scope for 17

[Nova]

My Dad won a new 17 cal rifle and we want to put a scope on it for him. The question is does it have enough range to put a 2x7 on it or should we just go with a good quality 4 power. Thanks for the help.

[harvey lee]

If this rifle is a 17REm.cal and you can shoot a 25 hornady bullet in it,then it will easily shoot 200-300 yards.Remember to clean the barrell often on this rifle as the barrell will foul often and alot with few shots.Alot of people shot wildcat loads out of a 17.

One thing you will have to watch a long range is wind deflection as you are not shooting much for bullet weight.You will get some drift.

I would get at least a 2x7.

[HunterLee]

Even if it is the 17 rimfire i would go with at least a 3 by 9. Little tagets at 100+ yards are tough to see let alone hit with a standard 4 power. I have the 17 rimfire and got a 3 by 9 on it. It boils down to accracy at farther ranges.

[almostthere!]

4 power is not enough for a 17, doesn't matter if it is the 17 Mach2, 17 HMR, or 17 Remigton. These are far hitting rounds and you should put at least a 2-7 power on the Mach2 and a 3x9 on the other two.

[Nova]

Thanks guys, sounds like the 4 power is out. We will go with atleast a 2x7, but probably a 3x9 from what I am hearing. Appreciate the help.

[picksbigwagon]

Hey Nova, I bought the 3-9 burris full field last fall from the Big C. came with a set of binocs. I really like the scope, probably a little too much on the 17, but it sits really nice on my AR-15

[ARNE]

I just bought a 17HMR last friday put a simmons 3x9 on it and we were shooting the heads off dandelions at 50 yards or more im glad i went with the 3x9

[BLACKJACK]

So is this .17 caliber any more accurate than a .22 rimfire with a scope? Are these .17 caliber bullets centerfire bullets? Are they spendy? I need something that I can shoot starlings and sparrows with, out to about 60 yards.

[almostthere!]

The 17 is more accurate than the 22 rimfire when the target is farther away. The 17 Mach2 and 17 HMR are 22lr and 22HMR necked downs: smaller bullets traveling at higher speed, thus, hitting farther. The 17 Mach2 will kill the starlings in the range you specified quite nicely. The 17HMR will do it from 150 yards out. And the 17 Remington (center fire) will do the job from 300 yards.

[CAJ]

My son and I have 3 of the 17s. We have 3x9 on them. You need a very fine cross hair in the scope. I shoot a lot of Gophers with mine and I get a lot of them at 100 yards or a little more. Mine is a 17HMR. Wouldn't trade it for nothing. The most fun gun I have had in years. I've gotten 7 Coyotes with it, but is a little small for that. Wish I could get a 17 center fire for that. CAJ

[HunterLee]

They are not that spendy of a gun, got mine for christmas, was bout 175 for a savage left handed bolt, very accurate, shells are bout 8-10 bucks a box of 50. i like the hornaday or cci 17 grains bullets. If you hit them well there isnt much to pick up.

[Hap Shaughnessy]

.17HMR is a great little round! Last December I bought the M77 Ruger heavy barrel version of the .17, and mounted a 3x9 leupold on it, which seems just right. I was able to plink a half dozen gray squirrels at 127 yards as measured via GPS, while down south visting Mom over the holidays. I got the Leupold scope from Cabela's, and the Ruger from the GunStop in the Glen Lake neighborhood of Minnetonka, for the best price i could find anywhere, internet or local stores.

But watch out for that heavy recoil.