Author Topic: H&R Sportster .17HMR... (Read 2101 times)

evan1395 · « **on:** October 13, 2012, 04:13:41 PM »

Thinking about getting a little plinker to accompany my monsterous .45-70 Handi! I wanna go with the H&R single shot Sportster. Any opinions on this rifle..let alone that caliber? You don't hear too much about .17HMR's.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/7-GSS1017

redleg11b · « **Reply #1 on:** October 14, 2012, 06:49:17 AM »

No help on the Sportster, but have some HMR experience. It is a great varmint round, long range squirrel caliber, and has no recoil. It is expensive for a plinker though. I used a HMR Savage one summer exclusively for groundhogs with 20gr gamepoints. It worked well out to 200 yards. I sold my Hornet because of this rifle. On the other hand, I sold the HMR to a friend needing a groundhog gun for around the house and went to a .223 and WMR for my groundhog chasing. I haven't replaced the HMR either. The HMR is typically more consistently accurate than the WMR, but the WMR has the energy equation on it's side further out. Get it, worse case you will end up reaming for .17AH, .17 Fireball or something of the sort and fitting it to your SB2 frame. I have lots of ideas for a WMR Sportster barrel (5.7x28 being top of the list just not sure of how twist rate will effect it). The HMR will not dissapoint for exploding warm cans of skunked beer, but it won't split firewood

mechanic · « **Reply #2 on:** October 14, 2012, 08:07:19 AM »

I shot two dimes off a pole at 165 measured yards with mine. It has been accurate out of the box and consistently. Different bullet wts. give different pois, but grouping is still tight.

Ben

YRUpunting? · « **Reply #3 on:** October 14, 2012, 08:49:15 AM »

Price the ammo. On a per shot basis you can take 4-6 22LR shots for every one 17HMR.

evan1395 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 14, 2012, 09:11:28 AM »

Quote from: redleg11b on October 14, 2012, 06:49:17 AM

No help on the Sportster, but have some HMR experience. It is a great varmint round, long range squirrel caliber, and has no recoil. It is expensive for a plinker though. I used a HMR Savage one summer exclusively for groundhogs with 20gr gamepoints. It worked well out to 200 yards. I sold my Hornet because of this rifle. On the other hand, I sold the HMR to a friend needing a groundhog gun for around the house and went to a .223 and WMR for my groundhog chasing. I haven't replaced the HMR either. The HMR is typically more consistently accurate than the WMR, but the WMR has the energy equation on it's side further out. Get it, worse case you will end up reaming for .17AH, .17 Fireball or something of the sort and fitting it to your SB2 frame. I have lots of ideas for a WMR Sportster barrel (5.7x28 being top of the list just not sure of how twist rate will effect it). The HMR will not dissapoint for exploding warm cans of skunked beer, but it won't split firewood

Well it's more expensive than a .22. But i'd like a round that can travel great distances and keep it's velocity. Plus, at $9.00 a box for a 50 round box of 17 gr HMR rounds...is music to my ears compared to buying my .45-70 rounds.

evan1395 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 14, 2012, 09:15:45 AM »

Quote from: YRUpunting? on October 14, 2012, 08:49:15 AM

Price the ammo. On a per shot basis you can take 4-6 22LR shots for every one 17HMR.

For the cheapest round I can find in .17HMR is $0.17/round. Which in correlation with my .45-70 rounds costing a huge ammount more, almost .20 cents per round is nothing for me! I know I can get .22LR's for like a nickel a round, but I still prefer the higher velocity over a cheaper round. Especially with me getting another single-shot, I can't chew through TOO much ammo!

evan1395 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 14, 2012, 09:21:01 AM »

Quote from: mechanic on October 14, 2012, 08:07:19 AM

I shot two dimes off a pole at 165 measured yards with mine. It has been accurate out of the box and consistently. Different bullet wts. give different pois, but grouping is still tight.

Ben

That is the type of Long Range Plinking I plan on doing. Which model .17HMR rifle did you go with Mechanic?

evan1395 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2012, 09:38:48 AM »

Also, what is the difference between a .17HMR and a .17HM2? Why is the HM2 ammo so much cheaper?

redleg11b · « **Reply #8 on:** October 14, 2012, 09:47:45 AM »

HM2 is a necked down LR Stinger case, HMR is necked down WMR. Think HMR to WMR as Hm2 to LR. Hm2 is excellent too. The green stocked rifle in my avatar is a 96/17Hm2. The bloodiest groundhog was shot with it at 80 yards.

mechanic · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2012, 09:55:06 AM »

I have the Sportster with a bull barrel.

Ben

evan1395 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 14, 2012, 09:59:18 AM »

Quote from: mechanic on October 14, 2012, 09:55:06 AM

I have the Sportster with a bull barrel.

Ben

Thats the exact one i'm looking at online right now. Do you enjoy it overall?

mechanic · « **Reply #11 on:** October 14, 2012, 10:19:09 AM »

I find it excellent! I've actually hunted it a couple of times. It's deadly! Not a great round for a windy day though, it needs more than Kentucky windage...

Ben

evan1395 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 14, 2012, 12:41:09 PM »

Quote from: mechanic on October 14, 2012, 10:19:09 AM

I find it excellent! I've actually hunted it a couple of times. It's deadly! Not a great round for a windy day though, it needs more than Kentucky windage...

Ben

If you had one choice between a .22 or .17HMR which would it be? For overall everything !

quickdtoo · « **Reply #13 on:** October 14, 2012, 12:53:45 PM »

17hmr or 17M2 for me, I haven't shot a 22LR for about 25yrs!

But I have four 17hmrs(and a 17M2 Sportster), a Sportster, a CZ452 and two Marlins. Longest shot I've made with the 17hmr is 158yds on a ground squirrel, lots at 100-125yds. There's a thread on RFC on prairie dogs hunting, 390yds with a 17hmr IIRC, took him 8 rounds to walk it in tho.

I buy ammo when it's on sale, the most I've spent is $10 a box, most of it was on sale for $8, got about 800 rounds ready for a sage rat trip if it ever happens.

Tim

evan1395 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 14, 2012, 12:58:33 PM »

Quote from: quickdtoo on October 14, 2012, 12:53:45 PM

17hmr or 17M2 for me, I haven't shot a 22LR for about 25yrs! But I have four 17hmrs(and a 17M2 Sportster), a Sportster, a CZ452 and two Marlins. Longest shot I've made with the 17hmr is 158yds on a ground squirrel, lots at 100-125yds. There's a thread on RFC on prairie dogs hunting, 390yds with a 17hmr IIRC, took him 8 rounds to walk it in tho. I buy ammo when it's on sale, the most I've spent is $10 a box, most of it was on sale for $8, got about 800 rounds ready for a sage rat trip if it ever happens.

Tim

Well then i think it's settled. Next paycheck...it's the .17 HMR Sportster for me

evan1395 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 09, 2012, 03:26:50 PM »

Picking the gun up tomorrow morning after 9AM I am stoked!!!

Stay tuned for video footage by the end of tomorrow !

evan1395 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 10, 2012, 09:50:15 AM »

So this is my 2nd time purchasing a rifle through this local sporting goods store (Paradise Sporting Goods). My first was my Handi .45-70 about 4 months ago. I went in there on the 10th day to pick it up (scheduled pickup date)....only to find out, no one had placed the order 10 days prior -.- They gave me 40 free rounds of the Hornady 325FTX, I was a happy camper and left a happy customer.
Went in this morning to pick up my .17HMR Sportster and sure enough my friends...same old song and dance. No one had placed the order TEN DAYS AGO WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED!!!
This is gonna be 2/2 firearms that they have pulled this stuff with me. I'm not sure what their deal is. There was 4-5 gentlemen in front of me picking up pistols and rifles and shotguns they had ordered...everyone got theirs, but me! Just thought i'd vent, have a good day guys!

-Evan

Bigeasy · « **Reply #17 on:** December 10, 2012, 10:41:02 AM »

I think I would advise them you are due a brick of .17 ammo...

Larry

Ranger99 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 10, 2012, 10:53:45 AM »

maybe you need to have a calm
chat with the store manager?

bulletstuffer · « **Reply #19 on:** December 10, 2012, 11:01:26 AM »

Maybe you should keep buying guns there since they are buying your ammo

Good luck,

Bulletstuffer

Lon371 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 10, 2012, 11:11:27 AM »

Thats not yo bad. Took me a month and a half to get AA1680 powder from a reloading supply store. Said he has problems keeping it in stock. He orders 2 cans of it at a time.

Lonny

evan1395 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 10, 2012, 11:39:13 AM »

I was real calm when it happened with my Handi, I shrugged it off. Stuff happens, I work retail I know ! When they offered 2 free boxes of ammo, I wasn't gonna say no. So of course that softened up the bad news as well.
However this time the manager did not help me. Her son did, and informed me his mother was unavailable for the day. I'm hoping when I come in and chat with her (or when she calls me) she remembers me from last time and offeres me free ammo as well....a brick or two would do nicely. Hell I have no shame, i'll bring up this is my 2nd gun ordered through you guys, whilst this is also the 2nd time they have not been here on said arival date.
Maybe she'll offer me 2 bricks Larry...hahaha! It'd be nice though, we'll see what happens !
Problem is I really like supporting my local family owned stores, gotta keep the money up on the ridge here. They have great prices and alot of things in stock. But damn, 2nd time in a row? Especially seeing 4 guys picking up their firearms prior to me finding out mine was not there -.-
Bad start to a good day as they say !