Question concerning .17 HMR

[Henry Foxall]

Does anyone know if there has been a resolution concerning .17 HMR? On the Boards I note the incident back in 2014 with an injury, and the "Not Recommended" on our "What To Bring..." checklist. I have been chatting with our friends North of the border (Mapleseeders) who have indicated some resolution of the issue with Savage's A17, and wonder if anyone has heard any word from any other manufacturers regarding any other lines of .17 HMR ammunition that may now be "acceptable" for use in semi-auto firearms. 

[The Wolfhound]

My concern would be that to allow the Savage A17 which SHOULD work for our purposes would open the door for all those rifles that don't.  Lots of folks still have that semi-auto .17HMR that should have been returned in the recalls.  There is likely little benefit in reopening that can of worms that took a while to close.

[Charles McKinley]

You can shoot 5.56x45 or 7.62x39 for the same money or less. 

As stated above there would be someone who refused to send the rifle back because they liked it and NEVER had a problem with it until it goes bad on our line.  It simply is not worth the hassle and risk.

[jlwilliams]

I'm unaware of the ongoing issue. Is the cartridge not allowed or are semi autos in that caliber not allowed?

[Maximum Ordinate]

There have been safety concerns about the 17HMR being used in semiautomatic rifles due to out of battery firing & ruptured cases.  If I remember correctly, rifles were damaged and reports of injuries - but my memory is fuzzy.  I have a superficial understanding of the technical issues, but I am not an armorer.  Here are a couple articles (of many available), including Remington recalling and buying back their 597 rifles in 17HMR.

Safety Advisory for .17 HMR Semi-Autos

Remington 17 HMR Ammunition And Model 597â,,¢ HMR Product Safety Warning And Recall Notice

The Shoot Boss manual discourages the use of but does not ban 17HMR.  If the student doesn't wish to accept a loaner rifle, the manual recommends having the shooter sign a waiver acknowledging that they have been warned of the dangers and relieving Project Appleseed and its instructors of liability.  As a Shoot Boss, I would also place that student on the far right side of the line.

All that said, in 2016 NRA gave the Savage A17 their Hunter Rifle of the Year award.  By all accounts, Savage designed this rifle with a delayed blowback system that doesn't experience the out of battery firing issues, etc.  To quote from another article, "An interrupter lug locks down the rifle's bolt until peak pressure has passed when a round heads downrangeâ€"which prevents the bolt from opening prematurely, eliminating fears of ruptured cases. The system also serves as a firing pin block."

It seems to be a fine rifle, but I've only fired one a few times.  I wouldn't hesitate to have a shooter bring an A17 to the line - as long as I could squeeze the trigger a few times too!   

v/r
MO

[Henry Foxall]

Gents, thank you very much for the responses! They are appreciated! 

[PaleRider]

When I ask the question of the shooters, it's always "Does anyone have a semi-automatic HMR?" Bolt guns are fine, and I love using mine at events. If it's a Savage A17, I wouldn't have any worries due to its design.
Tim