17 HMR for defense -- really?

[Cal44]

I saw an ad for a used NAA micro revolver in 17 HMR. 5 shots I think.

Does anyone have an opinion on 17 HMR for defense. Better than 22 HMR? About the same?

How does it compare to 22LR.

I'm not planning to buy it. Just curious.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I had a 17 HMR rifle and it was devastating on groundhog at 50 yards, much better than 22 Mag. I had 17 Mach 2 rifle, it was worthless at 30 feet! Same bullet at different velocities. Out of such a short revolver, nothing more than a conversation piece!

Ivan

 

[vt_shooter]

.17HMR out of a revolver - not much for immediate stopping power, but noise-wise, it would get anyone's attention.

 

[Gene L]

I don't think so, but for curiousity's sake, I'd like to see a chrono. A guy I saw had a NAA revolver in .22 Mag. He bragged om it getting 2000 fps with it. I don't know where he got those numbers, but not from a NAA pistol.

 

[robertrwalsh]

If you were ever attacked by an enraged hamster it should do the job.

 

[dave1918a2]

If it's all You got it's great!

 

[SC_Mike]

If it's all You got it's great!

It would beat a sharp stick and harsh language.

I've got a Savage 17 HMR that's deadly on a squirrel. A buddy killed a coyote with his.

 

[Gene L]

Yeah, but there's 20-sometging inches and a cylinder gap difference between your Savage and a NAA revolver.

 

[Marshal Tom]

How does NO sound?

 

[steelslaver]

How does NO sound?

Sounds perfect to me. Those little guns are better than nothing is all I can say that is positive.

 

[keith44spl]

Those lit'l revolvers are handy...But, they do have their limitations.

I carried a 22 mag in my uniform breast pocket.
When ya go to the ground and fightin' for yur life...
I consider it a noggin contact kinda deal.

.

 

[ggibson511960]

Poor Choice

In a watch fob revolver? Neither .22 or .17 HMR make sense to me, but always better than nothing. For the same weight-size profile you could squirrel away a .380 ACP auto that is far more useful. .17 HMR would be a large firecracker going off in your hand. It's a wonderful caliber in a rifle! I converted my Ruger 77/22 years ago and love it, like a laser pointer out to 75 yards.

 

[foggbird]

Shooting Fish

I fish in a farmer's pond. He has bowfin, black fish in there and wants to get them out of there. I told him I would shoot any that I caught. So my NAA .22 long rifle hollow points do the job. It's small enough for a shirt pocket, doesn't get in the way of fishing tackle and kills them dead. As soon as you shoot them, they start to smell bad. This is the only real use I've found for it.

 

[bummer]

Maybe I’m lucky but I’ve never had a dead primer on a centerfire but I’ve had plenty on a rimfire. That being said it’s better than a rolled up magazine.

 

[Gene L]

I've never had a primer failure on a centerfire,, either. Makes me wonder why "second strike" capability is important to quite a lot of people. If the round doesn't fire, get it out of your gun...tap, rack, bang. If it's a revolver, rimfire or otherwise, rotate to the next cylinder. If there are any second strike DA auto rimfires, I don't know of them. (But there probably are.) Modern rimfires are pretty damned reliable today, if you avoid the cheapest ones. Sorry for thread drift.

 

[Echo40]

I've said it before and I'll say it as many times as necessary...

Rule Number One of Gun Fighting: Have a gun.

Sure, not all firearms are great for Self-Defense, but most are at least adequate given that, statistically speaking, most would-be attackers will cease all hostility at the mere sight of a gun, and the vast majority of those who don't will once they've been shot.
Those meth-heads who take several shots and keep on coming are the exception, not the rule, hence why they make headlines in the first place, because ordinarily criminals (including those who abuse narcotics, contrary to popular belief) are just looking for an easy score, somebody who will hand over their wallet without putting up a fight, much less drawing a potentially deadly weapon.

Is .17HMR potentially incapacitating? I have no idea, but considering that solid .22LR bullets fired from a pistol are more than capable of penetrating deeply enough to damage the central nervous system, I don't see why .17HMR couldn't do the same.
Regardless, it shouldn't be anybody's first choice for Self-Defense, but you use what you've got, and if that happens to be an NAA Mini Revolver chambered in .17HMR of all things for whatever reason and you have to use it in fend off an attacker, perhaps while on your way to the Gun Shop to exchange it for a more suitable Self-Defense firearm, go for it.
Oh, and let us know how it goes afterwards!

 

[diyj98]

The 17HMR and 17M2 are great small varmint rounds, but that would be the same thing I’d say about the 22LR.