.17 rifle advice.

Hunter21

Im after a rifle preferably .17 what are your taughts on them? It will be used for foxes and rabbits.
Called into a local gun shop today he had none in stock, he recommended a "savage" rifle. Have anybody on here got experience with them? and what other names would ye recommend and why you would recommend your chosen brand over another. Compare basically if you can.
I dont plan on going too mad with it so ammo prices wont be an issue. Plus I like the flatter flight pattern in relation to a .22 but Im also wondering will I jeprodise the drop rate alot by adding on a moderator/silencer.

Thanks in advance for info.
Hunter21

gouldian

I assume (because as far as I know Savage don't build .17Rem rifles) that you are considering the purchase of a .17HMR. If you will use the rifle regularly for fox shooting then you would be much better off with a centrefire - anything from a hornet up. For rabbits its excellent. I have shot a few foxes with the HMR but would not recommend it though I know lads who only own one rifle in this calibre and take alot of foxes. I owned a .17Rem for about 9 years before rifles in .223 etc were available and it is a great fox round to about 200 yards. Ammo is expensive though. I have no experience with .223 but the .204 outperforms the .17Rem by a big margin and ammo is about €29 for 20. I would think that good .223 ammo is cheaper. Ideal situation if it suits you would be a rimfire for the bunnies and something bigger for foxes.

garv123

im hoping to get a .17 hmr before the summer myself.
ive used a .22 wmr a good bit and they are a great round on foxes in and around 100 yard-130yards ish. i'd love to buy a .223 myself but i couldnt afford ammo for it so im going for the next best thing. 50 bullets will cost you around 16euro for the .17 hmr.
20 bullets for the .223 around 15-20 average i think. i know some people pay less for cheaper stuff and more for v-max.

the model i want is the savage 93r17 BTVLSS,
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/93R17BTVS

there's the BTVS but the only difference is the one i want is left handed.

why i picked that make and model? when i saw it i just fell in love with the look if it:o

i dont think il find one in Ireland though since its left handed and il prob have to find a dealer to order it for me. which will be costly. but ive my eyes set.
480 dollars but prob looking at 7-800euro

Tackleberrywho

A .17HMR is great fro shooting bunnies out past 100 yards as teh drop is much less than a .22lr over the same distance.

In an Ideal world you could have a .17hmr and a .223 and a .22lr

However, it may be hard to licence all three (not impossible) for bunnies/Foxes if not member of a rifle club.

Question is, are you going to go seriously foxing, or would just like a bit more poke if one offered himself whilst hunting rabbits?

If so I'd go .17hmr and shoot Mostly rabbits head shots.

Teh cheapest .223 is Wold €10-11 a box of 20, .17hmr is Hornady .17HMR 20gr XTP
€16.95
http://www.shoot.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_15_35&products_id=62&zenid=04388044c70d03a10252b692da843407

For 50 rounds which is ~1/2 the price of .223 ammo.

.223 shooting bunnies only can be expensive-ish

I don't consider €26 a week during the summer a lot of money so I use .223, however others would.

A .17HMR could be ran for an average of €8 a week if you shoot 25 bunnies a week


a .22lr is €2.50 a week

So it is Economies of scale really and what you really want it for.

kildare.17hmr

love my HMR, it'll shoot rabbits as far as i can and is accurate to about 200 yards, i have shot foxes with it and i will shoot more BUT i am getting more into the fox shooting so i am looking to get a 223 for foxing. If your plannin on doin more bunnies than foxes get the HMR but if you are gonna do more foxing get a 223

Hunter21

If .17's are not so good for foxes (according to Irish people) why do Americans swear by them and are very popular?

I wouldnt be too massive into fox shooting so wouldnt have the need for a 223. Would struggle to licence one as my first rifle too. Also buying and running a 223 is big bucks compared to the reasonable €400 I was quoted today for a brand new .17 savage in saying that though I would not rule out trying to get a .223, dont know till you try as the man says.

Question, would a .223 shooting a greycrow at 100-150yards be very dangerous as in bullet go straight through him. I know backstop saves you but I wouldnt like the idea of a bullet travelling all the time. A fox at 100yards would have some bit of hope of stopping the bullet (Bigger mass etc) This is a drastic question but id like to hear your taughts on this matter.

Hunter21

garv123 wrote: »

the model i want is the savage 93r17 BTVLSS,
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/93R17BTVS

Oh mamma, that is unreal! I hate choices so I'll struggle to choose between that one, the grey timber one and a synthetic one with a stainless barrel. Got quoted €400 today for the synthetic. Not bad, good price. Also €22 for 50 bullets 33 grain.

Eo1n8wrd

I am looking at an anschutz .17 hmr myself, just for bunnies and other vermin, from what i am reading i think it would be sound for foxes and i see a lot of people use it for them too.
from what little info i have gleaned off the internet the .17 hmr hornady V-max has a velocity of about 2500 fps the .22 lr winchester hollow point is about 1000 fps.
so the .17 hmr has a far greater energy transfer inside the target as a result of this higher velocity, basically creating a far bigger cavity inside however the penetration would not be as great which should not matter too much on relatively thin skinned targets.
The rifle i am looking at will be my first so i am obviously fresh enough to the game so if i am wrong in anything i have said please correct me rather than berate me, also if anyone out there owns an anschutz i would love to hear their opinions on their rifles.

lefthooker

garv123 wrote: »

the model i want is the savage 93r17 BTVLSS,
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/93R17BTVS

there's the BTVS but the only difference is the one i want is left handed.

why i picked that make and model? when i saw it i just fell in love with the look if it:o

i dont think il find one in Ireland though since its left handed and il prob have to find a dealer to order it for me. which will be costly.

I got 1 priced garv, 775euro. likely delivery date is May.

On the other hand, content yourself with a .22 & buy the lefthand savage i have for sale;)

landkeeper

i have that model of savage .17 its accurate 1" groups easily at 120yrds with hornady vmax and hollow points shoots much lower with the hollow points trigger is good i got it threaded and stuck a sak moderator on it, i wish now i'd cut a few inches off the barrell and may still do so;) i like it as a rifle it came out the best in a whole pile of reviews of .17s in the stateswhen i was looking for a .17 that's why i chose it i think it was approx 750ish new

6.5x55

I have a Cz 452 Varmint In .17hmr which was great value and is very accurate .I would agree with the other lads its more of a Long range Rabbit Rifle than a fox rifle. But will suffice for foxes .I think that you can get the 452 in left hand now. Fitting a moderator to the rifle will not make any noticeable difference to the Distance/Accuracy .You will not regret buying a .17 what ever model.

Spunk84

:eek::eek::eek::eek: WOW Long range.17Hmr at 500 and 800 yards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3LkBp1LEf8

kildare.17hmr

seen his videos before and i have to say i dont believe that video is real if im honest. if he is zeroed at 100 as he says he is in other videos at 500 yards he would have a holdover of 1.2meters, at 800 it is over 3.5 meters. i find it very hard to believe

chickenfarmer

Hunter21 wrote: »

Also €22 for 50 bullets 33 grain.

Are you sure those 33 grain bullets were .17hmr ? I didn't think you could get anything heavier than 20 grain in .17hmr. I think they may have been .22wmr But thats not answering your question

I have a Savage 9317f and can't fault it. I'm so happy with it the Savage for accuracy that I thinking of getting another Savage only in .204 ruger. If I was to offer any advise on them I would suggest staying away from the more basic stock. Its my only gripe with it. Its a good excuse to upgrade it at some stage tho

Hunter21

chickenfarmer wrote: »

Are you sure those 33 grain bullets were .17hmr ? I didn't think you could get anything heavier than 20 grain in .17hmr. I think they may have been .22wmr But thats not answering your question

I have a Savage 9317f and can't fault it. I'm so happy with it the Savage for accuracy that I thinking of getting another Savage only in .204 ruger. If I was to offer any advise on them I would suggest staying away from the more basic stock. Its my only gripe with it. Its a good excuse to upgrade it at some stage tho

I cant say for 100% if the 33 grain part was fact, Im just repeating what I was told.
What kind of ranges do you get out of your current rifle chickenfarmer? and do you feel there is good stopping power with the 20grain (I Pressume thats what you use)

kildare.17hmr

the only bullet iv ever put through my HMR is the 17gr vmax, i havent had a problem shootin foxes with them. you cant get a 33gr for the hmr, 17, 20 and the new 15gr are the 3 available

chickenfarmer

ah to be honest I don't do much with it. Its very accurate out to 150 yds probably a bit more but I havent tried it any further than 150. I personally wouldn't going for a fox any further than 75 to 100 yrds. The main reason I want the 204 is cause it gets fairly windy up my way and I want a heavier bullet to buck the wind. I've killed a lot of paper with the .17 tho ! :-)

garv123

Hunter21 wrote: »

Oh mamma, that is unreal! I hate choices so I'll struggle to choose between that one, the grey timber one and a synthetic one with a stainless barrel. Got quoted €400 today for the synthetic. Not bad, good price. Also €22 for 50 bullets 33 grain.

where did you get the savages priced? dont worry im not gonn rob it ive decided to spend money on a lefty one and il have it for years so no point trying to shoot right handed. I must ring a round a few dealers and see who would give me the cheapest quote to get me one.

lefthooker wrote: »

I got 1 priced garv, 775euro. likely delivery date is May.

On the other hand, content yourself with a .22 & buy the lefthand savage i have for sale;)

who gave you that quote if you dont mind me asking?
i was looking at the .22 you have. lovely piece of kit if it was in .17hmr;)
i think we should all order the same model savage and import 3 cheaper :D

if i had my way with money id love a o/u shotty, .22lr, .17hmr and a .223
no reason for a higher caliber since i wouldn't be shooting deer.

Hunter21

@ garv, Pat Hayes in country lifestyle in Mallow gave me that price. Sound fella, I deal with him alot

lefthooker

garv123 wrote: »

who gave you that quote if you dont mind me asking?
i was looking at the .22 you have. lovely piece of kit if it was in .17hmr;)
i think we should all order the same model savage and import 3 cheaper :D
QUOTE]

Got that figure from John Lambert. Had a good think about it but decided to go with a Sako in the end.

Hunter21

lefthooker wrote: »

garv123 wrote: »

who gave you that quote if you dont mind me asking?
i was looking at the .22 you have. lovely piece of kit if it was in .17hmr;)
i think we should all order the same model savage and import 3 cheaper :D
QUOTE]

Got that figure from John Lambert. Had a good think about it but decided to go with a Sako in the end.

How do you rate the sako Lefthooker and what kind of money was on it? Mail me if you want

lefthooker

I'll let you know once I get my hands on it. Its comin in from the UK but it sure looks nice, very important criteria!!!!!:D