17 HMR Questions

[FallAirFever]

So my new 17 is on its way.
Savage 93 17R, heavy bbl with a wood stock.
Rifle comes with bases and I have some Burris rings.
I am wondering about scopes, budget is very tight, less than $200, so thinking I might get a Tasco or something like that for now. Any thoughts?

As far as ammo goes I will pick up a box of each I can find to see what it likes but is there anything I should lean towards or stay away from.

This gun will be my new gopher patch gun, let the boys get the close ones with their 22's and I'll try and reach out and touch the longer ones.

As time goes on I will be getting better optics and a new Boyd's thumbhole stock for it .

[Faststeel]

Bushnell Banner have a piece that will do. I like to remind guys that varmint shooting always takes place on a sunny day for the most part and you do not " need to spend big jack on a scope to see well on a sunny day.
With ammo all of my CZ's seem to like the Hornady 17gr the best. 20gr can be good as well. FS

[browning375]

why not try a leupold rifleman series scope? run $200-$300 range and are pretty nice!

I splurged for the $345.00 4-12 x 40mm for my 17HMR. works awesome!

just something to consider?

[bosshog]

I was looking at the Scorpion Red Hot 17. Still trying to find a review on them though so I can see how they compare to the Bushnells and Leupolds in that price range.

[IR_mike]

If your close to Calgary see if WSS has any 4x14x44 simmons aetec with mil dot reticles left.

230i$h with way better eye relief than the fore mentioned leupold.

[Faststeel]

Originally Posted by IR_mike

If your close to Calgary see if WSS has any 4x14x44 simmons aetec with mil dot reticles left.

230i$h with way better eye relief than the fore mentioned leupold.

Why would eye relief be a factor on a scope for a 17 HMR?

[aulrich]

I am running a 6-18 bushnell banner, I do like the higher magnification IDK what the current price is should be close to budget.

That scorpion does sound interesting I think there were running a promo giving a 25% discount on a laser with the purchase! and IIRC it's close to budget as well.

Though my gut says if you wand a reliable scope with repeatable target turrets you need to spend the cash, to get accuracy and long term reliabability.

[ACKLEY ABE]

Originally Posted by Faststeel

Why would eye relief be a factor on a scope for a 17 HMR?

First time I've ever seen a Simmons compared in any way to a Leupold....

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Faststeel

Bushnell Banner have a piece that will do. I like to remind guys that varmint shooting always takes place on a sunny day for the most part and you do not " need to spend big jack on a scope to see well on a sunny day.
With ammo all of my CZ's seem to like the Hornady 17gr the best. 20gr can be good as well. FS

Personally I like a quality scope while varminting...a clear scope I can look through at small objects for hours on end without getting "bug eyed". I used to think the lesser quality high mag scopes would do like a 6-24 Tasco Varmint....stare through that for a few hours and you end up with a headache. For me it's not about light gathering ability...as you mentioned varminting is usually done at bright times, but more looking through clear glass.

LC

[altex]

Originally Posted by Faststeel

Bushnell Banner have a piece that will do. I like to remind guys that varmint shooting always takes place on a sunny day for the most part and you do not " need to spend big jack on a scope to see well on a sunny day.
With ammo all of my CZ's seem to like the Hornady 17gr the best. 20gr can be good as well. FS

x2

[gitrdun]

Hello Derrick, I have the same gun as you are getting, here is my story, although I'm not suggesting you do likewise.

When I recently got my 93, I mounted a cheap Bushnell 3x9 that I happened to have. At 100 yards, best group was approx. 1.5". I then received a CZ455 from a friend with a Leupold VXIII with the 1/8 MOA dot to mount (a $1000.00 scope). I thought that this was way overkill. His gun ended up shooting 10 shots into a loonie at 100 yards. Obviously, I was very impressed and wondered if I could get my Savage to shoot equally well. I happened to have a VXII target scope that is awaiting mounting on my .223 FVSS for which I am cutting an F/TR class stock. I dropped in that VXII on my Savage and the results were identical grouping to the CZ, 10 shots into a loonie. I had a slight full value side wind at times for which I corrected. This told my that my wind reading was improving and that good optics make a huge difference. In short, your gun will be very capable and it's restraint will be the optics. Not suggesting that you go for such a scope, but food for thought. Good luck in your quest for tiny groups buddy....

[IR_mike]

Originally Posted by Faststeel

Why would eye relief be a factor on a scope for a 17 HMR?

Maybe I used the wrong terminology but to my eyes the Rifleman and VX-1 line have a sweetspot where you get a full sight picture. If I move my head a bit forward or back I lose the full picture and get the black "doughnut" around the edges.

The scopes were side by side when I compared.

I do own and use VX-2 and 3 leupolds which are great.

Just not 1's or Rifleman's.

[FallAirFever]

Hey guys, thanks for all the replys!

I have been going back and forth on this for a couple days now. Lately I have been wasting money by buying things that are not exactly what I want. A little while later I will buy something better or what I wanted in the first place and take loss when selling the one I bought first.

So instead of compromising on a so-so scope, for now I am going to move my Nikon 150 rimfire BCD from my 22 over to the HMR, well when it gets here thats what I'll do. I went onto the Nikon website and played around with the Spot-On program for the BCD and they have the 17 HMR there, nice!! I dont think I'll be using the 22 for a while now and I can get a feel for the HMR and how I like the 3-9 power scope and the BCD reticle, should give me a good idea of what I really want without buying (and probably selling before too long) a new scope.

If I really like the round and the rifle maybe I'll save up for a Leupold or something decent (not tasco) with more magnification.

Hopefully it will be here tomorrow and I can get it cleaned up and mount the scope, then wait for decent weather to put some down the pipe.
Gophers Beware!!

[Bergerboy]

4-12x50 Vortex Crossfire on mine. Its good.

[altex]

Another scope i have on a cz 452 17 hnr full stock is a Burris Timberline
4.5 x 14 x 32. Really like that scope for the price 310.00 at P@D.

[sask/alta boy]

Originally Posted by altex

Another scope i have on a cz 452 17 hnr full stock is a Burris Timberline
4.5 x 14 x 32. Really like that scope for the price 310.00 at P@D.

wow late to the table, was looking to get a new scope for my cz 17hmr thumbhole, and ended up on this thread thru a web search, I have a 50mm crossfire on it now and its too big and clunky with the turrets and all, its a working gun not a gopher gun so scabbard on quad or sled makes the 50 unwieldy. Thanks for pointing out the Timberline I will look into it at P n D next time I'm Down in the big city. I have a full field ll 50mm on a heavy bbl tikka and its been a great scope. if the timberline isn't the way I go it will probably go with a vx1as I have many Leupolds on different guns and like them a lot.

[6.5 shooter]

Personally all my "varmint guns" are running fixed 6x scopes with target dots....most are old weavers and redfields....Keep your eyes open and you can find them for a good price in the for sale ads......

[curtz]

I put a Nikon Prostaff rimfire on mine, I'm pretty happy with it, the gophers beg to differ. I think it was $180 installed at P@D.

[YoteStopper]

I think what you want on a budget is a 4-12 Nikon Prostaff Rimfire II, I have one on my heavy barreled Savage bolt .22 and it's a perfect fit. With basic Weaver bases and low Burris signature rings it's literally a hair off the barrel.

[bobtodrick]

Gotta agree with Gitrun.
I have the 93FVSS in .22WRM. It came bundled with a Bushnell Banner 3-9x40.
For weeks I figured I had a bad rifle...best groups at 100m were 2-3".
Then I did some research on decent scopes...and why there is no such thing for $150. Put a Hawke Sidewinder 4-16x42 (about $550) on it.
Now it consistently shoot 1" at 100m...and I have more than a handful of targets where five shots can be covered by a quarter.
And the .17HMR is inherently more accurate than the .22WMR.

[Big Sky]

Lots of pros and cons with the Burris Timberline for use as a rimfire scope.

People like the 14x magnification in a compact package.
People dislike the narrow field of view and the long eye relief.

Do a search of Rimfire Central for this scope. Lots of opinions.

[bobalong]

I have a 4.5x14x40 Mueller on my .17. I have had it about 4-5 years now and am pretty happy with it. I got mine from a company in Manitoba (White Falls) but I am not sure if they are around any more but they go for just under 200.00 on Amazon.

You don't see a lot of them up here but they seem really popular in the US.

[CooperLover]

Every cheap scope I have owned has let me down in some way.
Get a 4-14 Leupold and don’t look back.
You will make more sock puppets.

[Groundhogger]

My HMR wears a vintage (Japanese) Bushnell Banner 6-18 AO. Picked it up for about $175 in mint condition, and literally hundreds of gophers have fallen as a result. My first pick? Nope, but I've had a number of these old, glossy Banners and they're great for use on rimfires. Probably great for other stuff too, but that's all I use them for. No need to upgrade when it's doing it's job so well.