Best 17 HMR Ammo: Top Picks for Hunting and Target Shooting

By Wes Littlefield

Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

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Wes Littlefield

Guns have fascinated Wes since pulling the trigger on his BB gun as a kid. He built a private gun range over a decade ago to keep his skills sharp. He loves breaking down complex ideas into understandable pieces for readers, with expertise in hunting and all aspects of shooting.

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Wes Littlefield, "The Best 17 HMR Ammo Chosen by Experts at Ammo.com"
(https://ammo.com/best/best-17-hmr)

The 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (17 HMR) is a newer rimfire cartridge and has quickly gained a following amongst target shooters and varmint hunters.

Thanks to its flat trajectory and minimal recoil, the 17 HMR's accuracy is second to none out to 200 yards. It's enough to give small game nightmares.

Want the raw performance numbers? Our 17 HMR ballistics guide covers trajectory, velocity, and energy across every major factory load.

Due to its small size, the 17 HMR has limited hunting and long-range capabilities. That's why it's important to choose the right 17 HMR ammo. Doing so helps maximize your 17 HMR target and hunting rifle's potential.

For target shooting, we recommend CCI 17 HMR 20 grain FMJ ammo because it's reasonably priced, reliable, and highly accurate.

When hunting raccoons, prairie dogs, and other varmints, we've found the best 17 HMR round to be Hornady 17 HMR 17 grain V-MAX due to its high muzzle velocity, reasonable price, and V-MAX bullet's explosive terminal ballistics.

Top 17 HMR Ammo Picks

Best 17 HMR Round Overall

Hornady 17 HMR Ammo - 500 Rounds of 17 Grain V-MAX Ammunition

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$159.99

134 In stock now

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Hornady 17 HMR 17 Grain V-MAX

Specs

• Bullet Weight: 17 Grains
• Case: Brass
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,550 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 245 ft-lbs

Pros and Cons

Why I Chose It

Hornady is the company that developed the 17 HMR, so they rightly should manufacture the best ammo. Hornady doesn’t owe their reputation for making high-quality ammo to flashy marketing gimmicks. It just works.

Rimfire rounds sometimes don't fire (more so than Boxer-primed alternatives, at least). That's rarely the case with Hornady 17 HMR 17 grain V-MAX, though. They're very reliable rounds, and cycle smoothly through semi-automatic rifles.

This ammo's price isn't the lowest, though it's reasonable considering its quality. The biggest drawback is that so many people stock up on these rounds that they often become difficult to find.

If you're planning to go varmint hunting and most of the prairie dogs or coyotes are within the 200-yard mark, then you'll be firing a bullet with a flat trajectory, which generally means better accuracy.

The polymer-tipped V-MAX is one of the best hunting bullets on the market because it’s accurate and packs a punch (for a rimfire bullet). Many other companies load it in addition to Hornady, its manufacturer. I’ve watched it drop a wide range of varmints and wouldn’t hesitate to take it close-range hunting or to the shooting range.

Best 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire Ammo for Target Shooting

CCI 17 HMR Ammo - 50 Rounds of 20 Grain FMJ Ammunition

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$19.99

13 In stock now

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CCI 17 HMR 20 Grain FMJ

Specs

• Bullet Weight: 20 Grains
• Case: Brass
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,375 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 250 ft-lbs

Pros and Cons

Why I Chose It

CCI is a trusted brand in the rimfire cartridge space, and makes reliable ammo that feeds well in most firearms.

The 20 grain full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet resists wind drift more effectively than a lighter alternative (although it's ultimately an exercise in splitting hairs, as the 17 HMR bullet is light and therefore vulnerable to wind deflection by design).

Because the bullet is heavier, you'll see the velocity is slightly slower. But these rounds are still very fast, which helps maintain a flat trajectory out to 200 yards (the 17 HMR's conventionally recognized effective range).

CCI is proud of their ammo. That's reflected by their prices for it. Although rimfire ammo is relatively cheap, these rounds are on the higher end of the spectrum as far as 17 HMR ammunition is concerned.

Best 17 HMR Ammo for Varmint Hunting

Remington Magnum Rimfire 17 HMR Ammo - 50 Rounds of 20 Grain JSP Ammunition

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Remington Magnum Rimfire 17 HMR 20 Grain JSP

Specs

• Bullet Weight: 20 Grains
• Case: Brass
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,375 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 250 ft-lbs

Pros and Cons

Why I Chose It

Remington has produced ammo for more than 150 years. Countless hunters and shooters regularly choose these rounds for their price, quality, and stopping power.

I’m a fan of the heavier 20 grain JSP bullet, which is designed for varmints, including coyotes. It’s less susceptible to wind deflection and can penetrate deeper (making it more likely to reach vital organs of larger varmints).

Remington is able to keep the price lower than expected by using these JSP bullets. However, I’ve always found that JSP bullets jam more often than polymer-tipped ones, regardless of whether I’m firing a bolt-action or a semi-auto.

It doesn’t matter if you’re squirrel, rabbit, or coyote hunting. Remington 20 grain JSP ammo is one of the best options because it’s reasonably priced, designed for varmint hunting, and loaded with a heavier bullet that can do more damage.

Best Lead-Free 17 HMR Ammo

Hornady 17 HMR Ammo - 50 Rounds of 15.5 Grain Polymer Tipped Ammunition

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$19.99

110 In stock now

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Hornady Varmint Express 17 HMR 15.5 Grain NTX

Specs

• Bullet Weight: 15.5 Grains
• Case: Brass
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,525 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 219 ft-lbs

Pros and Cons

Why I Chose It

The Hornady Varmint Express 17 HMR round’s lighter 15.5 grain NTX bullet is more susceptible to wind drift, and less likely to overpenetrate on larger varmints. To their credit, NTX bullets are lead-free (frangible copper-alloy core; copper jacket), making them suitable for hunting in areas where lead bullets are banned. The lighter bullet makes an excellent choice for squirrel hunting, as its velocity is straight as a laser at close range.

These rounds are also very accurate and reliable, as Hornady crafts them with high-quality components and materials. If you hunt in areas that require you to use lead-free ammunition, then Hornady Varmint Express 15.5 grain NTX should be your first choice.

Budget-Friendly 17 HMR Ammo

Federal Varmint & Predator 17 HMR Ammo - 50 Rounds of 17 Grain V-MAX Ammunition

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Federal Varmint & Predator 17 Grain V-MAX

Specs

• Bullet Weight: 17 Grains
• Case: Brass
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,530 fps
• Muzzle Energy: 242 ft-lbs

Pros and Cons

Why I Chose It

Federal is trusted by millions of shooters every single day. They’re known for building quality ammunition at a reasonable price, and their Federal 17 grain V-MAX polymer tip ammo is no exception.

I struggled to find anything negative to say about it. The best I could come up with is this: it has slightly less energy than comparable rounds from other companies. Whether you’re target shooting or varmint hunting, this ammo’s price, reliability, and accuracy are all great.

Parting Shots

It's easy to find top-of-the-line 17 HMR varmint hunting rounds so long as you know to look for Hornady 17 HMR 17 grain V-MAX.

The best 17 HMR ammo for plinking is CCI 17 HMR 20 grain FMJ. It's reasonably priced and accurate, with a bullet and explosive components that won't quickly dirty up your barrel.

Written by

Wes Littlefield