Tikka T1x 17hmr to 17wsm

[bmicek]

Trying to convert one over to a 17 WSM may end up just wrecking what you have.

As was already mentioned, the case head is larger on the 17WSM and the cases are thicker requiring a much heavier firing pin strike. The 17 WSM runs at a lot higher pressure than does the 17 HMR, 33,000 for the WSM and 26,000 for the HMR. Then there is the difference in overall case size, 17 WSM is quite a bit larger, which would require a different magazine or some kind of setup to run it as a single shot

As they say, with enough money you can make anything work but at that point you'd be better off buying a RImX TS Customs 17 WSM build from Primal Rights.

Vudoo gun works makes some pretty nice stuff too but even they had no interest in making a 17 WSM version and even went so far as to say a 17 WSM really couldn't/wouldn't reliably work but the TS Customs RimX 17 WSM builds seem to have proven that wrong because they're working pretty well.

I have a HB SS Bmag that I've had since Savage first came out with the HB SS models. I swapped out the plastic POS stock it came with and put a Boyds Pro Varmint on it then begged my gunsmith into bedding the action, not the barrel like everyone does and calling it a bedding job, but he actually bed the front part of the action which if you know anything about a Bmag the front part of the action is the ONLY part of it you can actually bed and even that is a real PITA. While it was at his shop I had him chop the barrel back to 20 and thread it for a suppressor. I tuned up the trigger myself and got it down to right at a crisp clean 2lbs. Replaced the bolt handle with one from Glades Armory but had my smith turn it down and shorten it before I put it on. How they come from Glades is excessively large. Put a one piece picatinny rail on it from DIP Inc. Checked headspace with gauges I bought from PTG. Slapped a 4.5-14x40AO Leupold on it and went to shooting the shit out of sage rats.

Even though my Bmag will NEVER win any design awards and it is probably the cheapest built gun I've ever owned mine actually turned out very well and I've put a shit ton of rounds through it shooting sage rats with next to no problems. The only issue I've ever had was every so often I'll get a round that has to be struck a couple times to make it go bang but that's been it. One of the big bitches about the Bmag is the flippy floppy whirly twirly bolt handle and I would disagree it's about the worst design ever but after you shoot these things a few rounds you get used to it and it becomes a lot less annoying and noticeable. A different bolt handle certainly helps with that too. This is mine with the thread protector screwed on the end made from the piece of barrel I had cut off.
View attachment 387220

For the record, Vudoo didn’t claim it wouldn’t work. Mike Bush with Vudoo just said with the inconsistency of the ammo, it was not something he would put the Vudoo name on as their reputation is built on superbly accurate rimfires. They’re capable of building a superbly accurate 17WSM, but the variance in the ammo wouldn’t allow the consistency he desired so they abandoned that. I’d bet if another company released a more consistent 17WSM ammo, they’d revisit it.