Just bought a new rifle.

Originally Posted By: IdahoRogerBought a new Ruger 77/17 in .17 WSM. Does anyone here have one, and what do you have to say about it?

Roger, unless something has changed, the trigger is usually pretty heavy, but it's a cheap and very easy fix with a Timney sear and sear spring kit. I put one of these kits in my dad's Ruger 77/17HMR a few years ago. It only takes a couple minutes to install and made a huge difference in his gun. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1004737577

The accuracy can sometimes be a little hit or miss so if it doesn't shoot all that great out of the box, don't panic, there are different things you can do to make them shoot better. Hopefull, your's will be a shooter right out of the box and all you'll have to do is install a sear/sear spring kit.
 
You're supposed to ask that before you buy! Congrats on the new rifle! I have never been a Ruger rifle fan except for the 10.22 and their AR's. I think there are a ton of better options in bolt actions. That being said, you probably got a decent rifle.
 
I have one. Good cheap rifle for loaning to people for pdog shooting. It will shoot 3/4 to 1 MOA regularly. Could be the rifle, could be the ammo, could be both. Certainly isn't a full custom centerfire I'm used to, but it works. It shoots right with the volquartsen I had... and doesn't fall apart like the volquartsen did.

I put a timney sear in it, with a rifle basix trigger. The factory trigger is hot garbage. Ruger shouldn't even be allowed to sell it. That's how bad the stock triggers are. Complete and total trash. The sporter stock is nice if that's you're thing. I wish McMillan inlet an A3A for this.

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Also Roger, it's been my experience shooting a 17 WSM for a few years now, that the 17 WSM ammo suffers from the same variance, from Lot# to Lot#, that all other non match grade rimfire ammo suffers from. That's not to say it's crap, but a couple things I'd recommend.

#1 If you find a particular Lot# that shoots well in your gun, go back to that store and buy all of the Lot# you can get your hands on.

#2 I always check POI whenever I change Lot#'s to confirm if I need to make any scope adjustments.

Or, you can disregard all of the above and just go shoot it and where it lands is where it lands. Depending on your expectations, this can sometimes be the best choice.
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The thing about the 17 WSM is it is a very capable little cartridge and has the ability to reach out much further and deliver with authority, better than any other rimfire on the market, but because it can stretch out there further and make hits on ground squirrel sized critters at crazy far distances, especially for a rimfire, we as shooters get frustrated when the ammo or the guns we're shooting it in doesn't allow us to do that on a consistent basis.

I've shot sage rats out to well beyond 300yds, but I know Eric w/Varminter dot com has shot ground squirrels out well beyond 400yds with different 17 WSM rifles so that will give you some idea of what these things are capable of.

I recall you considering a 17 Hornet, did you ever get one or did you get this new 17 WSM instead??
 
I have a .22 Hornet so I did not consider that one yet. I have a .17WSM barrel for my Encore, the only problem with that combo is that I get a misfire every now and then, even with a heavy hammer spring. Despite that problem the rifle is deadly accurate, and kills with authority out to at least 250 yards. I bought a .17 HMR in the Ruger American and really like it, so I bought the 77/17 in .17 WSM to be a big brother. So many guns---such little time.
 
Originally Posted By: IdahoRoger the only problem with that combo is that I get a misfire every now and then, even with a heavy hammer spring. Probably the ammo. I've tried hitting the case 4-5 times, rotating it, hitting it again. Some rimfire cases simply do not have any priming compound in the rim. Annoying, but a fact of life. High end 22lr ammo doesn't do that often. No such thing as high end 17WSM ammo.
 
Originally Posted By: orkanOriginally Posted By: IdahoRoger the only problem with that combo is that I get a misfire every now and then, even with a heavy hammer spring. Probably the ammo. I've tried hitting the case 4-5 times, rotating it, hitting it again. Some rimfire cases simply do not have any priming compound in the rim. Annoying, but a fact of life. High end 22lr ammo doesn't do that often. No such thing as high end 17WSM ammo.

Having taken a few loaded 17 WSM rounds apart, I'm nearly certain, priming compound and how inconsistent it's placed down in the cases, as well as how much variance there is in the amount of priming compound used from case to case, is the problem.

Winchester seems to be more concerned about keeping their cost per unit as low as possible than they are about producing a higher quality product. Unfortunately, it's a common practice with all of the rimfire manufacturers, short of those making match grade 22LR ammo.
 
I also had quality problems with .17 WSM ammo. I bought five boxes of ammo, and four of those boxes had one round where the bullet was seated too far in the case and crooked. All the same date code too.

When I first started shooting this ammo in my Encore I got about 40% misfires, they would always go off on the second hammer strike though. I then put a medium hammer spring in my Encore and the misfires went down to about 10%, and would always go off on the second hammer strike. I then put the heavy hammer spring in my Encore and only had one misfire, which went off with the second strike.

I remember having only one round that would not go off regardless of hammer strikes.
 
Originally Posted By: IdahoRogerIs there a possibility that someone will manufacture some quality .17 WSM ammo?

One can hope, but if I were a betting man I'd have to say, what we got is all were gonna get.
 
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I just put in the Timney trigger sear and spring, had to file down where the safety hits the trigger to make the safety work easy. I'm guessing a 3 pound trigger pull now versus eight pounds from Ruger.
 
I did today, I really like that rifle. I didn't have any misfires either. I plan on shooting a coyote or two this winter with it. Along with my .17 Rem and .22-250.
 
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