HMR or M2???

[mr.theman]

I am looking for a new rifle and have narrowed the search down to a sportster but can't decide between a HMR and a M2.  will be used mostly for tree rats and headshots on turkeys in the fall.  Any suggestions on these two?  Have heard that the hmr will be good out to 150yrds but I don't know if this is true and don't know if the same can be said for the M2.  Thanks for the info guys

[quickdtoo]

The 17Hmr is good at least to 150yds, my longest shot on a ground squirrel was a lasered 158yds, the M2 is good for 100-125yds and is more favorable to meat hunting, less destructive and the ammo costs less.

Tim

[cwlongshot]

For what you describe I would go for the M2 Hands down.
 Its by far the most accurate rimfire I have ever fired and I have fired quite a few. Being an instructer and coach and in the firearms industry for most of the past twenty years I have seen and shot most if no all makes and models.

When I got mine, I was on the riage with a couple friends and a guy with a m1 carbine. We got to talking and shooting and a contest erupted. I was able to put M2 thru every hole he made with his M1 at out to fifty yards...almost everytime. When I missed it was certainly me NOT THE H&R!!!

The couple tree rats I have dispatched "lost thier heads" in the foray. I have tried the occasional head shot Turkey...not An easy target. If you can do it, my hats off to you, rest asured if you hit it it will be turkey for dinner!!

 Good luck,
 CW

BTW, in all honesty either will do what you ask. I do have both, bit I just really like my M2 better. Incase you didnt notice.

[mr.theman]

Well I went to the gun shop today and pick up the 17HMR. I am impressed. Straight out of the box I was getting dime sized 5 shot groups at 50 yards using Rem 17 gr v-max. I think I will like this little gun. I need to get a few more variances on the ammo and back up to 100yds and see what happens. For now I think I will hang on to it for awhile.

After I reread the state regs I found out that the M2 isn't legal for turkey here so that made up my mind.  If I got the M2 I would of had to add another gu to the wish list and that list is long enough already .  If the Turkeys cooperate this fall I will post a pic. 

Thanks for the replys guys

[rangerruck]

http://www.varmintal.com/a243z.htm
do some stat checking here.  if you shoot turkeys within 50 yds, then I would take the m2 over the hmr.  Rounds cost about half, you can also shoot 17pmc or 17 aguila through it, zero at 25 yds, it will only be low about 2 inches again at 125, and only rise about 1 in above your zero.  So good.

[jack19512]

http://www.varmintal.com/a243z.htm
Rounds cost about half

Not if you purchase your ammo from places like Walmart.  Best I remember 17 HMR was around $11.00 a box and 17 M2 was around $8.00 a box.  I allready had a 17 HMR and had I known this I wouldn't have bought me a M2.

You can find ammo cheaper but by the time you pay for shipping and everything I still don't know if it would be half the cost or not.

[quickdtoo]

Hmr ammo here is $7.99 for everything but rem which is $8.99, M2 ammo is $5.99-$6.99, not half, but less. Hmr ammo is on sale frequently for $6.99, one kind or another. 

Tim

[quickdtoo]

Hmr ammo here is $7.99 for everything but rem which is $8.99, M2 ammo is $5.99-$6.99, not half, but less. Hmr ammo is on sale frequently for $6.99, one kind or another.

Tim

I take that back!! I was just at this store, all the hmr ammo was $10-$11 a box now, just as Jack said! The M2 ammo was still $6.99, tho, but I bet it goes up when they get the next batch in. On a good note, they had all their powder and bullets on sale for $2 off, got 3 bottles to restock some of those I use more often!

Tim

[jack19512]

The price of the M2 ammo is less no matter how you look at it but for the performance diff I would just as soon just stick with the HMR.  When you are out hunting one thing is for sure, you might come upon something the M2 would be suited for but it would be my luck I would come upon something that would call for the HMR.   

[quickdtoo]

I have to agree with Jack, the M2 is fine for tree squirrel hunting, but the Hmr would work for everything else, the only thing I've shot with my M2 is paper. I have one M2 and 4 Hmrs if that gives you a clue to which I like most!!

Tim

[jack19512]

Tim

No pics of groups from the K31 yet?

[quickdtoo]

Unfortunately no.....we only had 2 ranges in town, the one run by the county closed, so now everyone that used to go there, now goes to the one I shoot at. They changed their public shooting days in April, for the next couple of months, they have sight-in days and the public can only shoot on Friday, Sat or Sun with the rest of the crowd, so I doubt I'll be shooting much until after the middle of October when most everyone should have their guns sighted in. I'll check it out this Friday to see how busy they are, but I don't have my hopes up. I may have to just join up again, but that's almost $200 a year.

Tim

[jack19512]

And to think I get aggravated loading everything up to drive about 1 mile to what is almost my own shooting range.  Only once in about 2 years have I ever went there and found someone else using it.  I am limited to 200 yard shots though.