Author Topic: Marlin 17HMR and most accurate ammo (Read 884 times)

Longcruise · « **on:** December 10, 2004, 05:54:57 PM »

I'm planning on picking up a Marlin bolt 17 HMR from Wally's in the next few days. Don't remember the model number but it's a bolt action with bull barrel and runs about $170.

My question is which ammo is giving the best accuracy in this gun. It'll be for head shooting bunnys and squirrels and some PD shooting. Not all that concerned about bullet type/ weight/etc. My first concern is accuracy.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** December 10, 2004, 06:12:47 PM »

At what time in the life of the bore? :lol: All of mine have changed over the last several hundred rounds. Overall, the best at this time is the federal Vmax, but the 20gr XTP shoots real good too, just to a different poi. Different lot numbers of the same ammo will shoot different too, so it would behoove you to buy more of the best shooting stuff if you can get the same lot. My 917VS also likes the hornady Vmax, FWIW and some of the Remington, but not every lot number I've tried!

Longcruise · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2004, 04:18:56 AM »

Quote

At what time in the life of the bore? All of mine have changed over the last several hundred rounds

That's an interesting observation!

Guess I'll try the Federal Vmax for starters and go from their. What type of scope have you been using? I'm trying to keep it simple with this gun if that's even possible :grin:

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** December 11, 2004, 05:11:29 AM »

I have 4 hmrs, got Bushnell scopechiefs 6-20x40 on the Marlins, Bushnell Elite 4200 4-16x40 on the CZ American and a Swift 6-18x40 on the Sportster. Most folks at RFC have at least a 4-12x scope on their hmrs, some that only punch paper use 8-32x, but for a multi purpose gun, the mid range seems to be the most popular. Those that have started with a 3-9x usually ended up changing. Browsing at RFC would give you an idea of what and why for optics. Here's an 11 page reply to a scope query, there may even be a link in it to a previous thread.

http://rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26060&page=1&pp=15&highlight=scope

www.rimfirecentral.com

Longcruise · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2004, 07:59:28 AM »

I was planning on going in the other direction scopewise and using a plain vanilla 4X. Would use a 2 or 2.5 but they are hard to find these days. I like the idea of being able to use the scope at anywhere from 20 to 200 yards and still be able to focus on the target in a short range situation.

Guess I'm going against the popular tide here since more and more powerful variable scopes seems to he the direction most are going in. I'm thinking about going to a straight 4X on my 223's also for the same reason.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #5 on:** December 12, 2004, 08:11:57 AM »

I can respect that line of thinking and it has merit....I've hunted with a 2-7x leupold on my .308 BLR for over 20yrs and can just about count the times that I've moved the power ring from 2x to 7x on one hand. Most all of my shots have been inside 100yds and that for sure includes a lot of grouse head shots! But, my eyes are getting older and the .17hmr accuracy can be well appreciated with more power in optics. Some of the ground squirrel shots I've made so far would have been impossible with a low powered fixed scope, the targets were extremely well hidden, just a peek out of their hole at over 150yds. But that's just my hunting experience with em.