17 Mach 2 (17 HM2) — More Affordable Alternative to 17 HMR
The 17 Mach 2 (aka “17 HM2″) is making a come-back. We’re glad. This high-velocity round fits actions and magazines designed for the .22 LR, so it’s an easy barrel-swap upgrade for most rimfire bolt-guns (semi-autos are more complicated). The 17 Mach 2 cartridge doesn’t deliver the velocity of the 17 HMR, but it is still way faster than a .22 LR. Expect 2000-2100 fps with 17 Mach 2 compared to 1250 fps for “High-Velocity” .22 LR ammo. And, importantly, 17 Mach 2 ammo is much less expensive than 17 HMR. If you shop around, you can get 50 rounds of 17 Mach 2 for about $8.60. That’s 43% cheaper than the typical $14.99 price of 17 HMR — a significant savings (17 cents/round vs. 30 cents/round)!
17 Mach 2 Major Selling Points:
1. 60% more velocity than typical “High-Velocity” .22 LR ammo.
2. 40% less cost than average 17 HMR ammo.
3. 17 Mach 2 OAL is compatible with .22 LR receivers and magazines.
17 Mach 2 — Best High Velocity Rimfire Bang for the Buck?
If you are looking for a capable, squirrel-busting round or a fun plinking round, you should definitely consider the 17 Mach 2, especially since CCI has committed to production of the little cartridge. CCI recently rolled out its “Gen 2″ 17 Mach 2 VNT Ammo with polymer tip (see top of article).
Considering that 17 HMR ammo is typically $15 to $17 per box, the 17 Mach 2 is a good value by comparison. It is available from vendors for about $8.60 per 50ct box. That’s $0.17 per round. When you consider overall “bang for the buck”, for many shooters, it makes sense to use the 17 Mach 2 rather than a 17 HMR. You save money, barrel life is a little longer, and the 17 Mach 2 is still a much more potent cartridge than the .22 LR. Check out this comparison, and note how the 17 Mach 2 has a much flatter trajectory than the .22 LR. For varmint shooting, the 17 Mach 2 is clearly the better choice.
Hornady’s 17 Mach 2 has a 2100 FPS muzzle velocity vs. 1255 FPS for “High-Velocity” .22 LR.
17 Mach 2 Rifle Reviews |
Gun-makers have taken notice of the availability of 17 Mach 2 ammo, introducing new models chambered for this versatile little rimfire round. For a high-volume, small-species varminting, the 17 Mach 2 is much more effective than the .22 LR, and much less expensive than the larger 17 HMR.
New Savage A17 in 17 Mach 2
There are a number of reviews on new-generation 17 Mach 2 rifles. Recently Varminter.com reviewed the Savage A17 in 17 HM2. Editor Eric Mayer wrote: “This new addition to the A17 line comes at a time when the 17 Mach 2 round is experiencing a resurgence, with ammo now available from CCI and Hornady, including the lead-free NTX round from Hornady. This means … you don’t have to break the bank to buy a current, functioning, semi-auto 17 Mach 2 and you don’t have to … convert your 10/22.”
Eric shot four different types of 17 Mach 2 ammo, putting 1000+ rounds through the Savage. He was impressed: “I am very excited that Savage Arms has chambered their A17 rifle in the 17 Mach 2 / 17 HM2 round. After shooting the prototype, I can confidently say that this new A17 will become my go-to 17 Mach 2 rifle. This new rifle is a great option for varminters everywhere!”
Toggle Bolt Volquartsen Summit in 17 HM2
It’s rare for us to see a new rimfire that we’d really like to own, but the new Summit from Volquartsen fits the bill. This versatile rifle features a cool, straight-pull toggle bolt, similar to those on elite Biathlon rifles. You can see how this gun shoots in this informative 22 Plinkster video:
22 Plinkster Tests Volquartsen Summit Rifle in 17 Mach 2
The 17 Mach 2 (17 HM2) is making a comeback. Now leading manufacturers are offering this efficient little rimfire cartridge in some nice rifles. Both Anschutz and Volquartsen will offer new 17 Mach 2 rifles in 2019. The Volquartsen Summit features a lightweight, carbon fiber-wrapped barrel threaded 1/2-28 for brakes or suppressors. The Summit boasts a nice 1.75-lb trigger pull. The Summit’s CNC-machined receiver features a +20 MOA Rail. NOTE: The video shows a silhouette-style laminated wood stock. However, the Summit comes standard with a composite Magpul stock that actually works better for shooting from a bench.
Similar Posts:
- 17 Mach 2 Straight-Pull Summit Rifle from Volquartsen
- 2050 FPS 17 Mach 2 Rimfire — Affordable Alternative to 17 HMR
- 17 Mach 2 (17 HM2) — Affordable .17-Caliber Rimfire Option
- 17 Mach 2 — 2050 FPS Rimfire More Affordable Than 17 HMR
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Tags: 17 Caliber, 17 HM2, 17 Mach 2, Hornady Mach 2, Savage A17, Toggle Bolt, Varmint Rifle, Varminter.com, Volquartsen
Alternative – compare (at current Ammo Seek prices) CCI Velocitor 22 LR to CCI V-Max 17 Mach 2. The Velocitor is 9.5% less expensive/rd and produces 19.6% more energy at 50 yds and 26.8% more energy at 100 yds…and you don’t need a new rifle or a new barrel.
Editor: Good point about the Velocitor. But compare the speeds. The Velocitor is rated at 1435 FPs, but that’s still way lower than the 17 HM2’s 2100 fps. Interestingly, CCI rates the Velocitor bullet at 0.125 BC — on the high end for 22 LRs (and about the same as a 17gr 17-cal bullet). The 17 HM2 is offered with a polymer-tipped bullet, that is arguably much better vs. varmints (more explosive effect). Most importantly, the 17 Mach 2 has significantly less drop and drift at 200, making it a much better choice for varminting for small critters. The flatter trajectory really helps in the varmint fields, when you are moving back and forth at different distance targets, and there may not be time to laser-range and then click your turrets as a critter pops up for a few seconds.
200-yd drop Velocitor: 36.4″
200-yd drop 17gr 17 Mach 2: 16.3″
200-yd drop 20gr 17 HMR: 11.4″
https://www.mcarbo.com/22LR-Ballistics-Chart
https://www.mcarbo.com/17-hmr-ballistics-chart.aspx
Link: https://www.cci-ammunition.com/rimfire/cci/velocitor_hp/6-47.html
Thank you for this post! Some gunwriters have a habit of writing the 17 Mach2’s obituary every now and then, and it is good to see a well written counterpoint. I do see 17 Mach2 ammo regularly at Academy and other stores in Houston TX these days, and that does tell me that it is at least retaining popularity if it isn’t becoming even more popular. I have a mint Brno Model 2 action only that I will build a 17 Mach2 custom rifle with a reverse taper barrel and a full stock to hide the reverse taper and give it a classic look once I identify the right gunsmith to do the work for me. Your post gives me just the impetus that I need to become more active in looking for a gunsmith now. Thank you!