.17 HMR pickiest gun ever!?

[Block]

Have had this Savage A17 (.17 HMR semiauto) for a few years. A few times now my local shop has stopped carrying my preferred ammo so I switched. Same brand, same grain, just a slightly different tip. I literally can’t hit a 15” target at 50 yards when switching ammo. Iv gota move into 20 yards to even start adjusting and go thru a half a box to get re sighted. Anyone else had this happen? All my other guns a different Ammo might make an inch or 3 difference at 100+ yards but this seems EXTREME.. Thanks

 

[Loco4dux]

Nothing that extreme, but we did have a Savage that couldn't group at all tried all different ammo - garbage. We have 3 cheap marlins that are tack drivers no matter what ammo they're fed for the most part. That does seem extreme though, best of luck. Have you reached out to Savage?

 

[VernAK]

They seem especially vulnerable to dirty bore syndrome........while I have access to a bore scope, it won't fit that tiny bore. My CZ when clean will group <1" but after a box of ammo, it won't stay on target.......a work out with JB Bore Scrubber will get it back in shape for a few more shots and then it starts to open up again....

 

[fatlander]

I had a bolt action savage .17 HMR with the bull barrel when I was younger, and that thing was an absolute tack driver with anything and everything. I was young dumb kid that knew no better and I put thousands of rounds through that gun with minimal cleaning. It was scary accurate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Block]

It groups awesome if you stick with the same ammo. It’s only if you switch..I pulled the gun out after not shooting it for almost a year and she was dialed... 1” groups.. finished thst box and had to switch to the same brand same grain just a dif tip.. and couldn’t hit a 15” target at 50 yards... did the exact same thing last year when I went to the “green” ammo ... the green ammo is 16 grain vs. 17 grain and 50 FPS slower,., you would think that would maybe effect ur up/down a HAIR if anything but it’s over a foot left to right as well as up down.. just blows my mind

 

[5MilesBack]

I have two Ruger American Rimfire .17 HMR's and I've shot both Vmax and TNT bullets out of both with equal accuracy out to 100. I have probably 5 boxes through each gun without cleaning either, and they're still dead on.

 

[deerkiller]

It groups awesome if you stick with the same ammo. It’s only if you switch..I pulled the gun out after not shooting it for almost a year and she was dialed... 1” groups.. finished thst box and had to switch to the same brand same grain just a dif tip.. and couldn’t hit a 15” target at 50 yards... did the exact same thing last year when I went to the “green” ammo ... the green ammo is 16 grain vs. 17 grain and 50 FPS slower,., you would think that would maybe effect ur up/down a HAIR if anything but it’s over a foot left to right as well as up down.. just blows my mind

of those 2 boxes you show one is "non lead" and one isn't - probably your difference or at least some of it
Have you tried the Hornady ammo ?
I have an old Browning Abolt originally a 22 mag that became a .17 HMR - For me the .17 is deadly and fun on rockchucks to 75 +/- yds but too expensive to shoot squirrels and not near enough gun for coyotes - a little bit of wind will make it unusable IMO

 

[4ester]

The 17HMR's that I have been around have been very picky with ammo as well. Find the one they like and buy a bunch of it.

Mine has been very picky about cleaning as well. I cleaned it and accuracy went to crap for quite some time until it got pretty fouled again.

 

[deerkiller]

The 17HMR's that I have been around have been very picky with ammo as well. Find the one they like and buy a bunch of it.

Mine has been very picky about cleaning as well. I cleaned it and accuracy went to crap for quite some time until it got pretty fouled again.

any .17 CAN be a fouling bugger … like most, it's a barrel to barrel crapshoot - Conditioning a barrel with TETRA GUN OIL (not the spray) Scrub it into a clean barrel, will make a ton of difference and "CAN" make a PIA barrel into a daily user, has transformed many a gun for me ….

 

[Block]

of those 2 boxes you show one is "non lead" and one isn't - probably your difference or at least some of it
Have you tried the Hornady ammo ?
I have an old Browning Abolt originally a 22 mag that became a .17 HMR - For me the .17 is deadly and fun on rockchucks to 75 +/- yds but too expensive to shoot squirrels and not near enough gun for coyotes - a little bit of wind will make it unusable IMO

Yeah it’s a great bobcat/fox fur saver... better make a perfect shot or you won’t find em tho.. Very picky gun if you switch ammo..! Just basically wanted to see if others had this trouble.. Better stick to the same ammo!! Thanks for all the replies guys !

 

[Block]

The 17HMR's that I have been around have been very picky with ammo as well. Find the one they like and buy a bunch of it.

Mine has been very picky about cleaning as well. I cleaned it and accuracy went to crap for quite some time until it got pretty fouled again.

Good thing I rarely clean my guns haha

 

[ChrisA]

My cz452 is not picky about ammo or cleaning. I have literally a couple thousand rounds through it and finally cleaned the bore out of guilt.

Chris

 

[Rob5589]

Rimfires in general seem to be ammo picky. Once I find what mine like, I buy a whole bunch of it. My Marlin 917V isn't too picky but it definitely likes the Hornady 17 gr VMax best.

 

[Sekora]

I have a Savage bull barrel thumbhole stock with accutrigger. Everyone raves about the accuracy of Savage rifles. I disliked them before owning this rifle and still do. Its a 50 yard gun, not what everyone else experiences with 17's.

 

[LaGriz]

I have a Savage B-mag .17 bolt action with the laminated thumb-hole stock.
I have fired 2 boxes of the 25 grain ammo and find the accuracy less than impressive. I decided to try the 20 grain load on my next trip to the range. I hope I don't suffer the same problem. The 20 grain load is rated at 3000fps while the heaver 25 grain load I have been using is rated at 2600fps. You have me curious as to weather the new load might be more accurate. LaGriz

 

[Charon]

It is a great pest control round out to 200 yards with no wind. I wouldn't use it on anything bigger than a coyote pup.

 

[Block]

I have a Savage B-mag .17 bolt action with the laminated thumb-hole stock.
I have fired 2 boxes of the 25 grain ammo and find the accuracy less than impressive. I decided to try the 20 grain load on my next trip to the range. I hope I don't suffer the same problem. The 20 grain load is rated at 3000fps while the heaver 25 grain load I have been using is rated at 2600fps. You have me curious as to weather the new load might be more accurate. LaGriz

I’d be interested to hear how the ammo change goes. Iv seen a slight up down variance in other guns, but this over a foot left/right with a minimal change in ammo is pretty crazy

 

[Blockcaver]

With 3 different 17 HMRs I have seen minor POI changes between 17 and 20 gr hollow points and 17 gr V-Max. All bolt actions, 2 CZs and a Cooper. Nothing like you. And I find them a decent prairie dog gun to 175 yards on a calm. In the high winds I stick with a .223 or even better, my .204.

 

[Mulga]

I have a Sako Quad Pro Hunter, I have also shot a Weirauch HW60J, a CZ 452 sporter and a Browning T-bolt varmint in .17HMR. My opinion is that they are all very accurate but ammo fussy and groups start to open up after 50 rounds or so. I had heard that the .17HMR when first released was so accurate, competition rimfire fire field rifle events had to be reclassified, the .17HMR out competed the .22LR by a good margin.

Hornady VMax is what my Quad prefers but I still get the odd flyer; Variation in projectile seating depth has been the biggest factor I have seen physically measuring the rounds. Was lots of discussion of this on the Rimfire Central forum.