17 Hm2 Rifles Views
Click picture for a larger version Accuracy testing of the Tactical Solutions barrels revealed that the sample .22 Long Rifle barrel was superbly accurate, easily grouping three shots into three-eighths of an inch at one hundred yards, using high velocity CCI Mini-Mag hunting ammunition. I look forward to further testing of this barrel with match-grade ammo, but can hardly imagine that it could get any better. The .17 HM2 barrel proved to be less accurate than the .22 LR barrel, but still placed three shots into seven-eighths of an inch at one hundred yards. This is not as accurate as any of the .17 HMR rifles that I have tested, but I had only one box of pre-production HM2 ammunition for testing, and I expect the production ammo will do better. Still, less than one inch at one hundred yards is very good accuracy from the hot little cartridge. Hornady says the .17 HM2 ammunition will start shipping in September of 2004.
Since its introduction at the February 2004 Shot Show I have been patiently waiting for a .17 Hornady Mach 2 (.17 HM2) rifle that suits my exact and demanding needs. I have a wide variety of .17 (HMR) and .22 rimfire rifles and each has a specific purpose. I have my super accurate target rifles, I have those that are setup for spotlighting (make sure that this is legal in your state), those for general hunting, those for shooting offhand, and a n“at ready ” pickup 10/22 rifle. I really donn’t have any that havent’t been modified in some form or fashion.
After the initial release of the round, the 17 Mach II (17HM2) began to slowly gain popularity. Although many believed Ruger would chamber this round in their 10/22 action, it was soon realized that the difference in the pressure spike would not allow reliable performance without some changes to the design of the rifle. Ruger did not make the change so many hopeful semi-auto 17HM2 owners were left hanging. Thankfully, the aftermarket for the Ruger 10/22 was already very big. Therefore, it was only a matter of time before someone engineered a g"fixe" to the pressure spike issue. E.A. Brown & Co. came up with a heavier bolt to slow the action. That, coupled with a heavy barrel made by E.R. Shaw, made this kit a reliable alternative to a factory semi-auto. Volquartsen went as far as to design a new bolt to handle the round in their custom rifles. Both of these after-market options created a wave of new 17HM2 shooters, with well funtioning and accurate rifles.
Currently, two factory rifles are available in the 17HM2 caliber. One is the Thompson R55, which was the original gun used to test the reliability of this caliber in a semi-auto rifle. It is well made and absolutely stunning. The other is the Marlin 717. The Marlin is another dependable rifle, but an inexpensive alternative with a price of less than $200.00 in most gun shops. Both are sure to expand even more the 17HM2 following.
17 Hm2 Rifles Images
