What to pick for a 17 HMR

[martinclay]

I have been granted my fac cert, with a 17 HMR on it, and I not shore if I should get a 16 inche or 20 inche barrel? Wood or plastic stock? And what scope to put on it ( fix magnification or not) ? I have a good budget to spend when buying it.

 

Martinclay

[telf]

I have been granted my fac cert, with a 17 HMR on it, and I not shore if I should get a 16 inche or 20 inche barrel? Wood or plastic stock? And what scope to put on it ( fix magnification or not) ? I have a good budget to spend when buying it.

 

Martinclay

hi mate,

when i got my ticket i bought a cz 452 with 16" barrel,i also bought a few months later a anschutz 1417.22(got it at a cracking price).I was using the .22more than the hmr for a vaiety of reasons and then started using the hmr again and the differance was quite noticeable in the build quality of the two guns,not that theres anything wrong with the cz just the anschutz felt better,build felt more sturdy and even the accuracy seemed better on the anschutz.I sold the cz and bought a anshutz hmr with 14" barrel and have not looked back cracking gun,the choice is entirely yours.As for scopes ive had allsorts,i now have a zeiss 4.5-14x50 on the hmr and a hawke 3.5-10x50 on the .22 and am now happy with both set ups,all i would say is when buying your scope get a good quality one,hope this helps

dave

[dannywayoflife]

Another vote for an Annie I love mine it's got the 18" barrel and a dm80'on it best mod out there and I've tried em all!

[Gimlet]

This old chestnut again! Expect a page of posts telling you to get a CZ. They are the best value for money but not the most refined. The only way to make your mind up is to handle different rifles and decide whether spending more for that extra refinement is worth it to you. Like telf I decided it was, though I went for a Weihrauch. Up there with the Anshutz for engineering and accuracy but a bit cheaper, though the Annie will hold its money better secondhand and they offer more barrel and stock options.

I'd go with a shorter barrel. 20" is the optimum length for a complete burn with the HMR cartridge so there is a small power advantage, but its only measurable at the muzzle, the difference at the target is practically nil. Go for 14 or 16" for compactness and balance. On that score I'd stick with a light weight mod. DM80s are very good but heavy. I've found I prefer the cheapo SAK because of its light weight. It will burn out more quickly than a heavier steel unit though keeping it clean helps. I just accept now that every 18 months or so I'll have to spend £40 on a new one.

As for stocks, again its personal taste. I hate synthetic stocks. I just don't like the feel of them, though I can see the practicality. If you like wood but don't like maintenance then laminate is a good compromise. Thumbhole stocks are popular but they don't suit everyone. I can't get on with them. So go to a gun shop and try a thumbhole and a sporter in the same model before committing yourself.

Scope wise the most important factor on an HMR is light transmission. The HMR allows reliable head shots on rabbits out to 160 yds. That's not that far in the grand scheme of things, but its not a big target and usually shot in low light. So you don't need huge magnification but you do need clarity and light gathering. A Meopta Meopro 3-10 X 50 is a good HMR scope at abou £390 with superb light gathering. Hawke (I think) are about the best of the budget makes but you'll see why they're budget when the light goes. There's nothing more frustrating than watching a rabbit scratching its ear through the bins and losing it completely when you switch to the scope.

Edited November 18, 2011 by Gimlet

[matone]

I prefer my CZ + Timney trigger to my mates Anchutz !Put the money you save with the CZ

toward the best scope that you can afford.

[fireshot]

Annie all the way.

[Cottonseed]

Annie all the way.

 

And I'm very happy with my 14" barrelled Weihrauch J (£600-ish) and Redfield 4-12 x 40 scope (£200-plus).

[njc110381]

My advice would be to spend more on a scope than you do on the rifle. That may turn "plenty of budget" into "get a CZ and put decent glass on it".

 

Money is no object, get the Annie, but my CZ once did a cloverleaf 3 shot group at 100 yards and would do inside a 5p at the same range nearly every time. Just how good do you need it to be? Glass on the other hand, well if you can't see it clearly how are you going to shoot it?

 

Also, short is good. You don't lose much velocity and it's just as accurate. All you lose is weight, and you gain the ability to shoot from a vehicle easily.

[matone]

If you can stretch to an Anshutz with a match 54 action go for it,if not CZ + trigger !

[Vermincinerator]

Get a 20" you can always shorten it but you cant make a 16" longer

 

Ian

Edited November 19, 2011 by Vermincinerator

[martinclay]

Thanks for the help got alot more to think about before I buy one.

 

Martinclay

[dannywayoflife]

You can find second hand annies for good money! In the long run it's a better gun!

[barrelsniffer]

Another for the annie..i have 2 in 17hmr...one as dedicated night use

[Dekers]

As someone else said.........

 

Anyway, for field use nobody will need anything more than a CZ...this is what my CZ HMR can do, and the combination that did it.

 

Don't let anyone tell you the Anschutz is more accurate, it isn't.

 

I had the pleasure of using one of the earliest Anschutz target rifles in the uk, Excellent tools and this is where their reputation was born.

 

They still make quality guns but for the majority of people there is absolutely no need to spend the money. An Anschutz may hold its value better, it may feel better to some, and it is probably better made, does any of that make it shoot better...NO! Anschutz is BETTER many say...define better !

 

CZ don't fall apart, dont wear out and don't go wrong...... and they are accurate. I have been in this business a long time and I have no need or desire to use anything but my CZ for field use, I currently have 3 CZ rimfires.

 

If you have the money to spend then by all means invest in an Anschutz, but it isn't some magic tool that will deliver single hole groups, the shooter and ammo provide the accuracy, the difference in barrels isn't worth debating.

 

Edited November 20, 2011 by Dekers

[bennyblanco]

Are you likely to be lamping from a vehicle ever? If so a short barrel is really useful and will save you getting it chopped later. I would personally go short regardless as they always seem as accurate.

 

As to brand- I have the anschutz thumbhole stocked and it is excellent. The newer sporter stocked guns now seem to come with a cheap and nasty bit of wood and a terrible finish. One mate's looks like its been finished in ronseal and that is unacceptable on an expensive rifle.

 

If I was buying again I would have a serious look at the weirauch HW66, never shot one but they look well made and don't seem too pricey.

[Colster]

I agree with Dekers, spend more and buy an Annie/Sako etc if that's what you want and it feels better to you but don't do it because you think it will be more accurate.

 

I first bought a CZ in .22LR (Silhouette) in 16" as my main lamping gun, then when I bought the HMR I stuck with CZ and the Silhouette but the cost difference between 20" and 16" was about £60 (it was about £20 when I bought my LR) and as the HMR would be used more for laying up in the summer months, I went with the 20".

 

I do find the 16" LR very easy to use from a vehicle but the 20" is still doable. The main reason I like the 20" in HMR though is that I like to take the mod off when its in the cabinet and at 16" without a mod it would fall over.

 

As far as scopes go, it took me an age to settle on one for the LR but finally I stumped up the funds for a Leupold FX-III 6x42 and I wouldn't change it now.

 

In the pic, they are both wearing Hawkes (MAP Pro on the LR and an Endurance 30IR on the HMR) and they're fine for the money but if you spend around £200 second hand on a decent Leup, Redfield, Meopta etc you will notice the difference.

 

The HMR has had less in the way of changes wearing a Zieler 3-9x56 for most of it's life but now has a Pecar Berlin 4-10x50 on it, not sure I'll keep that on there as the reticle is a little big for rabbits (more suited to fox/deer) so I may sell/swap it for something of similar quality but with a more traditional duplex ret.

 

Another point that maybe worth considering, you'll often find 10shot CZ Mags for sale and having 2 or 3 loaded and ready can be handy especially when lamping but you rarely see mags for Annies for sale and definitely not for £15 each.

 

Edited November 20, 2011 by Colster

[ajm1979]

I've got the same cz .22lr (silhoutte)with 16" barrel and its a cracking gun real easy to shoot out the window of the Fourtrak, I did however opt for a Sako quad in 17HMR and have to agree that the feel and build quality is far superior to that of the CZ but that is just personal preference and has no bearing on the accuracy. Agree with Colster though second hand mags for CZ's are often kicking around I'm yet to see one for the Sako and I'm not paying the price I got quoted from RFD.