There may be no better firearm proving ground than a fast-paced prairie dog hunt. Engaging an army of tiny critters at exaggerated distances allows us to test a rifle’s accuracy, reliability and follow-up speed, all while evaluating a given projectile's trajectory and terminal performance. Low-recoil, high-velocity cartridges have always been popular for this task, as they generate enough push to rupture thin-jacketed varmint bullets without bumping your impact out of view. This allows the shooter to confirm their hits or observe their misses and adjust. If it’s the latter, it’s beneficial to be able to send a follow-up shot before the wind changes or your quarry realizes what is happening.
Ammunition for this task has been painted into a small box. Although plenty of centerfire rounds easily fill the role, you can expect to fire hundreds in a day. The cost associated with that is a bit tough to swallow, even if you handload. Therefore, magnum rimfires started to show their mettle, as they solved the problem for most distances.
With the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) reporting first for duty, it was later surpassed by Hornady’s .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire for its flatter trajectory. Flatter trajectories are important in the field, as targets will seldom be at the round distances we practice at. Being able to have the same hold for a 111-yard target as a 153-yard target means fewer misses and more trigger time on account of not having to contemplate a come-up. Moreover, it allows for greater error in range estimation, equating to a higher success rate.
Considering the success of Hornady’s .17-cal. rimfire, Winchester decided to take it a step further in 2012 with a “Super Magnum” version. Using a .27-cal. nail gun blank as a parent case, it created a platform capable of launching some of the same varmint bullets upwards of 3,000 f.p.s. Instantly gaining the attention of the varminting community, they clambered for a semi-auto rifle nearly immediately. Sadly, like most new cartridges introduced during this time period, production fell victim to the increased demand that surrounded the more-established offerings. This, in turn, essentially shut down the development of firearms chambered in it, as there was little sense in releasing rifles without a means of feeding them.
After the 2012-2016 shortage came to an end, it would only be a few years until the COVID-19 ammo scarcity would rear its ugly head, pushing .17 WSM firearm development further into the shadows. However, Massachusetts-based Savage Arms did have enough time to lay the groundwork for a Super Magnum version of its hit A17 during that gap. Now, with production of both arms and ammunition returning to normal, we are happy to announce that this firearm is complete and now shipping. When one showed up at my FFL, I had forgotten all about the project, but a quick search of my emails revealed that I did indeed have it on the docket. So, with that, I sat down with the rifle to take some preliminary notes.
The formal name of the rifle in question is the A17 Sporter .17 WSM, which denotes it from the .17 HMR edition that has been available prior to this chambering. Both rifles utilize Savage’s unique delayed-blowback action, which allows the rifle to function safely and reliably with these higher-pressure rimfires. In the case of traditional rimfires, the mass of the bolt coupled with the operating spring’s tension was all it took to keep the breach closed long enough to allow pressures to drop to a safe level before blowing open.
In the case of the .17 WSM and .17 HMR, an interrupter lug is present to keep the bolt forward a few microseconds longer. Upon firing, the bolt begins its usual rearward motion until it encounters the resistance of this lug. Once that happens, the rearward pressure forces the lug from its recess in the receiver back into the bolt body through intricate camming geometry, thus creating the delay. Eventually, it falls to a point that permits the bolt to finish its travel, ejecting the fired case in the process. As the spring returns it to battery, a fresh round is stripped from its eight-round detachable box magazine, and the rifle is again ready to fire.
Savage ships this rifle with a pair of pre-mounted scope bases, so all that was left was to select some glass. Around the same time, Leupold released its Mark 4HD series of optics, with the 4.5-18X 52 mm model making a perfect fit for a medium-range varmint rifle. This new family boasts the same professional-grade optical system at a lower price, simply by reducing the zoom ratio. The end result is a crystal-clear shooting experience at a price that makes sense for most shooters. After cinching it down with a pair of the company’s rings, all that was left was to pick out some ammo.
The market is still getting back on its feet with .17 WSM, but some of the original loads are still in the pipeline. Among them are Winchester’s Varmint HE, featuring a 25-grain polymer-tipped projectile, and Hornady’s 17-grain V-MAX load. Both have produced exceptional accuracy in previous tests, and I can’t think of a better bullet design for popping nuisance critters.
My initial shots reunited me with the Savage AccuTrigger, which arguably started the user-adjustability craze. It differs slightly in the A-series of rifles, in both positive and negative ways. On the plus side, its pull weight is adjustable without having to remove the stock, which eliminates the need to re-torque and re-settle the firearm after any adjustment. On the downslope, it’s not quite as crisp as you’d expect if you have experience with this system on its bolt-action firearms. From the factory, it came set close to the middle, hitting my Lyman Digital Trigger Gauge at 5 lbs., 3 ozs. Using the included tool, I was able to drop it down to 4 lbs., 7 ozs. on the low end and pump it up to 6 lbs., 4 ozs. for those that prefer a heavier bang switch.
Moving onto formal accuracy testing, I chose 100 yards as my target distance, which is a stretch for the typical rimfire. Being that this cartridge is closer to a smaller centerfire in performance, I deemed this choice prudent and commenced fire. The groups were excellent, especially with the lighter-weight fodder, and the sheer mass of the rifle was all it took to mitigate recoil. Even with the magnification cranked to the max, I was able to watch my impacts arrive on target, which happened pretty darned fast.
I observed excellent function with the Hornady load, but Winchester’s 25-grainer had a couple of failures to fire and one failure to eject. It is fair to point out that this happened in the early stages of this test and did not reappear toward the end, so it’s safe to chalk this up to the break-in process. The overall manual of arms was rather expedient, and I enjoyed the low-profile bolt latch located just forward of the trigger guard. This put it in close proximity to the magazine release and cross-bolt safety, making it easy to find any of these without much searching.
Savage’s A17 Sporter .17 WSM proved to be an exceptionally accurate rifle and one that is a prime candidate for your next varmint-extermination endeavor. Having the rapid follow-up shot capability means more second-round impact opportunities, but the cartridge's flatter trajectory means you’re more likely to connect on your first shot. Above all, it’s simply enjoyable to shoot, making it equally adept at dispatching elusive paper or steel targets.
Savage A17 Sporter .17 WSM Specifications
Action Type: delayed-blowback-operated, semi-automatic, rimfire rifle
Chambering: .17 WSM
Barrel: 22" carbon steel; 1:8" twist
Receiver: carbon steel
Magazine: eight-round detachable box
Stock: wood-laminate
Overall Length: 41.5"
MSRP: $649
