17 Hornet Savage M-25 Thumbhole Varmint Review

[Tomsk666]

I recently purchased a .17 Hornet and thought I'd do a review of my new set up as when I was looking to buy this rifle I couldn't find any recent user reviews about the thumbhole laminate stocked version.

Firstly - why the 17 Hornet? My favourite rifle is my CZ452 17 HMR with a custom thumbhole stock - a great lightweight, superbly accurate rifle which I use all the time for rabbiting. I also have a Tikka T3 in .223 for foxing, but the more I read about the .17 Hornet the more I thought I could just use that for both. It is flat shooting (zeroed at 100yds, PBR shooting from 20 to 170 yds), it has no felt recoil and is quiet (with mod, not much more than my HMR). My only worry is getting hold of ammo as I do not reload.

Next question was which rifle, not a lot of choice in 17 Hornet and really it fell between the CZ 527 and the Savage Model 25. I have a friend with a Savage in .204 with a custom thumbhole stock and it is incredibly accurate and I liked the Accu-trigger, but I have a CZ and love that too! In the end it was the thumbhole stock that made me buy the Savage (I find them a naturally more solid platform to shoot from). I also prefer the weaver-style scope bases on the Savage compared to the dovetail on the CZ.

To finish the set up I bought a Hausken Centrefire Moderator (about 180g, strippable, end of barrel and only about £130). Rifle and Mod were from Donaldson's in Bletchley, who I can thoroughly recommend.

For the scope I bought a Hawke Endurance 30SF 4-16x50 in 223/308 Marksman reticule. Why? Well first due to budget, second the reticule is etched with markings for 223 Rem (100, 200, 300 yds etc.), which the 17 Hornet tracks almost exactly, so no guessing at Mil-dots etc. and it means I can always use it on my .223 as well!

I've found the scope to be really good quality for the price (and for a Hawke!), the only complaint I have is that the turrets are a little soft when setting, not nice positive clicks. Finally, I'm using factory Hornady 20gr V-Max cartridges.

So that's my set up, all new and standard. The only change I made before shooting it was to reduce the trigger pull weight. It is user adjustable and comes with a tool to adjust it. Just remove the two stock screws then use the supplied tool to reduce the pull weight (wind the return spring in or out). The manual says it adjusts from 2.5 to 4lbs. It was set at the higher end, and I set it to the lowest, it feels about 2.5 lbs, but don't have a meter to test it. It doesn't mention the torque for the stock screws in the manual, but I found it on the Savage web site and they suggest a max. of 30-35 in/lbs for the laminate stock.

I then went straight off to Minsterley Ranges to run it in and zero. I went through the shoot one, clean routine for about 10 shots, then the same for groups of 3 shots. After just one box (25) it was shooting sub-MOA (see picture), I can only see this improving as the barrel wears in. The only thing to watch out for, just like the HMR is wind - there were a couple of small gusts whilst I was at the range, and I saw a pull of an inch off centre when it happened, but if you're used to the HMR, just allow the same on breezier days.

The rifle is much better quality than I expected. The stock is a nice rich deep colour and has a beautifully smooth finish, fits me really well. It has two swivel studs for a bipod (which I use) and a sling.

The in-letting in the stock is excellent, actually the entire stock is one of the highest quality ones I've seen, no rough edges anywhere and a perfect fit to the action. It is not bedded, but it would be easy to get it done.

It is a heavy rifle - with scope and mod I weigh it at over 10.5lbs

It has a long bolt with 3 locking lugs, with a nice jewelled finish. The bolt is very smooth, and not unlike my Tikka T3's. The safety is quiet and positive which is a bonus. With the thumbhole stock the magazine release catch is toward the front of the rifle (unlike some of the Savage range), so it is unobtrusive and easy to use. It holds 4 rounds and is of polymer construction.

The barrel is long - 24" heavy varmint style, fully-floated, but it is the same on the CZ hornet as well, I guess to get the most out of this little calibre. It is threaded 1/2" UNF. So with the mod it is a long rifle, with the weight of it as well, it is definitely designed for static varminting, which suits me as I sit on top of a hill with a bipod picking of rabbits!

OK, the trigger! Some people hate the Accu-trigger, yes it doesn't look great, but using it, it just feels like a good two-stage trigger to me. I've set mine to the minimum weight, and would like it lighter to be honest, but there is no creep at all, once the first stage (the safety blade is pulled back) then the trigger trips crisply with no creep - I think it really is a good system, and a much better trigger than on my CZ 452 (which I had to fit an aftermarket spring to).

Before buying the rifle I read on the web that some had experienced re-cycling issues with the Savages chambered in 17 hornet. I have to admit I had a few rounds that didn't extract cleanly and I had to tip them out of the breech. However, I found that as soon as I cleaned the bolt-face and extractor the problem disappeared, I also found that you have to cycle the bolt quite quickly and positively to ensure good extraction, but this may be as it is new and hasn't worn in yet. I think like the HMR, keeping it all clean due to the tiny cartridge size will be key.

So far, I am really, really happy with the Savage,

pros:

Excellent Quality Stock

Fully free-floating barrel

Accu-Trigger

c/w Weaver Style Scope Bases

Accuracy

No recoil or big bangs, flat trajectory

cons:

Weight - definitely for static shooting

Cartridge cost - £1 a shot for factory loads

 

Pictures:

Cartridges - 17HMR on Left, 17Hornet Middle, 223Rem on Right

Target - Sub-MOA at 100 yds after only 25 break-in rounds

Final note: I'll be using it in the field over the next couple of weeks, so will keep you posted how I found it against rabbits. I'll also have a chance then to test it at 200yds.

If anyone else out there has one of these in 17 Hornet, would love to know what you think...

more images

[tweedledee]

Love my ruger hornet

[Tomsk666]

^{I didn't get to look at the Ruger, but I'm falling in love with the round, It's like an HMR on steroids!}

^{Out of interest what Moderator did you get (if you use one) as I found it hard to find any CF mods specific to the .17 calibre?}

[tweedledee]

Hardy gen 4

[soulboy1957]

Very impressed with mine, a Savage M 25 .17 Hornet synthetic, I've had it three weeks and had 3 foxes and a lot of rabbits with it.

I'm loading now for about 30p a round.

BTW I put my wildcat .222 mod on mine, very quiet.

[ElvisThePelvis]

That looks like a great bit of kit, Tomsk, if you don't mind me asking how much did that outfit set you back?

[mick miller]

I ******* lurve my hornet.

[Tomsk666]

That looks like a great bit of kit, Tomsk, if you don't mind me asking how much did that outfit set you back?

Rifle was £795, mod was about £130

[Tomsk666]

Went out last night, targets at 150yds, just like it says on tin, just 1/2" drop (zero at 100yds). Spent the last hour looking for rabbits and had one at 120yds, chest shot, and I was pleasantly surprised with the result, was still fit for table! guess it may be different at shorter range.

 

I've now run 50 carts through it, and last night on a new box of cartridges started running into a feed problem, whereby the cartridge seemed to get stuck about 1/2 way into the chamber, as though the shoulder of the cartridge was catching the lip of the chamber? If I then ran a pull-through patch through it would clear but then happen again a couple of rounds later. If I pulled the bolt back and ran it forward again it would then seat the cartridge OK. A couple of cartridges were quite hard to extract as well - so whether it is just that batch of rounds (didn't have a problem before) or just that it is still running-in, or just that it does need frequent cleaning I don't know. Has anyone else had this experience?

[Euget123]

Cant fault my hornet!

Only rifle that sees the light of day recently!

Went for the CZ myself

[ElvisThePelvis]

Rifle was £795, mod was about £130

Thanks, how much for scope and mounts? Also what does decent bipod cost? I guess all in around 1500?

[snow white]

I have two 22lr and 223 the 17 hornet is the only one that comes out of cabinet

[soulboy1957]

Tomsk666.....

Had that feed problem with my savage,got better after a couple of cleans.

Also slow cycling of the bolt is when it happens, try cycling fast, it dosnt happen then.

[mick miller]

Feed problems seem common with the savage, one reason I opted for the CZ. Have a look on saubier.com, there may be a solution to your problem on there.

[Tomsk666]

Tomsk666.....

Had that feed problem with my savage,got better after a couple of cleans.

Also slow cycling of the bolt is when it happens, try cycling fast, it dosnt happen then.

Thanks soulboy, I'll try cycling quickly & keep shooting & cleaning and see how it goes...