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.17 HMR - a fad now passed?
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:25 pm
by meles meles
oomans:
We have seen quite a lot of .17 HMR rifles appearing for sale recently, both online and in gunshops. A greater number, we think, than would be the normal churn for people just changing to another gun of similar calibre - backed up by a few comments from gun shop owners regarding people moving back to other calibres. Clearly, without contacting GCHQ, we don't know if the same is true of the online sales. Has it been rumbled? Are people now moving back to sensible sized rounds and velocities?
Re: .17 HMR - a fad now passed?
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:32 pm
by Sim G
I'm led to believe locally that there have been some major issues with ammunition of late...
Re: .17 HMR - a fad now passed?
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:38 pm
by Airbrush
Ammo issues should have been sorted by now.
Re: .17 HMR - a fad now passed?
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:38 pm
by kennyc
Airbrush wrote:Ammo issues should have been sorted by now.
should have...but have they? I know 2 people personally that have had serious issues after squib rounds weren't picked up before the next shot, and that is a worrying percentage of the people I know with HMR's
Re: .17 HMR - a fad now passed?
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:46 pm
by Airbrush
kennyc wrote:Airbrush wrote:Ammo issues should have been sorted by now.
should have...but have they? I know 2 people personally that have had serious issues after squib rounds weren't picked up before the next shot, and that is a worrying percentage of the people I know with HMR's
Yep it's happened to me, but it was old ammo, just bought some more & no splits in the necks. I was told by the rfd that it was ok now.
Re: .17 HMR - a fad now passed?
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:49 pm
by Sim G
My local place had a CZ and a batch of ammo returned to. Bolt was bent, mag housing twisted all out of shape. Went off like a grenade by all accounts.
Re: .17 HMR - a fad now passed?
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:49 pm
by zanes
Airbrush wrote:Ammo issues should have been sorted by now.
This seems to have been quoted for at least the last three years
Suspect many people are wary of the rounds and possible supply issues and "step up" into a light centrefire such as 22 Hornet in addition to the ubiquitous .22LR.
Re: .17 HMR - a fad now passed?
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:51 pm
by Kungfugerbil
It seems to me that .17HMR is an answer to a problem that doesn't really exist. Anything .17 can do a small centrefire cartridge can. It's fast(ish) and flat(ish), but also expensive and prone to variable wind conditions. It's also often not permitted on smallbore ranges so straight away you're losing the target shooting folks.
I see secondhand rifles for sale in .17HMR that are cheaper than their .22LR equivalents - for every spare HMR slot on tickets I bet there are five hundred .22LR...
Re: .17 HMR - a fad now passed?
Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2015 7:04 am
by DaveB
I still have mine and I intend to keep using it. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than any small centre fire to feed and for what I use it for, it's perfect.
Re: .17 HMR - a fad now passed?
Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:50 am
by Mr_Logic
Had one, hated it, pretty pointless - yes it's a tiny little bit cheaper than .22 Hornet, but the Hornet is a much nicer and more versatile round. Perhaps the wider community has caught on, especially now 17 Hornet has made an appearance.