The Best 17 HMR Ammo for Varmint Hunting and Plinking

The 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (17 HMR) is the newest 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.

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 rifle, 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.

Best 17 HMR Round for Varmint Hunting

Hornady 17 HMR 17 Grain V-MAX

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

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Specs

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

Pros

• Trusted brand
• Reliable
• Reasonably Priced
• Consistent 200-yard groups

Cons

• Low availability*

Why We Chose It

Hornady is the company behind the 17 HMR, so they rightly should manufacture the best ammo for it. Hornady is also reputed to make high-quality ammo; not due to any flashing marketing gimmicks, but because it simply does.

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

This ammo's price isn't the lowest, thoguh it's still 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. Many other companies load it in addition to Hornady, its manufacturer.

Honorable Mentions

Federal 17 HMR Ammo - 50 Rounds of 17 Grain Polymer Tipped Ammunition

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The Winchester 17 HMR 15.5 grain NTX round's lighter bullet is more susceptible to wind drift, and it's also more expensive. To their credit, those NTX bullets are lead-free (i.e. NonToXic), making them suitable for hunting where lead bullets are verboten. The lighter 15.5gr bullet makes an excellent choice for squirrel hunting, as its velocity is flat as a laser at close range.

Federal Premium 17 HMR 17 grain V-MAX is a favorite among many varmint hunters because of its consistency. Federal produces high-quality ammo that competes with Hornady's in terms of price and performance.

Winchester 17 HMR 20 grain JHP is the best 17 HMR ammo for coyote hunting because its heavier bullet packs more punch than a lighter one..

Best 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire Ammo for Target Shooting

CCI 17 HMR 20 Grain FMJ

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

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Specs

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

Pros

• Reliable
• Fast
• Flat trajectory
• Trusted brand

Cons

• Pricey for rimfire ammo

Why We 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 (althoguh it's ultimately an excercise 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 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.

Honorable Mention

Savage Arms used CCI 17 HMR 17gr V-MAX while developing the Savage A17. It's their recommended ammo for that firearm.

Due to its lighter 17 grain bullet, this round's muzzle velocity clocks in at 2,650 fps: much faster than CCI's 20gr FMJ.

These are excellent rounds for varmint hunting thanks to their V-MAX bullets. If you plan to go plinking and hunt varmints, you can easily accomplish both with these rounds.

Which Is the Best 17 HMR Ammo for You?

There are as many preferences for ammo as there are shooters. There are also multiple applications for each type of cartridges. For these reasons, several types of 17 HMR are available.

There are three main factors to consider when choosing the best ammo: budget, firearm, and situation you plan to use the gun in.

Budget

I know this is obvious, but you should stay within your budget. This is less of a factor for rimfire ammo because, compared to centerfire rounds, it's very inexpensive.

Yet it's still easy to burn through several hundred rounds at the range, especially when you're firing a semi-automatic. At around $0.50 apiece, those rounds add up quickly.

Gun

As you try different brands of ammo, you'll notice that your firearm operates better with certain brands and bullets. Pay attention to which ones your gun prefers, and stick with them for the best results.

Situation

How well your ammo performs also depends on the situations in which you use it. For example, rarely are the best hunting ammo and the best target shooting ammo the same. Manufacturers have different goals in mind when they make either type.

How to Save Money on 17 HMR Ammo

As ammo prices continue rising, we as shooters are forced to devise ways to save money on ammo.

Rimfire ammo is generally inexpensive. But if you're a serious shooter, you can still rack up a big ammo bill. Here are a couple of ways to save money on all rimfire ammo, including 22 LR, 22 WMR, and, of course, 17 HMR.

Buy Bulk Ammo

Buying bulk ammo increases the overall price, but decreases the cost per round. Most manufacturers offer a discount when you buy more rounds. So it's cheaper, per round, to buy 1,000 rounds at a time than it is 100.

The downside to buying bulk is spending a large sum of money upfront.

Handloaded Ammo

Reloading rimfire-primed ammunition is technically possible, albeit not cost-effective. You can do better things with your time – such as reloading centerfire ammo, which will free up more of your money for what matters most in life (such as rimfire ammo).

Common 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire Bullets

A few different types of bullets are loaded in 17 HMR ammo. Each has its purpose.

FMJ

The full metal jacket bullet is most commonly used for target shooting. It's a lead core with a metal shell (typically copper).

These bullets reduce barrel fouling, so you don't have to clean as often.

FMJs are less than ideal for hunting or self-defense because they're more likely to over-penetrate (unlike hollow point bullets, which mushroom after impact so as to maximize energy transfer to the quarry).

JHP

The jacketed hollow point is used for self-defense and hunting because it expands after impact. Thanks to its copper shell, the JHP tends to feed more reliably than old-fashioned unjacketed hollow points.

Polymer Tip

Polymer-tipped bullets are JHPs with – you guessed it – polymer tips. The tip streamlines the bullet's frontal profile, and also rams into the core on impact so as to catalyze terminal expansion. The Hornady V-MAX is an excellent example of a polymer-tipped bullet.

These bullets are most commonly used in hunting and long-range shooting.

17 HMR Firearms

The 17 HMR first came out as a rifle cartridge, but it didn't take long for firearm manufacturers to see its potential as a handgun cartridge.

There are a few pistols chambered in 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire. However, getting the rounds to feed reliably in semi-auto guns is still a work in progress – especially handguns.

17 HMR Rifles

The Ruger Precision Rimfire 17 HMR is a bolt-action rifle featuring a one-piece chassis and a Quick-Fit adjustable buttstock, so it can quickly adapt to most shooters.

The iconic Henery Golden Boy lever-action rifle is chambered in 17 HMR. If you want a walnut stock and don't mind (or prefer) lever-actuated performance, then you can't top a Henry.

The Marlin Model XT-17 bolt-action-rifle ifle is a budget-friendly option for the 17 HMR enthusiast.

17 HMR Revolvers

Two of the most popular revolvers chambered in 17 HMR are the Ruger Single-Six and the Chiappa 1873. They're both single-action revolvers, with the Ruger being much more expensive.

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