17 HMR vs 223 as a trainer

[Big Sky]

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[Big Sky]

For varmint hunting the 17 is used every time before the .223s. But for training it’s the .22 and then the .223.


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[Marbles]

Well, got a 223 Tikka, my only remfire will be the little Savage Rascal for a while.

In 153 years when my form 4 is approved a suppressed 223 will be a lot of fun in the mountains.

 

[WCB]

Good choice...I have a .17 Hornet and love shooting it out to 300-400 yards for fun in calm conditions. But my .223 has done me A LOT better as a trainer as spotting splash is much easier alone at 400+ yards and is much more consistent in wind.

 

[Lawnboi]

Iv been shooting the crap out of the 17 hmr lately. I think everyone needs a rimfire “trainer” as well. While mine was mainly built to kill varmints I will say now that I got a bravo on it, it’s a great gun to run drills with while my centerfire rifles cool off.

Sub 200 with the 17 is also great spotting practice, small bullet moving at near centerfire speeds. But past 200 it’s near impossible to see steel move, even the thin stuff.

Plus it’s cheap to shoot without reloading, shoot it has better accuracy now than my 223 tikka does, I’m sure that will change when it comes back from LRI.

 

[Tmac]

I shoot my 17HMR’s quite a bit to almost 200 and like them for small varmint hunting, sage rats and PD’s and the like. Very accurate and no recoil. You can practice positions and trigger control, etc. But they are nearly useless in the wind at any distance. They are good practice, but I don't see them as a substitute for a .223/5.56.

Besides small varmints, what I think they excel at is helping a new shooter build confidence and competence before moving up to a .223 class cartridge. We have a rimfire silhouette range at my club with numerous small metal targets. Some are not easy to knock over with the 17HMR for my grands. So it requires them to hit a spot on the target, often the head. Real good practice for them. 50-100 rounds there then off to the 100, 200 & 300 ranges with the .223.

The kapow of a center fire is also good practice for them. That’s how I use my 17HMR’s anyway. So I say make sure you have both.

 

[wabash503]

Depends on your definition of long range. 17 hmr is a great trainer round, but it's still rimfire and less than 25 grains. Slows down was too fast to be a real long range trainer.

 

[Turkeytider]

This is getting to be an older thread, but I`ve started shooting my 17HMR ( Savage 93R17) A LOT because it`s just so much fun! Shooting at 4" and 2" gongs at 200 yards is a challenge, at least for me, particularly the 2" er! My new challenge will be a 6" gong at 300 yards.

 

[wabash503]

This is getting to be an older thread, but I`ve started shooting my 17HMR ( Savage 93R17) A LOT because it`s just so much fun! Shooting at 4" and 2" gongs at 200 yards is a challenge, at least for me, particularly the 2" er! My new challenge will be a 6" gong at 300 yards.

They are pretty fun to shoot. We don't have room to shoot out to 200, but the consistently hitting the 1" @ 100 is a pretty good challenge.

 

[Turkeytider]

They are pretty fun to shoot. We don't have room to shoot out to 200, but the consistently hitting the 1" @ 100 is a pretty good challenge.

LOL! At 200 yards, I didn`t say anything about " consistency " ( some days that`s more loosely defined than other days! ). Seriously, once the scope is dialed in, 4" is pretty doable. 2", you need to be doing everything right!

 

[TaperPin]

Anything a guy can shoot a lot is valuable as a trainer, even a 22lr.

A 17 and the 223 are totally different animals - you won’t be shooting long range rocks with a 17, and that’s one of life’s simple pleasures.

I just ordered a 17 hmr barrel to replace a 22 mag just because it shoots flatter and has less wind drift in the 150 yard range. Zeroed at 100 yards, the 22 mag drops a couple inches more at 150, and wind drift at that range is 50% more. As much as I have a fondness for the 22 mag, the 17 is just a better small varmint cartridge past 100 yards.

I tend to think it’s ideal to bring a trio of guns for a high volume varmint shoot - a 17 hmr or 22 mag for short shots, 223 or 6br for medium range and 22-250 or 243 as the way out gun.

 

[wabash503]

LOL! At 200 yards, I didn`t say anything about " consistency " ( some days that`s more loosely defined than other days! ). Seriously, once the scope is dialed in, 4" is pretty doable. 2", you need to be doing everything right!

That's kinda why I questioned OP about using the 17 hmr as a long range trainer. Guess I should asked if they meant center-fire long range or rimfire long range...

 

[TheGDog]

Get the .17 HMR. You will be able to make very surgical shot placement with the .17 HMR.

Go out and try to take out a buncha Squeeks with it, shooting off sticks. It will _QUICKLY_ make you a better shooter.

For rabbits, you NEED to try to make headshots or at the very least, closer to front-shoulder shots.

One time, 60yds freehand, a rabbit presented itself, so I allowed my aim to slide over more towards it's mid-body area just to ensure a hit. It blows my mind to tell you this.. but.. that shot entered him just below the diaphragm and it literally... not figuratively... COMPLETELY gutted him and split apart his pelvis with that shot!

Poor lil guy was trying to get away on just his two fronts, so I had to run over and hurry up and finish him.

But yeah... making rabbits do backflips from headshots while you're nestled in somewhere like 80yds away from them is SO.. MUCH...FUN!!

 

[Turkeytider]

Get the .17 HMR. You will be able to make very surgical shot placement with the .17 HMR.

Go out and try to take out a buncha Squeeks with it, shooting off sticks. It will _QUICKLY_ make you a better shooter.

For rabbits, you NEED to try to make headshots or at the very least, closer to front-shoulder shots.

One time, 60yds freehand, a rabbit presented itself, so I allowed my aim to slide over more towards it's mid-body area just to ensure a hit. It blows my mind to tell you this.. but.. that shot entered him just below the diaphragm and it literally... not figuratively... COMPLETELY gutted him and split apart his pelvis with that shot!

Poor lil guy was trying to get away on just his two fronts, so I had to run over and hurry up and finish him.

But yeah... making rabbits do backflips from headshots while you're nestled in somewhere like 80yds away from them is SO.. MUCH...FUN!!

What round were you using on the rabbit? If I were hunting edible game, I would try diligently to get my gun to shoot CCI`s Gamepoint round. It`s a soft tip bullet as opposed to the ballistic tip or hollow point that will indeed blow up what it hits.

 

[HighUintas]

I have a cz 457 American in 17hmr. I absolutely love that rifle and would use it ALL the time for a trainer since I don't own a 223 but....

Cleaning the bore is a total pain in the ass. I am in the no cleaning camp with my CF stainless barrels, but the CZ has a nitrided chromoly barrel so it should be cleaned to prevent rust and pitting and the 17hmr tends to build up tons of fouling in general. There are no easily available bore guides that actually keep solvent out of the action.

That is one reason why I wouldn't get one just for a trainer.

 

[TheGDog]

What round were you using on the rabbit? If I were hunting edible game, I would try diligently to get my gun to shoot CCI`s Gamepoint round. It`s a soft tip bullet as opposed to the ballistic tip or hollow point that will indeed blow up what it hits.

Hornady 15.5gr NTX. We have to do lead-free for all firearms hunting. I get exceptional accuracy from this round!

 

[Marbles]

That's kinda why I questioned OP about using the 17 hmr as a long range trainer. Guess I should asked if they meant center-fire long range or rimfire long range...

At the time of posting this thread, I was thinking 200 yards. I got a 223 Tikka, and now am thinking more like 400-500 yards.