7 Best Scopes for 17 HMR in 2021
Photo: thetruthaboutguns.com
Over the last decade or so, the .17 HMR (Hornady Magnum Rimfire) has become a highly popular Rimfire rifle for hunting or shooting small varmints and game. And this is mostly thanks to its high accuracy, especially from close range.
With the best scope for 17 HMR, you can make it even more accurate and versatile and hence ideal for taking out all kinds of small animals.
This riffle has the advantage of having a higher velocity, flatter trajectory and a farther range than the .22. Also, it will have greater accuracy than the .22, and this is more so if you have a good scope mounted on it.
And in case you are wondering which is the right scope for your 17 HMR, our review of top 7 scopes and buying guide below should provide the answers to your query.
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7 Best Scopes for 17 HMR – Review
- 1. Nikon Buckmasters II 16338 – Best Overall
- 2. Leupold LP113874-BRK – Durable and Lightweight Scope
- 3. Vortex Optics CF2-31003 – High-Performing and Versatile Scope
- 4. Bushnell BS613948 – Best Budget Scope for 17 HMR
- 5. Nikon ProStaff 3-9x40 – Compact and Lightweight Top Brand Scope
- 6. BSA S17 3-12x40 – Parallax-free Performance Guaranteed
- 7. Barska AC10850 – Best 17 HMR Scope for Short and Medium Range Shooting
- How to Buy the Best Scopes for 17 HMR
- Conclusion
7 Best Scopes for 17 HMR – Review
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1. Nikon Buckmasters II 16338 (Best Overall) |
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2. Leupold LP113874-BRK (Durable & Lightweight) |
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3. Vortex Optics CF2-31003 (High-Performing & Versatile) |
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4. Bushnell BS613948 (Best Budget) |
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5. Nikon ProStaff 3-9x40 (Compact & Lightweight Top Brand Scope) |
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6. BSA S17 3-12x40 (Parallax-free Performance Guaranteed) |
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7. Barska AC10850 (Best for Short & Medium Range Shooting) |
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PRODUCT |
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1. Nikon Buckmasters II 16338 (Best Overall) |
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2. Leupold LP113874-BRK (Durable & Lightweight) |
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3. Vortex Optics CF2-31003 (High-Performing & Versatile) |
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4. Bushnell BS613948 (Best Budget) |
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5. Nikon ProStaff 3-9x40 (Compact & Lightweight Top Brand Scope) |
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6. BSA S17 3-12x40 (Parallax-free Performance Guaranteed) |
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7. Barska AC10850 (Best for Short & Medium Range Shooting) |
1. Nikon Buckmasters II 16338 – Best Overall
Photo: Nikon
- Magnification: 3-9x
- Eye Relief: 3.6 inches
- Objective Diameter: 40mm
- Field of View: 33.8 to 11.3 feet at 100 yards
Nikon's Buckmasters II is an incredibly amazing 17 HMR scope that uses patented BDC reticle to offer a great advantage for long range shooting. And given that it is a top-quality, feature-rich and high-performing scope from a highly reputable grand it is our best overall product.
With its fully multicoated optics, this rifle scope will provide superior sight picture quality by ensuring maximum light transmission from dawn to dusk. And it also has a generous 3.6-inch eye relief, and with an amazing 100-yard parallax setting.
Zeroing in the scope is a quick and easy process thanks to the precise hand turn 1/4 MOA adjustments, and it will maintain your preferred settings even under heavy recoil.
And like most other Nikon scopes, it has been optimized for use with their Spot On Ballistic Match Technology for exact aiming points according to you ammunition and load.
Nitrogen purging and O-ring sealing make this scope completely water, fog and shockproof and Nikon will back it with their limited lifetime warranty to give you some assurance that it will last.
There is no side focus on this scope, but this should not be a big deal as it has a 100-yard parallax setting which means shooters will hardly ever need to worry about parallax. And the shorter tube has more pros than cons.
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2. Leupold LP113874-BRK – Durable and Lightweight Scope
Photo: Leupold
- Magnification: 3-9x
- Eye Relief: 3.7-4.2 inches
- Objective Diameter: 40mm
- Field of View: 34.6 to 14.6 feet at 100 yards
This top-rated scope for 17 HMR by Leupold is a well-built scope that features a durable but lightweight (weighs only 11.2 ounces) aircraft grade aluminum alloy construction that will make it tough and rugged enough to handle any environment.
With a versatile 3:1 zoom ratio, it will also be highly useful in almost any situation. The rifle scope uses a Multicoat 4 lens system that will deliver a bright and extremely clear sight picture throughout the field of view and you get this even in low light conditions.
Leupold also uses a proprietary nitrogen sealing process on this scope to ensure absolute water and fog proof integrity. And with the generous eye relief (up to 4.2 inches) and 1/4 MOA finger click adjustment, this is also generally an easy scope to use and adjust for windage and elevation.
Although it is relatively pricier when compared to others on our list, this scope still comes at a great price when you compare it to others with similar quality and features.
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3. Vortex Optics CF2-31003 – High-Performing and Versatile Scope
Photo: Vortex
- Magnification: 2-7x
- Eye Relief: 3.9 inches
- Objective Diameter: 32 mm
- Field of View: 42 to 12.6 feet at 100 yards
Vortex Optics makes their Crossfire II scope to be a versatile rifle scope for hunting and shooting from various ranges and with a dead-hold BDC to help you deal with holdover estimation.
The scope is made with a single piece of aircraft grade aluminum to provide strength and ensure a shockproof performance throughout the lifespan of the scope.
The anti-reflective and fully-multicoated lenses also help to make this one the best scope for 17 HMR as they ensure maximum light transmission for bright and vivid images in most light condition.
Also, it has a fast focus eyepiece that ensures that focusing the reticle will be an almost effortless task, and it also has capped reset turrets that are finger adjustable and with MOA clicks to make windage and elevation adjustment easier.
Many shooters will also find the 3.9 eye relief long enough and the eyebox is also very forgiving to make it easier to acquire the target. And this is also a nitrogen-purged and O-ring sealed scope to ensure maximum fog and waterproof integrity.
The 2-7x magnification and 32mm objective diameter are both the smallest on our list but still more than enough for use when hunting varmints and small game from close range.
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4. Bushnell BS613948 – Best Budget Scope for 17 HMR
Photo: Bushnell
- Magnification: 3-9x
- Eye Relief: 3.3 inches
- Objective Diameter: 40mm
- Field of View: 40 to 14 feet at 100 yards
For such a well-built and feature-rich scope, the Bushnell BS613948 will ensure you get great value for you money as it the most affordable model on our list.
Because most wild animals are active at dusk and dawn Bushnell makes this scope with special dusk and dawn brightness multicoated lenses to make sure that it will be perfect for hunting in these important times of the day.
But besides its special lenses that deliver HD clarity at dusk and dawn, this is also a well-built scope that features durable one-piece construction and is nitrogen-filled to make it 100% fog, water and shockproof.
The up to 40 feet wide field of view is one of the widest among our review of scopes for 17 HMR and this is also the cheapest model on our list.
With this 17 HMR scope, you also get a fast focus eyepiece and 1/4 MOA fingertip adjustments for windage and elevation to allow you to fine tune it to suit your shooting condition.
The crosshairs seem a bit too thick and this is more so when at the high magnification settings. But the beauty of it is that they do not obstruct the target significantly. A longer eye relief would also be better but what you get should still be enough in most shooting situations.
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5. Nikon ProStaff 3-9x40 – Compact and Lightweight Top Brand Scope
Photo: Nikon
- Magnification: 3-9x
- Eye Relief: 3.6 inches
- Objective Diameter: 40mm
- Field of View: 33.8 to 11.3 feet at 100 yards
Nikon is a top scope and optics brand that always delivers superior quality products and this is enough reason to try out their ProStaff 3-9x40 scope. But, besides being a top brand product it still has a lot more to offer.
With a compact and lightweight scope like Nikon’s ProStaff that weighs just 13.8 ounces, you can be confident that your rifle will still maintain great balance and still be easy to aim and shoot as it does not add any significant weight.
This Nikon scope for 17 HMR uses some fully multicoated lenses that will deliver up to an impressive 98% light transmission for bright, vivid and crisp images.
It also has zero-reset turrets with spring-loaded adjustment knob to ensure easy and quick windage and elevation adjustment.
Focusing the reticle is also easy to ensure you never miss your target thanks to the fast focus eyepiece, and this is also a nitrogen-filled and O-ring sealed scope to make it 100% water, fog and shockproof.
Plastic turret caps look cheaply made and the adjustments are a little stiff when the scope is new. However, the caps still do their job flawlessly and the adjustments should be okay after a few uses.
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6. BSA S17 3-12x40 – Parallax-free Performance Guaranteed
Photo: BSA
- Magnification: 3-12x
- Eye Relief: 4 inches
- Objective Diameter: 40mm
- Field of View: 33 to 8.3 feet at 100 yards
The parallax-free performance of this BSA scopes makes it not only one of the best scopes for your 17 HMR Savage but also for any other Rimfire rifle that it can fit. But, it is important to note that it has been specifically calibrated for 17 HMRs .17gr and .20gr bullets.
This scope also offers a generous 4-inch eye relief that is designed to be consistent to ensure easy and more comfortable shooting.
With the fully multicoated optics, you can also be sure of always getting a bright and clear enough sight picture as they ensure maximum light transmission.
Sighting in the rifle scope is also quite a quick and straightforward process and shooters will love the fact that it holds zero well. And the scope also offers a rugged and durable construction that can withstand the outdoor environment.
This rifle scope is a bit on the heavier side but the weight is still acceptable as it will not affect the rifle's balance. Also, the thicker crosshairs should hardly be a concern.
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7. Barska AC10850 – Best 17 HMR Scope for Short and Medium Range Shooting
Photo: Barska
- Magnification: 6-18x
- Eye Relief: 3.1 inches
- Objective Diameter: 40mm
- Field of View: 14.5 to 4.5 feet at 100 yards
Barska engineers this rifle scope model specifically for the 17 HMR, and it is also designed to offer unmatched accuracy for short and medium range shooting.
The scope uses some high-quality glass that is designed to deliver edge to edge clarity at different magnification settings, and the multicoated optics ensure that you always get a brighter view.
Also, the scope uses bullet drop technology and offers pre-calculated trajectory compensation from 100 yards all the way to 300 yards to ensure that your shots are always accurate.
With the adjustable objective lens, parallax correction is an easy task to ensure you always get a parallax-free performance from all distances. And this is also a 100% fog and waterproof and with an extra rigid construction to make it shockproof.
Even with the minimal instructions, this is still an easy scope to setup and use. Furthermore, you can always get highly detailed text and video instructions online.
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How to Buy the Best Scopes for 17 HMR
Photo: oelmag.com
Here are some crucial points to consider when shopping for the best scope for 17 HMR.
1. Magnification
Because the main purpose of the .17 HMR is to hunt small game and varmints, magnification is crucial when it comes to choosing a scope. Any scope that you buy needs to provide sufficient magnification power or capability.
With the small game, you have to take headshots so that you can keep most of the meat edible, and so your scope needs to be able to zoom in and out to pinpoint the target. This means that a scope with variable magnification is way much better than the fixed types.
When it comes to the actual magnification range of the scope, the right one for you will depend on the distances you will be shooting. However, the scopes with at least 2-7x magnification range like Vortex Optics CF2-31003 seem to be good enough.
But an even wider one like the 6-18x you get on the Barska AC10850 will be even better for some shooters and situations.
2. Eye Relief and Eyebox
Eye relief measures the distances between the eye and scope. For most scopes, the longer it is the better as it means you can see through the scope comfortably without having to lean in too much.
However, given the low recoil of the .17 HMR, the eye relief will not be a big issue. Hence, even a smaller 2.5-3.5 inches eye relief can still be acceptable.
The eyebox, on the other hand, is the amount of wiggle room that your aim eye will get. A larger eyebox means faster target acquisition even at higher magnification settings, and so it is always the best option.
3. Diameter
Larger objective diameter is a must-have if you will be hunting at low light conditions such as dawn and dusk which is when many varmints come out of their holes. And this is because a larger objective diameter means that the scope will allow more light in for clearer images.
Scopes with adjustable objectives are even better because you can fine-tune the amount of light they let in to suit any hunting or lighting conditions.
But, the downside to a larger objective lens diameter is that it often translates to a more expensive scope that is also heavier in weight.
4. Reticle
The best scope for 17 HMR for you is one that has a good reticle. Like with any other scope type, you will need to choose between duplex, mil-dot and the BDC reticles.
Your preferences as a hunter or shooter will have a vital role to play when choosing the right reticle, but it is also important to understand what each type has to offer for your 17 HMR.
Duplex reticles seem to be the most popular because they are simple to use and they work well even for low light conditions at dusk and dawn.
For 17 HMR shooters that want to estimate the range when shooting varmints, the evenly spaced dots on the mil-dot reticle makes it the best choice. And the BDC reticles are generally the best for long range shooting despite the fact that they have a steeper learning curve.
5. Weight
A heavy scope can take your 17 HMR rifle off balance and hence make it harder and awkward to aim which will affect your accuracy significantly.
As you shop for a scope, you should not overlook the weight. While the lighter it is the better, this will also depend on the size of your particular 17 HMR model because the larger and heavier ones can accommodate heavy scopes.
Also, note that the more feature-rich scopes with several handy components tend to be the heaviest.
Hence, it is all about striking a balance between the size and features that the scope has to offer and amount of weight it will add to the gun. But scopes that weight under 20 ounces like Leupold LP113874-BRK will be more preferable.
Conclusion
Regardless of the 17 HMR rifle brand or model that you own, you can be confident that there is at least one scope model above that will suit your needs.
However, the Nikon Buckmasters II 16338 is our best overall and hence top recommendation as it has a lot to offer from a patented BDC reticle to full multicoated optics and nitrogen-purged housing.
And if you are hunter or target shooter shopping for a more budget-friendly scope for 17 HMR, the Bushnell BS613948 is perfect.