Should I take the plunge?

Northern Sod Breaker · September 12, 2006, 08:04 PM

My brother offered to sell me his .17HMR for $129. Heavy barrel, wood stock, checkering, etc. Pretty fancy rifle. (for a Marlin) I looked in this weeks paper and the ad for the 6.5 MM rifle was no longer there so he either sold it or gave up on trying. I've heard good and bad on the .17HMR.

TIA

bennnn · September 12, 2006, 08:34 PM

Give him $130.00, shoot it for a few weeks, get to know the round and what it does. If you like it, keep it. If not, find someone who will pay you $150.00 for it,..I might, it sounds interesting. Get some pics and let's see.

Northern Sod Breaker · September 12, 2006, 08:47 PM

Problem is once I buy it I'll probably keep it wether I like it or not. The other problem is it does not fit the theme of my collection. Of course it could be made into a darn nice trarget rifle for not alot of cash or time. A good scope, bi-pod and a desonater is all it would need. I figured I'd have $220 by the time I was done.

TPAW · September 12, 2006, 08:50 PM

I have the Marlin 17HMR with a scope. Unbelievable accuracy! At 100 yards with FMJ I was putting clean holes through pennies. I surprised myself!

piercfh · September 12, 2006, 09:29 PM

My vote is buy it. I just got one in a savage, and topped it off with a tasco varmit scope. Nice cheap combo. I love it, and its pretty damn accurate. I have 150+ rounds through mine, and have only cleaned it for break in. Im gettin 3/4 moa groups at 100 yards, and its perfectly flat from 100 on in. I shot it at 150 yds using the second mill dot in the tasco and came up way high. I think its pretty close to dead on at 150 as well. I havnt killed anything that I could really examine, but I have killed 2 crows and 2 beavers. A friend at work has killed 3 coyotes with his all of which were body shots too.

good luck

Northern Sod Breaker · September 12, 2006, 09:49 PM

Then I'll need a scope. Any thoughts on this one?
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?p=WX2&i=106119

FirstFreedom · September 12, 2006, 11:20 PM

I think you'll like it. But talk him down to $100. He should do that for you, being kin! The .17 HMR is a nice balance of little recoil, moderate range, fairly cheap ammo, and nice accuracy. I wouldn't sell mine.

Niantician · September 13, 2006, 12:35 AM

I watched my friend put 2 straight shots through a 22lr shell at 30 yards with a scoped 17hmr.

Mosin44az · September 13, 2006, 12:59 AM

$129 is not much of a plunge. More like a step into a wading pool. Why not?

Rimrod · September 13, 2006, 11:38 AM

A friend of mine has a Marlin 17HMR, unbelievable accuracy! I told my wife I wanted one for Christmas, but the dealer said he only had a Remington in stock and she bought it.

Although it is very accurate too I'm not a fan of semi-autos.

Ian2005 · September 13, 2006, 11:57 AM

Yeah I'd take it. $130 is nothing, but I suppose it economics of scale. (yeah that sounded snobbish:-). I watched a guy next to me blow out the bullseye in .5" circles in a row using lots of rounds. Cheap ammo, great accuracy, why not? I want to get one and camo it or do something different to it. Why not?!
$9 for a box of 50 rounds? That sure beats what Im paying on .308. (.18cents vrs .75 cents each).

Moloch · September 13, 2006, 02:09 PM

Quote:

I Cheap ammo, great accuracy, why not? I want to get one and camo it or do something different to it. Why not?!

Compared to .50bmg ammo?

LoadIt · September 13, 2006, 02:23 PM

If you are going to be shooting at targets off the bench, forget the bi-pod and instead get a front rest and rear bag. That set up works really well for me. Caldwell also makes a pretty good sand bag that the rifle nestles into. The problem with bi-pods for bench use is that they generally act as a pivot that allows too much movement when taking aim at your target.

Northern Sod Breaker · September 13, 2006, 03:15 PM

Talked to a gunsmith. Said he could put iron sights on it for $50 plus the cost of the sights. I'd just put cheap sights on it and deal with a scope later. Then again for what it would cost I should just buy the darn scope. Then I would not have no irons as a fail safe but a target rifle realy does not need a fail safe the way a field gun does.

ETA:
I'm going to take him on his offer. Have to wait til I see him. Tonight sometime. I guess I'll deal with optics/sights, etc. at a later date.

September 12, 2006, 08:04 PM	#1
Northern Sod Breaker Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2005 Location: Hewitt, Minnesota Posts: 758	Should I take the plunge? My brother offered to sell me his .17HMR for $129. Heavy barrel, wood stock, checkering, etc. Pretty fancy rifle. (for a Marlin) I looked in this weeks paper and the ad for the 6.5 MM rifle was no longer there so he either sold it or gave up on trying. I've heard good and bad on the .17HMR. TIA

September 13, 2006, 12:35 AM	#8
Niantician Senior Member Join Date: October 4, 2005 Location: Ct. Posts: 546	I watched my friend put 2 straight shots through a 22lr shell at 30 yards with a scoped 17hmr. __________________ There are many things in life that are out of my control. Recoil isn't one of them.

September 12, 2006, 08:34 PM	#2
bennnn Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2006 Location: almost far enough south.. Posts: 978	Give him $130.00, shoot it for a few weeks, get to know the round and what it does. If you like it, keep it. If not, find someone who will pay you $150.00 for it,..I might, it sounds interesting. Get some pics and let's see.

September 12, 2006, 08:47 PM	#3
Northern Sod Breaker Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2005 Location: Hewitt, Minnesota Posts: 758	Problem is once I buy it I'll probably keep it wether I like it or not. The other problem is it does not fit the theme of my collection. Of course it could be made into a darn nice trarget rifle for not alot of cash or time. A good scope, bi-pod and a desonater is all it would need. I figured I'd have $220 by the time I was done.

September 12, 2006, 08:50 PM	#4
TPAW Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2005 Posts: 2,860	I have the Marlin 17HMR with a scope. Unbelievable accuracy! At 100 yards with FMJ I was putting clean holes through pennies. I surprised myself!

September 12, 2006, 09:29 PM	#5
piercfh Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2006 Location: Central Alabama Posts: 183	My vote is buy it. I just got one in a savage, and topped it off with a tasco varmit scope. Nice cheap combo. I love it, and its pretty damn accurate. I have 150+ rounds through mine, and have only cleaned it for break in. Im gettin 3/4 moa groups at 100 yards, and its perfectly flat from 100 on in. I shot it at 150 yds using the second mill dot in the tasco and came up way high. I think its pretty close to dead on at 150 as well. I havnt killed anything that I could really examine, but I have killed 2 crows and 2 beavers. A friend at work has killed 3 coyotes with his all of which were body shots too. good luck

September 12, 2006, 09:49 PM	#6
Northern Sod Breaker Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2005 Location: Hewitt, Minnesota Posts: 758	Then I'll need a scope. Any thoughts on this one? http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?p=WX2&i=106119

September 12, 2006, 11:20 PM	#7
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	I think you'll like it. But talk him down to $100. He should do that for you, being kin! The .17 HMR is a nice balance of little recoil, moderate range, fairly cheap ammo, and nice accuracy. I wouldn't sell mine.

September 13, 2006, 12:59 AM	#9
Mosin44az Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2006 Posts: 2,585	$129 is not much of a plunge. More like a step into a wading pool. Why not?

September 13, 2006, 11:38 AM	#10
Rimrod Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Behind enemy lines Posts: 1,309	A friend of mine has a Marlin 17HMR, unbelievable accuracy! I told my wife I wanted one for Christmas, but the dealer said he only had a Remington in stock and she bought it. Although it is very accurate too I'm not a fan of semi-autos.

September 13, 2006, 11:57 AM	#11
Ian2005 Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 355	Yeah I'd take it. $130 is nothing, but I suppose it economics of scale. (yeah that sounded snobbish:-). I watched a guy next to me blow out the bullseye in .5" circles in a row using lots of rounds. Cheap ammo, great accuracy, why not? I want to get one and camo it or do something different to it. Why not?! $9 for a box of 50 rounds? That sure beats what Im paying on .308. (.18cents vrs .75 cents each).

September 13, 2006, 02:23 PM	#13
LoadIt Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 269	If you are going to be shooting at targets off the bench, forget the bi-pod and instead get a front rest and rear bag. That set up works really well for me. Caldwell also makes a pretty good sand bag that the rifle nestles into. The problem with bi-pods for bench use is that they generally act as a pivot that allows too much movement when taking aim at your target.

September 13, 2006, 03:15 PM	#14
Northern Sod Breaker Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2005 Location: Hewitt, Minnesota Posts: 758	Talked to a gunsmith. Said he could put iron sights on it for $50 plus the cost of the sights. I'd just put cheap sights on it and deal with a scope later. Then again for what it would cost I should just buy the darn scope. Then I would not have no irons as a fail safe but a target rifle realy does not need a fail safe the way a field gun does. ETA: I'm going to take him on his offer. Have to wait til I see him. Tonight sometime. I guess I'll deal with optics/sights, etc. at a later date.