Winchester’s new .17 Winchester Super Magnum may not be the most hotly anticipated ammo development of our time—I’m thinking actually having some for sale sets that bar—but it certainly can claim one of the most interesting provenance stories. “We have a power fastener division of the company,” Winchester Ammunition’s Rimfire Senior Product Manager told petersenshunting.com. “They make cartridges for power nail guns and such. Well, we based this case off of the .27-caliber power fastener case. It gives us more case capacity, can handle higher pressures and ultimately more velocity. Lots more velocity.” Mike Schoby reports that “The new load from Winchester spits out the 20-grainer at 3,000 fps and a 25-grain load at 2,600 fps with energy levels right at 400 ft. lbs. and 375 ft. lbs. respectively—150 pounds more than the 17 HMR and solid 60 foot pounds more than the hottest .22 Winchester Magnum loading!” Exclamation mark indeed.
I see two uses for a rimfire load. Practice, training noobs and small game hunting. Ok, three uses. Does this new load do any of that at a better cost than the .22’s available?
Don’t forget predators. This would definitely extend the practical range for small game and predator hunting.
As a reloader, I wish it wasn’t a rimfire cartridge because it sounds like a great performer. Still, if the ammo isn’t too expensive, I want one if they make a left handed bolt action version.
Isn’t it a PITA being a southpaw? It’s thwarted many of my firearms aspirations. To the point that I’m training myself to use my right hand for shooting rifles. FML
Casey, check out the .17 Hornet.
Closer and closer to my dream of a modern deer hunting rimfire cartridge.
Another cartridge? Yay! Just what we needed! And I understand that Federal or somebody will soon release a .16 2/3 Short Amazing Ballistic Ultra Ultra Magnum. The new SHABUUM round shoots so flat and keeps so much energy that a hunter in the New Jersey Pine Barrens will be able to shoot a coyote hiding near a garbage can just outside of Winslow, Arizona with no holdover. And it’s free!
Forget adding another line of production for .223/5.56!!! This is the ticket!
So what sort of scope is that?
Google Earth.
I like the sound of those ballistics. It really comes down to price of the ammo for me because it is rimfire and can’t be reloaded.
Another damn rimfire? Unless it’s as cheap as the .22 I’m not interested.
I would hope the the ammo was cheap. Its based off of power nailer blanks so that should help keep the costs down. They already have most of the tooling for the cases.
The power nailer is on DiFi’s list of assault construction weapons.
Power nailer? Sounds like something for the bedroom.
Lolololololol
Sounds like it might be the answer for rimfire coyote hunting.
was that a question lots of people were asking?
What’s a rimfire coyote?
Wile E.’s country cousin.
Some of us live in states with restrictive hunting regs that make it difficult or impossible to hunt with centerfire. So yeah.
I found that the .17 HMR is like a lightening bolt on coyotes, badgers and such. Hit them behind the ear and they go down like a sack of hammers.
The nice thing about the .17 HMR with the 17 grain Vmax pill is that there is no exit wound. So at times of year like this, you have a market for hides and almost no hide damage – you can skin out a coyote and get something back for your trouble.
This round… I’m thinking there’s going to be an exit wound unless that 20gr pill is something explosive like a Vmax.
I love my .17HMR, as it’s an extremely accurate and flat shooting cartridge. Hopefully this is just more of a good thing.
The question is, will this make my Ramset more accurate at beyond point-blank?
Does this fill in a gap between .17hmr and .204 ruger?
Your 204, does not have zip along at 4000 fps.
First of all there’s no way this cartridge would exit a coyote and probably not a fox either. I’ve shot a ton of coyote with a .204, which has a ton more energy than this round and have only had exit wounds when I use 45 gr sp’s. Never with the ballistic tips (even on a neck shot). The small hollow points barely go through a fox. Unless you guy’s have 15 lb coyotes. Secondly what Mike S said is what the true market for this round is. Us who live in states that have a restriction on a rimfire rifle for coyote hunting have been waiting for a cartridge like this. Something with enough energy to take down a coyote at over 100 yds with one shot. I for one will have one on order.
I like seeing new cartridges and this one sounds like a good one. I do not understand why no one has developed a better 20 cal rimfire than the 5mm remington magnum. I believe this would be a far better caliber. with the technology of today they should be able to get 3000 fps with a 30 grain bullet.
Casey,if you wish to reload check out the .17 Hornet!! 20 [email protected] guy on You Tube claims 3/16 groups@100yds with handloads!! (In a Ruger 77/17) Savage also chambers for .17/hornady.
What the world needs is a caseless 14 caliber garden gun for the backyard. 10 grain bullet at 800 fps. Or better, or a spring pellet gun that will compress a big ball of air before you pull the trigger so the firing is instant rather than the lag spring guns have now. And give it a 20 caliber pellet shaped like a bullet, and a long slow twist. Like the 300 aac. 800 fps 20 grains, streamlined, it would be death on starlings in the cty.
YIKES! I meant to say Savage also chambers for .17 “Hornet” Also to bryon,Boosting The .20 rimfire to 3000 fps. makes a lot of sence!!
Is it possible to rechamber a Brno 17HRM to tHis caliber as I have two of them ?
The only thing needed now is a semi auto pistol and rifle for this caliber. They would sell like hot cakes.
Not sure I understand how the new Winchester .17 round in rimfire is a better round than ruger .204. I had a 17 fireball and sold it after purchasing a .204 in AR platform. I have a Volquartsen that shoots in both .22 magnum .17 hmr in semi automatic platform and just do not think the new Winchester round provides much new news unless you just want to stick to rimfires, in which case it would make sense.
I have a scavenger 12ga shotgun, can shoot 14 different calibers out of it with adapters. but I cant shoot high caliber because of back pressure. the 17wsm in adapter form is just what I’m looking for. my 17hmr and .22 magnum are great,but higher velocity and a longer range is what I need for big game.
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