  The new .17WSM rimfire caliber from Winchester is currently only available in the Savage B-Mag rifle. It appears to be a new design from Savage, and the cartridge is an honest performer downrange, far surpassing the .17HMR.  The new rimfire is based on a .27 caliber nail gun blank made by Winchester for driving cement nails. The case is much bigger than a .17HMR, and it was significantly beefed up from a blank case to achieve the performance found in the .17WSM.  We measured the only ammo we could get, the 25 grain, at over the 2600 fps listed on the box.  This chart was generated by the ballistic software on the Winchester ammo website. It shows the dramatic difference between the .17HMR and the .17WSM at 200 yards. The data sheets are below.  This Savage B-Mag is a very different rimfire. If you click to make the picture bigger you’ll see that it uses a standard round firing pin that is offset to activate the rim of the cartridge.  The biggest quirk of the gun is that it cocks on closing, like an Enfield. Our test gun was a bit stiff. Note that it comes with the scope mounts.  The new rotary magazine from Savage holds 8 rounds. Ours worked flawlessly because we didn’t take it apart to see how it works.  If you click to make this bigger you will see groups running from .65 to 1.66 on the same paper. At 100 yards, the ammo seemed to just be inconsistent, though not an overall bad performer by any means.  This rifle does come with the patented Savage Accutrigger system. It is adjustable and shipped from the factory at about 3 lbs.  The barrel is free floated in the stock, and for about 4 of these dead presidents you can buy both the gun and the Leapers SWAT Scope mounted on top.  Thjis is the .17WSM ballistics chart for the 20 grain load. At 200 yards it only drops 3.5″, which means you can shoot almost point blank at normal game distances.  This is the .17HMR chart with a Hornady 17 grain bullet, the only one Winchester makes in that caliber. It is still an impressive rimfire, but in a different class.  This is the .22WMR chart with a 36 grain bullet. It is night and day ballistically. |
Winchester Ammunition
https://www.winchester.com/
Savage Arms
https://www.savagearms.com/
The amazing new rimfire we have all been gushing about since January’s SHOT Show has finally come to fruition. Winchester Ammunition, teamed up with Savage Arms, has introduced a new .17 caliber cartridge called the .17 Winchester Super Magnum that is capable of firing a 20 grain bullet at just better than 3,000 feet per second. That makes it the fastest rimfire ever created, and puts it in a class pretty much by itself for long range rimfire competition and varmint hunting. The problem until now has been that the only reviews out there were from print writers who all shot the exact same prototype rifle that was made for a print writers roundup, so it had very little relationship to the actual gun that you would later find in a store. Add to that the fact that the ammo was simply not available, period. Savage sent us this test rifle over two months ago, but we had no ammo, so like everyone else, we waited. Finally, as you can see from these tests, the ammo has started to trickle out. Several of our dealers have reported that they have gotten 40 box orders in (and quickly out) the door, and this ammo you see here was purchased retail at Bass Pro in Hollywood, Florida. We were only able to get the 2600fps. 25 grain load, but it is still a rip roaring monster for a rimfire, and the accuracy is acceptable, (though not fabulous for a Savage). The Savage “B-Mag” rifle is currently the only gun for the cartridge, and it carries an MSRP of $349. As a first effort on a new and revolutionary rimfire, the B-Mag performed well, and the cartridge looks to have great potential.
The .17WSM is not just a hotter .17HMR. It is a different, and much larger case entirely. Winchester based it on a .27 caliber blank made for industrial nail guns used for cement nails. They make a ton of these blanks, so in their attempt to develop the next hottest cartridge out there, the engineers settled on tooling that they already owned and used. It required substantial modification. They beefed up the case by doubling the wall thickness and added extra meat to the top. This supposedly results in a rimfire case that runs at 33,000 psi, though we have not been able to test the actual ammo in the gun as to the pressure. What we were able to test though was the actual velocity of the 25 grain round, and it clocked at over 50 fps over the box velocity of 2600fps, with a 22″ barrel. That is impressive, and judging by the interest we have received on the original article from January, there are going to be a lot of very unhappy prairie dogs, coyotes and grey squirrels from this new and exciting powerhouse of a rimfire.
Using Winchester’s ballistic calculator (also a phone app), we were able to see the broad brush differences between the 17 HMR and the new .17WSM (as well as the .22WMR). If you find it strange that Winchester didn’t call it the .17WMR, you aren’t alone. The “WSM” connotation has been used for “Winchester Short Magnum” for years in centerfire, and it is odd that they used that abbreviation for the new rimfire, but it was probably done to help the cartridge stand alone, which ballistically it does among rimfires. Using Winchester’s only .17HMR in the calculator, which is a .17 grain bullet, the 20 grain.17WSM is already doubling the.17HMR in energy at 100 yards, 278 ft.lbs/sec. vs. 138 ft.lbs/sec. And though their drop is equal at .3 inches, in a 10 mph crosswind the .17WSM has ½ the wind drift, 1.6″, versus. 3.1″ for the .17HMR. At 200 yards, the wind drift and energy are similar in relation to each other, but the bullet drop has increased on the .17HMR to almost 3 times that of the .17WSM, 8.9″ vs. 3.5″ respectively. Winchester actually uses a Hornady 17 VMAX bullet for that cartridge, so it isn’t as though they intentionally sandbagged the round. The numbers on the .20 grain .17WSM are really impressive, but that wasn’t the one we were able to shoot unfortunately. Every gun shop we have spoken with has gotten the 25 grain bullet, and the numbers on that, while still much better than the .17HMR, are not as much of a standout.
Currently the only gun for this caliber is the Savage “B-Mag,” and it appears to be a completely new rifle. If you look at the cartridge head and bolt face picture, you’ll see that it doesn’t fire with a standard rimfire firing pin. It is instead an offset centerfire’ish pin, and the indent on the case is a standard certerfire’ish, indent. The gun also cocks on closing the bolt, which is my only peeve on an otherwise very comfortable and well made rifle. You have to really practice throwing the bolt, because otherwise it is very easy to short stroke it and think you are closing the bolt when you really aren’t. The bolt handle actually quasi-closes about a ½ inch behind the real closing point, so in the field this could lead to a missed follow-up shot if you aren’t careful. Limp’ly running the bolt doesn’t work so good either. The cartridges are held at a steep angle, ready to be pushed in, and if you don’t do it quickly and with some force, they occasionally get sideways on you. We ran 200 rounds through this gun and it isn’t a serious problem. Once you get used to that hard downforce on bolt close, and the length of the throw, it won’t fail to strip and chamber a round even once.
There is also a new rotary 8 round magazine for the B-Mag, and though it is odd, ours worked flawless. Instead of each cartridge following the previous, the way it does in pre-war Savage Model 1899, the magazine has actual slots that you feed the case into as it turns around. It isn’t the easiest magazine to load, but it works as it should out of the box and doesn’t fail. I didn’t open up the mag to see what is inside and how it works, but I have read other reviewers who claimed that they were “gunsmiths,” and, strangely, had magazine problems with the B-Mag. There are two very inviting screws on the front of the magazine, but unless you get something in there that needs to be cleaned out, I would leave the magazine well enough alone and it will work great. Every gun company customer service department will tell you that the biggest problem they have are guys who feel like they have to take apart a brand new gun before they shoot it. I have owned, shot and cleaned guns for decades without ever taking down for cleaning more than a simple field strip, and they work and last just fine. This is a $300 rifle. Don’t take the little pieces apart unless you have to, on any gun for that matter.
Our accuracy testing will have to remain incomplete for the time being because we were not able to get either rendition of the 20 grain Winchester ammo. The 25 grain load was inconsistent, with some 100 yard 5 shot groups coming in at .5″ in dispersal, and others 1.5″. That isn’t too bad even with our worst results, and well within varmint tolerances out to 300 yards, but you couldn’t help asking yourself what the rifle was really capable of delivering. Could it be that the .17WSM is just an untamable beast running at too high a pressure through a small action? Probably not, and the evidence is in Savage’s decision to not make a .300 Blackout a couple years back. They were unable to get that cartridge to perform in a bolt gun as well as it has demonstrated in a semi-auto, so they just didn’t make it. There is no way that Savage would make this gun if thought it would only deliver inconsistent performance, which leads us to answer #2: the ammo itself. Other reviewers who shot that prototype gun reported that the 20 grain load performed much better than the 25 grain load, yet we haven’t seen any in the market that I can tell. That usually means that the test ammo was made by hand, not on automated machinery. The 25 grain is what you are seeing in he stores, and this load is unique to the .17WSM because the .17HMR can’t handle bullets that heavy. Most coyote hunters will want the 25 grain, and coyote hunters buy a lot of guns, so the 25 grain is the one that Winchester tooled up the machinery for first. The new ammo just isn’t that consistent yet, and we have all been spoiled on Hornady .17HMR that will shoot into .5 inches reliably in any Savage you put it in. This Savage B-Mag is almost definitely capable of delivering that same consistent tack driving performance, given ammo that is consistent.
The price of shooting the .17WSM will be about 3 bucks per box of 50 more than shooting the same 50 rounds of.17HMR. This is understandable because it has much more brass and powder, but when you are up in the range of $16-18 for a non-reloadable rimfire, the rimfire cost advantage quickly evaporates in a couple prairie dog towns. The 3600 fps. .17 Hornet centerfire cartridge we recently reviewed is a tack driver, and at $18 per box of 25, if you reload them twice you have already saved yourself significant money over the course of hundreds of rounds. It is also easier to stock up on bullets, powder and primers than boxes of ammo should another artificial shortage cut off the ammo supply again. I don’t think the question is, should I get a .17HMR or a .17WSM? Of course you should get a .17HMR for heaven’s sake! The real question is, if I am going to invest in a new experimental .17, should it be the .17WSM or the .17 Hornet? If you handload, it would be the latter. If you do not, probably the former. If Hornady ends up making a .17WSM cartridge, all bets are off. Get your but to a gunshop that day and get a .17WSM before Oprah tells her minions to buy one and they end up backordered for two years. These Savage B-Mags in .17WSM are currently available, and any gun dealer worth her or his salt is squirreling away some ammo when they have the guns to sell, so just ask your local dealer or big box store and you’ll be out shooting the worlds fastest rimfire in no time flat.
I have a B.Mag heavy barrel, laminate stock and it shoots fantastic. 1/8″ groups @ 50 yds. consistently. I’ve tuned the trigger down to 1.5 lbs and mounted a mid-range 16X scope. My favorite gun to shoot.
I’ve noticed that alot of the last comments where posted in 2013, I’m hoping that when I purchase a wsm, and it’s now 2017, Savage has worked out most of the problems!!
My first generation BMAG shoots great and is my go to rifle for all my hunting.
my colleague needed IRS 1098-T a few days ago and was informed about an online service that has lots of form templates . If others are interested in IRS 1098-T as well , here’s a
https://goo.gl/WQXzkRI bought my BMag about 3 weeks ago mounted a 6×24 Nikon on it I’m alittle disappointed in the rifle. I own 5 other savages in different caliber and absolute liove every one of them. I’m very lucky to get a three in. Group at 100. To me that’s not exceptible. I think savage could have done better. I also forgot to mention it is the heavy stainless barrel. Which makes it even more disappointing.
I like mine just need wood not a .synthetic stock will drop a coyote 200 yards no problem
Accuracy is great in rifle. Bullet holes touching each other at 50 yards. Clip is a piece of trash. Savage needs to go to Ruger and learn how to make a rotary clip. Clip loads with greatest difficulty. Shells have to be worked side to side rather than straight down. You get what you pay for. Savage is $300 gun vs Ruger $700 gun. CHRIS
I bought one of the 1st guns before the store even had it on the shelf, it has been a very bitter sweet purchase but mainly bitter.
First off the magazine loads well but does not feed well at all, the ballistic tip usually catches on the outside edge of chamber but sometimes goes in nicely.
Secondly like my Savage 22-250 right out of te box, it doesn’t eject the rounds. If it was just cleaned it will pull the first so many out and just drop on top of magazine. After about 20 rounds and this leads us to the worst problem of all the barrel is so dirty that the casings come out black and you have to remove the magazine amd use a finger nail from the top an bottom to get casing out.
Now that’s not the worst problem, when I mention that this is te worst problem I am referring to the black gunk in the barrel that builds up quickly, and when it does it means I can’t hit a gopher at 75yds. Shot after shot dust just flies up all around the gopher every direction.
But if you give the barrel a quick cleaning, it becomes a deadly tack driver once again.
I am just guessing it is an ammunition problem and would love to get some new stuff that corrects this issue.
As far as the gun itself with with magazine and ejection problem, I am guessing I will just have to buy a new gun. But not until I research improvements or new models replacing it.
I purchased the B mag about a yr ago and haven’t experienced any of the split casings I’ve heard about online, accuracy is acceptable for a rifle in the b mag price range. I did have trouble with the magazine and no I didn’t take it apart. I replaced the flimsy factory stock with a Boyds which was a huge improvement, also replaced the bolt handle with one from Glades Armory, this was a preference not a nescesity. Overall I liked the B mag enough to get the heavy barrel model recently and accuracy is much better with this model, I have made the same upgrades to it. Hopefully the magazine trouble was limited to the first one and the new ones will hold up over time. I love the 17 WSM cartridge and haven’t had any trouble finding it in Canada although initially only the 25 gr was available. Recently I was able to get some of the 20 gr, I stocked up on both just in case it isn’t successful and becomes rare. I’d really like to see what CZ, Ruger or Henry could do with this caliber, maybe one of them will get onboard and give us some rifle options but for now my savage little B mag is my varmint killer.
Lucky you, sent my second one back, waiting for results,such a fantastic gun when it works,with ruger introducing a new wsm I can’t see them disapeering.
I’m on my second wsm17 , first one good for a wile then it wasn’t seems like I am introducing a new problem to the list,gas exscaping past the seal between the barrel and breach,3 shots out of the second one and the ejector grab came of ,luckely found the pin on the ute floor and put it back together?
Then it shot all over the place ,gave the warped stock a hell of a wrench to get it of the barrel and it was good untill it slowly went back against it,first one I atacked the trigger with a ceramic stone and had the triger nice.
Be doing the same with this one,might just cut the end of the stock:-)
so far there’s been a few head shots at 250 mtrs,amazing caliber, heart breaking problems,
Thinking savage sunk to much into it before they got it right and had to start selling to make ends meet, sounds like they are sick of but still replacing with no problems,
Sincerly hope it takes of and would love some advice on diferent barrells or whatever.cheers.
I’m on my second wsm17 , first one good for a wile then it wasn’t seems like I am introducing a new problem to the list,gas exscaping past the seal between the barrel and breach,3 shots out of the second one and the ejector grab came of ,luckely found the pin on the ute floor and put it back together?
Then it shot all over the place ,gave the warped stock a hell of a wrench to get it of the barrel and it was good untill it slowly went back against it,first one I atacked the trigger with a ceramic stone and had the triger nice.
Be doing the same with this one,might just cut the end of the stock:-)
Might try a rail so the bolt clears the scope, so far there’s been a few head shots at 250 mtrs,amazing caliber, heart breaking problems,puting some blame on winchester amo as I had problems with power piont for the22 mag.
Thinking savage sunk to much into it before they got it right and had to start selling to make ends meet, sounds like they are sick of but still replacing with no problems, could of nocked me back because I filed the trigger .
I’m hoping that enough people persavere so others make it, for a little while hiting a fox at 300 mtrs would of been no problems , amazing potential.so far i’v gone through at least 12 boxes .
Sincerly hope it takes of and would love some advice on diferent barrells or whatever.cheers.
Love the .17 super mag round, its great! The gun on the other hand is a piece, do not buy this gun! Its made with poor quality, terrible loading action and misfires have cost me many predators. I will not be using this gun any longer, I cannot rely on the gun to actually fire. As soon as a reputable gun maker produces a rifle in this caliber I will own one. I will not be selling my Savage B mag due to the fact I will not do a fellow hunter/shooter that type of dirty injustice.
From what Ive seen and experienced, you may have gotten a “lemon” which can happen with ANYTHING from time to time..
I just went out to shoot mine for the first time, but upon pulling the trigger mother happened. It has come to my attention that the only time the gun will load and fire is if while cocking the weapon the safety is off. if the safety is on the trigger is able to be pulled but will not fire, any help?
The Winchester .17 HMR varmint and small game round is total crap I would tell anyone not to purchase these and I work at Cabela’s s. I only fired 30 rounds through my brand new Henry and it jammed up 4 times and FTF twice. The last time it jammed when i finally got the casing out there was a huge crack down the side of it. These are total junk. I bought 5 boxes of 50 rounds and am not happy luckily its the pheasant classic here in SD and the Winchester rep will be there tomorrow.
Have to agree on the $9.00/box for .22LR. I just saw .22lr at ctd for 99.99 for a 500 rd brick. That is 20 cents per round. Will agree the “hoarders” have played a part in the problem but retailers gouging is a bigger part imo.
Still cannot find “any” .17wsm anywhere.
Volquartsen will be producing a custom semi-auto rifle in 17 WSM if you want to drop 1900.00 on a varmint gun. I also heard that Franklin Armory is going to start producing AR 10 model in 17 WSM cost is around 1800.00. FYI I found a couple boxes of 25 gr. ammo at Walmart the other day 14.95 plus tax. Keep checking the stores I heard that the ammo manufacturers stopped producing rimfire to keep up with the demand for .223, 5.56 ammo etc. and they have started production of rimfire again. Seems to be the case as I see more 22 LR on the shelves at 9.00 a frickin box. That is BS
Having a lot off trouble with magazines. Shells will not pop up into position so that the bolt can push them into the chamber. Can anybody tell me what to do?
Call Savage. The magazine is a little tricky to load but you may have a defective gun.
I have the same problem when u get a fix let me know.If anyone has a stock mines broke would prefer wood I’m done with hard plastic.
Just got a bmag and topped it with a 4x16x40mm Vortex Diamondback Hp. Shooting started all over the place at 100 yds but tightened up after about 80 rounds. While yet still streaky it has moments of brilliance. Naturally barrel heating caused the groups to widen. First shot on a cold barrel is tough, dead center. Fun gun to shoot, I love it. I’m fortunate to live in a place where I can shoot in my backyard, 110 yds to target. For the money Savage has made a pretty good rifle. There barrels are second to none. As different manufactures start making ammo it will only get better. I’ve shot about 180 rounds thru mine. I cleaned the copper fouling out of the barrel and shooting went to pot, took 50 rounds to come around again. Happy, Happy, Happy
I purchased a Bmag with SS bull barrel , accu trigger with a Bushnell Banner 4X12X32 scope and only was able to find the 25 gr. ammo. It took app. 60 rounds to get groups down from 3 in. to 11/2 in. @ 100 yards, The trigger guard is already cracked on each flimsy side of the very hard to load magazine. This is the worst Savage I have owned. The company is sending a new guard and mag. This must have been a rush product with out much quality control testing.
Why were ballistics given for the 20 grain when they shot the 25 & were are the 25 grain ballistics?
How ’bout that bull barrel?
Purchasing my B-MAG was one of the most difficult decisions I have made, considering ALL of the negative comments about the stock, ejector issues, safety location, accuracy, and even ammo problems and availability.
I found the B-MAG with the bull barrel at Dick’s Sporting Goods here in Tampa, and bought it. Of the two in stock, both of them had the warped synthetic stock. 20 grain ammo was plentiful and on sale for $14.99/box.
I opted for the NIKON BDC 3x9x40 scope in camo.
Out of the box, after the initial scope adjustment @ 25 yards, I was shooting consistent dime size groups. At 50 yards, the groups went to the size of a nickel, and at 100 yards, I was holding groups the size of a quarter with multiple bullets through the same hole. I shot about 40 rounds with only 1 misfire (and after re-chambered, it also fired).
I called Savage yesterday and they are shipping me today the replacement stock…no questions asked!
This week, I plan it to order a Boyd’s Featherweight thumb-hole stock, mount a bipod, and head to the range to fine tune the rifle, shooting off a REAL rifle rest…not shooting from a flimsy table with no good rifle rest.
I think I made a great decision, even after all the negative hype, and now have a great varmint gun. My Ruger .22 Mag will take a rest after many years of taking small game, hogs, and an occasional Turkey here in FL.
I’d be curious if you have any results with the .17 WSM bull barrel??
I have a 17hmr in winchester 1885, and next week my 17 wsm is here, also have a 17hmr in a weatherby, can hardly wait for some warm weather and put these guns to the test on the bench.
This gun is not very well built. Poor stock around the barrel. I shot 25 shots at 100 yards with the 25 grain bullet and it shot a 4 inch group at best…..I took it out to 200 yards and it was all over the place with a 7 inch group being the best…..Sure its fast but with this cheap barrel you are getting what you pay for……Savage really put out a lemon on this gun…..The Marlin 22 mag shot circles around me out to 125 yards………Don’t waste your money…
Work the bolt and polish it. Clean the barrel during your break in. Change your stock I put a Boyd’s thumb hold stock. Accuracy improved tremendously I have shot several bobcats and fox. Also a few coyotes I love my .17wsm I installed a Vortex Diamondback 4×12 perfect set up for predator and varmint hunting. I’m sure Savage and the ammo companies will work out any problems. As for me I’m extremely impressed with this cartridge and rifle.
You can’t please all of the people all of the time. As far as grouping I’m very happy with my 1″” at 100 yards and 1.5″ groups at 150 yards. I shoot the 25grain ammo gotta love it.
I owned one for 6 weeks then traded it at a pawn shop. Three of those weeks it was back at the factory for repair ! I own 22 guns and have had many more over the years , this is the worst gun I’ve ever had in my hands . It looks like Matel made it ! This gun is junk ! The bolt sucks as well as the safety. You folks bragging on the trigger , yes its a light pull but no better than Ruger American`s and the Ruger is much cleaner ! The gun is cheap made nothing like the HMR that I’ve had for 5 years! BEWARE ! WAIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO MAKE THIS GUN ! I’m hoping Ruger will soon! This gun has turned me off to Savage ! As much as I loved my Savage HMR I WILL NEVER TRUST THEM AGAIN !
The .17WSM looks like a great firearm on paper, it’s to bad that you can’t find ammo anywhere. The Savage rifle is a joke in my review of having the gun since August. First round down the barrel and the firing pin dislodged, would fire a second round. So after pre-ordering the gun 8 months before to use during predator season, I was less than impressed. Sent the gun back and received gun two first of October. Second gun had the safety malfunction after three shots. The safety would not go back to the safe position. Sent the gun back again and received gun three mid-December. After having to meet UPS at my house and having to take the gun to a FFL UPS store twice. Savage offered me a magazine for all my trouble, which was all they could do. They decided they could send me two since I had to drive 46 miles to UPS twice and be home from work to receive two firearms. Received my package with only one of two promised finally got the second one on Jan 16th. What a JOKE their customer service is, after 6 calls (you never get anyone for 20-25 mins) and hours on the phone they still screwed this up. The gun after shooting the “good” one for a month is not what they have made it out to be. I was able to hold a 2″ pattern off rest but not what they have claimed so far. I wouldn’t waste my money on this cheap firearm again, and I will not buy another Savage period after the three legged horse race it is to deal with their customer service. Garbage
I am not impressed with the accuracy of the .17wsm at all. My .17hmr blows it away. Don’t know if it is a barrel flaw or the ammo. I think they should have stuck with the same barrel design as the .17 hmr. especially as a varmint rifle. Next, there is the clip problems, I can feed the ammo in faster one at a time then by loading the clip and then trying to get the bolt to pick the ammo up. Two thoughts; Maybe the barrel will break in with some more shooting, and I can have a sub moa rifle, and maybe the next clip will work flawlessly… Or, I may just re-barrel it with a heavy, high-end target barrel and solve the great mystery. Also, the position of the bolt handle hits my thumb and tries to open, a new design is needed. I will post something positive as it comes to fruition.
Ordered 17 bmag last January . Received rifle in July with no ammo, dealer said I would get first box of ammo being I got the first bmag at store. Month later I received box of ammo. Ammo was $15, not bad. Sighted rifle in at 100 yards trying not to use to many bullets as I only had 50. Groups of about 3/4 inch or less. Found three more boxes of bullets at a gun show, paid $25 per box, not good but didn’t know when I would fined more ammo. Went jack hunting, first time about every sixty bullet would jam. Went out hunting again last weekend and nailed 5 jackrabbits between 150 and 200 yards no problem. Gun was feeling good then it jammed , and would jam about ever third bullet. Took gun back to store and they are sending it to savage to see what is going on. Rifle looks cheap but it really felt good when I was shooting it, it was very well balanced and very light. If savage can figure out why it will not chamber a bullet correctly and fix it, it is the perfect rimfire. But if this is the way this gun chambers a bullet it will really suck and probably a waste of money.
If someone is looking for a 17 wsm try red rock shooters supply in miles city Montana. I got mine there and they had a bunch of them. 300.00. No tax. I was from ND
.17 Savage B-MAG
Bought the rifle online and found Ammo at Walmart. I added and inexpensive scope and found that adding a rail raised the scope away from the bolt handle.
Pros:After siting the scope I found the rounds hit consistently within a very tight area. When shooting at suspended 1/2 inch steel plates I was amazed that the rounds left serious dents in the plates. I have yet to varmint hunt, but suspect that if shooting rabbits for food, a head shot would be desirable or you would starve to death.
Cons: If a round is loaded with the safety is on and you turn it off, you will need to re-cock the bolt. (Turn the safety off before loading a round or the rifle won’t cock) Be deliberate when loading and extracting a rounds with the bolt. The bolt must be in the full up position for a clean load/extraction process. When loading rounds into the rotatable magazine, I found the last two or three rounds were difficult to load unless I rotated the rounds when pushing then into the magazine.
I love the rifle, fantastic value, great dependable Winchester 17 super mag rounds, no regrets.
Bought the Savage 17 bmag for my son two weeks ago. Since we just moved to East TX we are not aware of any gun ranges within an hour so we took it with us for Thanksgiving. After all the fan fare and actually having rounds to shoot, the gun would not eject shells and only shot three rounds out of 15 attempts. I read on line where they were having ejection issues and misfires. My son didn’t even get to shoot it once. I swore I would never buy a gun within the first two years of its inception since I have gone through the growing pains twice before with new models. Well, a gun dealer told me this was a must have but ammo was hard to come by. When I found 10 boxes of ammo and you could buy from Cabelas, i thought what the heck. I found several of the BMAG in Dallas and bought one. I called savage today and after a 25 minute wait, customer service says “ship it to us and we will look at it”. Not I am sorry or sorry for the inconvience. He really was not too interested in my call and once said could you repeat what you said I missed it.
I guess I am sour for a gun that doesn’t fire out of the box, having to take my scope off and then pay to ship it back. He said it will take a minimum of three weeks if they have to repair it and longer to replace it. This is my first Savage purchase so I am really skepticle dispite hearing others say they had a great experience with this company. Just thought I would throw my experience out there. I hope I am just one exception to this gun not operating.
Frustrated
I would love to be able to leave some thoughts on this rifle.
The only problem is I can only dream of holding one as they are not available here in Australia till may next year.
I wish savage would do something about that and the extra we will have to pay for it here apprx $600.aud
Enjoy reading others comments so keep them coming.
Regard Ken
I like the cartridge – But Savage what have you dune your guns are great but this B-Mag at
4 1/2 lbs. is a toy
Am I the only one that noticed that there isn’t actually a dead president on the dead president dollar bill example?
Picked up 10 boxes of 17WSM at LL BEAN last weekend an and ordered my gun at Kittery Trading Post last June.
LL Bean hasn’t seen the gun yet, but stocked the bullets. Cabellas in Maine hasn’t seen the gun or bullets.
And to my surprise my gun showed up at KTP Today {november}… Only the 2nd gun they have received out of a dozen ordered, but doesn’t have bullets yet. I think this was the biggest scam Savage Arms ever orchestrated hyping a gun that didn’t exist and a bullet that’s dam near impossible to locate. I know there’s a lot of people hoarding ammo but why would company like (Winchester) not release the ammo UNLESS it doesn’t exist. I feel sorry for our children who will know how wonderful it was to go down to the local hardware store, buy a couple of box of .22 for a buck or two and shoot at tin cans all afternoon.
The world has changing and not for the better.
You can’t be that foolish. Does everything on the internet have to be a scam or a trick? Whey would Savage spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an ad campaign if the gun somehow wasn’t going to exist? The demand for guns is staggering, and gun companies are relatively small. The B-Mag is a huge gun for Savage. Letme guess, it was you who came up with the whole theory and not Fox at KTP right?
Have had this rifle for a month or so. Shot it 3 times on paper then shot a coyote at 250yards it works great.
I bought one back in July. Sent it back because It would not stay on a 12 inch target at 20 yards. The bullets were tumbling and hitting the target flat sided.
I searched all over the place for this gun and ammo. Just got mine in last week. Using 20 grain PT. I am really disappointed in this rifle. Shoots all over the place at 50 yards not to mention at 100 yards. The stock is warped, has a big bow under the barrel. The barrel does not even sit in the center of the stock. I could handle how the bolt is tough to operate but this gun can’t be the one everyone is writing about. I would not recommend it at least not until Savage does something about their QC. Funny thing is that I read this site prior to purchasing it and thought, “just fluke problems SOME people are having.”
The barrel is tapered, not sure if the stock was made to totally conform to the tapered barrel? I had problems with “All over the place” until I added a rail to raze the scope away from the bolt and really tightened the scope rings, mount, and rails down. Try adding a rail to raze your scope away from your bolt.
Love the rifle.
I bought one about 2 months ago from Bi-Mart and it did not shoot good at all, 5″ at 100 yds.. Took it back for a full refund (less the $10 background check) and waited for the next one to come in. Just got a new one 3 days ago and it shoots great! I did buy a new box of ammo with it, and was wondering if that could be the reason? I have not tried the older ammo yet but if I find that the ammo was the problem I will let you all know.
I’m very excited about the new ‘17 Winchester Super Magnum ammo’. The 3000 fps sound great! It’s about time we had a powerful rim fire. However I’m very disappointed in the rifle. I have always used iron sights, who would buy a gun with no sights? This is a basic design of every gun. I can’t believe the “new generation” of gun owners are so lame they just accept this, like it’s normal for a gun company to cut costs, yea who need sights anyway, just point and shot in that direction. I’ll wait for a real gun company to make a rifle in this new caliber, with sights.
I have a Savage 93R17 (.17HMR) which is extremely accurate. I love this rifle, but when the announcement was made that they were bringing the B-Mag out, the .17 WSM really got my attention! I have also been a .22 hornet fan for years. The cost of the .17 WSM is said to be about 1/3 the cost of the .22 Hornet. The local Wal-Mart has the .17 WSM (20 and 25 gr) for $16.95 for a box of 50. I have been paying $26 for a box or 25 .22 Hornet (Hornaday v-max).
I ordered the B-Mag rifle 2 months ago and am still waiting to get it. In the mean time, I’ve been buying ammo…no one buys it because they can’t get the rifles!
I’ll keep my .17 HMR for a squirrel rifle. When I get the B-Mag, I’ll be shooting it more. It should make a great ground hog, and coyote rifle!
I did get to see one at a shop in a different town. I would have bought it had I not placed a non-refundable deposit on mine I ordered. It is very light weight and nicely made. The stiff cock on close is the only thing that was a distractor. After you get used to the rifle, I don’t see that as a problem though.
Is the accuracy problem possible caused by the barrel getting hot and causing flyers? I use to have that problem on an old Anschutz .22mag I had.
As stated above; Savage is the only manufacturer of this rifle caliber.
One need only use his imagination to realize that the manufacturer and developer of this round would have also a rifle in this caliber.
Go to the Winchester website and see that sweet little Model 1885 in 17 WSM.
I have the Savage B-Mag with a Burris 3-9X scope. 130 rounds have been fired and only one spent shell did not extract all the way out, I pushed it back into the chamber with the bolt and successfully extracted the empty. I too have experienced some empty shells not ejecting away from the gun and just laying on top of the next round about to be chambered. Accuracy is very good, I get sub 1″ at 100 yards. I have not tried 200 yard bench rest targets but was successful on a crow at 160 yards. I also have had solid one shot kills at ranges of 35 to 160 yards including other South Louisiana critters; armadillo, opossum, raccoon, coyote and nutria. Because this cartridge/rifle combination is so accurate and the knockdown power, I retired my 22WMR rifles. I have nicknamed it my “Micro Sniper”.
Saw this rifle on the 2013 SHOT Show review and immediately ordered one. Finally got it in June, but ammo took another 3 weeks to get. Unlike others posting here, I could ONLY get the 20 grain (ordered a box of each, had to settle for 2 boxes of 20 grain). Yes, the action of the bolt takes some getting used to, but the problem I had is that mine would not eject the spent cartridge. I fired 80+ rounds through it, and not a single cartridge was successfully ejected. The extractor would pull it back, and then just drop it instead of kicking it out. It didn’t matter how aggressively I actuated the bolt, this happened every time (even in the SHOT Show video, you can see that the guy doing the demo had this issue once). I sent it back to Savage, have no word on it yet, but I am confident they will correct the problem. On the positive side, this round will cut a gopher in half if hit center-mast. WOW! The SHOT Show video also suggested that maybe Browning is developing a lever-action version for the Winchester Super Magnum. Can’t wait if this is true!
The 17 WSM is for sure interesting but the ammo seems to be inconsitent to say the least, I see reading the comments that 4″ groups at 200 yds is about the norm which to me would be just unacceptable, I do not have one nor do I know anyone that does here in Canada yet, I do however have a 17 HMR in a savage which shoots unreal out to about 125 – 150 yds after that it tails off and wind drift is a real factor, I also have a 17 Hornet in a CZ-527 varmit which shoots just lights out, best 3 shot group at 100 yds is .210″ with 5 shots it opened to .420″ with the 20 gr Z-max and 10.0 gr Lill Gun, it is an honest 250 – 300 yard gopher killer, have run close to 1000 rounds through it this summer and it still impresses me, need to wait another month so I can try it on coyotes but I know for sure it will cleanly take badgers at 150 yards with no fuss.
Nice review. I am very interested in this caliber for plinking at longer ranges and just having fun. Could you tell me the brand and model number of the scope on your test rifle? I have seen scopes with the large wheel on the turrets for air rifles and am interested in trying one out on my rimfires. Thanks for the article!
I have been shooting the B-Mag for 2 months now and i like my rifle. My rifle shoots accurate off of a sandbag and i am getting use to the new style bolt. I killed a varmint at 200 yards .I suggest you buy one a try it for your self before some Expert scare you away therefore {more ammo for me and these Experts}
I have been looking for one and went to my local dealer and was told he order 10 and got one and three boxes of shell and was told it may be two years before he get the other 9
I have been looking for one and went to my local dealer and was told he order 10 and got one and three boxes of shell and was told it may be two years before he get the other 9
i would like to purchase a fine quality gun like this very much but i live in canada if that matters please contact me a s a p…grant g
I became interested in the .17 WSM after reading the article in the NRA magazine about how accurate it was out to 300 yards. I have a .17 Ruger and it drives nails out to about 115 yards on these ground squirrels here in California, but beyond that was a stretch, especially with an afternoon breeze. I also have a Tikka .223 that is very accurate, but it gets expensive to shoot when you go through 100 or more rounds per day. So, when I had a chance to buy the new Savage .17 WSM, I jumped at it as Cabela’s in Post Falls, Idaho had one when I was visiting there. They had no ammo, but I managed to find some on the trip home. I won’t tell you where:) A good friend of mine had managed to buy a rifle and got his about a week before I could get mine (waiting period for rifles here in Calif.). His was so inaccurate you could hardly hit the target at 100 yards! The firing mechanisn would sometimes not work. The bolt was very hard to close. He sent it back to Savage to have them work it over. He even tried a scope he knew worked good on it before sending it back. Needless to say, I was concerned about how mine would shoot when I got it, but teased him that it would drive nails and I would sell it to him for just a slight markup!
Well, when I got my rifle, it was fairly accurate at 30 yards, about a half inch group. But when we moved to 100 yards the group was 4-6 inches. Not up to Savage standards or what magazine authors had stated. I have since found out that the magazine people were given a proto type gun to shoot! My stock was warped and touching the barrel, so that might have been the problem, but my friends stock was not and his accuracy was worse. The trigger even on the lightest adjustment was still way to heavy. Needless to say, my friend and I were very disappointed in the gun and I sent mine back to Savage also to see what the problem is.
The safety is also very hard to work as it is located under the end of the bolt and my thumb does not fit in there. I hear rumors that Savage is already working on a follow up gun. Of the few varmints I managed to hit, it creamed them good!
I hope others that have had problems will also report them so Savage will get on the stick and fix them. I have to say, I had no problem contacting Savage and they sent a shipping label right away to return the gun for inspection.
If you blog on here how good your gun is, my friend and I will gladly trade you for ours! Bill
Yea that doesn’t sound like Savage QC to me at all. As far as we know, Savage always sends us production guns. I am surprised to see this Savage QC is usually top notch. Sorry for your problems. I hope the guns come back up to standards. The bolt is definitely hard to close, but so is an Enfield. Other than that our gun worked fine once we got used to having to positively throw and close the bolt in one fluid motion. And warped stock touching the barrel? Just doesn’t sound like Savage QC. I am sure they will make it right for you.
I want to buy this gun. Where?
Your local dealer should be able to order one.
Great article…but laughable since there won’t be any ammo for it. What a joke the gun industry and it foolish followers have turned into. The following have been tricked into blaming the president; the classic bait and switch technique except here they use fear to force the supply and demand market of the naive’ shooting crowd (oh, I was one of those too; marine, life long reloader, hunter, but I realized it was the industry I was supporting who was the deceptive ones) and those hoarding .22 ammo by the case fearing the gov’t is going to come get them; um…yeah, that .22 ammo will do you worlds of good.
I’m not sure what part of we bought this ammo at the local Bass Pro Shops you don’t understand. Just because people are auctioning boxes of the stuff doesn’t mean that smart gun dealers aren’t holding it back to sell with the guns at normal prices. They are.
Thank you and very well done! I also do a little writing and teaching and appreciate the correction. It is about time we call out those folks who speak as if they were the authority and they are just out right WRONG. Do they think you just threw this together after doing a little search on the internet. I think you administrator might be very useful in Washington DC at this point to help them see the truth and to call them or rather him out when his dumb ass speaks as if he knows what the hell he is talking about. We all know who He is if ya don’t just ask Jim he knows everything
how can i in wpg, mb, canada buy a 17wsm savage????
Cabelas sells them,$339 Canadian right now
I’d like one but I need it in left hand.
Kinda snippy to Jim weren’t we??? Facts is facts……..
It depends on if you actually know the facts. The fact is that gun writers (including yours truly), incorrectly say “foot lbs” when it fact it is foot pounds force, which is just another way of saying /sec, because seconds are squared in the denominator of the equation and only one second drops out when you multiply times time. This is of course when you factor in acceleration due to gravity of 32.163 ft/s(2). Most people just use 1/2mv(2) to calculate force, which is not an entirely accurate number. The Winchester calculator uses the more technically correct calculation, which Jim and ignorant to. But, excuse me for being snippy of course, Jim, and you, and the other few of Jim’s defenders that were deleted, could have googled it and read that for yourself. The internet is full of lazy know it alls who refuse to do any research before posting moronish comments on things that people worked hard to actually do right. We generally use 1/2mv(2) to calculate informal muzzle energy calculations too, but it isn’t technically correct.
There is another possibility. The Winchester ballistics calculator could be incorrect. ft-lbs/sec is not equivalent to foot pounds force. (ft-lbf)
ft-lbs/sec is a unit of power, not of energy.
I think the new .17’s are the neatest things since sliced bread. I became interested in .17’s as a kid in the 60’s when a weapon chambered in .17 was featured on an episode of the Green Hornet, all I knew then was .22 long and .22 short, and I’ve actively followed this caliber for 50 odd years, damn I’m getting old, but I’m quite attached to my Marlin .17HRM. Since I don’t actively hunt and use my .17HRM as a warm up rifle, going through a through 100 rounds or so, before I even pick up a .223 or .308, I think I’ll be happy with what I have. I don’t think my soft targets will know the difference, but I’m glad to see innovation isn’t dead.
17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, commonly known as the .17 HMR, is a rimfire rifle cartridge developed by the ammunition company Hornady in 2002. It descended from the .22 Magnum by necking down the .22 Magnum case to take a .17 caliber (4.5 mm) bullet, and it is more costly to shoot than traditional .22 caliber rimfire cartridges. Commonly loaded with a 17 grain (1.1 g) bullet, it can deliver muzzle velocities in excess of 2550 ft/s (775 m/s).[3]
I hope the accuracy issue is more a bullet problem than an over all technology problem, because I’ve shot the regular Savage rifles with .17 WMR ammunition of all makes, and made great dispatch of prairie dogs at 175 yards everyday! I just love the new 17s, and can’t get enough of them. I could use a .223, but the report alarms the rascally pests too much, and the lower noise and ricochet odds make the rimfires king in my world. Not to mention no bother with reloading! 😀
I have sold one of the Savage B-Mag even though I had no ammo to provide for him. (Don’t like doing that) I have not fired the B-Mag for the same reason. But, I found the Bolt to be awkward and made it hard to grip the gun. I am a Savage Dealer and know they will fix that problem if enough shooters bring it to their attention.
Gary
My first concern also was the bolt in the way of the trigger. Just doesn’t fit very well, especially with a large scope mounted on it. I hope other makers will produce a rifle for the 17 wsm.
I have shot the 20 grain polymer tipped round and at a 100 yds. it shoots a 2″ group but at 200 yds. I’m lucky to hold a 5″ group. I’m a little disappointed in the ammo but the rifle is a work of art, light, well balanced and the accutrigger is amazing.
While certainly an impressive achievement in rimfire technology, this new round seems like a solution to a problem which didn’t exist. I’ve owned both .17HMR and the moribund HM2 rifles for years, and liked them very much. The HMR more, of course. As a reloader, I welcomed the .17 Hornet with glee, and my enthusiasm hasn’t waned one bit. The Hornet’s arrival has severely diminished the shooting time of my .17 Remington. Given the cost of ammo for the new round, it seems tailored to the non-reloader who simply must own the fastest rimfire available. Just like the person who must own the fastest street legal automobile, if you’ve got the coin, go for it. For those who are less affluent, taking up reloading (and the .17 Hornet) would seem a much better long-term investment – and a lot of fun in the process. Just one shooter’s opinion, of course.
The problem which you failed to identify is in most management areas or federal property you can not use center fire rifles during the small game season. This rifle will give me an advantage during the small game season since it is rim fire. I live in Florida and HOGS will be hurting with head shots at 200 yards not even heard of before. I already have a 17 HMR but the distance is lacking. I recently got a B Mag and love it so far. Now if I could find some more ammo to get used to the gun.
I’m in the same boat hunting on state land in Illinios rim fire rifles only. bought a bmag today hope to get some tight groups tomarrow.
What model and power is the Leapers scope you used in this test of the 17WSM rimfire ?
It is a Leapers 4-16 SWAT model with the optional wheel. It is the one with the multi color reticle.
Benjamin Franklin isn’t a dead president, just dead.
touche!
I agree with you on the accuracy of the round. The 20 gr. cartridge is now available and have shot both the 20 and the 25 gr. cartridge using a Nikon 4-12 BDC scope. At 100 yards you can shoot a pretty good group. At 150 yards it is hard to hold a group closer than 4″ but for me that is still impressive. At 200 yards I just couldn’t hold a 5″ group. Always got a stray. I think it is the round not the gun. I have basically the same gun in the Savage 111 243 and the accuracy I can get with this gun is tremendous. Best gun I’ve shot.
As far as comparing it to the .17 Hornet, I did look it over before purchasing the .17 WSM. I am going to use the gun for varmints, turkey and just for taking a walk in the woods. The .17 WSM is almost half the weight of the .17 hornet and is better balanced. The .17 Hornet was just too heavy to carry all day in the woods for near the same accuracy. Hopefully Hornady or Winchester will improve the load accuracy but all in all it is still a super nice rifle for the money. I have experience the same thing with the cock on load problem. You have to train yourself to make deliberate action with the bolt.
Dale
Fun little gun.i mounted a 32 power scope on it.was able to get .3 inch groups with a good rest.cycle was on loading.bolt a little stiff for closing..alot of people wishing they could get one.ba
The dimensions of kinetic energy are ft-lbs not ft-lbs/sec.
It is listed on the website like that so we just repeated it. One way or the other a know it all comment like this was going to come in. ;P
besides, if you’re on the receiving end it might take a second for the full effects to be felt, lol.
I believe you mean “units” not “dimensions” ie. a value not a size.
To bad winchester did not make it a 20cal.