeing more and more of them on the used gun rack--I've got the A-bolt in .204 and I've never shot anything this fast before and it's very accurate---I'd say get a .204 instead---------

I own a .17 HMR

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firear...m/917VS-CF.asp


It's my rimfire rig for small critters +/- 100-150 yards.



If I need a little more, I use my .204 w/ 40 gr.V-max.

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/16FCSS




You won't find my .17 HMR on any used gun rack, I love it !!!

17HMR seem to be a decent short range varmit rifle. I like my 22lr it's cheaper to shoot and therefore can shoot it a lot more.

If a bullet is smaller doesn't mean it's affected by the wind as much as it's heavier counter part. Consistency is plus with a heavier bullet and a higher BC if the bullet is constructed in such a manner. Mythbusters has arrived I've tested this myself with a lot of different calibers. I'll give two examples

17HMR vs 22lr 100yards. 28 Mph wind. 17HMR drifted 1" the 22lr drifted 9" inches. That's a lot of difference.

22-250 50grs vs 30-06 165 grs 500yards 25mph. 22-250 drifted about 24" and the 30-06 drifted about 48" almost double the distance. (of course didn't have a target that big, estimated where the bullet hit the target bank. )

Now you can say that the setups of the calibers weren't close enough for a comparison but it proves one thing. Time in flight is the key factor in windy situations. A larger bullet with a higher BC will consistently hit in the same place better than a smaller bullet with a lower BC. But if the smaller bullet spends less time getting there it's less effected by the wind. Also have to consider wind bearing surface of the bullet too.

There's a reason that target shooter use heavy bullets with a high BC for consistency but the bottom line is time in flight to a certain range (400yards or less) has advantages in wind for the smaller faster varmit calibers.

So when someone says I shot at a coyote with my 22-250 at 250 yards and the wind blew it off 5 feet. That guy don't have a clue on what he's talking about.

I do believe however about the blade of grass or a twig scenario. It don't take much to deflect a bullet of that size. And all bullets can be affected by hitting objects before reaching the target.

I was considering one myself but the more I looked into it the more I became convinced the .22WMR would be the better choice over either of the .17 rimfires.

Ok. I'm not a big target guy. I'm a hunter. I don't care about a rifle being -200 MOA at 1500 yards if I'm only using it to hunt deer at 150 yrds. That being said even I can admit that the 17 hmr is more than just a novelty. For the small game hunter who wants something that can be good all around its a great cartridge. I've shot it next to my 22 mag many times and have found to be comparible. If you want something that can really perform that's the way I would go. If nothing else the ammo is going to be readily available due to the popularity of the round.

Now, all that being said, it is not a good gun for anything over foxes in size. I've shot around 30 coyotes with mine and have lost many of them. If coyotes is what your wanting to shoot get something bigger. As far as seeing it in used gun racks everywhere. I've not seen it.

I have 2 17HMRs and I love them (both Savages). I've taken 2 turkeys with as many shots using Remington Premium 17gr bullets. But I agree the 20 gr would be better for coyotes, foxes etc. The 20 gr Hornady xpt is a good one.
The first year I had one, I took it for squirrels and it was simply unfair. With the 6-24X scope I have on it, I could pop them in the head at 75yds on a calm day very regularly.

I have killed dozens of squirrels, a few turkey, a fox and plenty of other critters with mine. I love mine to death, CZ 452 american. Tack driver and pretty to boot