.17 Mach 2?

[taylorce1]

I don't know why but I have the bug for a .17 Mach 2 rifle. There aren't a whole lot of options out there for rifles, especially if you're trying to stay away from certain brands. It seems like a Ruger 77/22 is the best option to rebarrel. I'm just trying to figure out what other .22 lr rifle is fairly easy to swap barrels on (custom prefit)?

I'm sure stagpanther will be along shortly to let me know, and I'm sure he's not the only one with that experience.

[natman]

The CZ 457 is designed to switch barrels and 17 Mach2 barrels are available.

[stagpanther]

I don't know why but I have the bug for a .17 Mach 2 rifle. There aren't a whole lot of options out there for rifles, especially if you're trying to stay away from certain brands. It seems like a Ruger 77/22 is the best option to rebarrel. I'm just trying to figure out what other .22 lr rifle is fairly easy to swap barrels on (custom prefit)?

I'm sure stagpanther will be along shortly to let me know, and I'm sure he's not the only one with that experience.

What..who...me?

Actually pure coincidence I stumbled on this. ; ) I thought about the 17M2 a couple years ago for my CZ--but it was just a pipe dream since CZ and nobody else had them. I just checked Lilja and they do. Headspacing is the tricky part; Lilja sends a set of shims with the barrel but you will definitely need an accurate depth guage as tolerance needs to be precise. Other models might be screw-ons.

For a while CZ had their rifles available with two barrels at one point one of them might have been a 17 m2--I can't remember for sure.

[9x19]

Ruger Precision Rimfire uses a barrel nut similar to an AR... Lothar Walther makes/made .17M2 barrels for it.

[stagpanther]

I've got 2 CZ 457's already--I just noticed that the jaguar is "back in circulation"--I might just have to get another one. Short of spending big bucks for a match-grade custom rifle--which really might be worth it if you're serious about rimfire--for the price you won't be disappointed with a CZ.

[taylorce1]

Easy button is buy a brand new Savage A17 or MKII, but I don't like either. I'm also not fond of the RPR, but it is a better option than the Savage IMO. Volquartsen makes the Summit straight pull but it is $1600 for the one I like. I really dislike the MagPul stock they use.

[stagpanther]

I love my CZs in a KRG chassis.

I was looking at magnum research's custom build site for revolvers--they also will custom build 22lr rifles, might be worth a call to find out what their barrel system is and if a 17 M2 could be swapped. Lilja does make a 17 M2 for the Ruger 77/22 and also have tapered barrels available.

[stinkeypete]

I have the CZ 455 American Combo in .22 LR and .17 HMR and I like it. Very pretty.

Leija will sell you a CZ 457 .17 HM2 barrel for $505 so...

about $500 for the CZ and $505 for the barrel then fussing it together for $1000

Just out of curiosity, I looked up CZ 527 (now discontinued) in .17 hornet on Guns International and those run about $1100. For the extra $100 you get a center fire .17 you might reasonably load way down with a flyspec of Bullseye but you'd miss out on grousing about rimfire ammunition!

[wachtelhund1]

I had a Marlin 25 in .22LR, which I bought years ago for $25.00. I had it relined to .17 Mach 2. It was a good rifle, I sold it and can't remember why I sold it.

[44 AMP]

The problem I have with .17s is that my .22 cleaning rods don't fit!

The real problem I have with them is with the rimfire ones. Don't ever forget the 5mm Rem mag!!! Eventually, after the "blush was off the rose", Ammo was no longer made, and it even got to the point where a single box of ammo was worth more than the rifle.

Maybe I'm just too cheap, but spending $ 500-1000 on any rimfire that doesn't have multiple decades of production and really widespread use and popularity just isn't sensible for me.

If you've got the budget, go ahead, and enjoy what you enjoy. Just remember the sad story of the previous rimfire wonder round ended, and not well.

[wachtelhund1]

5mm Rem Mag ammo is available. The gun shop that I frequent has had 5mm Rem Mag on his self for years. It is made by Aguila.

[mikejonestkd]

5mm Rem Mag ammo is available.

a buck a round for non reloadable rimfire ammo might be a deal breaker for many people

[44 AMP]

Expensive 5mm Rem ammo is again available today, since foreign production started a few years ago. Before that there was a long (I think 20+ years or so) when there was NO 5mm ammo outside of the hands of cartridge collectors.

[stagpanther]

I wouldn't worry about the M2 going away as long as Hornady is significantly vested in .17 A/V max bullets in partnership with CCI. I would prefer that there would be alternatives offered by the premium rimfire manufacturers like SK, Ely and RWS. RWS being the "best of the best" IMO.

[stagpanther]

There's also 17 wsm BTW.

[jetinteriorguy]

Okay you’ve got my curiosity going. Why? I’m a huge fan of the .17HMR but am not familiar with the .17M2. But just looking at it and researching a bit what makes it more useful than just getting a .17HMR? I get it just for the fun of it, but mostly curious if it serves a purpose or fits a certain niche.

[stagpanther]

I have an 17 hmr--but to be honest still prefer 22lr for my rimfire fun.

Okay you’ve got my curiosity going. Why? I’m a huge fan of the .17HMR but am not familiar with the .17M2. But just looking at it and researching a bit what makes it more useful than just getting a .17HMR? I get it just for the fun of it, but mostly curious if it serves a purpose or fits a certain niche.

Theoretically the extra velocity--and bullet drop better, but in the end all bitty bullets get pushed around.

[Scorch]

The 17 Mach 2 is a cute little round that got overshadowed by its big brother the 17 HMR. I almost built a 17 Mach 2 years ago and decided to build a 17 HMR instead just because. But there ar etimes when I wish I had built the little guy instead. They tend to be very accurate and shoot almost as flat as the HMR but don't buck wind as well with the itty-bitty buwwets they use. But out to 150-ish I'm sure they would be adequate.

If you want a barrel, call the folks at Lilja, they make an awesome barrel. Green Mountain would be good if you can get one, but you'll have to basically build it yourself since their barrels are full diameter/no taper.

[jetinteriorguy]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

I have an 17 hmr--but to be honest still prefer 22lr for my rimfire fun.



Theoretically the extra velocity--and bullet drop better, but in the end all bitty bullets get pushed around.

Yeah, for general all around shooting and plinking the good old .22 is pretty hard to beat. A few years ago an old friend of mine back home in Nodak introduced me to the .17HMR. Shooting gophers at 150-200 yds was just so much fun I had to have one. Out to 100 yds the .22 is great but longer shots, not so much.

[stagpanther]

Shooting gophers at 150-200 yds was just so much fun I had to have one. Out to 100 yds the .22 is great but longer shots, not so much.

I think there's a "mad rush" to push the ole 22lr between 100 and 200 yds and still get great accuracy--but that involves trying to figure out if you can launch it supersonic and keep it reasonably stable as it goes transonic (which as far as I know nobody has really figured out yet) or hope for a absolute calm day and throw hail Mary passes out there with cartridges that start right at the transonic barrier--which does work, on occasion, for me. I've done a boatload of reloads with cutting edge's solid high BC bullets but still haven't managed to get anything really consistent and small, meaning 1 MOA out to 200 yds.

But it sure is fun trying.

[taylorce1]

Simple ballistics tells me the .17 HM2 drifts less in the wind than .22 LR. Even if the bullets had the same BC the faster one drifts less. Also currently the 17 HM2 is about 10-12 cents cheaper on average to shoot than the .17 HMR and .22 WMR.

[stagpanther]

I say go for it--I'm dying to hear your range results and then you can talk me into getting a barrel.

[44 AMP]

Simple ballistics shows simple things, like one drifts less than the other. If you stop there, then obviously less drift is the superior round.

But take another step and look at how much less drift there is, and even more importantly, is it something the shooter can use? or use easily??

I don't have the numbers for the various .17s but just look at the base concept, of "less is more". It is more, IF it provides some useable advantage, otherwise,, not so much.

You have to be able to compensate for drift (and drop) no matter what it is, if its anything other than zero (which, on Earth, it will be) so, since that is the case, compensating for 1" drift vs 1.4" drift or 2" drift involves exactly the same thing differing only in amount. Knowing what amount you need to compensate for with what ever you are shooting is more important than the difference in drift between different cartridges.

Put another way, if you need to hold off 3" for a .22 but only 1" for a .17, you still have to hold off, and be able to hold off (or adjust for) that much at the given range. If you can do that correctly for one round, you should be able to do it correctly for a different round. If you can't flatter trajectories and less wind drift aren't going to help much.

[stagpanther]

Almost spooky--after posting #20 earlier today--I received notice that Lapua has introduced a new "super long range" 22lr which they say is "phenomenal" (I didn't notice any quantification of what "phenomenal" is) out as far as 300 meters and beyond. It seems to be of the "exit the muzzle at transonic camp" but apparently they've made a significant gain in bullet design. I'll try it if I can ever get my hands on some.

[Adventurer 2]

CCI Standard Velocity is the extent of my special 100 yard 22 LR ammo. I did see an article about Shot Show 2023 about Norma Extended Long Range 22 LR ammo: https://www.ssusa.org/content/best-o...%20300%20yards.