.22 Mag vs .17HMR

If you hunt with a 22 magnum I know you'll find the article in the March 2010 issue of 'Shooting Times' ,'What Can You Do With a .22?' interesting. The author is really into 22 magnums and basically tries to disprove the superiority of the 17HMR. Does he? That's up to you to decide. Lots of charts and statistics, including ammo comparison. They should give me a free subscription for giving them this plug!

Steve Hornady 17 HMR Message

A message from Steve Hornady on 17 HMR warnings.

By Steve Hornady

Recently there have been notices placed on several web sites warning about the use of 17HMR ammunition in semi-automatic firearms. Statements are to the effect of do not use 17HMR ammunition in semi-auto firearms or serious injury may result and do not use unless or until you have contacted the manufacturer of your firearm. Every ammunition manufacturer determines the warning it believes is appropriate for its product.



First and foremost, the safety of our customers is our primary concern, and the same is true for all other SAAMI member companies. We are making this statement to hopefully reduce confusion, answer questions and clarify issues.



We believe 17HMR ammunition is manufactured to the highest standard of care and quality and performs within the specifications established for 17HMR ammunition and is consistent with SAAMI standards for ALL ammunition.



We are not firearms manufacturers and we believe the firearms manufacturers are solely the ones responsible for determining if and how they should market and sell a model or type of firearm. WE STRONGLY URGE YOU TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER OF YOUR FIREARM TO DETERMINE IF IT IS SAFE TO USE 17HMR AMMUNITION IN YOUR SPECIFIC TYPE AND MODEL OF FIREARM.



We specifically warn you: DO NOT USE 17HMR AMMUNITION IN FIREARMS IF THE MANUFACTURER OF THAT FIREARM HAS STATED IT WILL NOT SAFELY FUNCTION WITH 17HMR AMMUNITION. SERIOUS INJURY MAY RESULT.



Accordingly, you should only use 17HMR, and any other ammunition, in firearms specifically marked by the firearms manufacturer as designed for the ammunition you intend to use.



We specifically cannot tell you that a certain type firearm, be it semi-auto, bolt, lever, or otherwise, is safe or unsafe with this or any other ammunition. In our experience, a type of firearm is neither good or bad, safe or unsafe. To state otherwise would imply that we are qualified to state what constitutes a good or bad, safe or unsafe firearm design or type and we are not qualified to make that determination.

Recommended Accessories For Henry Repeating Arms

Scopes

Leupold
www.leupold.com
FX-I 4x28mm Rimfire for H001, H003 and H005
VX-II 3-9x33mm Ultralight for H001M/V and H004M/V
VX-I 2-7x28mm Rimfire for H002
FX-II 2.5x20mm Ultralight for H006
Leupold Rings RM Rimfire 3/8” Medium for H001 & H003
Leupold Rings QRW for Cantilever Scope Mount

Burris Optics
www.burrisoptics.com
4x Scope #201310 for H001 & Golden Boys - Discontinued?
3x9 Scope #201330 for 17’s and Big Boys
Burris Rings # 420071 for H001 & H003
Burris Rings #420080 for Cantilever Scope Mount

Base For Henry 30-30
Weaver 63B one piece base or Leupold 49987 one piece base
With standard 3/8 rings low, medium or high

Hammer Extensions
Uncle Mike’s Hammer Extension # 24500 for H001, H003, and H004
www.unclemikes.com
Carlsons Ambi Hammer Expander #100-000-129 from Brownells

Swivels
Uncle Mike’s Swivel #10712 for H001, H003, and H004
Uncle Mike’s Swivel #15962 for Big Boys
Quick Shot Gun Slings for Mini Bolt and Acu Bolt tel 608-254-8278

Sights
Marbles Outdoors Tang Peep Sights
www.marblesoutdoors.com
#009813 for H001 and H003
#009833 for H004
#009844 for H006

Skinner Peep Sight (Fits in rear sight dovetail slot) contact (406) 676-2327 or www.skinnersights.com
Fits all models

Tru Glo fiber optic sights
www.truglosights.com - would not open for me.
TG112 set (front and rear) for H004, H001T & H003T
TG114 set (front and rear) for H004M, H001TM, H003TM & H006C
TG95450BR (red) or TG95450BG (green) Front Sight for H004, H001T & H003T
TG95500BR (red) or TG95500BG (green) Front Sight for H004M, H001TM, H003TM & H006C

Gun Locks (California only)
Pro-Lok model # GL675-B1- Lever Action (Brown) & model # GL650

Gun Cleaning Products

To polish the brass on the Henry Big Boy we recommend LUCAS METAL POLISH which can be found at Auto Zone, Advance Auto Parts, Napa Stores, PEP Boys, Carquest, Checkers, Shucks, Kragen, Murrays and CSK Auto Parts stores. www.lucasoil.com/retailers

To keep the Henry Golden Boy receiver cover clean use BREAKFREE, which can be found at most gun shops

For general overall gun cleaning needs for all Henry rifles we recommend that you use name brand gun cleaning kits such as Kleen-Bore, Hoppes or Outers and the solutions provided in those kits. You can find them at your local gun shop.

Regarding Wal-Mart no longer selling guns and ammo

I think you'll find this interesting. This week my local Wal-Mart totally eliminated their hunting and shooting department. No more ammo sales (they discontinued gun sales 5 or so years ago). I was very angry and wrote the store and also vented to some of my buddies. I received a very eye opening response from an old Navy buddy that changed my opinion on the subject. I think it might change yours as well. Thanks Mikel. I stand corrected. ~Bob

"Subject: WalMart

Personally Bob I am glad to see WalMart and all the other big department stores finally wake up and remove the guns and ammo from the hands of the idiot kids we now raise and they hire. I have a family member who works in headquarters of WalMart in Arkansas and the year they decided to stop selling firearms, in WalMarts there were over 70 accidental firearm discharges nationwide inside WalMarts in one year by employees. One store had its front window shot out by the front door from a kid in the sports dept at the back of the store while showing a fellow employee (kid) how to load a rifle. Think about that. That bullet traveled around 4 foot height across the entire store, out the front window and into the side of an empty car, with out hitting anyone. People were damn lucky that Saturday afternoon. Now the guns and ammo are back in the hands of the gun stores of America where they are handled by qualified people like you and me who were raised around them. The ammo was discontinued because of over 1000 break-ins nationwide last year where only ammunition and supplies were stolen. Hot items for the gun shows. There were only 300 the year before. Over 400 WalMart employees were arrested and prosecuted nationwide for theft of firearm ammunition this year.

Just a something a little extra for you. Over 1300 WalMart employees this year alone (2009) have been terminated for riding the bicycles around in the stores, and the years only half over. The moron kids that are being raised now days."

Cabela's in Dundee Michigan

I merged 3 of Mike's photos together in Photoshop

"...Actually there is a lot more to that store that I didn't shoot. I will take more next time I'm there. It is in Dundee Michigan about 70 miles south of my house!!!!..." Mike Adams, Up North Journal

Thanks for the photos Mike! Your diorama's have a lot more action than what we have in the East Hartford store. ~Bob

Charlton Heston's Gun Vault?

I've received multiple emails since Charlton Heston, Actor and President of the NRA passed away. The email contains photos of his gun vault and a magnificent collection of military weapons. I was going to post it on this blog, but then I thought that I'd better check it out first. Well, what do you know?!...

http://www.snopes.com/photos/architecture/gunvault.asp#photo4

Camo tape on a Ruger 10/22

If you've read my product page Tech-SIGHT post, you'll see that I had a problem with LockTite messing up the paint on my Ruger 10/22's receiver, so I took some paint stripper and stripped it down to the bare aluminum. In order to stop the glare off the receiver, I decided to apply camo tape. The instructions say that the tape can stay on the metal for an entire hunting season without permanent adhesion, as long as the tape doesn't get soaking wet.

Applying the tape was fairly simple. I first removed the screw that holds to stock in place, and separated the stock from the rest of the gun. Next I applied a few tiny pieced of camo tape over the pins in the received to keep them from falling out. Then it's just a matter of adding strips of tape to cover the aluminum. I like to use a few big pieces to cover the larger areas and small strips to go around corners. I then take an X-Acto knife to clean things up. The entire process only takes about 15 minutes, though if you're anal about such things, I'm sure you could spend all day cutting the pieces to make a prefect fit. I think you'll agree that it's 15 minutes well spent.

If you check out yesterday's report from the range, you'll note that I was having a problem seeing the front sight post in low light. Last night I took my daughter's white nail polish and dabbed a bit on the post. I couldn't believe how well it stood out!

Camo Tape on Golden Boy WARNING

WARNING

DO NOT apply camo tape to the underside (where the lever is) of your Henry Golden Boy. The upper section of the receiver appears to be solid brass, but the lower section, which is really the guts of the receiver is made of an aluminum alloy with a brass coating of some kind applied. I used camouflage tape off and on for about a year, always removing it within 2 weeks of the date of application. One day when I pulled it off, it took with it a brass film that's applied to the surface. Henry Repeating had thought that the a problem with the brass receiver cover, and they were willing to replace it. When they discovered that it was the trigger assembly and the rest, they decided to let me keep the rifle and gave me a replacement rifle of my choice! Anthony Imperato, the President of Henry Repeating can't be beat when it comes to personal customer service. I guess the reason that Henry couldn't replace it is because this section is similar to the 'Lower' in an AR-15. You can buy an 'Upper' without going through a dealer, but the Lower is considered the actual firearm. I guess it's the same with this. When the Lower is changed out, so is the serial number and it becomes a new gun.

The bottom line is 'Don't use camo tape' on the Lower unless you don't mind destroying the finish of your rifle. If it's your hunting rifle and finish doesn't matter, then tape it up and have a blast. In time it will remove the finish, and you might not be as fortunate as I to get a replacement rifle. Most people buy a Golden Boy because of its looks. If you want a hunting rifle in 17HMR, I suggest the Henry Varmint Express (see my 2008 Hunting page for lots of photos). It's around $100 less than the golden boy and the balance and weight are similar. It comes predrilled with a cantilever scope mount included, and because it's not so pretty, you can beat the crap out of it without loosing sleep.

Tyvek Suites for winter hunting

From Mike Adam's 'Hooks and Bullets' blog:

"...I started hunting more in the winter months in the last five years or so and had to consider what to do about winter cover, and I really didn’t want to spend another $100 - $150 on snow camo. I started talking with my dad about an alternative and he actually came up with the idea of using disposable Tyvek painter’s suits. Being a person who is willing to try anything new to further my hunting success, I gave them a try... These suits are first of all cheap to use. If your not too rough on them, they should last a season. They are also light weight, if you buy them at least one size too big they will fit right over your regular insulated camo suits and give you plenty of freedom of movement... I suggested these suits to my friend Bob of The BR Shooting Journal. He is going to use one this week when coyote season starts in Connecticut, that is if they still have any snow. I’m looking forward to his report on his hunt. So if your looking for a cheaper way to get some snow camo, try these suits out, then have some fun creating your own camo pattern on them and be creative..."

My Response:

"I'm the Bob that Mike mentioned in his post. I tried the suit yesterday and here's the problems I had. I immediately punched a hole in it while pulling it over my winter gear, and it is an XXL. I was sweating inside while walking to my site, which is disastrous when hunting yotes. It doesn't have pockets, which I found to be a problem since I need a place to quickly access an extra magazine. My buddy Arne bought a cotton 2-piece suite at Cabela's 2 years ago and it is far superior and it still looks like new. It has a much bigger hood than the painter suit, it is totally quite and breaths. It also has 2 big pockets. That's the way I'm going. I was thinking that if I get stopped by a CO who asks to see my pistol permit and hunting license, I'm going to have to take the suit off to get to the wallet in my back pocket. That's not a problem with the 2 piece suit. Hope that helps someone make a decision. ~Bob"

NOTE: When I went to the Tyvek site, it looks like they have 2-piece suits without the elastic at the wrists and ankles. That's another option.
Here's the LINK.
Tyvek® Coveralls
Tyvek® Coverall With Hood

Take someone hunting before the tradition is totally lost

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE AND READ

A trip to Cabela's

I went to the new Cabela's in East Hartford CT today with my buddy Bill and took some photos so you can see what the place is like. It is an amazing store, and a good place to go when you can't find what you're looking for somewhere else. Their clothing prices are very high, though they have a huge selection of anything you could need. If money is no object, you'll love this place. If you're cheap like me, you won't. An example; today my buddy Bill needed a camo jacket, gloves and other things to begin coyote hunting with us in a couple weeks. Nothing was on sale at Cabela's, and a jacket similar to what I had bought on sale last week at Dick's for $29 was going for well over $50. We ended up leaving and buying everything at Dick's, which was just about giving clothes away on their end of season clothing racks. I did find that ammo prices at Cabela's were 2-3 bucks cheaper per box than others stores I buy from. They also have a massive selection, so when Wal-Mart, Dick's and your local gun shop doesn't have it, Cabela's likely will. There's also usually a parking problem and the isles are too crowded most of the time to really enjoy shopping there. Forget trying to get something to eat unless you care to spend a half hour waiting in line for a burger. I personally don't find that enjoyable, but it is a nice store to visit from time to time to enjoy the dioramas and to pick up those hard to find items. I hope you enjoy the photos. ~BR

Hunting and Shooting Facts

• An average hunter spends $1,638 every year on the sport.

• Teenage girls are the fastest growing market in sport shooting.
  

• According to research, 72 percent more women are hunting with firearms today than just five years ago. And 50 percent more women are now target shooting.

• Americans hunt 228 million days per year.
  

• More than 64 million Americans hunt and fish.

• Number of those that hunt, 20 million.
  

• Hunters and anglers support more jobs nationwide than the number of people employed by Wal-Mart.
  

• Through license sales and excise taxes on equipment, hunters and anglers pay for most fish and wildlife conservation programs.
  

• Hunters and shooters have paid more than $5 billion in excise taxes since 1939.

• More Americans hunt and shoot than play golf.

• Firearms are involved in less than 1% of all accidental fatalities. More Americans are killed in accidents involving vending machines than guns.
  

• Hunting gear sales are growing faster than all other sporting goods categories.
  

• Americans annually buy 1.1 billion shotshells.
  

• Non-resident hunting license, tag, stamp and permit sales have risen 41.2 percent since 1993.
  

• Top selling sporting goods: 1.) exercise equipment, 2.) golf gear, 3.) hunting gear.

Sources: US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation; National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Banding Ducks

My buddy Rob sent me these photos he took of ducks being banded. This is basically how he said they do it:

• A net is deployed out over the birds.
• The birds are swabbed for bird flu.
• Sex & age is determined "adult or immature" by various methods, feather size & marking's, beak colors etc.
• This information is compiled and a numbered band is then placed on the birds leg and then released.

When & if the bird is harvested by a hunter, they are to call the 800 number on the band and report where, what county and or town and when the bird was shot and what type of duck, goose etc.

Example: My Canada Goose was shot on xmas eve 2005.
He was too young to fly when he was banded 39 miles north of Fort Chimo Quebec Canada in 1999.

This is very important migration information that is compiled. Remember late season flight birds you can only shoot 2 per day. The "early September season" you can shoot 15 per person per day. These are the local resident birds that you see on soccer fields & golf courses.

The Blaze Orange Law During Summer Hunting

The following letter is being reprinted by permission. This CT hunter was stopped last week for not wearing blaze orange while varmint hunting. He wrote the state and this was their response:

"Dear (name withheld per request)

I spoke to you on Friday August 17, 2007 (your email stated Sat Aug 18th) at the ____ Wildlife Management Area as you were coming down the road with your hunting gun (looked like a .22 caliber with a scope). I was in a _____ with two other gentlemen. I inquired as to what you were hunting and you said woodchucks. I had just walked the fields, and I had 4 horses go by me with 2 adults and 2 children riding, so I was a little bit concerned when I saw you round the corner in the road. You were entirely legal in your activity. The truth is, I wasn't sure about the hunter orange requirement for woodchuck hunting on State Land in the middle of August. If I had thought for sure that you were in violation for hunter's orange, I would have called DEP dispatch right away. I didn't call because I wasn't sure about the requirement for hunting woodchucks or coyote from a moving position. I asked that you may want to check the Hunting and Trapping Guide to make sure. I should have taken your name so I could have gotten back to you. I am sorry if my inquiry to you about hunter orange spoiled your woodchuck hunting experience in any way. I hope you continue to enjoy any hunting experience that you can on our wildlife management areas. Please feel free to call me if you would like to discuss this any further. Sincerely, (Name Withheld)"

Last year I was also stopped because two COs didn't know the law pertaining to blaze orange. I am requesting that officers read up on this law and not interfere with our summer hunting. Also, they should warn people riding horses and walking through hunting fields without blaze orange (why didn't they stop these people?) that they run the risk of being shot by legal hunters on state property designated for, and paid for by hunters. ~BR

During the period September 1 through the last day of February, hunters are required to wear at least 400 square inches of fluorescent orange clothing above the waist and visible from all sides. An orange hat, in addition to a coat or vest, is strongly recommended. The following hunters are exempt from this requirement: Archery Deer Hunters during most seasons, Archery and Firearms Turkey Hunters, Waterfowl Hunters while hunting from boats, duck blinds, or other stationary positions, Crow Hunters while hunting from blinds or a stationary position, Raccoon and Opossum Hunters when hunting from 1/2 hour after sunset until 1/2 hour before sunrise, and Landowners while hunting deer on their own property. Family members are still required to wear fluorescent orange. Persons hunting with deer damage permits are also subject to the fluorescent orange requirement. (from the CT DEP web site)

When selling a firearm, when is paperwork required?

Over the past couple of weeks I've been told that if I purchase a rifle from a gun dealer and sell it, I must fill out paperwork so that the paper trail releases me of responsibility for the gun. I've always heard that the only time papers need to be filled out is when I buy from a dealer. Even members of the local gun club were saying that I was wrong, and this concerned me since I recently sold two rifles. To settle the issue, I called the state police today and spoke to the Firearms Division. I was told that the only time paperword needed to be filled out on rifles is when they are purchased from a dealer. After that, the woman told me that they don't care what happens to the gun unless it's an automatic. Another urban legend debunked.

The proper method of transporting firearms within the state of CT

From: "BR"
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 6:54 AM
Subject: the proper method of transporting firearms within the state

I am requesting information on the proper method of transporting firearms within the state of CT. I am a state resident and would like to be sure that I am legal when transporting my rifles to the range and my hunting spot. Thank you, BR

Best practice, unloaded in an area of the vehicle not readily accessed by occupants. Preferred a trunk or locked area outside passenger compartment. Oh, should you get stopped by law enforcement, please ensure you advise them you are in possession of rifles and their location.
Hope this helps you. If not, feel free to submit any follow up questions.

Det Gudrun Johnson,
Special Licensing & Firearms Unit

From: "BR"
To: "DPS Special Licensing"

Thank you. I drive a Jeep that has an unlocked area behind the rear seat. No one ever travels in the back seat when I'm transporting firearms, so I guess I'm OK. That's what I've been doing, though I've read that carry firearms 'through' the state requires that they be in a locked case. I guess that means when you're passing through from state to state? Am I correct? Thanks again, BR

From: "DPS Special Licensing"

Yes.

Det Gudrun Johnson
Special Licensing & Firearms Unit

How I apply camo tape to my Golden Boy

Start by getting your tape, scissors, an X-Acto knife and a Sharpie marker.

Tape all the corners and hard to reach places; under the scope being an example. Little fans allow the vinyl to wrap around corners and stay put.

Here's an example of the application...

...and here's all the corners covered.

The final step is to tape 2 larger pieces of vinyl on each side. These lay over all the small, fanned sections, hold everything down and together, and make the application look clean and simple. Begin laying down the first piece by butting a straight tape edge against a straight gun edge, i.e. the seam where the stock begins. Create light creases with your nail to indicate where the curved edges are, and mark the creases with the Sharpie. Remove the sheet, trim and apply, starting from the straight edge. Do this with the 4 pieces and you're finished. I always do this with a coyote hunting video on in the background...when the wife is out of the house. She hates coyote calls.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
SEE SEPT. 23, 2008 POST

I use camo tape on my GoldenBoy, but let me warn you that it could damage the brass finish. The top and sides of the receiver are beautiful solid brass, but the band along the lower section of the receiver is a coated alloy. The brass coating will pull off this area, so I strongly suggest only using the camo tape on the sides and upper surface of the receiver.

Better no lubrication than too much

Here's something I've roughly transcribed from the podcast, 'The Shooting Bench' with Cope Reynolds in Farmington, New Mexico. I'm a guy who likes to make his guns spotless, and after cleaning, I wash my guns out with WD40 to drive out moisture and lubricate. I've been at fault for not drying out the gun after cleaning as I should. Read what Cope said and I think you'll start doing the same...

"Be sure to leave your barrel dry. High pressure will result if you leave too much lubrication in the barrel. This is more true of higher velocity cartridges such as .17 HMR and .223's. The bullet going through the barrel acts as a squeegee and pushes the oil out, slowing the bullet and building up pressure in the barrel which can be dangerous. Oil in your chamber is also a bad thing and it should be absolutely dry. It is better that the chamber remain dirty than to have it coated with oil. Brass cartridges are designed to expand when fired. Pressure goes in all directions. The bullet wants to go backward as badly as it wants to move forward out the barrel. The walls of the cartridge expand and get hold of the chamber walls which act as a brake to keep the cartridge from moving rearward. Any lubrication defeats that braking and will cause the cartridge the move violently rearward, slamming into the breech face, which could cause you some real problems. On a pistol this has been responsible for blowing the slide right off a gun..."

I for one am going to dry out my guns before I hit the range again. I highly recommend Cope's podcast. It's very informative and entertaining, and he covers a lot of important topics. Good shooting podcasts are few and far between, so subscribe to this one. I've shot him out a few emails and he's always quickly responded. You'll like this guy and his program. ~BR
http://theshootingbench.net/?feed=podcast

Ballistics Tests: 17 HMR vs.22 LR

The following are ballistics tests from the Federal's web site: .17 HMR P771 Hornady V-Max vs 22 LR 510 Federal Solid Point Champion Target (which I'm guessing is one of Federal's best).

Rear Sight Adjustment

Thanks Dirk for this info...

Hey Bob,
This is what I use to move my sights just a piece of brass rod you can get in any hobby/hardware store.It will give you a bit more control then just a plain brass hammer....Dirk

I've used a brass bolt and it also did the job without damaging the metal.

Idaho Hunting Safety Course - Lever Action Firearms

This is a 'must see'. It's a fantastic web site by Idaho Fish and Game. It's their hunters safety course online, and it's a really well done, informative and fun. It's filled with FLASH animations to visually teach you how to clean your rifle, how a lever action rifle works, how ammunition works, etc. Click HERE for the Table of Contents and HERE for the Cleaning Your Firearm FLASH animation. Enjoy!

“The Second Amendment is not about duck hunting, and I know I’m not going to make very many friends saying this, but it’s about our right, all of our right to be able to protect ourselves from all of you guys up there.” - Dr. Suzanna Gratia Hupp, appearing before Representative Charles Schumer’s committee hearings on the assault weapons ban

.17 HMR Ammo Info

.17 HMR compared to 7.62 x 39

.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, commonly known as the .17 HMR descended from the 22 magnum, is a rimfire rifle cartridge. It was developed by necking down the .22 Magnum case to take a .17 caliber (4.5 mm) bullet. Commonly loaded with a 17 grain (1.1 g) bullet, it can deliver muzzle velocities in excess of 2550 ft/s (775 m/s). It is widely considered to be the most accurate of the rimfire cartridges.

Development
The .17 HMR round is similar to rounds developed by dedicated rimfire wildcatters who worked to create a rimfire cartridge with an exceptionally flat trajectory. These wildcatters were seeking to match the ballistics of the obsolete 5 mm (.20 caliber) Remington Magnum Rimfire, which was made from 1970 to 1974, and was to that point the fastest rimfire cartridge ever produced. With 5mm (.20 caliber) diameter barrels and bullets being virtually unavailable at the time (the 5mm RMR was the last commercial 5mm round until the 2004 release of the centerfire .204 Ruger), the commercially available .17 caliber became their bullet of choice. The .22 WMR was the logical parent case, as was also the basis for the 5mm RMR, as it was commonly available and had a far larger and stronger case than the next larger .22 Long Rifle. The .17 caliber wildcats not only met, but far exceeded the 5 mm RRMR's velocities and flat trajectory. The accuracy of these cartridges was also quite good. The downrange energy of the 5mm RMR is still superior to both .22 WMR and .17 HMR, however, so there is still potential in the 5mm rimfire for wildcatters.

Hornady, in conjunction with Marlin Firearms and Sturm, Ruger, 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 rifles and ammunition began appearing on the market, and the .17 HMR was an instant hit. While the ammunition was relatively expensive due to the high-performance .17 caliber bullets used, it was still cheaper than most centerfire ammunition. The availability of moderately priced and accurate firearms from Marlin and Ruger (leaders in the rimfire rifle market) plus the backing of a major ammunition maker allowed the .17 HMR to quickly gain momentum. Other makers of firearms and ammunition soon introduced .17 HMR offerings.

Firearms
The original .17 HMR rifles were and based on .22 WMR actions. Single-shot and lever action rifles are now available, as well as various bolt actionsingle action and double action revolvers, and even Semiautomatic rifles. Like other rimfire firearms, a .17 HMR firearm is often significantly less expensive than a comparable centerfire firearm. Single shot models are available with an MSRP of under US$200[1], and bolt action models are not much more[2].

Availability
Due to the specialized bullets the .17 HMR uses, there is only a narrow range of ammunition available for it. The bullets generally weigh from 17 to 20 grains, and have expanding designs such has hollow points or soft points. The terminal ballistics of the lightweight expanding bullets limit the .17 HMR to the smallest of game animals and 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. In the UK, the .17 HMR round is favoured by many Police firearms licensing departments over the .22 LR, as due to its high speed it is thought less prone to ricochet.

.17 HMR rifles and ammo have continued to sell briskly long after gun retailers expected sales to have tapered off. Following the success of the .17 HMR, the .17 Hornady Mach 2, or .17 HM2, was introduced in early 2004. The .17 HM2 is based on the .22 LR case, but necked down to .17 caliber.

Manufactures and Brands
A growing number of companies offer .17 HMR ammunition. It is true that CCI actually loads all of the .17 HMR ammunition for the CCI, Federal, Hornady, and Remington brands. However, the ammunition is loaded with different bullets to different specifications.

From Wikipedia
Photos by BR

Residents warned after two coyote attacks in Town of Washington, CT

A coyote is on the prowl tonight after two attacks in Connecticut.
Oct. 17, 2006 11:20 PM

"It was just before sunrise and an animal came out from under the brush and attacked him, bit him several times," says Camejo. Those two coyote attacks came just hours apart this morning in the Town of Washington. Now the search is on for that coyote before it strikes again. One coyote attack is unusual enough, but two in one day is raising some concern. Officials think the attacks could be from the same coyote. The two attacks happened about 1/4 mile apart. The first attack happened when a man was jogging on West Church Hill Road around 6:30 a.m. Hugh Rogers was out for an early morning run when he was attacked by a coyote. "I don't remember any growling or anything like that. He just was on top of me. It was really fast. You know, I am screaming, I am flailing about to do what I can do to beat the thing back," says Rogers. Rogers was bitten in the hand, leg and arm and says the wild animal would not stop attacking. Even after Rogers kicked the beast in the head, it still came after him. Finally he was able to break free and ran a mile back to his house before he went to the hospital. "It wasn't until I got to the ER that I realize how bad it was. They asked me to take my shirt off and there was a big piece of flesh missing," says Rogers. Dr. Tom Koobatian treated him. "Well, the wounds all need to be cleaned very well and treated and may need to be closed depending on the size of the wound. The most important thing is rabies prophylaxis." Rabies was also the concern of the DEP's Environmental Conservation Police. "We have several EnCon police officers in the area. We are actively looking for the animal to try and determine if it is rabid," says Captain Raul Camejo, DEP Police. Around 11 a.m. there was another attack about 1/4 away. "There was a gentleman walking his dog down the road and a coyote came out and tried to attack him, but he managed to defend himself using a stick and a rock and chases the coyote back in the woods," says Camejo. That man was not hurt, but the DEP wants people in Washington to be careful. "Either come out with a group of people, bring pepper spray or something like that, defend themselves with walking sticks just in case the animal is around for a little while if we don't capture them," says Camejo. Officials are hoping the rain will keep people indoors and away from what they assume to be a rabid, dangerous and aggressive coyote. Various agencies are looking for the animal, but even if they do not find the coyote they say that an animal that sick that has lost its fear of humans won't live more than a day or so before it succumbs to the disease.