The 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire is a big success because of its slim appearance and its upgraded external ballistics. It was designed in 2002 by Littleman Mitchell of Hornady to produce rimfire cartridges that have unique flat trajectories. Several companies and bodies such as CCI, Federal, Hornady, Remington, and Winchester essentially manufacture the 17 HMR ammo.
Its parent case is .22 WMR and the bullet diameter is 4.5mm, a neck of 4.8mm, a shoulder of 6.0mm, and a base diameter of 6.0mm. The rim’s diameter is 7.3mm, and it is 1.3 inches thick. In total, the cartridge is 34.3mm long, including the 26.9 case length. 17 grained (1.1 grams) bullets cover 2,650 feet per second, and a 20 grained (1.3 grams) shell covers the distance of 2,350 feet per second; an excellent distance coverage indeed.
In appearance, the 17 HMR ammo does not have an oversized, thick look like the straight-backed cartridges; cartridges of this make are slimmer with more propellent force than most ammo.
The 17 HMR ammo promotes the accuracy, and it is suitable for hunting smaller-sized games like rabbits but is not restricted to small games alone; this ammo is perfect for medium and larger-sized games like deer and foxes.
Apart from game hunting, 17 HMR ammo in shooting sports, and because it is rimfire ammunition, it has low pressures (180.00MPa). Many hunters have begun using the 17 HMR ammo, mainly when they hunt minor games; the ammo's popularity has grown steadily because of its high ballistic performance.
Hornady, in partnership with Marlin and Sturm, Ruger & Co, introduced the 17 HMR in 2002 after several wildcatters were attempting to recreate a cartridge with similar ballistics of the discontinued 5mm Remington Rimfire Magnum.
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) History
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) Usage
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) Usage
High velocities and flat trajectories make the 17 HMR a good choice for target practice but the terminal ballistics restrict applied usage to small game and varmints.
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) Trivia
The 17 HMR is a common cartridge for hunting thin skinned predators like foxes and bobcats for its reduced pelt damage even with reduced effective range when compared to centerfire options.
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) Trivia
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) Design
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) Design
The 17 HMR is a rimmed bottleneck rimfire cartridge with an overall length of 1.349” and fires a .172” diameter bullet. Maximum pressure is 26,000 PSI.
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) Types
17 HMR ammunition can be found in polymer tipped, soft point, hollow point, and full metal jacket options to fit your needs, with firearms being available in revolvers, bolt action and lever action rifles and carbines.