Author Topic: Ref: 17 Mach 2 (Read 2317 times)

Skwerlhunter · « **on:** November 16, 2006, 07:01:01 PM »

It seems that the 17 HMR has received enormous acceptance in the last few years. However, as far as the 17Mach 2 goes, I think that this cartridge will be the one that will go the way of the 5MM Remington Rimfire. Anyone agree.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** November 16, 2006, 07:14:16 PM »

Nope, too many guns chambered for it, every major mfr chambers for it, can't say the same for the 5mm Rem!!

Tim

jack19512 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 16, 2006, 10:58:38 PM »

I disagree too. I think the 17M2 is a great squirrel round. Drops them like a rock if you do your part.

njanear · « **Reply #3 on:** November 21, 2006, 02:03:06 PM »

I am in disagreement too. For tree squirrels, the Mach 2 is one sweet round. While not everyone has one, lots of guys that do seem to have more than 1 rifle - I have 3 myself

I didn't need something that could shoot out to 200 yards, nor am I big on 'exploding' things, but to be able to reach out at a 50 yard squirrel that is about to move, that 2000+ fps really accurate bullet has some merit.

tuck2 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 21, 2006, 06:08:27 PM »

I like useing the 17 HM2 rifle for spring prairie dog pup shooting. Shot over 500 pups with a Cooper 57 M LVT rifle using Hornady 17 Gr V-Max bullets. Most shots were within 80 Yds.

Zen900 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 21, 2006, 06:37:04 PM »

Because M2 is really just a suped up Stinger that makes it part of the 22LR family tree and the 22LR is the most common bullet on earth. Nothing connected to the 22LR will ever disappear. There are tons of 22LRs in every country on earth. A certain % of that bunch will always be playing around with M2. If you compare M2 sales to 22LR sales the M2 pales but then so does every other caliber you want to compare sales with on the 22.

ThunderStick · « **Reply #6 on:** November 24, 2006, 04:57:16 AM »

Ever since I bought and started hunting with the HM2 I have fallen in love with the round. I have a CZ 452 Varmint that I do all my squirell hunting with. Now the Rem. 541T just sits in the closet and cries couse it never gets to go hunting any more!

The only time I ever get out the .22s are to plink with!

Star1pup · « **Reply #7 on:** November 24, 2006, 06:18:22 AM »

I'm sure glad so many of you guys think it's here to stay. I bought a Marlin in Mach2 for our club raffle and someone said it's just not catching on. I plan to buy one for squirrel hunting.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** November 24, 2006, 06:45:07 AM »

Quote from: Star1pup on November 24, 2006, 06:18:22 AM

I bought a Marlin in Mach2 for our club raffle and someone said it's just not catching on.

Ignorant people say things like that, they really don't have a clue! Ask in the 43 page 17M2 Forum at RFC if the 17M2 will last! There are lots of 17M2 squirrel hunting threads in their Hunting forum.

Tim

www.rimfirecentral.com

17M2 Forum

Hunting Forum

northjdr · « **Reply #9 on:** November 24, 2006, 05:31:12 PM »

I've been happily hunting squirels with my NEF .17m2 for the past year. My friend is envious of my 50-75 yard headshots. A very effective load. One shot one kill.

deerman12 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 25, 2006, 08:03:16 AM »

I have to jump in on this one, too. I have a CZ American 17hm2 it shoots 1/2 at 100 yards when it is not windy. I used to have the 17hmr. It shot great but it was alot louder. I like the hm2 for squirrels and varmits at less than 100 yards. I did shoot a coyote through the bread basket at about 40 yards in my front yard. The coyote made it about 30 yards before falling over dead. I usually prefer more horse power for something like that but the HM2 was right by the front door. I really like the fact that HM2 shells cost about 1/2 what 17HMR shells cost.

bsbowles · « **Reply #11 on:** November 25, 2006, 09:46:14 AM »

I also think the M2 will be around for a while. I have an HMR rifle but my next will be an M2. The M2 is alot quieter. My neighbors haven't complained about me firing HMR rounds yet but I am sure they would rather not hear it. There are too many rifles already out there and its not like anyone is going to shoot the barrel out of an M2. The M2 rifles already out there will be around for decades.

Star1pup · « **Reply #12 on:** November 25, 2006, 11:33:42 AM »

Okay, I'm convinced. I guess I'll buy a couple tickets on the club's raffle, but with my luck I had better plan on buying one.

I sure wish Henry or Marlin made one in a lever action. That would be a neat little gun.

Skwerlhunter · « **Reply #13 on:** November 26, 2006, 04:43:01 AM »

Ok. I'm convinced its here to stay. Now I'm going to get the Marlin 717m2. This one seems like a hard one to come by for some reason. Special ordered from Wal-Mart yesterday. This particular 17m2 is certainly one of a kind.

corbanzo · « **Reply #14 on:** November 28, 2006, 06:52:20 AM »

Yeah, the 17HMR was made for accurate pest shootin, but for actual hunting it causes too much damage. The 17HM2 was the best thing to come put for small game hunting for a long time.. probably since the .22 itself. You can actually eat what you shoot with a M2

bobby964 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 08, 2006, 06:42:52 AM »

Ya know what guys I bought a marlin 917m2 over a year and a half ago and have not even loaded or fired it yet. I bought a tasco mildot world class 3-9x40 and a leather 1917 sling for it and have yet to shoot it. I bought it to shoot grackles and just have not yet shot it.

MI.sabot · « **Reply #16 on:** January 21, 2007, 11:02:16 AM »

What scopes are typically used on the 17M2's for shooting out to a 100 yds?

northjdr · « **Reply #17 on:** January 21, 2007, 02:24:17 PM »

Opening up a can of worms with a scope question. I have never regretted putting a decent 3x9 Nikon Prostaff on my H&R HM2. Piad as much for the scope as the gun. The effective range in really only about 100 yrds with the m2(it will keyhole at 200yds, i've tried it) I've found most of my squirrle shots are 30-70 yards. You could probably get by with less magification. I often turn my maginifcation down to make sight accusition faster. Get a scope worthy of the accuracy of this round.

tuck2 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 21, 2007, 09:21:48 PM »

I have a Leupold 4-12X w/AO on my 17 HM2 rifle. Most of my shooting is at prairie dog pups with the scope set at 12 X. I wont to see their heads as the peek out their holes. Most shots are shot within 80 Yds. I switch over to the 17 HMR rifle with a 4-16 X scope for shots past 80 and out to about 150 Yds.

bscman · « **Reply #19 on:** January 22, 2007, 11:20:21 AM »

Just for fun, I'm going to disagree with everyone idea that the HM2 will be around forever...or at least partially disagree.

Yes, it is a great squirrel round...but IMO it doesn't do much that a .22lr can't do, except shoot a bit flatter. A .22lr that handles hypers well is every bit as capable as the HM2 in it's effective range....but the .22lr will carry more energy down range due to the heavier bullet.

Yes, the HM2 is inherently more accurate...but I have .22's that'll take the heads of squirrels at 50yards easily--and at 1/3 the price per box. The accuracy at 100yds might not be quite as comprable...but with the limited opportunity I've had to play around with the HM2--it has fizzled off enough by 100yds to be less than ideal (IMO) on even prairie dog size game.

I've noticed my local shops carry only 1-2 selections of HM2, while they have nearly to full line-up of HMR's...
I asked my local shop the reason why--his response was that they sell at least 4 HMR's to 1 HM2's.
For the same price in a rifle, the HMR packs a bunch more punch--and most shooters are willing to pay more per box for the extra energy and effective range--myself included.

I can't justify buying an HM2 since I already own the "bigger, better" HMR, and I can't see enough reason to support why the HM2 would be superior than some of my .22lr's.

Now, do I think the HM2 is going to go the way of the 5mm? NO!
But I do feel like it's going to be more difficult to find ammunition for the HM2 than it will for the HMR. You will end up special ordering, or driving all over town to get your desired load...while every single place you go will stock everything you may desire for the HMR...simply because the HM2 will not be as large of a money maker as the HMR...

I think we can blame a lot of this on the way the round was released...
Releasing the HMR first, with the huge hulla-balloo that every one gave it right away, made the HMR a huge success. Many people jumped right out to buy a rifle chambered for the .17 Magnum Rimfire and test after test after test was done trying to prove how effective the round *REALLY* was...as we all know, it was a major success!

Then, almost as an afterthought, they released the HM2. Of course it didn't get the attention it desired at first, as everyone was still focused on the bigger, badder HMR...why settle for less when the HMR is just so darn appealing?

Then at some point, someone realizes "Hey, the HM2 is quite as explosive of small edible game."
Sure this gets a lot of attention for a while. The HM2 is the go-to round for cheap, accurate squirrel hunting as the big brother HMR has a tendency of blowing things apart.
But then?
Out comes the HMR in a FMJ. Now you don't have to worry nearly as much about shot placement, as the FMJ isn't so destructive. Now the HM2 really doesn't have much, if anything over the HMR...except $4-5 per box.

The HMR will shoot longer, faster, and flatter than the HM2.
It's more capable of taking larger size game (raccoon and fox, argueably coyote), it can take any size game at a further distance than the HM2, it's higher velocity makes it less effected by wind than the HM2, in real-world situations it's more accurate than the HM2, and lets be honest...the HMR is a lot more sexy than the HM2 to boot! The HMR is just a lot closer to a "do all" type cartridge than the HM2...

BUT, to re-iterate...I don't think the HM2 is going to disappear as it does still have it's place, and it will always win the arguement when it comes to cost-to-shoot.

jack19512 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 22, 2007, 01:28:44 PM »

Quote from: bscman on January 22, 2007, 11:20:21 AM

but with the limited opportunity I've had to play around with the HM2

That may have a lot to do with the way you feel about the 17 M2. For me the only advantage the 22lr has over the 17 M2 is ammo cost. Now if I just want to plink and have some fun then the choice is obvious, but if I want to get real serious about hunting small game then again for me the choice is obvious.

I have squirrel hunted a lot with the 22lr and had good success but I find the 17 M2 a superior round over the 22 lr for small game. Both will work. I don't know what is wrong with the squirrels in my neck of the woods but for the most part those head shots are rare.

When I hunt, in wooded areas anyway 100 yard shots don't exist. So for me long distance shots really isn't a concern. I have a CZ 22 lr Varminiter that is very accurate especially at 50 yards but I still prefer the punch of the 17 M2 for small game. The 17 M2 really puts the smack down on the small game.

northjdr · « **Reply #21 on:** January 22, 2007, 04:10:47 PM »

Well, I've got to confess that I haven't had a chance to play around with any HMR's I think the HMR is really an undersized round with prairie dogs, foxes yotes. The hmr is oversized for squirrles and rabbits. The HMR is a betweener round, it doesn't perform nearly as effectively as a.223 for dogs, yoke, or other large varmints, and it's too much gun for the small stuff . So it's a fun gun to shoot but not suited for much. Oh, I was squirrle hunting the past 2 Saturdays with a good friend and his .22. The score Hm2 13 22 -2. But, that's just my opinion. No doubt the HMR is more popular.. don't know why. I guess I'd better stock up on ammo before it gets too scarce.

northjdr · « **Reply #22 on:** January 22, 2007, 04:28:09 PM »

I've re-read my last post and it's way too harsh. So, I take it all back.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #23 on:** January 22, 2007, 05:11:23 PM »

Use the "modify" button!!

Tim

S.S. · « **Reply #24 on:** January 29, 2007, 06:22:11 AM »

I do not think the .17 HMR was initially designed for "POT" hunting. It ruins way too much meat.
Now they have a FMJ version that works exceptionally well though. As far as Vermin though,
inside of 150 yards it is hard to beat. No doubt that a .223 would do it better, but economy comes into play very quickly when shooting lots of times. Shorten the range to 100 yards and the same is true of the .17 mach 2... It never hurts to stock up on any caliber ammo though. The way prices are rising now, even the little mach 2 may not be very economical before long ! Besides, when Hillary and Obama (running mates, watch and see !) get into office, Ammo is going to be so heavily taxed that no one will be able to afford it anyway! It will be good to have a supply laid back.