Getting serious with the 17

[1slow01Z71]

My X-17 has always been a great shooting gun but I think I can get it better. The victim

The factory trigger on it is pretty dang good but it can be better so I ordered one of these
Jard Rifle Trigger Ruger 77/22 77/17 1 lb Blue
The 1lb pull ought to help tighten up the groups some. The barrel isnt fully floated either so I picked up a wood dowel and some sand paper to start working on that. Just need to figure out what to use to reseal the stock in the areas I sand.
Im going to bed the action and first 1.5" of the barrel with this stuff
Devcon Plastic Steel Bedding Compound Putty 1 lb
Im hoping between, the trigger, bedding the action, floating the barrel and getting a better scope on it, I can finally get a prairie dog on the first shot at 300 yds. Ive done it a few times but it usually takes 3-4 shots to dial him in. I think a new scope with mil-dots will go a long ways towards making that a reality as its pretty hard to quesstimate elevation at that distance with a 12 power fat crosshairs scope. Ill probably end up with this one
Millett Tactical Long Range LRS Rifle Scope 35mm Tube 6-25x 56mm Side
Since its got good reviews and pretty good glass for the price. Or this one, but Im hesitant since quite a few people have said the glass isnt the clearest
Mueller Tactical Rifle Scope 8.5-25x 44mm Adjustable Objective Mil-Dot

Also picked up every type of 17HMR Cabelas had in stock to try once I get the barrel nice and clean to start fresh. I got the nice bore guide that actually works for 77/17s from here
Bore Guide For The 17hmr Rifle | RVB Precision

Ill wait to test all the ammo once I get these in
Federal Premium V-Shok Ammo 17 Hornady Mag Rimfire (HMR) 17 Grain
CCI Ammo 17 Hornady Mag Rimfire (HMR) 20 Grain Full Metal Jacket
Remington Premier Ammo 17 Hornady Mag Rimfire (HMR) 17 Grain Hornady
I plan to run 9 shot strings through the chrono for each of them in addition to actually checking how they shoot. This "test" in ammo is running me a small fortune so once Im done, if any locals want to try the various ammo Ill can get you a sample pack of all of them. Donations would be welcome

I think thats about all I can really do to the gun to make it more accurate, which from all the reading Ive done should net me a quarter destroyer at 100yds if I do my part. It already groups less than an inch at that distance totally stock but I want it better and to improve the extra long distance shots. Any words of wisdom or things that Im missing?

 

[orbitup]

At the moment I'm waiting for my 93R17 TR to come in. From what I've read all of the .17 HMR ammo is made at the same CCI factory. Consistency is more about finding a lot number that works with you gun and buying as much of it as you can.

 

[1slow01Z71]

CCI does load a vast majority of 17 HMR ammo BUT they are loaded to different specs for the given label thatll be thrown on it.
Ammo Roundup: .17 HMR

 

[40Arpent]

Pardon my honest ignorance, but why would you bed the first 1.5" of the barrel?

 

[shortround]

I am sure you meant .17 HMR.

It is a great round that has priced itself out of all practical use.

Fortunately, I have a bunch purchased for $7.99 a box of 50 when it first came out.

It is a spectacular rim fire round but totally overpriced IMHO.

 

[scap99]

Pardon my honest ignorance, but why would you bed the first 1.5" of the barrel?

Strength. But still allows the barrel to whip around.


Sent from my iPhone using Magic.

 

[1slow01Z71]

Pardon my honest ignorance, but why would you bed the first 1.5" of the barrel?

Just the design of the 77/17, it helps stabilize the action after Vblock.

I am sure you meant .17 HMR.

It is a great round that has priced itself out of all practical use.

Fortunately, I have a bunch purchased for $7.99 a box of 50 when it first came out.

It is a spectacular rim fire round but totally overpriced IMHO.

It is very overpriced for what it is, but it sure is fun. If you buy in bulk you can get close to $10 a box but that's about as cheap as it gets unfortunately.

 

[shortround]

Yes, the .17 HMR does do some spectacular things to cantaloupes, oranges, coke cans, and critters.

Last bird I shot simply vaporized.

But that was only at about 75 yards.

Have no "long range" experience with this round.

 

[1slow01Z71]

The thing I like about the 17HMR is its accuracy, plain and simple. For a factory gun using factory ammo this thing is lights out accurate. I intend to make my rifle and myself better to get the accuracy to an even higher level. Unfortunately, handloading rimfire cartridges will probably never be a reality and for good reason.

The Vmax bullets will vaporize many things, if you intend to try and keep whatever it is youre shooting a FMJ round is the only way to go.

On a dead calm day the 17HMR is an awesome gun to shoot long range, but the key is dead calm. Any wind and its virtually impossible to judge windage. Ive personally only shot out to the mid 300s but there are people who claim this round can be deadly at 500. I dont really see how other than a luck shot but I intend to find out myself once I get this thing better outfitted.

With as much as I love the 17HMR though, my next rimfire build will be a 22LR. Im going to pick up my 22/45 lite talo edition tomorrow then the fun will begin with it. After that one, I intend to build a tack driver 10/22 so it doesnt cost me so much to work on my shooting skill since as you noted, 17HMR has gotten quite expensive over the last couple of years but then again so has almost all cartridges. Gone are the days of $8 bricks

 

[LJH]

Outstanding project list, have you ever bedded an action before?

 

[1slow01Z71]

No, this will be a first. I plan on picking up a cheap $200 special 10/22 to do a trial run on first which will eventually be the base for the target 10/22 that I want to build. I dont want to mess up the factory stock of my X-17 since its a limited edition.

 

[LJH]

Practice lots before moving to that limited stock. It might be good to practice on something simple first, I would say a simple bolt action would be the way to start. The 10/22’s receiver is not the easiest to bed. But then again, if you get that to release from the bedding, then you are good to go.

 

[1slow01Z71]

I just did a quick google search and found a ton of nice varmint replacement stocks for around a hundred bucks. Needless to say Ill be buying one of those instead to practice and on beat up, while the factory stock sits in a box. Just need to figure out which ones are the good ones.

 

[1slow01Z71]

This one caught my attention, I really like that its got sling studs. My X-17 stock doesnt and it gets to be a pain to carry, and this stock has a second stud for a bipod which I would love to have too.
VT RUGER 77 MKII LONG ACTION FACTORY BARREL CHANNEL APPLEJACK LAMINATE (FINISHED)
Probably going to switch to this scope mount since Ive had bad luck with the factory ruger rings backing off
Ruger 77/22 Scope Mounts Weaver WEIG-A-TINNY tm
Then I found this site for barrels, a 22" with red fluted inlays and threaded muzzle to put the sparrow can Ill have coming sure sounds nice
WhistlePig GunBarrel Co
Anybody know if you can buy the 77/17 action separately?

This build might get away from me quick if I dont stop

 

[orbitup]

What scope do you use?

Damn, a day or two seems like forever to wait for mine.

 

[1slow01Z71]

Currently using a BSA sweet 17 scope. It works great for 100yd work but if you're wanting to get on out there into the 200+ range I recommend something with more magnification and a mil dot reticle. The elevation turrets on the BSA aren't terrible accurate past 200. That's a nice looking CZ you've got there, I wish they made atacticool stock for 77/17s.

I talked to my dad this morning and he's got a 77/22mag all weather stainless sitting in his safe for the last 25 years. Said it was never really a great shooter so I'm going to steel the action off of it and build an entirely new 17. Only 1000 X-17s were built, seem like a shame to start cutting it up so it'll become a safe queen here shortly. Ill probably go ahead and put the trigger in it and test out the ammo since it'll be a while before I have the funds to build another gun after I order the suppressors.

 

[orbitup]

It's a Savage 93R17 TR. I already have the scope for it. A Vortex Crossfire 4-12X40 AO w/dead hold BDC. That is probably more scope than I need but what the hell.

 

[ROGER4314]

I shot a 499/500 and the only perfect score that I've ever fired (500/500) using a Marlin 917V in .17 HMR. The matches were 200 yard NRA matches and I shot using a bipod from prone. One of those scores had 23 "X" and the other had 28 "X". The 200 yard "X" ring is the size of a golf ball in 200 yard matches so I hit that golf ball 23 or 28 times out of 50 rounds.

At our matches, we have pit service and I always ask my pit crew to mark my shots with a golf Tee. I have a nice collection of golf tees that I smashed with my following round. Put one in the "X", mark it with a golf tee then blow the golf tee to bits...all at 200 yards!

Stay away from the hollow points. They don't shoot as well as the ballistic tips. We always use Federal .17 grain with the Hornady Vmax bullets.

Get some GOOD cleaning equipment as a new .17HMR barrel will copper foul.

Flash

 

[1slow01Z71]

It's a Savage 93R17 TR. I already have the scope for it. A Vortex Crossfire 4-12X40 AO w/dead hold BDC. That is probably more scope than I need but what the hell.

Sorry, viewing from my phone it looked like a CZ with Boyd's new tacticool stock. I don't believe that is too much scope at all, that's at the low end magnification wise IMO for a 17HMR. These little turds can carry the mail on out there for how small they are.

I shot a 499/500 and the only perfect score that I've ever fired (500/500) using a Marlin 917V in .17 HMR. The matches were 200 yard NRA matches and I shot using a bipod from prone. One of those scores had 23 "X" and the other had 28 "X". The 200 yard "X" ring is the size of a golf ball in 200 yard matches so I hit that golf ball 23 or 28 times out of 50 rounds.

At our matches, we have pit service and I always ask my pit crew to mark my shots with a golf Tee. I have a nice collection of golf tees that I smashed with my following round. Put one in the "X", mark it with a golf tee then blow the golf tee to bits...all at 200 yards!

Stay away from the hollow points. They don't shoot as well as the ballistic tips. We always use Federal .17 grain with the Hornady Vmax bullets.

Get some GOOD cleaning equipment as a new .17HMR barrel will copper foul.

Flash

I bought the bore guide and I've got good ole Barnes cr-10. Any particular method you've found that works well for breaking in a new barrel on one of these? On my X-17 I just put a box of hornadyvmax through it then cleaned it real good. Haven't cleaned it since which is probably going on 2000 rounds by now. Hornadys vmax seems to shoot the best in mine but I haven't tried federal either yet.

 

[TexMex247]

Why don't you show us what it can do that in the monthly rimfire challenge ? I'd like to see how it performs against the 22LR guns out there.