# 17 HMR or 204 What's your experiences



## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I just got the OK from my master to purchase a new toy and I'm debating a 17 HMR or the 204. I don't have a lot of money to spend, so I want to get the best for the least. On line I see the manufacturers don't always include sights on the guns, so I'll need a scope as well.

What are your opinions on the caliber, and the maker of the gun/scope. I'm planning on pot gut shooting etc., maybe animals as large as a fox.

Help me out with this one. I'll just sit back and read what you say.

Thanks in advance!


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

These are two very dissimilar cartridges. The 17HMR is effective to around 200 yards on small varmints. The 204 out as far as you can see them. The 204 will compare to the 22-250, and the 17HMR to the 22 Win. Mag. Do you reload? The 17 is not reloadable, the 204 is. You will find that rifles for the 17 will be a lot cheaper than for the 204. And less expensive, too. I really enjoy shooting my 17, and the 204 is on my to buy list.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Loke,
What about cost of shells? I don't reload because I shoot mostly muzzleloaders, but since I got the nod this could turn into something bigger than just purchasing a gun and some shells.
What about recoil with the 204?


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

I love the 204, I have a savage 12fvs. If you are going to use it for just potguts and p-dogs the 17 will probably be enough but if you plan on anything bigger than say a fox I would go with the 204. The ammo isn't to bad hornandy is about $20 a box of 20. I reload so it isn't an issue for me. 
Like Loke said the 204 can reach out there while the 17 your limited. And where I p-dog hunt I have had shots up to 500 yards. I guess it depends on how much your "allowed" to spend. Cuz the 204 will be a bit more pricey.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Oh and the recoil is very very lite with a 204.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

I have had them both and I no longer own the .17 HMR . I now own 3 different .204's. :lol: Recoil. Lets just say you get to watch the business happen in the scope. The .204 seems to be inherently accurate. And they do reach out there a long long ways. The .17 is a great little round. My furthest P-dog kill with the one I had (H&R Bull Barrell) was 237 +or - a yard or two. Cost for ammo. Well the .204 is about what mikev says, but again reloading brings it down. The .17 used to be $8.99 fer 50. I think they are about $12.00 a box now. Good luck on your choice.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I have a 17 by Savage and really like it, but being a rimfire, the whole rifle is the cheaper version of everything. I like it just fine, but it is very distinct from the 204/22-250/223 crowd. Here are some samples for prices to expect in the 17:
Savage
Not very many manufacturers make the .17, but nearly all of them now make the 204, you will quickly see the increase over double for the 204 vs the 17hmr:
Remington 700 SPS
Savage
Ruger

As far as optics go, 10 guys will give you 8 different answers. Most say you get what you pay for, which is true, but when the budget is from an average Joe like me, anything >$200 just is not going to happen on something to shoot the pdogs. So, one that I think is a pretty good value are the Cabela's brand scopes for this category. I have the tactical/adjustable distance for my rimfires and like them in a 3-9x40. They usually go on sale for around $50 or so.

Good luck!


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm not sure on the price of ammo on the 204, but 17s are in the $12 per fifty range. My 17 is the Ruger 17/77 with the 24 inch tapered target /varmint barrel. The extra 4" of barrel gives me an extra 100 fps over the 20" barrels. My buddy had his 20" Marlin out with me one day and I had the cronograph. You can see your bullet strike with the 17 as well. There is not enough recoil to matter. My rifle cost as much as some of the centerfires that are listed in this thread, but on average, you will spend less for the rimfires. And if you don't handload, ammo will be cheaper as well. As for scopes, I have a 3-9 Sightron with mil dots on mine. Some day I may even figure out how thew work. My longest shot on a p-dog was laser ranged at 210 yards. I held a dot and a half high and hit him in the head. Did I say that the 17HMR was the most accurate rimfire that I have evere seen? You will have to decide what your range, and budget limits are going to be, and you should be happy with either one. Oh, and the 17 is going to be a lot quieter to shoot, if that is going to be a factor in your decision.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

My experiences has been that the .17 HMR is deadly on potgut sized critters. Mine is a Marlin and it drives tacks!

The .17 isnt as loud as the .204. The barrel will not heat up as quickly if you find the New York City of potguts. Just a wicked, fun, caliber.

The .204 looks awesome.. But I'd say better suited for a little larger game at longer distances.

There's also the .17 centerfire.. -Ov-


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

Which one? The 17 Remington, or the 17 Remington Fireball? Or if you want to throw in a simple wildcat, there is the 17 Ackley Hornet. That is one that I would love to try.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Loke said:


> Which one? The 17 Remington, or the 17 Remington Fireball? Or if you want to throw in a simple wildcat,* there is the 17 Ackley Hornet. That is one that I would love to try*.


Right..

Bears Butt- I think you should get that one and let us know how she works! :wink:


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Hugh 29...thanks for the links. Thank all of you for your comments. This is going to be a tougher decision than I first thought. I shared all of your comments with my wife and she just rolled her eyes. She probably can see this thing escalating to include scopes, reloading equipment etc. I'm tending to swing toward the 204, but then I think about our budget and bend back toward the cheaper entry weapon and shells.

Keep the comments coming! I'm loving this.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I really enjoy shooting both calibers and wouldn't try and talk you out of either. But when I open my safe, I usually grab my 204 because it really reaches out there and hits hard. You can find some great deals on 204 ammo too. The other day I was at sportsmans and they had HSM 32 and 40 gr bullets in a box of fifty for about $25 or so. And for that price, I'd forget the 17hmr


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## gwailow (Jan 20, 2008)

Like it was said earlier--the 17 HMR is the most accurate rimfire I have ever seen. I love shooting this little gem. If you're looking for a small animal sniper gun, this is your ticket. I love the heck out of my .17.

Here's my lil' guy http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/93R17BTVS I was a little skeptical about buying a cheap scope but I ended up putting the Cabelas "Pine Ridge" .17 Tactical scope on it and it's a shooter.

As of right now my record for longest shot on a rabbit is 273yds, I would really like to see the 300 yd mark. In comparison to the 204 though it's kind of apples to oranges...if you want that little bit bigger cartridge with the extra knockdown power and distance, and the ability to reload for it...go with the .204 If you're looking for an awesome fun little rimfire sniper cartridge at about $12 for a box of 50 go with the .17.


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

I just picked up a savage .17hmr last week at Cal-Ranch. It came with a 3-9 scope (simmons). The package was $240.00. I took it out Saturday and was giddy after shooting 15 shots at 50 yards and with one ragged hole, except one flyer 1/8 inch low!

This is going to be a plinker/truck gun for me. It's a cheap, fun shooting gun. The scope is cheap but with no recoil, I'm not concerned about that right now.

You can certainly spend a whole lot more on a great .17 or get a nice .204 but this fits the bill for what I wanted.

As many have said, the two guns are in different categories.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

The above two posts sum it up for me. The .17HMR is the funnest "plinking" gun you will ever own. Starlings at 100 yards turn into "puffs" of feathers. Game bigger than rabbits get the .22-250, anything smaller like squirrels and the HMR is the ticket.


-DallanC


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

I picked up an H&R 204 ruger and put a Leupold VXI 4-12 on it. 500 yards is very do-able for coyotes. Prairie dogs are good past 500, but the scope limits me to around 500 yards. Anything under 200yards is like shooting a 22 at 50 feet at pop cans, it is almost too easy to hit. At a 200 yard zero the bullet is never more than .6 inches from zero up to 220 yards. It has an amazingly flat trajectory and those bullets buck the wind as well as most of the 22-250 and 243 win offerings and better than the 223. 

204 ruger shells can be bought for $35/50 32g vmax at sportmans warehouse. I'm currently reloading them for $0.22 a shell which would put you at $11 a box. The more I shoot 204 ruger, the more my other guns stay in the safe. It is an amazing cartridge. If you're thinking of plinking at 22 steel rotating targets, they will not last very long with that cartridge.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Good stuff guys! Keep it coming! I really like the idea of the Savage rifle/scope combo even though the scope is cheap. I have scopes on a couple of my other rifles, but they don't get used much (muzz rifles are king with me). This purchase however is for an entirely different purpose and I like the idea of watching the bullet strike on full power through the scope.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

This is a good option as well for a scope / rifle combo:

http://www.galleryofguns.com/Genie/Defa ... =No+Sights

It would run you about $550

Or there is this Savage which would run you about the same:

http://www.galleryofguns.com/Genie/Defa ... =No+Sights


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## ACHY (Oct 18, 2007)

This is the one I like, but cheap it is not: http://www.henryrepeating.com/h004dd_goldenboyengraved.cfm
You can always go with the regular version, if you don't want to spend that much: http://www.henryrepeating.com/h004_goldenboy.cfm

(I really like some of their other Golden Boy rifles, but these are the only two that come in .17 HMR.)


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

ACHY said:


> This is the one I like, but cheap it is not: http://www.henryrepeating.com/h004dd_goldenboyengraved.cfm
> You can always go with the regular version, if you don't want to spend that much: http://www.henryrepeating.com/h004_goldenboy.cfm
> 
> (I really like some of their other Golden Boy rifles, but these are the only two that come in .17 HMR.)


I own a Henry Golden-Boy in .22 WMR and LOVE the gun. It feels just so right in my hands


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Cabela's has this one on sale right now, I would get a little better scope I think:
Cabela's ad


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> Cabela's has this one on sale right now.[/url]


This is a good deal....it is the one I got at Cal Ranch for the regular price. Yea the scope is cheap but that can be replaced later if you want to.

I also have a Henry Goldenboy .17hmr and love to shoot it but I refuse to put a scope on it (It's an ugly mount and detracts from the guns looks)) and I really don't want to take it out hunting and scratch it. But that's just me.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Wow! That is an inexpensive gun! Especially with a scope. They say you get what you pay for, but Savage has a pretty good reputation, and it looks like a pretty stylish rifle. I'll be looking into that one.

Thanks!


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Well, I went and bought that Savage. I didn't buy it from Cabela's because my wife works for Smith and Edwards. I was able to get one that had been returned. I didn't ask why it was brought back, but they said it had never been shot. Then I upgraded the scope to a 3X9 variable and with 3 boxes of shells I only spent about $50 more than the Cabela's one. I have yet to shoot it, but it looks good to me.

Thanks for all of your input on both the 17 and the 204. If I had the reloading equipment I would have considered the 204 more than the 17. Something else to dream about for the future.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Congrats Bears Butt, Great choice, I'm sure your going to like it!

Happy shooting! -8/-

Make sure you post up a report.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Either way it would be a good choice. :wink:


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I think you will have a lot of fun with your .17HMR, they really redefined rimfires IMO. 

I'd love to hear a review when you get out and shoot it


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

They are just a fun gun to shoot!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Congrats, let us know how she rides!


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

What a nice little shooter. The young man at Smith and Edwards bore sighted it for me and my first shot was at 3 o'clock about 5 inches...I cranked the windage to the left and put the next 8 shots right around the bull. I'm not a scope kinda guy and my heart beat had that thing bouncing all over the place. It's is the smoothest little rifle I've ever shot. No recoil, just some noise and ping you see the hole. Fastest little bullet I've ever shot.

If you are looking for a fun little gun, this baby is way cool! I sighted it in at 50 yards and ended with it being just about 1 inch high. From what I understand that should have it zeroed at 150 yds. A lot farther than I'll probably shoot at small game, but anything between me and that distance had better have armor on, cuz he is goin down!

Sweet! Thanks to all of you and your advise. I'll still be sleeping with my wonderful bride, but that little rifle will be in the back of my mind...like an old girlfriend or pinup from a girly mag.

I'm outa here!


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I think you made a great choice. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the damage that little bullet does. There are some great options for bullets in that caliber, I love the Hornady Vmax and the CCI Tnt bullets


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> Cabela's has this one on sale right now, I would get a little better scope I think:
> Cabela's ad


Is this ad for the Lehi Cabelas? I can't see on the flyer where it specifies. I do see it is good until April 30th but they didn't seem to know anything about it when I went in to get another .17 hmr for a son.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Doc said:


> Huge29 said:
> 
> 
> > Cabela's has this one on sale right now, I would get a little better scope I think:
> ...


Its on page 2 (click on the left side of the screen for page 2)


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

I know the add is on page two, but there is a disclaimer "Prices listed in circular are only valid in the store the circular is for". My question is: Is this flyer good for the Lehi Cabelas store?

I've printed the flyer and will take it in to the store to see if they will honor the price.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Doc said:


> I know the add is on page two, but there is a disclaimer "Prices listed in circular are only valid in the store the circular is for". My question is: Is this flyer good for the Lehi Cabelas store?
> 
> I've printed the flyer and will take it in to the store to see if they will honor the price.


Sorry Doc, I misunderstood your question.

I'd call them before I made the drive just to make sure they honor that price. Otherwise I have a friend in Midvale that could order you one for a comparable price


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

Thanks Bax,

But I've got some cabelas points I need to use so I'd like to get them to break lose if they will.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Yes, that was specifically for the Lehi Cabela's; this page is specifically for the Lehi store with all sales and events http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... ailStores**Lehi*

They should have that same sale flyer at the entrance in my experience. Good luck!


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

That's what I needed. Thanks.


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## Nalgi (Apr 16, 2010)

*Re: I only have a .17 HMR*

and I love it. We shoot ground squirrels all summer long and not having to reload 2-300 rds per weekend is a blessing. I have a Savage with a Leupold 3-9 on it. 100 yds in you just dont miss
LAst weekend my wife shot 137 squirrels while I video'd mostly. Great fun

go with the 17


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

Thanks Huge, picked one up at Cabelas for my son, is he ever excited. Came with a Bushnell 3X9 scope.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

You should have picked up 2..one for him, one for you!


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2007)

I've already got mine.  Just ordered a sweet 17 6-18 BSA scope to put on it. If I don't like it, my son will be more than happy to take it off my hands.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Doc said:


> I've already got mine.  Just ordered a sweet 17 6-18 BSA scope to put on it. If I don't like it, my son will be more than happy to take it off my hands.


I put a Sweet 17 on mine, and I'm sort of impressed with it. I don't like to hunt with it, but it works well for target shooting


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