Hunter with a question for you "shooters".....

[bswiv]

Not being a gun guy, even though I own a few and hunt, I thought I'd wander over here where the folks that really know guns lurk to ask this question.

First let me explain the reason for the question. We own timberland here in FL, land that we lease out to a group of real nice guys who hunt it.

Whenever we are in the woods doing work we keep a rifle in the seat of the truck so that the odd coyote can be assaulted. The rifle we used for years is a Ruger Mini 14 with a short barrel.

I do not like the rifle, never have.

Not that it is not plenty accurate.....and lord knows it ALWAYS functions, but it just clinks when you shoot it and......well, I've never liked it.

So I saw, as I guess everyone did, the announcement for the new Winchester .17 based on their nail gun case.

First thing I think when I see it is WOW, imagine that in a semi-auto, maybe 5 pounds, short, light and very handy. And maybe it would not feel like a bag of bolts shifting around when I shot it as does the Ruger.

So, the question is, and mind you I've looked about the net to no avail, when and who and what should I expect to see this chambered in as far as semi-auto goes?

And NO, I do not want a AR......maybe if it was downsized to fit the round......but not full size........

So................what do those of you who know guns think?

[dakota.potts]

Maybe something like a Henry Survival Rifle?

[mxsailor803]

It would actually be nice for your needs but i don't know of a company that is going to do it yet. It is a very interesting little cartridge though. I just hope that the development continues with it in other rifle platforms.

[Lucas McCain]

At the SHOT show they had a Savage bolt action and a 1885 Browning falling block. Those were the guns that were going to be used The Browning was very expensive, about $1500 and the Savage was about $280. With all the back log from the panic I think it will be a while before we see one on the rack.

[Death from Afar]

I would be pretty confident VQ will make a semi auto version. They have managed to pull off the only really reliable HMR semis. Might be worth emailing them, they are very responsive to customers.

[Nathan]

Why not get a 17 HMR? I think Ruger makes a 10/22 in that...

[Pilot]

Your use begs for an AR-15, 16" carbine. A Colt LE6920, or a 16" carbine with mid length gas system would also be perfect. The adjustable/collapsible stock allows for a very handy, compact package.

If you would consider a bolt gun, CZ makes a nifty carbine in .223, or 7.62x39.

http://www.cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-527-carbine/

[Doyle]

I don't know if it will be chambered in a semi-auto; at least not anytime soon. This rifle was really created to fill a specific niche market - those areas where people want to harvest pests but were limited by law to using rimfire rifles.

In your case, having no law against using a centerfire caliber, I think you would be better served by sticking with something in the .223 class.

[2damnold4this]

I know it's not a semi-auto but what about something like an NEF Handi-Rifle?

[shafter]

Or a 357 magnum levergun....

[stubbicatt]

I do not know what the future holds. I think it unlikely that anybody will chamber a semi auto for this new cartridge and here's why.

They have a choice of either a blowback action or a locked action, whether gas or some other method of operation, in the case of a SLR. I think that the cartridge is too powerful for a blowback design, and the consumer demand for a SLR in this cartridge when there are other centerfire cartridges at the same price point will be insufficient to motivate the manufacturers to build such a rifle.

Ruger and others have attempted to create semi autos for these new fangled 17's, such as the 17 HMR etc., and they have had to modify their blowback type rifles with heavier bolts, bolt handles, etc., to provide enough inertia to keep the chamber sealed until pressures subside to safe levels. It is my belief that the additional power of this new cartridge will be such that it will eclipse the current fixes for a blowback design, as that design's limitations have already been reached with lower powered cartridges..

This leaves a locking bolt, or gas operated, design. Folks who go in for that sort of setup will prefer at a minimum a 223, or some similar centerfire, and I believe the market would be pretty soft for a semi auto in this chambering, considering the price would almost have to be on par with a centerfire chambering.

I.e. would you pay $1000 for a semi auto in a 17 caliber rimfire, or having gone to that price point, would you rather a 223 or even a 17 caliber or 20 caliber, centerfire for the same price, in a cartridge that would outperform this one?

I think that this new round will be limited to bolt or lever actions, the latter having box magazines rather than under the barrel tube type magazines for this new cartridge.

I understand your dislike of the AR 15, I too just don't like them. But, lotsa folks do, and I'll happily step aside to allow them room at the counter to buy them.

Hope this helps some.

[bswiv]

Thank you all for the answers and thoughts.

Wish they were more hopeful but as they make good sense ( economic & technical ) I'll start considering Plan B.........

And what someone ( may be that I'm mixing 2 answers? ) said about the CZ in .223 might be a answer.

I'll probably end op dragging my feet on selling the Mini 14 till a replacement is found, because the surest way to see a coyote is to not have a rifle in the truck!!!

[bswiv]

Almost forgot....what is VQ?????

[alex0535]

^probably an abbreviation of Volquartsen

It will probably turn out that it has the same issues in semi-autos as the .17 HMR. The issue is that due to the pressures created, the spent cases want to eject before the pressures inside the barrel are low enough to not split the brass and cause problems with the function of the firearm.

Volquartsen has a system where it delays the blow-back long enough for pressures to drop enough to function reliably and safely. Because they probably have a patent on this system, my money would be on them for the first .17 WSM semi-auto that works well.

I would look forward to a .17 WSM produced by Henry, they have a couple .17 HMR lever actions already. It would be handy and fast enough to be useful.

[dakota.potts]

How about one of these? http://ab9d.com/webpage/keltecFS/PDRM0069.JPG Short, full powered, semi automatic, light. Sounds like you

[bswiv]

DAKOTA:

Thank you for the suggestion, and it does look like it'd be fun to shoot a time or two, but I just do not see that riding about in the front seat of the truck.....and I don't see me hitting anything with it.

[theblakester]

How about a .22mag semi auto, like a Remington 597 or something similar. Or a pistol caliber carbine