Best .17 HMR $500.00 or less?

[philip]

Who makes the best .17 HMR rifle under $500.00???

Obviously you don`t get an Annie or Cooper, but there has to be some decent options in this price point.....


Phil.

[JohnHenry]

IMO the CZ 455 with the varmint weight barrel is a serious candidate in that category. MOA accuracy out of the box and switch barrel capability if desired.

[varmintshooter]

In my opinion cz 452, 453, cz 455. They all shoot and are easy on the wallet. I have a cooper 57 lvt, a cz452 varmint, and a cz455, I used to have a savage but it did not shoot the 17 gr vmax as well as the others so it went away.

[jwv2001]

A few years back a friend wanted me to shoot his Savage 17HMR. I wasn't a really fan of this cartridge or of anything Savage. The rifle shot well.
Big 5 ran an ad for a Savage 17HMR w/accutrigger for less than $200. I thought how could I lose for that price. When I finally got to see the rifle close up I thought what a piece of crap. Ugly action, ugly stock, the accutrigger is terrible, plastic trigger guard, oh well, I had less than $200 in it.
The 17HMR will absolutely turn a ground squirrel inside out. The cartridge is very accurate and shoots lights out in this incredibly ugly rifle. As a matter of fact, one afternoon I went 50 for 50 on ground squirrels with this rifle.
So I would recommend the Savage 93R17 GV for the best 17HMR for less than $500. You could probably buy 2.

[where_theres_a_will]

Oh how I'd love to have a CZ 452 trainer in 17 hmr...

But as far as a good option in 17 HMR I'd have to say, for the money, a Marlin 917 V isn't a bad choice. I've had 2 of the Savages (one bought brand new) and they each started to snap on some brands of 17 hmr after a while; you'd lift the bolt handle up and close it back down and it would go off the second time. I have never had that problem with the Marlin. And boy does it shoot good. Easily 3/4 MOA or better with several brands of ammo. Factory trigger sucks but aftermarket ones can be bought. And with some looking you can have one in the $200-250 range used pretty easily.

[Gerald D.]

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big CZ fan but if low ball is what you're looking for take a good look at the Ruger RAR as well, had problems with the first one but Ruger quickly replaced it and the second one is an excellent rifle. I still prefer one of my CZ but on a budget you'd be well served with the Ruger. Oh and I've owned two Savage 93R17 Classics, a Marlin 917 and still have a Savage A17. Lots of good rifles out there for under $500.

[17rimfire]

My vote would be cast at the CZ's as well. I love their rifles. Secondly for me would be marlin. Back when Marlin first released the stainless laminate model 17vs I had to have one, ok 2. I went to scheels and bought one for me and one for my dad, price was $275 each i think. They both are shooting to this day, very accurate. I put cheaper tasco 4-16x42 scopes(silver ones i might add lol)on both and put a rifle basics trigger in mine later, I was still under the $500 mark then. Made for a great looking and shooting set up. Ive had 3 savage 93's before i learned so that sums my opinion on them. Good luck with your search.

[montdoug]

I copied this info from my favorite dealer here in Montana so it wouldn't surprise me that in a more populated area ya couldn't beat that price some.
I bought one in .22 magnum and then bought a CZ .17HMR barrel that switches off and on as easily as 1-2-3!

"CZ 455 VARMINT 17HMR 20.5 CZ 455 VARMINT BOLT ACTION RIFLE.
WALNUT STOCK, BLUED HEAVY BARREL AND ACTION, DETACHABLE MAGAZINE, 2 POS SAFETY.
NEW $479.99".

It is indeed a heavy barrel (.866 at the muzzle) which I like a lot but the "Training Rifle" with the lighter barrel is $50.00 less.

This in my 455 Varmint.



It is a heavy barrel! This is the .22 Mag barrel but the .17 HMR is just the same with a smaller hole . I really like the fact that CZ got with the switchable barrel plan on the 455's, also like the available 10 round magazine. Great shooters.

[Hog Patrol]

Hands down, quality and accuracy for less than $500, a CZ. I own five of them and the 453 with single set trigger, varmint version in 17 HMR is my favorite.

[Daryl]

Here, the CZ's, if you can find one, are well over $500.00.

My 1st. Marlin (which I sold, dammit) was a solid .75" rifle with some groups at 100meters around & under .5". My buddy's Marlin, bought at the same time I got my first, was a solid .375" to .5". My current Marlin is a .8" to .85" rifle (15X scope) with WW 20gr. HP's. It does not like 17gr. which the first one loved.

My current Marlin runs WW 25Hp's at 2,485fps to 2,500fps. I tried a Savage and it also preferred WW 25gr. HP's however it struggled to make a 1" group, most being 1.25" to 1.375". I was going to chamber up a .22 cal. 14" bl. blank to .22WMR but never got around to it.