That's a nice group (of three ?), but....
I'd like to see a group of five, not three, and shoot several on the same target so we can see what's happening with five or ten groups.
I'm not knocking you, just being realistic. I tried a slew of .17's, and some of the best made with scopes that were all outstanding like Burris Signature select 8-32x, Elite 4200 8-32x & 6-24x, Nikon 6-18x, & Pentax. The rifles I tried were top echelon as well, Anschutz 1517 MPR with resonance adjuster, 2 Ruger 77/17's with Clark and Shilen barrels and custom work, Savage heavy barrel with a custom stock and trigger, Remington 504 and 504-T with the match spec chambering, and a Remington 597 heavy barrel (that is a hoot).
The only "budget" rifle I had was the Savage that I got to see what the HMR was all about. I ended up doing a custom stock and a new trigger before I was happy with it.
In order here:
Remington 504 w/Nikon 6-18x
Anschutz 1517 MPR w/Elite 4200 8-32x
Reminton 504-T w/Elite 4200 6-24x
Savage Varmint barrel with custom stock and trigger w/Burris Signature Select 8-32x
Remington 597 w/Pentax fixed 4.5-14x
I purchased every different ammo type I could lay my hands on through several online sources and ended up with 14 different ones. I then took every rifle two or three at a time and shot every type of ammo through each one. It was amazing the variations between ammo type, my Anschutz shot over two inch groups with the FMJ 20gr while it shot 1/4 to 1/2 with Winchester and Remington premiums.
That's why I ask for a true representation of several groups of five on the same target, the HMR's simply aren't capable of shooting the same hole consistantly. I'd have to admit to being really frustrated by seeing three or four touching and then a flyer a 1/4 inch out from the group, still a very respectable half inch group to be sure, but not one hole.
Not trying to bust your chops, I'd out of curiousity like to see a five or ten group cross section of what your rifle shoots like, also which ammunition were you using? I can put together a 3 shot one hole group after trying a few times, but that isn't how the rifle (and ammo) really shoots which is what interests me. Ammo can vary a group size in the same rifle by as much as a three inch group to well under an inch.
You lucked out with rifle and ammo combo, that's for sure. These are the funnest little ground squirrel rifles you could ask for.
Tip: Don't shoot them in the stomach if you have to pick them up, it's ugly.
My wife was ready to have me certified after I got something like seven HMR's and another seven or eight higher end .22's all at the same two or three month period, I got 16 scopes from a wholesaler that came to somewhere around $4000, I was only paying about $350 for the Elite 4200's. I ran out of room in my gun safe or she never would have known there was a serious influx of rifles. When she saw rifles laid out on my pool table she asked why they weren't in the safe, she knew the safe holds 18 rifles so that was the giveaway when I said it's full.
