There has never been commercially available cartridges made expressly for hunting wildcats prior to the introduction of the HMR in 2002. The great majority of cartridges used by other rimfire bullets on the market were adopted by hunters. Keen Hunters purchased rounds that they thought would work and modified them to make their wildcat cartridges in an effort to increase performance.
They opted to neck down the cases to generate smaller projectiles so they would travel flatter and faster, and some of the modifications they made to these cartridges helped develop distinctive wildcat cartridges. This market has recently been thought to be financially feasible.
For the vast majority of wildcat cartridges, no specialised weapons or optics were produced as a result. This has changed because someone in the marketing division woke up and realised how well-liked these cartridges had grown. These calibres, including the.304 Ruger, 7mm-08, and.22-250, suddenly see the production of sights, ammo, and rifles from some major companies as well as from some factory producers.
People who enjoy wildcat hunting started experimenting with different rimfire and centerfire cartridges in an effort to improve their sport. Their intention was to create a substitute for the now-discontinued Remington 5mm Rimfire Magnum.
As a result, these Remington 5mm cartridges are now very impossible to locate. The ammo of choice for fans of wildcat rimfire is 22WMR. It was intended to be an improvement over the long rifle cartridges that had already been tried and true when it was first released in 1959.
They had increased energy and velocity over a long gun cartridge and were made to handle considerably better than the much heavier rounds. When hunting small animals, it was designed to offer more stopping power and a flattened firing curve. The trajectory given by the.22WMR was greatly outperformed by the.17HMR in terms of velocity. For those who are fixated on micro calibre ammunition, this is currently regarded as the highest achievement.
Hornady’s initial release was in 2002. The casing of the 17HMR, which is essentially a WMR component when necked down and loaded, is substantially smaller. bullet of calibre 17 These were available in a 20-grain weights version in addition to the usual 17-grain weight. You can acquire. Although 17HMR bullets have hollow points, the most common ones are made with what are known as ballistic tips.
These are essentially polymer tips that are designed to expand quickly and transfer energy to guarantee that this small bullet delivers a merciful slaughter. These bullets were manufactured utilising a carefully developed load and an ultra lightweight case, and are intended to be successful at distances of up to 200 yards due to the flat trajectory.
Although these look impressive on paper, far too many Hunters hold this belief. Since 17HMR is particularly wind-resistant, keep that in mind when purchasing a scope for yours. A wise investment is 17 HMR. Include one that is specifically made for accounting for and evaluating windage.
With that in mind, we have chosen the top eight .17HMR scopes available on the market today:
- The Engage 4-16x44mm from Bushnell
- The 6-24x50mm Blackhawk Rifle Scope from Barska
- The Sweet 17 6-18x40mm from BSA
- The Varmint 6-24x42mm from TASCO
- The VX-3I 4.5-14x50mm Duplex from Leupold- Editor Choice
- The N750 DigisightPulsar
- The .44 Mag Truplex Side FocusSimmons
- The Buckmaster II 3-9×40 from Nikon
What is a Rimfire and How Does It Work?
As one might anticipate from hearing the name “centerfire cartridge,” it features a primer in the very centre of its entire base, hidden in a tiny pocket. Even more simplistic design is used for rimfire cartridges. The main distinction is that they are significantly less expensive to make and cannot be reloaded like other centerfire cartridges.
Instead of being positioned in the centre of the cartridge’s base. The round’s rim contains a priming substance that will ignite when the rectangular firing pin contacts it. The powder charge in the cartridge then ignites as a result of the energy being transmitted to it. In the past, considerably larger calibre rimfire cartridges were available, but as centerfire cartridges gained popularity, they gradually fell out of favour.
Beware of Dry Firing
A common misconception is that dry firing will harm your gun’s firing pins. While this is true for rimfire weapons, it isn’t always true for centerfire ones. Without a cartridge in the short when you pull the trigger on a rimfire weapon, the firing pin will hit the steel breech face rather than the soft brass cartridge rim.
If you keep doing this, the firing pin point will eventually start to peen over, which will damage or blunt the pin. In the best case scenario, your firing pin will simply break, leading to misses. In the worst event, a broken firing pin might puncture the cartridge base. You do not want this to take place.
Other Variations of the .17 Rimfire
The most sincere type of flattery is imitation. The.17HMR cartridge gained popularity as soon as it was introduced to the market in 2002. In 2002, Hornady produced the Mack2, and in 2012, Winchester opted to release the 2.17 super Magnum. The Mach2 has been constructed like a.22 long rifle cartridge, in contrast to the HMR, which is based on the.22WMR cartridge.
The Super Magnum from Winchester is not what you would consider a traditional load for any rifle because it was based on cartridges that are frequently used in nail guns.
Now Obsolete Rimfires
The Super Magnum from Winchester is not what you would consider a traditional load for any rifle because it was based on cartridges that are frequently used in nail guns.
You will discover that a rimfire cartridge is simply a percussion cap that has been strengthened and expanded upon upon closer inspection. adding internal powder and a bullet that is lodged at the end. You may get a centerfire cartridge in an a. 30. 32 38. 41. 44 and even up to the magnificent before they lost favour. Miller, 58.
One of the most widely used calibres was the.44 created by Henry, and they were still being produced up until the 1930s, when centerfire cartridges replaced them. Although they appear to be identical when placed side by side, the 44 is a significantly larger bullet, so you should be careful not to confuse it with the 22lr.
The popularity of rimfires gradually declined as centerfire technology took over the market, rendering them almost obsolete until the introduction of the. The first innovation from a rimfire load manufacturer in a very long time is the 17 HMR.
How to Pick the Best .17 Scope on the Market?
Because a greater number of shooters opt to use. The best optics for this calibre bullet should be the primary emphasis of this essay, 17HMR we’ve chosen.
If you’re selecting a new, be sincere about it. You might need to consider why you need an optical holdover for a 17 rifle rimfire. Open sights clinking is a lot of fun, and all shooters should definitely be required to use clear views more frequently in order to train their eyes in this way. I always advise people to practise shooting with a free sight before moving on to optics.
Having said that, if you don’t use an optic with your.17HMR, you won’t be able to utilise it to its fullest extent. Up to 200 yards, this projectile travels almost perfectly flat, and it can still be accurate a little distance beyond that. Open sights can be used to shoot over that length of the field with a degree of accuracy if you have excellent skill and vision.
Without a top-notch optic, it is practically impossible for most individuals to do so with pinpoint accuracy, which requires a high level of talent. I find it difficult to suggest any red dot sights or reticles for them despite testing a variety of them. 1:7 HMR. As we already indicated, they can be entertaining for some light plinking. You can use your rimfire to quickly collect some targets, practise dynamic shooting, and increase your accuracy in general.
They just lack the telescopic sight’s level of precision. These have a stronger magnetic field and may capture more light. This enables you to shoot varmint in dim light early in the morning or late at night. For any tiny varmint, even a fox, the 17HMR offers superb long-range shooting and stopping capability.
You should be aware that these little bullets are not appropriate for killing larger species because they merely cannot ensure a merciful death. You must be able to shoot a clean headshot if you plan to hunt foxes. For this reason, we advise utilising them. Making headshots is not difficult due to the flat shooting capabilities of the rifle, especially when it is coupled with a good optic.
Humane kills should always be a top priority when hunting. This is one of the key benefits of utilising a good scope with your. 17HMR is really important.
1. The Engage 4-16x44mm from Bushnell
Key Features:
- Objective lens; 44mm
- Eye relief; 3.6 inch
- Magnification; 4-16x
- Weight; 20.1oz
A 16 power scope must be added if you are using a.22r rimfire rifle. However, you have virtually quadrupled the range with a.17 HMR. 22lr, indicating that the additional Magnification provided by the extension is a good investment. With a 44 mm objective lens and variable zoom on this specific Bushnell product, you get a good field of view along with great light feathering abilities.
The inclusion of adjustable finger turrets is lovely, but given the nearly flat trajectory the.17 gives across that range, they are largely unnecessary. This well-made scope has coated optics that provide great light transmission and are designed to shield against dust and debris.
Given that this scope would probably experience some tough handling and adverse weather conditions in the field, Bushnell’s lifetime warranty is something to take into account.
- Engineered to last and Backed by Bushnell ironclad Warranty
2. The 6-24x50mm Blackhawk Rifle Scope from Barska
I’ve used Barska’s superb binoculars for a number of years and have been quite delighted with both the price and quality of their equipment. Their scopes have the same excellent build quality and price.
Key Features:
- A fat 100yds/mat100m Field of View (13.88/4.23at6x, 4.13/1.25at24x)
- 1.9-6.5mm Exit Pupil
- 1.9″ – 6.5″ Eye Relief
- red/green illuminated Mil-Dot Reticle
- 1″ Tube Diameter
- 6-24x Magnification
- 50mm Objective lens
The 50-millimeter front end lens provides a wide field of view while maximising your ability to gather light. They include an illuminated reticle that you can select from red to green, allowing you to use it to illuminate any indoor targets that you want. Additionally, no light glare nor any water reflections have an impact on this radical. You may also modify your parallax and receive adjustable finger turrets.
- Field of View (ftat100yds/mat100m): 13.88/4.23at6x, 4.13/1.25at24x
- Exit Pupil (mm): 1.9-6.5
- Eye Relief: 1.9 – 6.5
- Reticle: Mil Dot IR
- Tube Diameter: 1
3. The Sweet 17 6-18x40mm from BSA
The 4.17 HMR cockroaches have been specifically targeted for use with the BSA sweet 17 scopes. Their delicate finger adjustable turrets also make modifications simple. Additionally, it has an adjustable focus, which greatly improves the comfort of evaluating your rings.
To make better use of your adjustable turrets, these scopes can easily be converted to Rimfire. because of the’s flat trajectory. Adjustments are not required when shooting from less than 200 yards. It’s doubtful, even though you could adjust the size of 300 yards. 17 will maintain its elevation across that terrain.
Key Features:
- 2nd Plane/crosshair Reticle
- Main Tube Diameter 1″
- Click Impact Point Correction and 1/4 MOA
- Windage & Elevation 70 MOA
- Calibrated for the . 17 HMR
- Adjustable Parallax
- Includes 17gr turret drums
- The zoom ring has an inner drum with markings, and a fixed inner ring with a window cutout
- Durable and long lasting
4. The Varmint 6-24x42mm from TASCO
The wonderful environment that surrounds my music because of 1:7. The popularity of this Costco-made scope is rising. You can adjust for elevation and windage without having to dial any changes into the sight thanks to its high magnification mil-dot reticle memes.
Key Features:
- 6-24x42mm Power/Obj. Lens (mm):
- 13′ – 3.7’/4.3 – 1.2. ft.(@100yds./m@100m): Field of View
- 7mm @6x/ 1.75mm @24x : Exit Pupil (mm):
- SC/ML :Lens Coating
- Eyebell :Focus Type:
- 15/13.7 to infinity : Parallax Setting (yds./m):
- 3″/76 : Eye Relief (in./mm):
- True Mil-Dot : Reticle Type:
- 1/4 M.O.A. Glove-Grip Turrets : Windage/Elevation:
- Tube Dia.: 1″.
- Weight (oz./g): 19.6/555.7.
- Length (in./mm): 16/405.
- Finish: Matte.
It might be necessary to make some corrections for elevation as the .17 has an unusually flat trajectory. But it’s not renowned for its wind resistance.
- Made in USA or imported
- Varmint riflescope with 6-24x magnification and 42 millimeter objective lens
- High-quality multicoated optics produce crystal-clear, bright images
- 1/4 MOA windage and elevation adjustments for fine-tuning accuracy
- Rugged waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof construction
- True Mil-Dot reticle; Measures 19.6 inches; Weighs 19.6 ounces
5. The VX-3I 4.5-14x50mm Duplex from Leupold- Editor Choice
Over a decade ago, I had a Leupold scope permanently attached to my 2 and 3 Tikka T3 4. It has a 42-millimeter usable lens and a 6X range. I have no issues with his performance. For this reason, I’m pleased to endorse any Leupold scope, although you should be aware that they are among the priciest on our list.
The zoom settings on this specific scope are perfect when used with the common duplex reticle. They don’t provide any mil dots for repairs, according to 17. For varmint shooting at any modest range, this scope is ideal.
Key Features:
- Extended twilight max system,
- Excellent brightness in all colors
- Contrast is intensified across tour full field of vision
- The adjustable dual spring system
- The power selector is easy to adjust
- Top warranty on the market
- Model #170704 – VX-3i 4.5-14x50mm with Duplex reticle and Matte finish
- 100% Waterproof, fogproof, and shockproof.
- DiamondCoat 2 – Ion-assist lens coating for higher light transmission and the greatest level of abrasion resistance
- Precision 1/4 MOA finger click adjustments for windage and elevation offer absolute repeatability and dependability over a lifetime of extreme use
- Made with 6061-T6 aircraft quality aluminum and punisher tested to guarantee a lifetime of performance even under harshest recoil
6. The N750 Digisight Pulsar
Both daytime and nighttime shooting are acceptable with the.17 calibre. You need a top-notch night vision scope to make the most of dim lighting. By selecting one with an IR illuminator, the usage of bright bulbs to illuminate targets is no longer necessary. Hunters will be able to chase clothing from other video games with greater success and stealth thanks to this. All the most recent technology are included in this particular Pulsar night vision scope.
Key Features:
- Superb image quality; high resolution.
- 1-shot zeroing.
- Long eye relief.
- Built-in laser IR illuminator with three-step power adjustment.
- Resistant to bright light exposure.
- Built-in and external power supply.
- Lightweight and durable composite housing.
- 550-yard detection range , HD CMOS 1280×720 Sensor with a 1024×768 AMOLED display
- 2x/4x digital zoom with continuous and stepped option
- Stream Vision App – connects scope to smart device for remote viewing and streaming
- Built-in recording with sound, without the use of cables or DVRs and Picture in Picture & precise digital zoom with a wide field-of-view
- Rechargeable B-Pack power system provides 8-hours of battery life
7. The .44 Mag Truplex Side Focus from Simmons
This is a superb product from Simmons that allows you to view targets in high charity resumes at a scale of 4–12. For good reason, Simmons has earned a stellar reputation, and this sight is an illustration of why they have long been a favourite choice for rimfire rifles and airguns because to their price, high level of construction, and near-perfect balance.
Key Features:
- One-inch tube, One-piece scope
- Multi-coated lenses.
- High-quality glass.
- Fast Focus QTA (Quick Target Acquisition) eyepiece
- Comfortable 3.75-inch eye relief
- Elevation adjustment system and TrueZero windage for a locked-in zero
- Windage and elevation adjustments precise 1/4 and 1/8 MOA fingertip
- Side parallax adjustment
- Fog proof, Recoil-proof and waterproof,
- 44-millimeter objective lens
- 4-12x Magnification
- Reticle: Truplex
- Field of View: 7.9 to 2.7 meters at 100 meters/ 23.8 to 8.2 feet at 100 yards
- Click Value: 7 meters at 100 meters/0.25 inches at 100 yards
- Adjustment: 1.7 meters at 100 meters/60 inches at 100 yards
- Eye relief; 95 millimeters/ 3.75 inches
- Exit Pupil: 11 to 3.7 millimeters
- Weight: 377 grams/ 13.3 ounces /
- Finish: Matte
- Riflescope offers robust feature set for the price; Coated optics provide bright, high contrast images; Fully coated optics, waterproof, fog proof & recoil proof
- 3 9X magnification and 50 millimeter objective lens; 31.4 foot field of view at 100 yards at 3X and 10.5 foot field of view at 100 yards at 9X
- 3.75 inch eye relief, 16.6 to 5.6 millimeter exit pupil, 13.2 ounce weight, and 60 inch adjustment range at 100 yards
8. The Buckmaster II 3-9×40 from Nikon
Although it was made with deer hunters in mind, this scope will work well for you as well. 17 HMR. Given that Nikon is the manufacturer, you can be sure that the lens and coatings are of the highest calibre and will give you a clean picture of your targets.
Key Features:
- Magnification: 3-9x
- Objective lens; 40mm
- Field of View at 100yds: 4.4-13.3ft
- Tube Diameter: 1″
- Eye Relief: 3.6″
- Weight: 13.1 oz
- Length: 12.3″
How to Choose The Right Scope Mount
The majority of seasoned hunters and marksmen will tell you that, if you want to blend in, utilising your rifle and sight is only half the task. a 1:7HMR scope for your weapon Dovetails that have been milled must typically be used. choosing your mountain biking is therefore more challenging than choosing a tactical firearm with a Weaver or Picatinny mounting system.
Your chosen amount must be flexible enough to accommodate the length of your scope. Some lenses could need a wheel mount since they have more astronomical optics. For more accurate shooting, you should also think about how to get a solid cheek weld.
Four firearms with movable stocks There is no need for you to be unconcerned about this. However, if you want to make sure you are properly aligned and make your equals more constant and comfortable, you may add a neoprene or foam riser to the stool.
The mounts from Optilock are among the best designed and worth considering of all the mounts on the market. They remain affordable. Before attaching a scope to their two-piece mount, which comes with rings and a base, you would need to build the mount. However, this makes it possible to simply tweak it without ever having to completely redesign it?
Conclusion
If I didn’t think a sight was suitable for use with your.17HMR rifle, I wouldn’t have included it on my list. Once the mounting is proper and the proper sight is fitted, you may actually take advantage of the flatter trajectory that this rifle offers. One benefit of the.17 is that it hardly ever needs adjusting.
When using a.17 calibre rifle, your biggest concern should be your diminished ability to deliver a clean kill at a greater distance. Because it gives the best all-around scope, I advise buying the Leupold VX-3I 4.5-14x50mm Duplex.