17 WSM

[Misterjake23]

Anyone using a 17 WSM?  If so,  what make and model?  How tight is it shooting?  What ammo are you using?  Most important to me?  What kind of fur damage does it do?

Thanks

[32-20]

I'm using a Savage B-mag Heavy barrel stainless. Shoots amazingly well out to 300 yards but i'm not sure I would trust a clean kill at that distance. American Eagle ammo 20gr. tipped varmint. So far I have only taken two red fox and both had fragments under the skin on the opposite side, one at 32 yards and the other close to 70 yards. Add three groundhogs to that also all DRT. 

[Misterjake23]

Did you have any runners after they were hit?  How tight are your groups at 100 yards?

[32-20]

No runners groups around an inch at 100.

[Furmageddon_1]

I have been using a B mag for 2 seasons now.  I shot a sporter barrel last season and the accuracy was not impressive.  I switched to a heavy barrel B mag for this season and it shoots amazingly well with 5/8" groups at 100.
For me, the jury is still out on performance.  Very little, if any fur damage which is great but I've had trouble anchoring foxes with it even with good shot placement.  Many have run from the spot of the shot and fallen over dead, others have required a boot to the chest or a follow up shot.  I have shot at over 45 red foxes and only brought home 25 (I believe, give or take) foxes this year, and I believe there are more foxes that are dead out there somewhere that I couldn't find.  I have also brought home 4 coons with it and 2 of those required follow-up shots...

[Buckwheat]

Misterjake
I know your asking about the 17 WSN.
 I struggled with the 17 cal. rifles for a few years until I changed to the 25 gr. Hollow point burgers or hornaday bullets.
I could never get good clean kills in my 17 hmr ,17 hornet or my 17 rem with any 20 gr. polymer tipped bullet. I can see no reason the 17 WSN  would produce any different results.
The 20 grain polymer tip bullets in any 17 caliber rifle is just way to light and fragmentary for most  body shots.
Even with my 17 hornet 25 gr. hollow points bullets going at 3100 fps. i had to shoot fox twice but only a very few times. The 20gr. It was every other fox and thats not any good. Lost a lot of fox with that 20 gr. Polymer tip bullet.
Still all the 17 calibers are the best fur friendly calibers I ever owned. I think the 17 WSN 25.gr should do just as good since they are going just a little slower then the 17 hornet 25 gr.
They just will not be as flat shooting as the 20 gr.
Sometimes I can hardly find the bullet hole. I'd say that's pretty for friendly.

[Misterjake23]

I really like my 17 hornet.  I try to take head shots for the most part.  I’m using the  Hornady 20 gr.  I’m looking at the 17 wsm because it’s a rim fire.  I just like having options.    Always exploring new options.

[Buckwheat]

Misterjake
You can never have to many guns. I remember you saying before you like head shots. The 17 WSN should be a fine caliber and fun to shoot. You can get it in 20 and 25 gr.
Be nice if some one would make it in a semi-automatic.
What gun are you looking at?

[Misterjake23]

The Savage with the heavy barrel.  I read a lot of good things about them.  Depending on how it shoots,  I’d like to put a Boyd’s stock on it and have It bedded.  Doing all that is still cheaper than the Ruger and I think I’ll get better accuracy.  I have a good friend who is a gunsmith so that part shouldn’t cost me more than a six pack and I know it will be done right. 

[Buckwheat]

I see good things with the savage. But I did not see a  17wsm in savage.

[Buckwheat]

I meant to say a Savage 17 in semi-auto.
Savage make some okay shooters. The only trouble I ever seen was with a 22 that used to not hit the firing pin hard enough to set it off every time.

[MountainMan]

I own a Savage B-Mag plain steel heavy barrel in 17 WSM. It it shoots 5/8" - 1" groups @ 100 yards with 20 Grain American Eagle, Hornady or Winchester HV cartridges.

However, I have found that the 25 Grain Winchester HE cartridges shoot the best with groups averaging 3/8" - 1/2" all day long at 100 yards off a solid bench rest. Drops red or grey fox with no problem up to 100 yards with pinpoint accuracy. No fur damage at all. Its an inexpensive and fun rifle to shoot. Box of 50 on sale costs only $12.50 or 25 cents per shot.