Just wanting something new to play with at the range and looking at a Savage 17HMR 93R … it’s got their accu-trigger, heavy barrel, threaded muzzle and a Boyd’s stock. Also comes with what I imagine is an inexpensive 3-9x40 …

Anyone wit experiences with the rifle or the cartridge?

That rifle is a decent rifle. A lot of them are sold here for pest control. The ammo keeps getting more expensive as a range toy. I have used it on woodchucks with mixed results. It will kill them, just not like my 22-250. The round is plenty accurate, I think more so than the 22 magnum. I still use it when I need something less noisey to take out varmints.

CZ makes a nice rifle too, but the Savages are cheaper and shoot every bit as well.

Good luck, I think you will enjoy combo. Maybe upgrade the scope if you need too, but the rifle and the round are great.

I've always contemplated this caliber too.
That or the 22 magnum.
Haven't made any decisions so still on the fence.
Sorry, no help.

Same reason I have this one. CZ455 Varmint with Leupold 6-14 VXIII.

I have a .17 HMR 93r without the accu-trigger, but it has a stainless heavy barrel and a grey laminate stock. My wife bought it for me for my birthday 2003 or 2004, I think the accu-trigger came out a couple years later. I put a cheap BSA "Sweet 17" 4-14x scope on it and it has always been an excellent performer. I've probably put 7-800 rounds through it over the years with minimal maintenance and have had zero issues.

The 17 HMR is my favorite for intermediate sized pest control, coons, possums, porcupine etc..

It’s usually a one shot stop.

I have a Ruger 77/22 mag I converted to 17 HMR with a Shilen barrel. The other is a used Cooper I picked up at a ok price.

I have a Sako Quad with a 17 HMR barrel that I like a lot. It's very accurate and kind of fills a gap between where 22LR accuracy starts to drop off and real centerfire ranges. Downsides are increased ammo expense (vs 22LR) and it doesn't suppress as effectively as subsonic 22.

Browning T-bolt here. It was my pre-retirement gift to myself, that and a competitive thing with my friend as he has one also, only difference ih his and mine is I have a Nikon scope and his a Leupold.

Range day and he kept nagging at me to try his out. I shot tighter groups than he did so at that point I decided “Why not?” Besides, my CC was at zero, paid off my CMP Garand a month or so before.

Supersonic-still hear it suppressed.
Bullets tend to tumble--making it very effective on varmits.

Gophers at 100ish yards really disliked mine. Still have the rifle, just haven't hunted in ages.

I have a Savage 93R17 BTVSS. Stainless, heavy barrel, composite thumbhole stock. It is a bit heavy for walking around in the woods but very accurate with the right ammo, mine prefers 20 grain bullets. Excellent performance on small to medium size varmints.

Buy it, you will like it.

Well, it wasn’t much of a plunge, it was on clearance at Walmart (in Nebraska) for $237, but they didn’t have any ammo and I couldn’t find any in town so I had to wait until I got back home. I checked the Walmart here but it wasn’t on clearance here, but they had ammo. At 50 yards I shot 5 rounds about an inch with 3 touching, that’s when I noticed the scope base was just slightly loose; and I didn’t have the right size allen wrench to tighten it down. I hope to get to the range again this afternoon, it’ll only be about 100 or so which will be about 10 degrees cooler than yesterday!

quote:

Originally posted by SIGfourme:
Supersonic-still hear it suppressed.
Bullets tend to tumble--making it very effective on varmits.

Tumble? At what range?

Tumbling bullets makes for minute of barn door accuracy.

I'm assuming it was meant in tissue, not in the air. No experience with the round to comment on its effectiveness.

quote:

Originally posted by hrcjon:
I'm assuming it was meant in tissue, not in the air. No experience with the round to comment on its effectiveness.

I had one and it was indeed devastating on small varmints. Traded it towards a 22lr a long time ago because I wasn't a fan of the cost of ammo vs. 223. It was quite an accurate little round. The 17gr VMAX bullets are quite explosive.

I purchased a used CZ 455 Varmint in 17HMR and recently had the chance to gopher hunt on the east side of the Bridger mountains, outside of Wilsall, MT. If I can afford the ammo, I'll not be going back to the 22's that I grew up using, LOL. I think that the first gopher I hit lost everything except his skin.
Go 17HMR and you'll definitely see the difference.
LaMont in AZ

quote:

Originally posted by IndianaBoy:
I had one and it was indeed devastating on small varmints. Traded it towards a 22lr a long time ago because I wasn't a fan of the cost of ammo vs. 223. It was quite an accurate little round. The 17gr VMAX bullets are quite explosive.

I bought a 50 end box of CCI Varmint for $18, 36cents a rnd isn’t bad these days …

Seems like a decent deal at that price.