Thread: .17 WSM.....?

Hi all, found this while browsing another 'hunters site'.......suburbanbushwacker.blogspot.com .............anyone tried this?......

"With the rising cost of ammo a reality everywhere Winchester have pulled what may prove to be a game-changer out of the hat. The .17 WSM.
Winchester may be best known for ammunition [sadly also knives and flashlights of dubious distinction] but they long ago diversified into 'powered fasteners' AKA 'Nail Guns' which happily gave the Recessionista's at their R&D lab an already up-and-running production facility for larger cased rimfire ammunition!

Launching a 20-grain pill at 3,000 fps, or a 25-grain one at 2,600 fps with energy at the 400 foot-pounds and 375 foot-pound mark. That's 150 pounds more than the 17 HMR and 60 foot pounds more than the phattest .22 Winchester Magnum load. Some pundits are claiming that when it comes to wind drift and drop, the .17 Win. Super Mag. will beat the .17HMR by 50%, and leave the wind-challenged .22 Win. Mag. flapping about in the breeze.

All together now: "No honey I'm not 'spending' money I'm SAVING money, I'm a Recessionista", Centrefire effects for rimfire prices? Sounds good to me.Whacha reckon?

The idea would be more convincing if you couldn't already buy 223 ammo cheaper. And if DOC permitted rimfire rifles on their land.

You need only ask and DOC will let you have rimfire on their land. Suppose region makes a big difference but had no problem getting a permit for Waimak

Originally Posted by Conch

You need only ask and DOC will let you have rimfire on their land. Suppose region makes a big difference but had no problem getting a permit for Waimak

Thats interesting Conch, didn't know that, I thought it was a 'blanket ban' on rimfire's (and shotguns)

Savage and Winchester have made rifles for it so far , the Win is a single shot , the only trouble with this round is ,unlike the HMR there isnt an action which will immediatly take this round , with the HMR all you had to do was rebarrel a 22WRFM , this case is longer and fatter and new firearms will have to be created to take it and I doubt if there is enough meat in CZ's etc to extend them to fit the WSM , I hope so but I doubt it .
A mate using a 17gr 17HMR shot a 30kg boar in the back of the head at 65m the other day , the bullet completely destroyed the axis bone and blew the back of the skull to bits .
I believe the rimfire/shotgun DOC land prohibition is policy rather than law and is enforced as part of your acceptance of a hunting permit , I have never been able to find anything in the statutes re this .

Originally Posted by Druid

I believe the rimfire/shotgun DOC land prohibition is policy rather than law and is enforced as part of your acceptance of a hunting permit , I have never been able to find anything in the statutes re this .

Sounds right, as mentioned above some DOC offices do give out specific rimfire small game permits for certain places as well.

Originally Posted by GravelBen

The idea would be more convincing if you couldn't already buy 223 ammo cheaper. And if DOC permitted rimfire rifles on their land.

Hmr is .44cents a round from Quentin (45 south)

Thats a good price for HMR, sharper than I've seen it in shops and a bit cheaper than 223 at 60-70c/round. I think the cheapest 22wmr ammo I found when I had one of them was 40c/round. 223 still has the rimfires soundly beaten for versatility though.