Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr? ( Update!! )

LegioX

LegioX

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Minuteman
Aug 25, 2009
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Alaska
#1
I'm a boot in the rimfire world, owning the typical .22 since childhood. I've searched here quite a bit and bolt guns seem to dominate the 17 hmr field. I'd like to know if what I've cooked up in my smaller than normal cranial vault is possible with the current offerings on the market.
I'd like a light, short semi-auto with a picatinny rail on the receiver. As an example, I like the looks of the 10/22 with the Hogue stock and fluted bull bbl.
The rifle will mostly be used in the AZ desert as a varmit/critter getter. Typical range 0-100 yd. Visibility limited by brush and small trees, 4-10ft tall.
Part time use in N. Dakota whacking varmits 0-200 yds.
Does anyone out there make/build such an an animal?
Will a semi-auto perform well with a suppressor? If I'm way out on a limb here let me know.
Thanks in advance.


<span style="color: #FF0000"><span style="font-weight: bold">Update: I ordered a Volquartsen 17 HMR earlier this year. Here is the rifle and a short range report. Thanks to all for your input and advice!!</span></span>

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3495703#Post3495703
 
#6
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

The elephant in the room: What no manafacture wants to talk about is the pontental lawsuits that may arise from a rimfire cartridge that has a shoulder hanging up going into the chamber.
Manafactures are not willing to shoulder the liability if a round is ignited by the bolt pushing on the primer (rim).
 
#8
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

Might you be better suited by the 22 hornet or 223 round? What makes you so interested in the 17 HMR? All those rounds are about equal in price and the hornet and 223 (metal case) will give you better knock down power.

That being said, looks like Clark Customs might do a conversion.
 
#9
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

I recently picked up a home out of Tucson that borders state trust land. In that game unit one can only use rimfires for hunting. You can hike/access the land 14 days per year with a permit. If you pick up a hunting license you can hunt coyotes/varmints all year long. Ergo, get a license and a good rimfire and good things can happen.
I fired my friends 17 hmr and really liked it. I just prefer a semi over a bolt in that terrain but may have to go bolt after all.
 
#10
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

I was reticent to purchase a .17 in bolt. I was looking at one of those Magnum Lites from Magnum Research...then I read about all of the issues that are coming up. So, I found a Marlin 917 at Cabela's...end of story! Best purchase I have ever made!
 
#11
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

Yes the semi auto rifles have experienced problems in 22WMR,17HMR,and 17HM2.They are either going off prematurely or having extractor/bolt problems from the excessive pressure.And most if not all have just quit manufacturing them instead of risking more.I have a 10/22 that I converted to an 17HM2 and you have to run the huge bolt handle for weight to slow down the pressure on the bolt.
 
#12
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bubbajoe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Might you be better suited by the 22 hornet or 223 round? What makes you so interested in the 17 HMR? All those rounds are about equal in price and the hornet and 223 (metal case) will give you better knock down power.

That being said, looks like Clark Customs might do a conversion. </div></div>

Jim Clark doesn't .17HM2 conversions any more due to the problems noted above. As far I know he never did the .17HMR.
10/22 Mags had such a brief production, and there were so many problem with stock 10/22 Mags and conversions .17HMR, it would brave man to build one.

I believes Alexander Arms builds a .22WMR upper. They might have an .17HMR in the works.
 
#15
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

When the .17 <span style="font-weight: bold">kaBOOM!</span> problems surfaced, the ammunition manufacturers pointed their finger at the gun manufacturers and the gun manufacturers pointed their finger at the ammo manufacturers. Rather than engage in the mud wrestling match that surely would have followed, Remington elected to just issue a "voluntary recall" on their .17 HMR 597s, Ruger stopped development on the 10/17, and all the ammo manufacturers published warnings the sole purpose of which was to put the oneness on the gun manufacturer.

There are guys on the Internet who've published chronograph results showing some Hornady ammunition exceeds the factory's MV claims. Some folks have looked at this information and concluded that 1) their chronographs are accurate and 2) the 'excessive' muzzle velocity indicates dangerously high chamber pressure.

There's other folks who believe that the <span style="font-weight: bold">kB!</span>s are the result of a little grime in the chamber -- which prevents the cartridge from fully seating -- and the fact that the 597 has no mechanism to prevent it firing out of battery. And there's another theory that the cause is premature extraction; extracting the casing while pressures are too high, causing the unsupported portion of the case to rupture.

I exchanged E-mails with Scott Volquartsen about the problem. He intimated the problem with the 597 was sloppy tolerances, which is not a problem with his rifles. There were a number of accounts in the different online gun forums from people who had had a <span style="font-weight: bold">kB!</span> and continued to use the rifle, and they had another <span style="font-weight: bold">kB!</span>. And there are people who have put thousands of rounds through their 597s -- me among them -- without a single <span style="font-weight: bold">kB!</span>.

That led me to believe this is a gun-specific problem. Manufacturing tolerances always will shift slightly over time, which can be especially problematic if your tolerances were on the loose side to begin with. I'm convinced that Remington let a few guns get out of the house with out of spec chambers. And I believe that the guns that are well broken in and have had no such problem aren't likely to.

So I've refused to submit to their recall. I still have a .17 HMR 597 and a semiauto .17 HM2 Marlin 717. They are the two most accurate rimfires I ever have owned. I even have a bolt action CZ 452 American in .17 HMR and both the 597 and the 717 will outshoot it. I do pay more attention than I might otherwise to the cleanliness of their chambers but I have ZERO compunction about continuing to shoot both.
 
#16
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

Very interesting Fred. Thanks for the info. Sounds like it's working out for you. So to clear it up for me, the Volquartsen rifles have had no problems you're aware of?
 
#17
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

LegioX, I've not heard of any. And Volquartsen is such a small company, they have a much lower tolerance to liability law suits than Remington. I doubt he'd be building it if he wasn't dead nuts certain it's safe.

And I think that Alexander Arms upper is a fairly new item for them, which would seem to indicate that AA also is convinced the cartridge is not the problem.
 
#19
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

I had a 597 in 17HMR. I never had a problem with it, but didn't want to chance it so I got a VQ 22mag barrel for it and switched it out. I do have a VQ 17HMR that is a tack driver. Never had a problem with it either. Magnum Research used to make 17HMR and 22Mag rifles but dropped the 17HMR. The 22Mags that they make have a bleed off hole in the barrel for excess preasure. I have one in 22Mag and it also shoots great. If you want a 17HMR semi auto get a VQ.
 
#20
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

if I could afford a Volquartsen semi-auto .17, I'd have one in a heartbeat. Though, when I hit the lotto on Wednesday, I'm just going to have trouble deciding on how many.
 
#23
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

I want to bring to your attention that under no circumstances can you hunt anything in Arizona with a suppressor. It's totally illegal here and absolutly not allowed. Just in case you didn't already know...

-Dylan
 
#25
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

The Magnum Research is a sweet little gun for me.

I dropped in a Volquartsen Trigger Group, as the standard Ruger trigger sucks, but I like the gun and it shoots very well.
 
#27
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

so, do the Magnum Research semi-auto's have the same issue with the .17? What about the newer Remington's?
 
#28
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

Magnum Research doesn't make the 17HRM anymore. They pulled them and swtiched any over to 22mag for those who wanted it done. My 22Mag Magnum Reseach is very accurate and works great.
 
#31
Re: Who makes a good semi-auto 17hmr?

yup, unfortunatly trying to squeeze off that quick followup shot on the 2nd now-running target really bites.

it is kinda cool though when they just fall over dead for you after the first *bang*

one moment they're standing there looking at you.. the next moment


i think he may have twitched his paw a few times.. but that was about it
smile.gif
 
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