Possibly a new tiny action and...

[Bayou City Boy]

Originally Posted by Oso Polaris

Please educate me --- Why/What is preference of 17 WSM, and not just go with a 17 Fireball or 17 Hornet?

Why not just go with a 17WSM (2 of them), a 17 HMR, a 17 Hornet, a 17 FB (2 of them), a 17 M4, a 17 Remington (5 of them), a 17-22 and a 17-204? They all work for me........along with a pretty good size herd of 20 caliber CF cartridges also to satisfy my small caliber "needs". If someone were to introduce a 20 WSM, I'd probably be a willing sucker and buy one of them too.

I like the RF rounds for the reasons some have given. RF ammo can be bought cheaply and if used in quantities, it is easier to replace by buying it than reloading other cartridges. What RF rounds I use up this summer can be quickly replaced when I feel the need to do so.

CF rounds obviously have their advantages as you can control quality much greater by reloading your own, but I haven't found the 17 WSM to be so bad that I don't want to shoot it. Its a fun round with good range for my RF purposes. It and a few 17 CF rifles and some 20 caliber CF rifles will all go with me this coming summer on several pd safaris to both north Texas and further up north.

If the Zermatt action works out and becomes available in 17 WSM, I might have three of them. If it shoots considerably better than the two Ruger 77/17's that I own (which both shoot extremely well), I might suddenly only own one of them. But like B23 said, the RF ammo quality is probably the limiting factory for the cartridge and not the rifles. Time will provide more information, hopefully early his summer.

YMMV as to what you might want to shoot for whatever reasons......... Its all good.

-BCB

[steve123]

So while we're talking about 17wsm I have a question, what are the average groups you guys get at 100Y?

[Bayou City Boy]

Originally Posted by steve123

So while we're talking about 17wsm I have a question, what are the average groups you guys get at 100Y?

Its been maybe pushing two year ago now, but I posted several target photos of what my first 17 WSM was capable of at 100 yards. The pictures of the targets were one of 3-5-shot groups on a target shot consecutively with additional close-up photos of each group with a dime for reference of groups size. i never measured any of them. This first 17 WSM is a Ruger 77/17 20" blue and walnut sporter weight rifle.

Later on I bought an 18.5" Ruger 77/17 stainless laminate stock rifle in 17 WSM with a heavier barrel. It shoots groups at 100 yards that are very similar to what was shown on the targets that I posted.

I never measured any of the groups but instead used a dime for reference on the target that I posted pictures of, so that is the best number that I can give you. I'm sure if you do a search that you can find those targets and the thread. All I can say is that that both rifles are capable of shooting groups that are well inside of 1" at 100 yards.

Some days both have done better than those targets and in some instances have done slightly worse. However, at no time has either of the two rifles shot a 5-shot group at 100 yards greater than 1". I know that for certain because of the 1" grids on the targets that I have used. And for the record, even though WW makes all of the 17 WSM ammunition, both rifles have never hiccuped because of what box the ammunition was packed in... WW, Hornady, or Federal.

-BCB

[moorepower]

My Savage has been from 3/4-1" I actually went out and asked an exploded Pdog if it bothered him that I just shot them 200yds + away with a gun that did not shoot 1/4" and they, because there was more than one piece when I got there refused to answer me What really makes the round a great round, is that the WSM with the 20-25 Vmax is so superior in the wind to ANY .17 HMR round that even in a light breeze at 100yds I will have more hits than my HMR that on paper shoots much better. I enjoy them all.

[Bayou City Boy]

Originally Posted by moorepower

My Savage has been from 3/4-1" I actually went out and asked an exploded Pdog if it bothered him that I just shot them 200yds + away with a gun that did not shoot 1/4" and they, because there was more than one piece when I got there refused to answer me What really makes the round a great round, is that the WSM with the 20-25 Vmax is so superior in the wind to ANY .17 HMR round that even in a light breeze at 100yds I will have more hits than my HMR that on paper shoots much better. I enjoy them all.

But......but......but...... Unless a rifle will shoot less than 1/4" groups "all day long" "if I do my part", it is not worth having around. Anyone with a keyboard knows that, "the only interesting rifles are accurate rifles".... Or something like that.

Hunting rifle needs are not the same as BR ready rifle needs. Too often they get mixed and confused on the internet as one always requiring the other. I own several rifles with extremely light triggers that work great from a BR setting as well as from a portable bench in a PD town. That said, they are not rifles that I would ever consider hunting coyotes with. In contrast, I own some extremely effective hunting rifles that work great in a PD town too even though their accuracy levels/capabilities do not meet modern day internet forum requirements in order to be classified as "interesting".

-BCB

[B23]

As long as my 17 WSM will shoot MOS (Minute Of Squirrel) I'm a happy camper.

[steve123]

Okay, sounds like 17wsm is more accurate than I thought it would be. I haven't even shot one yet so I can't really judge. I think I'll look into the cartridge a bit more.

Of course not having to reload ammo and just buying a 50 box has great appeal.

I know of some guys that shoot those littler squirrely's a lot and they switched over from 17hmr to 17 wsm so it does spark my interest.

I'm definitely not the type that has many rifles like some of you guys do.
Instead I prefer to buy higher end stuff, or at least a custom that has been gone over by a good smith and rebarreled, rather than a buying bunch of regular factory rifles.

Why, it's because???!!!

It always seems to bite me in the ass when I buy massed produced factory rifles!
One example was the M77 17hmr I owned years ago that was a 1.5"-er at 100Y.
A friend just bought a Savage 17hmr, it doesn't feed well and it's maybe a bit worse than my Ruger was. I don't mean to offend anyone but that thing is a POS!
Bought a CZ527 in 17R, 1.25" at 100Y was the best lt'd do. Rebarreled it and it shoots .6".
I could go on and on....

Come to think of it, I've never had a nice custom rifle that didn't shoot excellent!

Eh, I just don't like taking the chance anymore.

I'd like to try a Bighorn custom actioned 17wsm, maybe??

[Bayou City Boy]

Originally Posted by steve123

..............I'm definitely not the type that has many rifles like some of you guys do.
Instead I prefer to buy higher end stuff, or at least a custom that has been gone over by a good smith and rebarreled, rather than a buying bunch of regular factory rifles.

You're obviously guessing about "some of you guys"........

At times we need a head shaking emoji with a smiling face here.

-BCB

[Oso Polaris]

Originally Posted by steve123

I'm definitely not the type that has many rifles like some of you guys do.
Instead I prefer to buy higher end stuff, or at least a custom that has been gone over by a good smith and rebarreled, rather than a buying bunch of regular factory rifles.

Why, it's because???

Wrong group of guys... you must be feeling Froggy! Stepping in the deep end!!! LOL

if our wives actually new what we spent...

[moorepower]

Originally Posted by steve123

Okay, sounds like 17wsm is more accurate than I thought it would be. I haven't even shot one yet so I can't really judge. I think I'll look into the cartridge a bit more.

Of course not having to reload ammo and just buying a 50 box has great appeal.

I know of some guys that shoot those littler squirrely's a lot and they switched over from 17hmr to 17 wsm so it does spark my interest.

I'm definitely not the type that has many rifles like some of you guys do.
Instead I prefer to buy higher end stuff, or at least a custom that has been gone over by a good smith and rebarreled, rather than a buying bunch of regular factory rifles.

Why, it's because???!!!

It always seems to bite me in the ass when I buy massed produced factory rifles!
One example was the M77 17hmr I owned years ago that was a 1.5"-er at 100Y.
A friend just bought a Savage 17hmr, it doesn't feed well and it's maybe a bit worse than my Ruger was. I don't mean to offend anyone but that thing is a POS!
Bought a CZ527 in 17R, 1.25" at 100Y was the best lt'd do. Rebarreled it and it shoots .6".
I could go on and on....

Come to think of it, I've never had a nice custom rifle that didn't shoot excellent!

Eh, I just don't like taking the chance anymore.

I'd like to try a Bighorn custom actioned 17wsm, maybe??

I drive a Lincoln, well really my wife does, but mostly shoot Savage rifles. I will admit that the first thing I do is bed them but out of more of them than I will fess up to, every one other than the Bmag will put 5 into less than 3/4" and severl into 1/2" or less. The only thing I shoot that could be called expensive are my Sako's and a Weatherby, but it's just a jacked up Howa. I did have to tweek the feed lips on one of my Savage 93's to get it to feed, and 30 seconds later it feeds, all the time. Some day I will buy a Blaser K95, and most likely a Borden or similar for a long range gun. This little .17 WSM action really stands out as something I want. The Bmag just does not make me happy and it's more the bolt than the accuracy. I think than it needs 3-500 rounds done the tube to smooth out the tube, and I probably have lees than 150 down it. The only other .17WSM I would buy is the Browning "IF' I did not like to tinker with guns, I probably would spend more and have less.