View source for .17 HMR

{{Short description|Rifle cartridge}}
{{Infobox firearm cartridge
| name = .17 HMR
| image = 17 HMR - SB - 3.jpg | image_size = 300px
| caption = {{convert|17
| gr|sing = on}} A Sellier and Bellot .17 HMR round with a light green [[Plastic-tipped bullet|plastic tip]].
| origin = [[United States]]
| type = [[Rifle]]
<!-- Production history -->
| designer = [[Hornady]]
| design_date = 2002
| manufacturer = [[CCI (ammunition)|CCI]], [[Federal Cartridge|Federal]], [[Hornady]], [[PMC ammunition|PMC]],<ref>[http://www.pmcammo.com PMC ammunition site]</ref> [[Remington Arms|Remington]], [[Winchester Repeating Arms Company|Winchester]]
| production_date = 2002–present
| number =
| variants =
<!-- Specifications -->
| is_SI_specs = no
| parent = [[.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire|.22 WMR]]
|case_type= Rimmed, bottleneck
| bullet = .172
| land = .168
| neck = .190
| shoulder = .238
| base = .238
| rim_dia = .286
| rim_thick = .05
| case_length = 1.058
| length = 1.349
| rifling =
| primer = [[Rimfire ammunition|Rimfire]]
| max_pressure = 26000
<!-- Ballistic performance -->
| is_SI_ballistics = no
| bw1 = 17 gr. (1.1 g)
| btype1 =
| vel1 = 2650
| en1 = 265
| bw2 = 20 gr. (1.3 g)
| btype2 =
| vel2 = 2350
| en2 = 250
| bw3 =
| btype3 =
| vel3 =
| en3 = .
| test_barrel_length =
| balsrc = Hornady<ref name="hornady">{{cite web |url=http://www.hornady.com/shop/?ps_session=67ba2e47a1f85014c95fee25b93d5727&page=shop%2Fbrowse&category_id=e4c1104b0d6d112d2b80155f75b83ff2 |title=Hornady .17 HMR Page |access-date=2007-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927043441/http://www.hornady.com/shop/?ps_session=67ba2e47a1f85014c95fee25b93d5727&page=shop%2Fbrowse&category_id=e4c1104b0d6d112d2b80155f75b83ff2 |archive-date=2007-09-27 |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
'''.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire''', commonly known as the '''.17 HMR''', is a [[Rimfire ammunition|rimfire]] rifle [[Cartridge (firearms)|cartridge]] developed by [[Hornady]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ruger.com/news/2002-06-03.html|title=New Ruger 77/17 in .17 HMR Rimfire Bolt-Action Rifles|access-date=2022-10-24}}</ref> in 2002. It was developed by [[Necking (engineering)|necking down]] a [[.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire]] case to take a .17 [[caliber]] (4.5mm) projectile. Commonly loaded with a 17 [[Grain (measure)|grain]] (1.1 g) projectile, it can deliver muzzle velocities in excess of 775 m/s (2,650 ft/s).<ref name="chuck_hmr">{{cite web |url=http://www.chuckhawks.com/17HMR.htm |title=The .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire |access-date=2007-09-25 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070929091524/http://www.chuckhawks.com/17HMR.htm| archive-date= 29 September 2007<!--Added by DASHBot-->}}</ref>
==Development==
[[File:Rimfire 17HMR 22Mag.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Left: .17 HMR,<br> Right: .22 WMR]]
The .17 HMR round is similar to rounds developed by dedicated rimfire [[wildcat cartridge|wildcatters]] who worked to create a [[Rimfire ammunition|rimfire]] cartridge with an exceptionally flat [[trajectory]]. These wildcatters were seeking to match the ballistics of the obsolete [[5mm Remington Rimfire Magnum]], which was made from 1970 to 1974, and was to that point the fastest rimfire cartridge ever produced.<ref name="chuck_comp">{{cite web |url=http://www.chuckhawks.com/magnum_rimfire_comparison.htm |title=Magnum Rimfire Comparison: .17 HMR, 5mm Rem. RF Mag, and .22 WMR|access-date=2007-09-25 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070929091721/http://www.chuckhawks.com/magnum_rimfire_comparison.htm| archive-date= 29 September 2007<!--Added by DASHBot-->}}</ref> With 5 mm diameter barrels and bullets being virtually unavailable at the time (the 5mm RMR was the last commercial 5 mm round until the 2004 release of the centerfire [[.204 Ruger]]), the commercially available .17 caliber became their bullet of choice. The [[.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire]] was the logical parent case, rather than the 5mm RMR (with its unique case head size, which requires a significantly different bolt and magazine) because it was commonly available, and it is a far larger and stronger case than the next largest, the [[.22 Long Rifle]]. The .17 caliber wildcats not only met but far exceeded the 5mm RMR's velocities and flat trajectory. The accuracy of these cartridges was also quite good. However, the downrange energy of the 5mm RMR is superior to both .22 WMR and .17 HMR, so there is still potential in the 5 mm rimfire for wildcatters.<ref>Centurion resumed manufacture of 5mm RMR in 2007.</ref>
Hornady, in conjunction with [[Marlin Firearms]] and [[Sturm, Ruger & Co.]] (manufacturers in the rimfire rifle market), followed much the same path. With the .22 WMR case as the starting point, a simple barrel change was sufficient for most .22 WMR firearms to chamber the new cartridge. In 2002, the first [[rifle]]s and ammunition began appearing on the market. While the ammunition was relatively expensive due to the high-performance .17 caliber bullets used, it was still cheaper than most [[centerfire]] ammunition. By 2004, [[CCI (ammunition)|CCI]], [[Federal Cartridge]] and [[Remington Arms|Remington]] had each introduced .17 HMR ammunition offerings.<ref name="chuck_hmr"/>
==Availability==
[[File:17HMR and 22LR B.jpg|thumb|left|A .17 HMR round with a ballistic tip (left) compared with a .22 Long Rifle round (right)]]
Cartridges for .17 HMR come with bullets that weigh {{convert|15.5|gr|sing=off}}, {{convert|17|gr|sing=off}}, and {{convert|20|gr|sing=off}}, and come in designs such as [[plastic-tipped bullet]]s, [[hollow point bullet|hollow points]], [[soft point bullet|soft points]], and [[Full metal jacket bullet|FMJs]]. The [[terminal ballistics]] of the lightweight expanding bullets limit the .17 HMR to small game animals and [[varmint rifle|varmints]]. .17 HMR ammunition is less common and more expensive than the .22 caliber rimfire rounds, but this is changing as the popularity of .17 HMR rifles gathers momentum.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://brcrifles.com/manufacture.htm |title=The Borchardt Rifle Corp. sells parts to convert Ruger revolvers to .17 HMR. |access-date=2011-10-09 |archive-date=2012-03-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322201332/http://brcrifles.com/manufacture.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:17HMR rounds2.jpg|thumb|right|A case of .17 HMR rounds with hollow points]]
A growing number of companies offer .17 HMR ammunition. [[CCI Ammunition]] loads all of the .17 HMR ammunition for the CCI, [[Federal Cartridge]], [[Hornady]], and [[Remington Arms|Remington]] brands. However, the ammunition is loaded with different bullets to different specifications.<ref name="roundup">{{cite web |url=http://www.chuckhawks.com/ammo_roundup_17HMR.htm |title=Ammo Roundup: .17 HMR |access-date=2007-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925090107/http://www.chuckhawks.com/ammo_roundup_17HMR.htm |archive-date=2009-09-25 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ammunition is also available from [[Winchester Repeating Arms Company|Winchester]], PMC and [[Sellier & Bellot]].
Examples of [[Bolt action|bolt-action]] or [[Lever action|lever-action]] rifles that are chambered for (or have variants chambered for) .17 HMR include [[Armscor M1700]], [[Browning T-Bolt]], [[CZ 452]], [[Henry Golden Boy]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Henry Golden Boy Rifle |url=https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/golden-boy/ |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=www.henryusa.com}}</ref> [[Ruger Model 96]], [[Sako Quad]], [[Savage 93]], [[Steyr Zephyr II]], [[Marlin 917]] and [[Weihrauch 60J]].
Citing safety concerns about the round's use in [[semi-automatic firearm]]s, Remington issued a product safety warning and recall notice.<ref>{{Cite web | title = .17 HMR Semi-Auto Firearm Safety Issues | access-date = 2009-11-21 | url = http://www.americanrifleman.org/ArticlePage.aspx?id=1927&cid=6 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120225043838/http://www.americanrifleman.org/ArticlePage.aspx?id=1927&cid=6 | archive-date = 2012-02-25 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref name=rem>{{Cite web | title = Safety Warning And Recall Notice | access-date = 2010-02-06 | url = http://www.remington.com/pages/news-and-resources/safety-center/safety-warning-recall-notice.aspx | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100212054021/http://www.remington.com/pages/news-and-resources/safety-center/safety-warning-recall-notice.aspx| archive-date= 12 February 2010<!--Added by DASHBot-->}}</ref>
== .17 Hornady Mach 2 ==
{{Main article|.17 HM2}}
Following the success of the .17 HMR, the .17 Hornady Mach 2 was introduced in early 2004. The .17 HM2 is based on the .22 LR (slightly shorter in case length) case necked down to .17 caliber using the same bullet as the HMR but at a velocity of approximately {{convert|2100|ft/s}} in the {{convert|17|gr|sing=on}} polymer tip loading.
==See also==
* [[4 mm caliber]]
* [[Table of handgun and rifle cartridges]]
* [[4.5×26mm MKR]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.varmintal.com/17hmr.htm Varmint Al's] Field Testing the .17 HMR
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45ILcTRj2QU&ab_channel=HornadyManufacturing The Hornady Podcast] conversation with Steve Hornady, Hornady Director of Engineering, Mitch Mittelstaedt and Hornady Senior Ballistics Scientist, Dave Emary.
{{Hornady}}
{{4mmcaliber}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:17 HMR}}
[[Category:Pistol and rifle cartridges]]
[[Category:Rimfire cartridges]]
[[Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 2002]]