.17 WSM

[Frontiersman]

I just picked up one of these.

Is anyone else playing with one?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I don't have a 17 WSM. But i do have 2 17 HMR'S. There a lot fun to shoot.


Tested 3 different ammos i have for my 17HMR. 50 yards. 10 shots each brand. Savage 93 pre-accu trigger. Burris full field E-1 scope. CCI takes it!

 

[XUSNORDIE]

I used to do a lot of night predator hunting. Primarily fox, but yotes would come to the call often depending where we were hunting. Best time of predator season is in the dead of winter. Sometimes it's extremely frigid out. My hunting partner had a 17WSM that did "ok" on groundhogs. He took it with us one night to an area that held a lot of fox, but rarely came across yotes. It was extremely cold, everything frozen over. Preds were not moving much. We had been out for several hours that night before we actually saw eyes we could positively identify as a fox. It worked it's way to the call and came within range on my partners side. It came just about the same distance away as the call was but to the left. Roughly 50 paces. Chip shot. My partner fired his 17WSM and all we heard was "pffffffft". Miss. He fired again and same thing. I took the fox down with my 204.

Severe cold temps at times would effect performance of some rounds we used for preds (17 Hornet, 204, 223 and 243) so we always let them get closer on real frigid nights..... but he never brought that 17WSM again. It did just fine on summer groundhogs within it's distance. He called it his "little nailer"...reference to it's development from a nail gun cartridge.

 

[CFJunkie]

Haven't had that experience with a 17 HSR but mostly because I don't shoot rimfires, mostly .22LR, 22WSM and 17 HMR below 45 degrees.
Needless to say, I have no experience with rimfires at or below freezing.
I am surprised that the 17 WSMs were hardly firing at all. The rounds were probably sitting in a freezing barrel or mag for hours.

Rimfire primers are anemic anyway and there are just a few grains of powder in the cartridges.
Below 45 degrees I was getting one drop out of 5 rounds due to inefficient powder burns.
Below 35, it was more like two or three.
Once I realized that rimfire bullets are not going to be very accurate at low temperatures, I just avoided them when it got cold.

 

[ONE-TEN]

Besides 22lr, I’ve only owned a 22WMR. It was my first rifle I purchased at 18yo. A Marlin 22 Magnum, 10rd mag-fed. Got it just a couple months before I purchased my first Savage. I loved that 22WMR. Great little shooter.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

My Marlin 22 mag is a good shooter too. It shoots better than my CZ.

 

[ONE-TEN]

I once hit a clay with mine!
Couple of us were out shooting at French Creek. Pa boys might know where that is.) One of us had a 12ga & we were taking turns on clays. At one point I got a fancy to try with my Marlin. So a clay goes up and two guys try with their 12ga shotguns and me with the 22mag. The Clay explodes and the guys with shotguns were looking at each other like, “was that me or you?”. But I remember having the clay dead in my sights when it exploded. Then we all look to the thrower and ask him who got it. He smiles and points at me saying, “he got that one.”. Obviously a good bit of luck, LOL! But still pretty cool.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

My father and i used to fish french creek. And we used to camp there too at the state park.

 

[Frontiersman]

That’s disappointing. They advertise coyote hunting right on the box. Maybe the 25 gr. Does better.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

That’s disappointing. They advertise coyote hunting right on the box. Maybe the 25 gr. Does better.

I would think that under the conditions and close range it would do ok on smaller yotes. But in my opinion/experience I'd stick to varmints and only fox for preds.

 

[Alguapo]

i shoot a Savage Bmag 17WSM. It's one of my rifles in my Pdog arsenal. I had to play with it a bit to get it to shoot but it is pretty dang accurate. I have the plastic stock model. Brass was sticking and I have had to polish the chamber with Flitz. I have not shot it since so we will see how that works. Great little round .

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

For yotes a head shot would be the most humane.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

For yotes a head shot would be the most humane.

That means a much smaller target, that can also move differently than the body which can cause a miss or a wounded yote to be tracked. Many folks who wanted a perfect pelt would go out with 22 MAG and only do head shots. Which under the best conditions is fine. Especially if called in close. I've taken several yotes with scars on top of their skulls from bullets. I helped start up the biggest predator hunting tournament in MD (also had PA, VA and WVA contestants). One year, a team brought in a few yotes. All head shot. They stated they would have brought in several more but said they either missed or the yote didn't stay down...fell, got up and ran. Tracking at night isn't fun and takes valuable time off the clock during a tournament.

We affectionately called them "Team Poacher" due to them taking only head shots.

 

[Frontiersman]

For yotes a head shot would be the most humane.

Coyote or not, it’s hard to shoot dogs. Destructive buggers though. We have lost a variety of farm animals to them. I’ll probably stick with the hornet or 6mm for coyote control.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

Coyote or not, it’s hard to shoot dogs. Destructive buggers though. We have lost a variety of farm animals to them. I’ll probably stick with the hornet or 6mm for coyote control.

The 17 Hornet is best with the 25gr HP (Hornady) or one of Todd Kindlers WCD bullets. Which sadly are no longer available. He was a wizard with 17 and 20 cal stuff. Within respective range the 17 Hornet is fine. The 6MM one of the best.

 

[Frontiersman]

There isn’t much difference between the 17WSM and the 17 hornet. I do have a 6mm Remington to hunt with. Nice all around cartridge.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

There isn’t much difference between the 17WSM and the 17 hornet. I do have a 6mm Remington to hunt with. Nice all around cartridge.

I respectfully disagree. The 17 Hornet has much better case capacity, energy, range and flatter trajectory. Plus it has better terminal ballistics past 200yds. The rimfire 17WSM is better suited to 150 and under. Bullet selection is much better with the 17 Hornet if you handload. The rimfire 17WSM you are at the mercy of factory decisions.

 

[Frontiersman]

Out of the box, They both shoot 25 gr bullets. What is the difference? 200fps?

Handloading makes everything better. I like options. Im just getting into the 22 hornet again. 17 hornet may be next. Lol

 

[ONE-TEN]

The different is 500-600FPS, actually. Also, the the 17 Hornet allows use of the 30gr .172” bullet at around 3000fps! That is a REAL cartridge.

Not to mention, the Hornet is a Centerfire cartridge, using small rifle primers. The 17WSM, while being the most powerful Rimfire cartridge, is STILL, only a Rimfire cartridge. Saying they are basically the same, is like the saying 308 Winchester & 300 WinMag are the same, when in fact, comparatively speaking, there is a greater difference even, between 17WSM & 17Hornet, than between 308Win & 300WinMag.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

Out of the box, They both shoot 25 gr bullets

The most common factory 17 Hornet is a 20gr Vmax.

17 hornet may be next.

I think you will find much better variety and performance from the 17 Hornet depending on you intentions.



One certainly could, but there is no need to further debate post #18 or elaborate more on post #19.

 

[Frontiersman]

WSM brags

20gr @ 3000fps
25gr @ 2600fps

That’s pretty impressive for a little Rimfire.

I was looking at starting loads for the hornet but full potential runs roughly 500fps faster on both counts. Considering the same or similar polymer tipped bullet. There is quite a bit more case to work with. And a 30gr I would think hits pretty hard.

That’s not considering the possibility of an “improved” chamber.

 

[ONE-TEN]

lol! He couldn’t resist.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

WSM brags

20gr @ 3000fps
25gr @ 2600fps

That’s pretty impressive for a little Rimfire.

I was looking at starting loads for the hornet but full potential runs roughly 500fps faster on both counts. Considering the same or similar polymer tipped bullet. There is quite a bit more case to work with. And a 30gr I would think hits pretty hard.

That’s not considering the possibility of an “improved” chamber.

It's a shame Todd Kindler no longer maintains The Woodchuck Den. Those Golden Bullets in 25, 27 and 30 were pricey but fantastic. Yes those 30's punched Groundhogs and preds hard. Sadly I have none left in my inventory.

Hornady stopped making the 25 HP. That was another good one. I still have a few boxes left of them to reload, and I think a box or two of the factory load.

Nosler has the 25 Match Varmint HP. I haven't tried them. I need to grab a box and stuff some cases.

Anything besides those 20 Vmax factory....too much splash and not many Prairie Dogs in PA...

 

[Frontiersman]

I have the plastic stock model. Brass was sticking and I have had to polish the chamber with Flitz. I have not shot it since so we will see how that works. Great little round .

Mine is “polymer” as well. Im thinking a laminate, or wood stock is in order. Have you looked for those?

 

[XUSNORDIE]

Im thinking a laminate, or wood stock is in order. Have you looked for those?

Check out your other thread.....Boyds is the way to go.

 

[Alan]

How'd you like your 17 WSM @Frontiersman

 

[ONE-TEN]

I’ll say this: If someone can do this new Savage 110RF in 17 or 22 WSM, that would pretty sweet. My original thought was doing a custom job to make it 22WMR, but if i was to do it, may as well well refit it for the most powerful Rimfire available.

 

[Frontiersman]

How'd you like your 17 WSM @Frontiersman

I haven’t shot it yet. It’s been a perpetually busy spring. Soon, I hope.

 

[Frontiersman]

Check out your other thread.....Boyds is the way to go.

I have another thread about stocks? Must be all those meds I get from the VA. Lol

 

[Alan]

I haven’t shot it yet. It’s been a perpetually busy spring. Soon, I hope.

I hope so too. Don't forget to share your review!