by Rod_outbak » 12 Mar 2019, 3:19 pm
xDom,
I bought a .17HRM (CZ455 Stainless Synthetic) late last year.
I already had a number of single-shot .22LR rifles, but wanted something with longer legs than a .22LR, but not into the realms of a .223.
The .17HMR gives me about twice the distance I'd shoot with the .22LR, or maybe a bit more.
The effects of wind are more noticeable, but then the projectile is half the weight of most .22LR rounds, and travelling about twice as fast (at muzzle anyway)
For how bitey the round is, it's pretty quiet.
A few people told me that accuracy gets affected if the barrel isnt cleaned regularly (more-so than a .22LR), and I'd probably agree.
From what I've seen, I'd be comfortable shooting a fox out to around 150 metres with the .17HMR.
I've been mostly using the 17Gn Vmax CCI loads, and found they work really well in the CZ. I did try the CCI 17Gn HP pills, and found they werent as tight grouping as the Vmax's. I'd tried the HP's as I read they were better to penetrate, but I still cant better the performance of the Vmax pills in this rifle.
I do also have a box of those A22 rounds to trial, but no idea how they shoot, yet.
I've not used a .22 Mag to say for certain how the .17 HMR compares, but there's been no regret for how this little cartridge has been performing. I bought the CZ 455 because I can swap the barrel between .22LR and .22WMR if I choose, but I only bought the .17HMR barrel to start with. From how hard it seems to be to source a stainless barrel in .22LR, I'm thinking that was just a pipe-dream, and maybe I'll have a reason to just get a CZ 457 in .22LR...
One thought for you; For me, I found the standard trigger was a bit heavy in my CZ.
If I was shooting a .22LR, I'm not sure if I'd have lightened it.
But I tightened my groups by upgrading the trigger; especially out around the 100 metres mark.
Cheers,
Rod.
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Sharing the extreme love with cats in Outback QLD