.17 HMR
 

I have on this board admitted that Ive long since dropped out of the firearms loop.

Since re-visiting this site, Ive gotten interested in the various firearms, ballistics etc. again.

There is a nice little site here locally that features articles about hunting in my area, a "looking for" feature as well as a for sale section.

In the "Looking For" feature there are a lot of request for the .17 HMR. I mean a LOT of request.

Ive never been a fan of sub-calibers owned a 218 Bee, and a 5mm Rem. Mag. didnt like their performance at all.

Can anyone tell me just what the attraction of this little caliber is?

Attraction, it is fun. Rather inexpensive and much like owning 22's. I have two, a very nice Marlin bolt gun and Thompson Contender carbine barrel.

Fun...
 

I guess if you want to spend the money on that small a caliber for fun. That's fine, but for me I'd just use a 22 mag for fun or for the money at those calibers I'd do a 22-250.
I'm a heavy bullet guy for function. I mentally equate human body weight with bullet grain weights. That's why I don't shoot less than 150 gr bullets and very few of them. I mostly shoot in the 175+ zone.
I apologize for this post, it'is of no consequence to the 17 caliber question..

Good marketing? I'm not sure what you are suppose to do with it. I think I would just use a 22 mag for about anything you would use it for. I asked my dad why he bought one...said it was fun.

Also......... Basic economics of Firearm Ownership.............



More is preferred to less. :D

The little HMR is a fun round to shoot. I've got a gorgeous Marlin bull barrel that is an absolute tack driver. They are a great gun for smaller varmits, but I do know people that use them for coyotes. I honestly haven't killed a thing with mine, I just use it for plinking as it's dead accurate.

I have shot quite a few rabbits with mine and it destroys them. I was using the 17grain ballistic tips as well as the hollow points. The hollow points seemed to do a lot more damage.

I watched a friend of mine shoot prairie dogs pretty consistently with his using the 20 grain hollow points out to 200 yards. They are fun and a lot cheaper to shoot then centerfire cartridges for prairie dogs.