If you can find one used, I recommend a Marlin 917m2 bolt action heavy barrel. They don't make them new anymore. Mine is an '05 and is very accurate. I can cut weed stalks with it.
If you want a new one, Savage still makes one I believe. And you may try CZ.
Good luck.

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Thanks Marlinguy76!

 

If you have a Ruger Precision Rimfire or a cz455 you can purchase a blank 17 cal barrel from Green Mountain. Then have a gunsmith chamber and contour it to fit either of those guns. Both are good platforms and straight forward to work with. Look at spending around $450 for the barrel and work.

 

With a name like Marlinguy what do you think he is going to recommend? Haha I'm just kidding because he's right, they are a great gun. The Savage is maybe the least expensive but still descent, if you can find a used CZ, Anschutz, Volquartzen or custom as well as some I'm forgetting you just have to see what feels good. I have owned several and never had one that shot bad from the cheapest to the more expensive.

 

I also recommend a Hawke Vantage 17hm2 scope if you can find one. It's discontinued, but it's worth having.
There is also an app from Hawke that helps with ballistics.

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I have a Savage mkii that is super accurate. Get one and a Boyds stock to bed it in. :bthumb:

 

I grabbed a mach2 barrel for my CZ 455 from Whistle Pig for $120 shipped. They also have them for Ruger 10/22s....10/17m2. You would need the heavy bolt/handle to run it though.

 

My only HM2 chambered 'firearm' I own is a T/C Contender Super 16 bull barrel. Makes for a short stubby little carbine that is surprisingly barrel heavy, helping steady it for shooting offhand. It takes quite a bit of shooting (at least 20 rounds) in short succession to get the barrel to warm up and possibly shift zero. So a possible good choice for prarie dog shooting where targets are many. We don't have those here, so no 1st hand experience.

What do you intend to use this for ? Plinking, target shooting, hunting or other ? That might help you and others determine what your needs are.

I hope this helps - good luck finding your firearm. :bthumb:

 

The plan is to use it for target and hunting.....mostly squirrel and pests/small varmints. I just think it's a neat little round which can be used to fill the gap between my HMR.17 and my .22's.

 

In the last 18 months I've purchased a CZ 452 American in .17m2, a 452 Varmint, a Sako Quad that came with both threaded and non threaded .17m2 barrels, about 2 years ago I purchased a Marlin 717 and a 917m2S heavy barrel. They are out there on the used market you just have to keep your eyes open form them. Good Hunting.

717m2 in near new condition.

 

A couple of weeks ago I lucked into a New England Sportster .17 Mach2 single shot rifle. It had been on the sporting goods shelf for a while and they wanted to move it. It's a fun little rifle to shoot and seems to prefer Eley ammo over Hornady even though both are certainly tree squirrel accurate at 25 yards. In addition to this rifle, I have a CZ 452 American and Varmint in this caliber which have taken their share of tree squirrels. This is a great caliber in any rifle.

 

How do those Whistle Pig 17hm2 barrels work? Very accurate?

 

I sighted both my Whistle Pigs(.22 & m2) in out in a windy corn field when it was cold as H. I can't make a decision yet. Think they will be fine. I am not even sure how far out the targets were exactly.....40 yards roughly. Going to try to shoot over the holiday though.

 

Sako Quad

 

I've used my 917m2 to dispatch some aggressive grackles at my dad's place. They can be difficult to hit as they usually have a lookout to warn the others. The 17 mach2 is just the ticket to get those pesky birds. It really does a number on them and doesn't have the crack of the 17 hmr.
Good luck. Hope you find one, they are a blast to shoot.

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I've used my 917m2 to dispatch some aggressive grackles at my dad's place. They can be difficult to hit as they usually have a lookout to warn the others. The 17 mach2 is just the ticket to get those pesky birds. It really does a number on them and doesn't have the crack of the 17 hmr.

Have you tried the CCI Quiet and similar rounds to get around the loud report of magnum rounds ? Range is a limiting factor, but my gosh those Quiets really are quiet ! We sometimes use them in camp during deer season, they are pellet rifle sound level in even short barrelled rifles.

Grackles are pretty intelligent birds alright, I hope you got them in their place. :t

 

I see Anschutz 1502 come up for sale now and then. I bought a used one at the Wanenmacher Gun Show in Tulsa and they are fantastic rifles. Mine has killed dozens of squirrels since I bought it. I paid $700 and that included 2 bricks of ammo; a real bargain. Saw one awhile back for $600. Cots more than Savage, Marlin, or CZ, but well worth it to me.

 

You never did say what you price range was. Do you have a limit?

 

Really depends on the gun. What it is and what condition it is in.

 

Don't buy a 17HM2 in a semi-auto gun. Several years back some shooters tried to make the 10/22 into a 10/17HM2. For various reasons (mostly because the pressure curves are so much different and the 10/22 so crude) blowout of the cases were common.

I got the CZ Varmint in 17HM2 close to the time of introduction of the cartridge. In hind sight I was disappointed in the cartridge (not the gun!). The inherent accuracy touted by Hornady in the day could be bested by a good 22 target rifle with a huge choice of ammo's, unlike the ever diminishing choice of ammo for the 17HM2.

But we all get to choose.

LDBennett

 

Find a dealer going to shot show and get them to order one of the new anschutz rifles that are supposed to be there.

 

And then...

And then there is the option of having a favorite rifle relined to 17 Mach2!!! A fixed breech rifle, not a semi-auto. Too many potential problems with the semi-auto conversions, some were mentioned in a previous post.
I have a Mossberg model 140B relined to 17 Mach2, it's a magazine fed bolt action repeater. An 1894 Stevens Favorite rebuilt and the barrel relined to 17 Mach2, its an under-lever, pivoting block, single shot. Currently working on a Hopkins & Allen model 922. It started off life as a 22 rimfire but the barrel had serious issues so it was relined to 17 Mach2. It is a true falling block, with an under-lever, and is single shot also.
So if you really like 580 series Remington's... well then get one and have it relined to 17 Mach2
Just some ideas for you to consider!!!
God Bless, Frank.

 

I'm with Tfrank on building the rifle you want. I have built a number of rifles and everyone has shot at least as well as a good factory rifle.I have built a number of them on the 581 action and I have a 22mag on a Stevens Favorite, no problem with any of them. Maybe if you talk nice to Tfrank he would do a barrel for you as he has a 17hm2 reamer and barrel reamer. If you look at his work I don't think you would worry about hiring him and the quality of his work. There are a number of guys on here that do beautiful work or you just dive in and do it yourself.

 

I wouldn’t do anything until after SHOT SHow. More rifle options for 17hm2 are coming.

 

hopefully a RAR is coming...

 

I forgot my latest .17m2 and its the most expensive and likely the least useful but it's neat to me at least.

Same shop had its twin in .17hmr, just didn't hold the same attraction as the .17m2 to me at least.

 

Gerald---That is a very elegant rifle. Really a sweet heart of a rifle.

 

GMD1950 that is a cool rifle, kills them one at a time. I wish my eyes would allow me to shoot peeps again as they are a lot of fun and I love single shots.

 

GRG and GMD, I have...



GRG and GMD, I have the same issue with my eyes. Here is my solution!!! It is really nice that the Favorite that I got had the half-round/half octagonal barrel, makes putting a scope base pretty simple!!!

I think that old steel tube 4x12 AO El Paso made Weaver looks pretty good sitting on that rifle. I'm hoping that this H&A 922 looks and shoots as good as the 1894 Favorites does!!!
God Bless, Frank

 

Don't know how much longer I'll be able to either Glenn but I'm loving it for now, a brick lasts a long time with this lil' sweet heart.

 

Here is my latest 17 Mach2!!!

Here is my latest 17 Mach2!!! It's a Hopkins & Allen 922 and it is a true falling block, not a pivoting block as in the Stevens Favorite. Just finished carving out the butt stock. I think I could have done better but I don't think I am goint to whittle out another one. Too time consuming. Still need to final fit the butt stock to the receiver, and sand and finish both the butt and fore stocks.

God Bless, Frank.