# Savage bolt .17hmr



## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

Im looking into getting a left handed 93R17 left handed for myself, for long range varminting. Im debating whether to get this or a marlin model 917v. I am left handed but I am more concerned about accuracy than anything. I dont plan to mod this rifle so which one is the most accurate and dependable out of the box?

Thanks, Tiger


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

I would NOT consider the 17HRM for long range!!!!!!! :sniper: 22-250, 243 or 25-06 now here is long range. 17 cal bullets are too light. Subject to alot of wind drift. 17HRM would be for under 150 yards :2cents:


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

well in michigan we are pretty heavily brushed and forested, 150 yards is long range for me, i figure it maxes out to 200 yards which is as long as i plan to ever take a shot with that rifle, so its not the issue. im just concerned about the accuracy of the two rifles.


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Agree, and you sure don't get the wind coming from 100miles away we get in good old ND. Sorry I can't help with your choice.


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## Rio (May 30, 2002)

.17 would be good out to over 200 without a big cross wind.

I had no problem at 250 all winter. If you get one look into the Sweet 17 scope they make. Believe it or not the range thing works pretty darn good. Just sight it in at 100 and take a range finer with you then crank the scope to the yardage and you should pop whatever it is you are shooting at.


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## Rio (May 30, 2002)

I have the savage and it very accurate..........out of the box

I can't speak for the other types out there, but for the money the Savage was my choice.

If you get teh saveage and want an extra clip get one for the 22 WMR :sniper:


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## mhprecht (Oct 13, 2003)

Militant_Tiger said:


> Im looking into getting a left handed 93R17 left handed for myself, for long range varminting. Im debating whether to get this or a marlin model 917v. I am left handed but I am more concerned about accuracy than anything. I dont plan to mod this rifle so which one is the most accurate and dependable out of the box?
> 
> Thanks, Tiger


I have the Savage 93 in .17 HMR, my buddy has the Marlin. Out of the box, both rifles are as accurate as I am. Don't know what you mean by long range, but here is my experience hunting Prairie Dogs on the Cimmeron National Grassland in Kansas two years ago.

I shot 28 PDs one afternoon with my Savage...closest successful shot was about 30 yards....longest successful shot was about 160 yards (I paced it off.)

Under a 100 hundred yards, the .17 HMR worked OK for PDs. Thumped them with a "quarter-sized" entry wound....no exit wound. Over a 100 yards and you're pushing it. My 160 yard shot was pure luck....and while I made the shot....I won't be shooting the .17 HMR at anything with fur on it at ranges greater than 100 yards again. The little 17 grain .17 caliber just doesn't have the umph. I hit the PD at 160 yards...but he almost made it back to his hole before expiring. At that range I'll stick to the centerfires.

My experience, for what its worth.


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

that is very odd, i've heard of many people taking coyotes at 150 yards without problems, and from what i remember coyotes have a considerably more husky build than a prarie dog.


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## mhprecht (Oct 13, 2003)

Militant_Tiger said:


> that is very odd, i've heard of many people taking coyotes at 150 yards without problems, and from what i remember coyotes have a considerably more husky build than a prarie dog.


I've read much the same on other forums....Your milage may vary.

The trip to Kansas was my first with the .17 HMR and I was experimenting to see what it could do. Well, I saw what it did....Raccoons, PDs, 'chucks, crows, starlings, possums, gophers....no problem. In reasonable range the .17 HMR will handle them all. For myself....I won't be trying for either a fox or coyote with my .17 HMR. If others want to try....I wish them good fortune.


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

i actually read of someone shooting a deer with a lung shot with his .17 and killing it, but it ran some 100 yards. probably not a good idea, and illegal most all places, but it just shows that it is a small but potent bullet.


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## Tony Vandemore (Dec 17, 2003)

The Marlin 917VS is a sweet setup and very accurate. I would think just go with the one you like, once you put a scope on either of them they become very accurte. Not sure if the Savage has a bull barrel or not, but the Marlin does. All in all it is a fun little caliber......great for shooting all the egg eaters and quail killing red tails.


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## fuzzhead (Apr 12, 2004)

i have used a savage .17 before and it is a great gun and very accurate. i recommend getting a good scope. if you spend some time sighting the scope in correctly. you should have trouble missing. as far as range goes i havent a clue. but the gun i tried is my grandpas and he says he hasnt missed so far. i can't speak for the marlin but im sure it is a good gun too.
fuzzhead :sniper:


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## Albertahunter (Oct 25, 2005)

Under a 100 hundred yards, the .17 HMR worked OK for PDs. Thumped them with a "quarter-sized" entry wound....no exit wound. Over a 100 yards and you're pushing it. My 160 yard shot was pure luck....and while I made the shot....I won't be shooting the .17 HMR at anything with fur on it at ranges greater than 100 yards again. The little 17 grain .17 caliber just doesn't have the umph. I hit the PD at 160 yards...but he almost made it back to his hole before expiring. At that range I'll stick to the centerfires.

i have gotten gophers at 100 yards or more with my 22lr before


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## cya_coyote (Aug 31, 2005)

i have the savage 93r17g... love the accuracy of this little round, but ONLY with the v-max shells... the cci hollowpoints that are out spread the pattern too much, but still under 1 1/4" at 100 yrds.

as for coyotes, i have taken 3 with this round, the furthest one at about 50 yrds... just took head shots, and had no problems with them going down. i won't try the 100 yrd shots with this little thing, too much chance of wind drift with no weight behind it...

just get better at calling and the bullet will do the job, but don't expect long range success... look at the other threads on the 17hmr... it was meant for a small game round, and coyotes are NOT small game... can be done, but not for everyone...

:sniper:

my .02 anyway


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

I have a savage 93 in 17 HMR, stainless bullbarrel with synthetic stock. With the CCI TNT load you can sit on the bench and shoot the brass off of 12 ga hulls all day at 100 yards. Execelent squirrel gun, I've made headshots before at close to 120 yards.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

MT, I have a LH Savage 93V in 17HMR, with a 2.5-10 Tasco Varmint (mil dot) scope. Had the trigger cleaned up & set to 3.5 lbs, but did no other accurizing.

This setup is scary accurate. Under 100 yards, a headshot is a gimme on any small varmint, and once I figured the mil dot hold over and drift, no norskie gopher or blackbird was safe out to 150 yards. Past that, wind drift gets to be a huge problem, but on a calm day I can hit small targets regularly at 200 yards.

It's a nasty effective little round, to. Last Fall, I bumped off a badger that had designs on my chickens. One round at 125 yards, and he practically blew up in flames. If you've never encountered badgers, I can tell you they are as tough as a steel belted radial. I flattened at least 4 ***** that I recall during the Spring & Summer that were raiding birds feeders. One shot per customer, instant kills. I would have no qualms about shooting a coyote out to 100 yards with this setup.

BTW, I use the CCI Gamepoint 20 grainers. Less drift and much better performance on bigger varmints, like the above mentioned ***** & badger.

This rifle-caliber combo is so good, I sold my 10-22, and have no plans of buying another 22LR...


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## SONGDOG187 (Mar 10, 2006)

Hi ND,

I would love to take a badger. Are there lots of them out there in ND? Educate me on badgers please? I like shooting ground hogs but they don't have fangs and an attitude!!!


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## Dave_w (May 25, 2005)

The Savage is definately going to be a lot more accurate, but I'm with the other guys on .17 not being the best caliber. Really, I'd stick to .223. Where I live, it's cheaper than .17HMR. And it will reach out a lot farther, with a lot more accuracy. It will also give you the full range of reloading stuff, along with a wider selection of factory ammo (including super-cheap surplus). For practical purposes, .17 is kinda useless, although I do see why some might find it desirable. My caliber selection tends to run .22LR, to .223, to .308. Three guns, three commonly-available and relatively inexpensive calibers, and I'm pretty much set. Keeps the safes nice and organized, and I never have to worry about not being able to get more ammo.

That said, Savage makes some fine .223 bolt-actions. What's it for, prairie dogs? I just discovered ground squirrel hunting. Hay and alfalfa farmers around here will actually pay you to kill the suckers.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

Well I dissagree with the Savage being more accurate. I don't own either one but have shot a couple of each and thought the Marlin to be the better rifle. Don't get me wrong I think Savage makes very good rifles, but I was really impressed with the Marlins I tried. Also I would not recommend the 17 HMR for coyote. The 17 Rem. would be fine but not the HMR. I've shot prairie dogs at 200 yards with my Volquartsen and watched them try to crawl to the hole.


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## Grunter (Feb 11, 2006)

After doing the trigger work on my savage I would put it up against any other gun maker. Without the tiggerwork the gun was not even close to being so-so. Also after doing lots of shooting with it I will never bring it out on a Yote hunt, just not enough power. I just bought a Rem 700 in 22-250. Now thats a Yote round!!
:2cents: 
Dave


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## aylor70 (Jan 2, 2006)

I own a Savage .17HMR, couldnt find the model on the website however. It has a synthetic stock and a blued bull barrel from the factory. I have been very happy with this gun. It shoots very accurate and is pretty much perfect for racoon hunting without much fur damage. One shot is all it takes. Works well for me, maybe you should give it a try.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

The one thing that ticks me off about the Savage 17 HMR is the lack of a swivel stud on the forend. I don't understand why they left that off.


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## marcus_rubbo (Dec 11, 2005)

if your planing on shooting your 17 alot then i would get a ruger....cant beat the reliabillity


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## Dave_w (May 25, 2005)

Well, if it's supposed to be a varmint gun, I guess they figure you're never going to have to pack it very far. I haven't had any Ruger or Savage 17s, but I own rifles from both companies, and none have every given me any problems, on the range or in the field.

Seriously, though, do you have any particular reason for wanting to stick to a .17?


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## Grunter (Feb 11, 2006)

Longshot,

Which one do you have? My 93R17-F came with studs and all the models in the book show studs with the exception of the30R17 single shot.

Dave


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

I don't own a savage, but a friend of mine bought one and noticed after he purchased it that it had no stud on the forend. I have a Voquartsen that doesn't either, but it's really not meant to carry.


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## Dave_w (May 25, 2005)

Yeah, my Savage 10FP-LE2 came with one. I think they assume varmint hunters will be using the traditional technique: Carry the gun out there in a bag or the back of your truck and then shoot off a bench.

They also figure, correctly, that lots of target shooters will be using their varmint rifles, and a swivel stud gets in the way of some benchrest positions.

If it really kills ya, take it to a gunsmith.

But seriously...why not use .223 for the varmint application? 17 just seems to be a completely useless round for all but a select few. I mean, it'd be one thing if it was cheaper, but it isn't...

Unless you're trying to save pelts, I presume.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

The 93R17-FV and 93R17-FVSS do not have a front sling swivle. Yeah Dave_w the 10FP-LE2 has a front sling swivle but the original post was directed toward the 17 HMR not the centerfire models. Thanks for pointing out the obvious. I do like the 17 HMR for close range prairie dogs. They don't seem to run down the hole as quickly as with louder rounds. We usually shoot the 17 HMR for close range and pull the 223 or 22-250 for mid range and 260 or 308 for long range shooting.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

I prefer to have a swivel stud for my bipod. I typically hunt or shoot PD's from a bipod not a bag.


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## Dave_w (May 25, 2005)

Yeah, yeah, I know it was directed at the 17. I was just working through why they'd neglect to put a swivel stud on the varminting guns--to pacify target shooters.

I like having the option for a bipod, as well. Quicker to set up and shoot, and if you're going to be moving around a lot, the things are great. But on a table at the range, a bag works just fine, and tends to be a little steadier, in my ever-so-humble opinion.


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## Fossilman (Mar 12, 2006)

I have a "Savage .17.best rifle I ever bought.................


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