17 squirrel action choices

[Iowa Fox]

Originally Posted by 17tbs

Get a TC, they are perfect for a light woods carbine and quite accurate.

Yep

Everybody should own at least one late model original Contender frame. Three would be better.

G1
G2
Encore

[Hal]

A low wall would make a great sub caliber rifle.

Hal

[Danny]

Originally Posted by HillbillySniper

CZ has messed up discontinuing the 527 centerfire and 452 rimfire series of rilfes my opinion.

Yep, BIGTIME.

[barretcreek]

Originally Posted by Danny

Yep, BIGTIME.

My understanding the tooling was wearing out, so go with something cheaper to make.

[moorepower]

It's a sad state of affairs when us weirdo's are running out of options for anything Hornet based.

[Johnly]

I have a Remington 580 action that I was going to convert to 17 AH, before I found a rifle already converted. That said, I have a slew of Contender barrels and frames, and in carbine configuration they are a sweet compact rig.

[rickiesrevenge]

Someday I'm going to get off my butt and make a ruger blackhawk 17 squirrel.

[JDHasty]

This is not so much an opinion on the OP, but my feelings regarding TC, especially Contenders configured into single shot rifles and carbines.

We have a reputation for being quite prolific chuck shooters and as a consequence a fair number of people have been asking advice on what outfits to go with from among the available options for medium range 17 caliber center fire.

My answer has been that unless you want to spend more, choose between the CZ527 for a repeater or either of the TC options for a single shot, with my preference on the latter being a G1 Contender EZ-Open.

The Ruger 77/17 like the CZ527 was, but is no longer much of a choice for a factory rifle because the only option currently available has an 18.5 inch barrel.

To be fair, I guess that the TC likewise, is not an option in a new rifle right now either.

So what have I been recommending? If you have any TC Frame you will not be disappointed in an EABco, MGM or Bullberry setup. The Contender is a delight to carry even with a .810 24 inch barrel and laminated stock. With a tapered barrel and a plastic stock they are very light weight and yet still more than accurate enough for chuck shooting out to the effective range of the cartridge, be it 17 Hornet, 17 Fireball, 17 Remington or anything in between.

I can’t recommend the Savages, they are plenty accurate (when they work), but ugly as a mud fence and prone to having “issues.”

A guy who doesn’t have a frame can still get into a complete TC setup with a brand new barrel by purchasing a frame on the secondary market and be into the rifle for under a grand. You can’t reasonably expect to do that with a used CZ, Ruger or anything else for that matter these days unless you are not in any hurry and get lucky.

My personal 17 Hornet is a CZ527 American, but I would be just as happy with one of my kids’ Contender carbines. I mean that in all seriousness. There isn’t a nickels worth of difference in what they deliver and the kids’ Contenders happen to outshoot all three of our 17 Hornet 527s by a very slight margin. My two shooting partners and I all bought CZ527s in 17 Hornet the week following a rockchuck shoot that I took my oldest daughter’s 17 Hornet Contender along on.

I don’t know that I would trade my 527 for a contender, but if for some reason I had to give up one for the other it would not make any difference performance wise. It is not uncommon for me to have a Calhoun single shot adapter in my 527s instead of a magazine anyway.

Personally I think the Contenders carry better in the field. My 527s all have 5-20 Nitrex TR2 scopes on them (I have 527s in 22 Hornet, 204 Ruger & 223 as well) and the kids’ Contenders have had 5-20 Nikon Monarch scopes that are roughly equivalent and as a general rule both will have Harris tall pivoting Bipods attached. I’ve carried both and the Contenders are what feel better when I am packing them around.