What about the .17 HM2

[coyotejoe]

Without doubt the .17 HMR is a roaring success. All of the major ammo makers have at least one variety of .17HMR under their brand name and pretty much every gun maker which offers a rimfire rifle has one chambered for the .17HMR. But I don't see much in the way of .17HM2. I've been thinking it might be a good little round. I like the .22WMR and the .17HMR but they are pretty noisy compared to the .22LR. I was thinking the .17HM2 just might give me the trajectory of the .22WMR with the low noise level of the .22LR. But finding both guns and ammo could be problematic. I wonder why it just never "took off"?

[MSP Ret]

I have found my .17 Mach2 is MORE accurate that my 17 HMR out to about 100 yards, and that is a very difficult thing to do. I was lucky enough to come across a couple of bricks of Mach2 ammo on clearance at a Dicks and bought every box they had, at under $3.00 a box with taxes and out the door. I have read of others who have also reported getting better groups with the Mach2 than the HMR at distances of 100 yards and under. I have fired 20 grain .17 Aquila out of my Mach2 with great results as well, a GREAT small varmint round!!!. Just buy a box or two (or more) of Mach2 whenever you come across it. I doubt you will ever run out. If you do run out and cannot buy any more Mach2 ammo the gun can always be rechambered to an HMR or to a .17 centerfire, mine can at least, it is a H&R Sportster in Mach2.....<><....

[coyotejoe]

Sounds like you got a great buy on that ammo and you have good reason to be happy with your .17 HM2. The thing is I seldom get to a large city, I live in rural Colorado, do my shopping in Salida or Canon City and I've never seen either a rifle nor a box of ammo in .17 HM2, but plenty of .17 HMR. It seems the .17HM2 is a commercial flop, about like the 5mm Remington rimfire mag, good little cartridge but it never sold.  The 5mm RRM came out when people had less disposable income and not just any rimfire rifle could be adapted for it and only Remington produced the ammo and it wasn't all that much better than the established .22WMR so it had some strikes against it from the start. But any .22 could be made in .17HM2, it had a considerable edge over the .22LR, cost less than .22WMR and initially several guns were chambered for it, but none today.  Oh Well, I've ordered a .17HMR in a CZ rifle so I guess I don't really care why I couldn't get a .17HM2.

[Ladobe]

There are those that could care less about he eventual loss of interest in the 17HM2.   But there is also those of us who just sit back and laugh at them for passing on what is an exceptional rimfire, same as the 17HMR.   The HM2 only gives up range to the HMR in my uses for them, and not that much.   No tree squirrels here, but the HM2 would be the quintessential cartridge for them IMO, and at much longer ranges than their 22 rimfire counterpart.   I got and shot my first 17HMR well before the ammo was even available to the public, soon had three of them and they retired all my 22MAGS.   When the 17HM2 came along I also had three of them in short order, and they too retired all the 22LR's immediately.   With a lifetime supply of ammo for both bought up front they remain MY rimfires of choice.   Health issues/handicaps that interfer with hunting have forced sales of many of my firearms, but I still have 1 Hummer and 2 HM2's (and the very few 22 rimfires left, all that have not been shot since the 17's came along).   Have never shot the CZ 452 American HM2 yet either, so it's still new in the box along with the also NIB goodies bought for it.   But my early Ruger 77/22 that I made into a switch barrel 22 & 17 will handle any HM2 shooting I'll ever get to do now, along with the dolled up Marlin 17VS 17HMR I kept.
 
BTW, $3 a box for HM2 ammo is even less than the awesome deal I got by buying hundreds of boxes of them early on (same as I did with the HMR's soon after they came out).    Been so long since I've gone to anyplace around here that might sell either I have no idea what the local current prices are, but I seriously doubt down to $3.    So you got a great deal MSP.
 
Don't have current pics of the Ruger or CZ HM2's... do of the 17VS HMR.

 

[thickstrings]

Have to agree with Ladobe....Beside, Hornady has come out with a no lead 15 gr 17m2 for the dead cartridge that has been around since '95 or there abouts...I think the majority of nay sayers have never shot the round....or I am sure they would have a different opinion.

[tuck2]

The 17 HM2 round is deadly for shooting prairie dog pups out to about 125 yards. At that range hit them at any angle body shots but for small game to eat, hit them in the head. Since getting the 17 HMR  and 17 HM2 rifles the 22 LR and WMR rifles stay at home when going after prairie dogs. The 17 HM2 my be more populare in areas where the are are a lot of small varmints . Most all sporting goods stores in the area I live have 17 HM2 ammo but I order 17 RF ammo by the case. My 17 HM2 likes ELY ammo so when it was around $ 3.00 per box I ordered a bunch. A few years ago I shot a bit over 2,000 prairie dogs using the 17 HM2 and 17 HMR rifles.

[cwlongshot]

Speaking from a accuracy stand point my HM2 rifles are THE most accurate rimfires I own!

They do work very well on local tree rats. I have been buying a couple boxes every trip to the gun shops for years now. I have accumulates quite a supply and seriously doubt I will ever run out. But I don't shoot them anywhere near 2000 a year either!!

CW

[6x6 elk]

I have a Sako Quad,and one of the barrels is !7 Mach ll . The accuracy is great 1/2'' to3/4 '' groups at 100 yards. Very little drop from 50 to 100 yards. You can find ammo on Gun Broker. I like it better for Squirrel hunting than the HMR because it's not as explosive. Too bad it has't really caught on because it is a great round.

[JeffG]

 I love my 17 Mach 2! The HMR is too much for rabbits and squirrels for me,
The Mach is surgical precision, with enough for foxes, 'coons and a close range
Coyote.

[Ladobe]

Yep, the 17HM2 stacks up just fine against the 17HMR and 22 Hornet.    You just loose a little range, but when not a head shot it saves meat when it's tasty.   It is easily capable of head shots at even longish ranges, almost as far as the 17HMR, and farther than most Hornet's from my long experience with them all side by side.   No 22 Hornet's or small case 17 centerfires around here anymore, sold them all.   But still have a 17HMR and two 17HM2's (and really don't feel I gave up anything in the killing fields).   They get it done just fine up to coyotes, and without the endless brass forming and reloading.
 
With so many tree rat and bunny hunters in this country, I can't believe the 17HM2 wasn't received as well as it should have been.   A perfect match up that is far superior in every way to the old 22LR.    Glad I bought 3 of them and a life time supply of ammo up front (and for the 17HMR's as well).
 
Beldings shot with my first of three 17HMR's around 200 yards so early in the season that even with a 3 hour drive to there southern range limit I only found a few that were up.  Shot 10 is all that day, but it served it's purpose as a first test of the Hummer on flesh.

 
And with my first 17HM2 about the same range another year farther north where they were just lousy (in very high numbers).   With both 17's they are DRT, the HM2 less destructive unless you hit bone.

 
California GS's shot with a 22 Hornet and 17HMR at various ranges short to very long.  Both exceptional marksmen, but the Hummer won hands down.

 
 

[sonofafish]

I build one out of a 10/22 and it smokes the 22 mag. ammo is cheaper and less noise. Can drop a hog like a rock and you can get a second shot off if needed fast. Nice tight groups and fun to shoot. Was a easy and cheap build. Its a hot rod in my book. Hey can you eat them dogs?