The .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR) has been a favorite of varmint hunters and target shooters alike ever since it was introduced in 2002. It can shot up to 2,250 feet per second.
It’s something you would want to have in your arsenal when hunting prairie dogs and potgut gophers, especially when these animals are a couple of hundred yards away from you.
The best .17 HMR rifle scope can further improve your experience in using a HMR rifle. There are plenty of scopes designed for the .17 HMR rifle, and we count down the best in this list.
Recommended Best Scope For 17 HMR Rifle
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This scope comes from one of the most revered brands in firearms and firearm accessories.
BSA is a trusted British firm that has designed and produced rifles used in world wars; and in this time of peace it remains a very venerable brand.
This 17 hmr scope features fully coated optics, 3 to 12 magnification, 40mm objective lens, and fog-proof construction. Most importantly, it is calibrated for .17HMR riles.
Build Quality
This scope weighs around 19 ounces, which is a bit heavy for a scope. It may not be the right accessory for hunters who don’t like a heavy rifle. Yet the heaviness of the unit also indicates that this model is made of high quality material. Its length is about 13.5 inches.
Optic Quality
Mounting this optic to a rifle should be easy thanks to the turrets that come with it. Most users indicate that it can handle recoil very well.
That’s good although to begin with, the .17 HMR isn’t really known for blowing you back into your seat. The lens of the scope is very clear, and you should expect to see very clean and beautiful images while using it.
This best scope for 17 hmr can help you improve your accuracy, with a range of up to 100 yards. Some reviews suggest that there are hunters who were able to reach out farther than 100 yards with this scope.
There are also some negative comments about the magnification of this scope. Those who wrote those comments suggest that the scope doesn’t have enough power to make out small animals from afar.
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Another BSA creation is this scope with a sweet 6-18x magnification and 40mm objective lens.
This scope is getting a lot of favorable reviews for its clear optics, good eye relief, and reasonable price.
Build Quality
I’ve used this on several occasions and overall I am impressed with it. The length is almost the same as its cousin, at 13.8 inches. It’s also quite heavy at 16 oz.
But like what I mentioned earlier, I don’t feel disappointed at all by the extra weight. In fact, it only gives the scope a good impression—one that you often reserve for more expensive models.
Optic Quality
I also didn’t encounter any problems using it. I once took it to the range, and put a target about 50 yards away from me. I was able to hit it on the first shot using this scope. I moved the target to 100 yards, and after adjusting the parallax, it was bullseye again.
Optic quality is very impressive, to say the least. The glass is very clear. It is able to deliver images bright and clean, even in low light conditions.
Some reviewers say that this one struggles past 100 yards, but I haven’t tried it at that range to be able to make any comment.
Other reviewers also note that the focus adjustment struggles at 200 yards or so.
Despite those comments, I still recommend this scope to any .17 HMR rifle owner.
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Again, BSA makes it to our list of the best scopes for your .17 HMR with this model with 3-12 x power and 40 mm objective lens.
This is one of the highly rated best scope for 17 hmr rifles on the market. In fact, you will be hard pressed to find any negative review on this scope on the Internet.
Optic Quality
This scope has an illuminated reticle with 3 colors. There are also three brightness settings for each color. I found the red low setting the best as it is the brightest at night, so you could see your target well. Sighting is also not a concern with this scope.
I’ve only used it as far as 100 and suffice to say, it performed well. I’ve read reviews from other hunters saying they have been using it at a distance of 150 yards so perhaps you can use this for long range shooting.
Build Quality
This is quite long at 18 inches and heavy at 2.4 pounds. While a lot of hunters found it too heavy for their HMR rifles, I found it to be OK. I guess the weight is one of the few things you’ll have to deal with in exchange of the superior performance of this scope.
Apart from the weight, the other common issue is that it is hard to use it at night unless you use the setting I mentioned earlier.
But for its price, this scope is very much worth every penny you’ll spend on it.
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Coming from BSA (again) is this scope that’s designed for .17 HMR rifles. It is equipped with multicoated lenses, so you can expect clear and bright images from it.
I particularly like its generous eye relief of four inches.
The scope offers 6 to 18x magnification although you shouldn’t really expect good images when this scope has reached its magnification limit. Still, this is a solid choice for people who want to make the most of their HMR rifles.
Build Quality
The moment you get this out of its box, you’ll notice how well built it is. Sure, it is not compact but the weight gives you an indication that it is solidly built.
At 1.2 pounds, the scope may add some weight to your rifle but most users say it really won’t affect the maneuverability of your weapon.
Mounting the scope won’t take up a lot of time as well.
Optic Quality
You won’t be disappointed with the optic quality of this scope as well. Its glass is very clear that you might think you’re using a high end scope. The images are bright even when you’re hunting in low lighting.
The eye relief of 4 inches is among the best in this list. This would let you load your weapon a lot faster.
As far as the range is concerned, I’ve read testimonials saying it can perform well even at distance of 150 yards.
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The only non-BSA scope in our list isn’t a push over if we are to talk about features. With its 2.5 to 10x magnification, this scope is ideal for close to long range shooting.
It has multi coated lens with a clean and well designed glass range finder reticle.
And it has a nice matte finish. This is one of the best scopes that you can get for your .17 HMR rifle.
Build Quality
This is a shock proof and water proof scope that you can bring to the woods at any time. Its nice black matte finish gives you the impression that it is an expensive scope. I found it very easy to mount on my rifle. I had it zero in after just a few adjustments.
Optic Quality
This scope has a dial-controlled reticle illumination. You can adjust the brightness of the reticle depending on the lighting situation. I don’t have any problems with the optic quality of the scope. I found it to be very good for its price range.
Of course, it has its share of disappointments just like the other models discussed earlier. One thing I didn’t like was its power ring being very tight. There were also reviewers who said that their units came with defective parts.
Final Verdict
The .17 HMR rifle is arguably one of the most popular rifle types among younger shooters today. If you own one, it is only advisable that you find a good optic accessory for your .17 rifle.
I can recommend all of these best 17 HMR rifle scope mentioned in this article. These scopes were picked because they are very well-made, easy to use, and packed with features. These scopes can significantly improve your accuracy while using your .17 HMR.
It’s difficult for me to pinpoint which scope is my favorite. The BSA models are obviously good choices because they come from a reputable brand. But the Freehawk scope is no push over as well.
I’ll leave it to you to determine which is the best in this list. All I know is that these are all well rated and highly recommended best scope for 17 hmr rifle.
