Best .17 HMR Ammo
Every load we price, sorted by cost per round delivered to your state
We track 5 .17 HMR loads from 2 dealers. The cheapest delivered to AR, shipping included, is Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-Max Ammo at $0.26 a round.
The .17 HMR is a rimfire varmint round for bolt-action and semi-auto rifles, used on prairie dogs, ground squirrels, groundhogs and similar pests out to about 150 yards. Hornady introduced it in 2002 by necking the .22 WMR case down to a .17-caliber bullet. Its 15.5 to 20-grain bullets leave the muzzle at 2,375 to 2,550 fps, which gives a flatter path than the .22 WMR.
The 17-grain polymer tips here (Hornady V-Max, Remington AccuTip) run 2,530 to 2,550 fps and fragment fast, which suits varmints you don't plan to eat. CCI Gamepoint 20gr soft point at 2,375 fps holds together better on small game where you want less meat damage. Hornady's 15.5gr NTX is lead-free for areas that require it. Light bullets move in the wind, so check drift before long shots.
All .17 HMR Loads
Compare ballistics and prices across 5 products
| PRODUCT ↕ | GRAIN ↕ | VELOCITY ↕ | ENERGY ↕ | BC ↕ | USE CASE ↕ | BEST PRICE ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CCI Gamepoint .17 HMR 20gr Jacketed Soft Point Ammo
20gr
• 2375 fps
|
20gr | 2375 | 250 | .125 | — | $0.35/rd |
|
Federal Premium .17 HMR 17gr Hornady V-Max Rimfire Ammo
17gr
• 2530 fps
|
17gr | 2530 | 242 | .125 | — | $0.31/rd |
|
Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 15.5gr NTX Lead-Free Ammo
15.5gr
• 2525 fps
|
15.5gr | 2525 | 219 | .115 | — | $0.31/rd |
|
Hornady Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-Max Ammo
17gr
• 2550 fps
|
17gr | 2550 | 245 | .125 | — | $0.26/rd |
|
Remington Premier Magnum .17 HMR 17gr Accutip Rimfire Ammo
17gr
• 2550 fps
|
17gr | 2550 | 245 | .125 | — | $0.33/rd |
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
- Flatter than .22 WMR: 17 grains at about 2,550 fps against 40 grains at about 1,900 fps.
- Recoil is light enough to watch your hits through the scope.
- Polymer-tip bullets fragment quickly, so small varmints drop where they're hit.
Cons
- Light bullets drift in wind, which limits reliable shots past about 150 yards.
- Too light for coyotes except at close range; a .22 WMR or centerfire hits harder.
- Fragmenting tips ruin small-game meat unless you switch to the 20-grain soft point.