17 HMR vs 17 WSM: Which Is Better for Range, Wind and Cost?

The 17 WSM is the better long-range and windy-day cartridge: it pushes a 20 grain bullet at about 3,000 fps to the 17 HMR’s 2,350, and in our Savage B Series shootout it kept hitting at 250 and 450 meters where the HMR did not. The 17 HMR is cheaper, easier to find, chambered in far more rifles and shot tighter groups at 100 meters. Inside about 150 to 200 yards, buy the HMR; past that, or in real wind, buy the WSM.

17 HMR vs 17 WSM at a Glance

	17 HMR	17 WSM
Parent case and year	.22 WMR necked to .17, 2002	.27 caliber nail gun blank, 2012
Common loads (factory ratings)	17 gr at about 2,550 fps, 20 gr at about 2,350 fps	20 gr at about 3,000 fps, 25 gr at about 2,600 fps
Pressure	Baseline	Brass about 50 percent thicker, roughly 7,000 psi more
Ammo cost in our 2017 test	About 18 cents per round	About 24 cents per round
100 meter group in our test	About half the WSM’s group	1 inch
150 meters, 11+ mph wind	Hits, needed 0.3 mil up and more wind	Hits, point of aim, about two-thirds the windage
250 meters, 14 mph wind	No hits on juice cans	Cleared the cans after a couple of sighters
450 meters, 6 mph wind	No hits on a 10 inch gong	Two hits
Rifle choice	Far more rifles, including semi-autos	Fewer rifles, heavier firing pin springs

The Cartridges Explained

17 HMR

The 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire was developed in 2002 by necking the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire down to .17 caliber. It was an overnight success despite costing more than other rimfires. It shoots flat and accurately, and the light bullets are very effective on prairie dogs, squirrels and other small varmints. The most common loads use 17 grain bullets at about 2,550 fps and 20 grain bullets at about 2,350 fps, per factory ratings. Our earlier 17 HMR vs 22 LR shootout made the HMR the clear winner over .22 LR for distance.

17 WSM

The 17 Winchester Super Magnum, introduced in 2012, is a muscle car of a rimfire. Its case comes from a .27 caliber nail gun blank, with brass about 50 percent thicker than the HMR’s. That lets it run about 7,000 psi more pressure. Factory loads push a 20 grain bullet at about 3,000 fps or a 25 grain bullet at about 2,600 fps. The bullets are basically the same as the HMR’s, just faster or heavier.

The tradeoff is the primer. The WSM uses a very hard primer that needs a heavy firing pin strike, so rifles in 17 WSM have stronger mainsprings and bolts that take some getting used to.

The Test Rifles: Savage B Series

Our author, Clay Martin, tested two Savage B Series bolt-action rifles. The 17 WSM gun was a Savage B.Mag with a heavy barrel and a laminate stock. The laminate stock had a longer length of pull and a better comb than the synthetic B Series in 17 HMR. The B.Mag has a 22 inch barrel, an 8-round rotary magazine that ran flawlessly, and the Savage AccuTrigger.

Two complaints about the B.Mag. First, because of the way the bolt cams to cock the heavy firing pin spring, it is easy to short stroke until you get used to it. Second, it came with Weaver bases, which the author does not like. That is personal preference, and Picatinny bases are available aftermarket.

Range Test Results

The HMR wore a Steiner T5Xi and later a Vortex Razor Gen II 4.5-27. The WSM wore an older Vortex 4-16X because of its Weaver bases. Ammunition was American Eagle and CCI. The author used Applied Ballistics to bracket his wind calls and a large steel sighter target.

Accuracy at 100 Meters

The 17 WSM shot a 1 inch group at 100 meters, which is excellent for a rimfire. The 17 HMR shot a group about half that size. That set up the real question: does a less accurate rifle with better ballistics beat a very accurate rifle with weaker ballistics once the wind picks up?

Test 1: Tomatoes at 150 Meters

With wind over 11 mph, both cartridges hit tomatoes at 150 meters, but the WSM made it much easier. The HMR needed 0.3 mil of elevation while the WSM was still point of aim, point of impact, and the WSM needed only about two-thirds the windage. Point to WSM.

Test 2: Juice Cans at 250 Meters

At 250 meters with wind averaging 14 mph and gusting about 3 mph either way, the HMR scored no hits on 5.5 ounce juice cans despite confirming elevation on steel. The WSM cleared its own cans after a couple of sighter rounds, then cleared the HMR’s leftovers too. Point to WSM.

Test 3: 10 Inch Gong at 450 Meters

On another day with a steady 6 mph wind, the author moved to a 10 inch MGM hex gong at 450 meters, a little over 2 MOA. The WSM scored two hits at 3.5 mils of elevation, which is probably the ragged edge of its reach. The HMR needed 6.5 mils, its impacts were nearly invisible even through a 27X scope, and it scored no hits. Point to WSM.

Which Should You Buy?

Both cartridges are winners. It depends on what you need.

Buy the 17 HMR if you shoot mostly inside about 150 to 200 yards, want the cheapest .17 rimfire ammo, and want the widest choice of rifles, including semi-autos like the Savage A17. It is accurate and still a great varmint round.

Buy the 17 WSM if you hunt with a rimfire, shoot in the wind, or want to stretch a rimfire out to 250 meters and beyond. It brings a heavier bullet faster, and it filled a long-range rimfire training role out to at least 450 meters in our test. Savage also offers the WSM in its semi-auto A Series, as we covered in Savage adds 17 WSM to its A Series line.

For more on the rifles, see our Savage B.Mag 17 WSM review, our look at the Volquartsen Summit in 17 WSM, our Savage A17 17 HMR review, and our best .22 Magnum guns guide if you are weighing the HMR’s parent cartridge.

17 HMR vs 22 WMR: Quick Answer

The 17 HMR is literally the .22 WMR necked down to .17 caliber, so the two share a case. The HMR trades bullet diameter for a light, fast bullet that shoots flat and works great on prairie dogs, squirrels and other small varmints. If you are weighing the parent cartridge, see our best .22 Magnum guns guide, and for the HMR against .22 LR, see our 17 HMR vs 22 LR shootout.

17 HMR vs 17 WSM FAQ

Is 17 WSM better than 17 HMR?

For range and wind, yes. The WSM drives a 20 grain bullet about 650 fps faster than the HMR’s 20 grain load and stayed effective at 250 and 450 meters in our test where the HMR did not. The HMR is cheaper to shoot, more accurate in our test rifles at 100 meters, and has more rifle options.

Can you shoot 17 HMR in a 17 WSM rifle?

No. The cases are different, and you should only fire the cartridge marked on your barrel.

How far is 17 WSM effective?

Our author hit a 10 inch gong at 450 meters in a 6 mph wind, which he considered the ragged edge of its reach. For hunting, most shooters keep it much closer.

How far is 17 HMR effective?

The HMR hit well at 150 meters in 11 mph wind but scored no hits on small targets at 250 meters in 14 mph wind. For small game and varmints, most shooters keep it inside about 150 to 200 yards.

Is 17 WSM ammo more expensive than 17 HMR?

In our 2017 test, 17 WSM ran about 24 cents per round and 17 HMR about 18 cents per round, both 2017 prices. The HMR is also easier to find.

Why is the 17 WSM easy to short stroke?

The 17 WSM uses a very hard primer that needs a heavy firing pin strike. Savage’s B.Mag bolt cams the stronger spring in a way that makes it easy to short stroke until you get used to running the bolt firmly.