Meet the B17 Precision
Savage outfits its “B” series Precision rifles with its own rimfire action. The design is unique since the cocking piece rides in the bolt handle raceway, resulting in a slightly longer action than some other models. I’ve always preferred the cleaner design that mimics centerfire actions, but this little Savage might change my mind.
The B series uses the popular AccuTrigger from Savage, and on top of the action, you’ll find a Picatinny rail for easy scope mounting. The rifle feeds from an interesting polymer 10-round rotary magazine that uses a spring-tension rotor with cutouts for each round. The magazine has a spring-loaded retention clip at one end and is canted into the chassis to seat the mag.
The MDT chassis sets this rifle apart from its competition. As one of the biggest names in chassis guns and competition rifles, adding MDT’s engineering expertise to this little rimfire rifle seems to be a match made in heaven. With an adjustable buttstock and cheek rest, the rifle can be adjusted to fit most shooters. The rigid chassis also has M-LOK slots up front for adding any of your favorite accessories.
Specifications
- Caliber: .17 HMR
- Barrel Length: 18 inches
- Overall Length: 36.6 inches
- Weight: 7.3 pounds
- Trigger: AccuTrigger, adjustable from 1.5 to 4 pounds
- Chassis: One-piece aluminum MDT
- Length of Pull: 12.75 to 13.75 inches
- Magazine: Detachable polymer 10-round rotary mag
- Barrel Twist: 1:9
-
Muzzle Threads: 1/2x28 with thread protector
Range Time
I happened to have a brand-new Bushnell R5 6-18x50 scope on hand, which made a great match for this little rifle. The illuminated DOA-LRH800 reticle allows many holdover points for the little .17 HMR cartridge. I mounted the scope using a 1-inch scope mount, which might have been a touch high, but the adjustable comb of the rifle made short work of that issue.
I also added a Harris bipod and a SilencerCo Spectre II suppressor, which takes the “M” out of the HMR and makes it a little more pleasant to shoot.
My first outing with the B17 was to my local range. I took everything I needed to zero and test the rifle, but as it turned out, what I needed more was self-control due to range squirrels. I had three types of ammunition: some OG Hornady 17-grain ammo, some CCI TNT 17-grain hollow points, and some Federal V-shock 17-grain. I figured one of those would shoot well enough to match my purposes.
After loading the magazines, I boresighted the rifle to get it as close as possible to zero before firing a shot. After making a correction or two, the rifle was shooting right where I aimed. I tested all three ammunition types, and the original Hornady 17-grain V-Max seemed to perform best.
Into the Mountains
After getting comfortable with the B17, it was time to take it into my Rocky Mountain haunt to do some field shooting – and with any luck, take some squirrels with the little .17. Armed to the teeth and with my squirrel hound at my heels, we pursued the distant chirps of our prey.
As I lay behind the rifle, the sharp sticks and grass of the parched summer ground dug into my skin. That’s just part of the game, and I watched through the bright Bushnell scope as an adult gray squirrel popped her head above the edge of a rock. The 103-yard distance and some shifting wind offered a little challenge, but I was ready for it.
I zeroed the rifle at 100 yards, so I simply held a little bit into the wind coming up the canyon. With the reticle dot level with my target’s nose, I began pressing the trigger. The shot broke with a perfectly clean release, and the rifle barely moved as I focused through the scope. I watched as the bullet impacted the squirrel right through the nut processor, scattering some hair and other material in the breeze. It was simply too much fun not to repeat the process over and over.
The balance and feel of this rifle were fantastic in field shooting. I am used to heavier guns, so the 7-plus pounds felt light to me. Watching impacts through the scope as this rifle churned through ammo was as close to childhood bliss as I can imagine.
My Analysis
Rimfire actions can often be a little lackluster, but the B series action felt better than I expected. The only thing I disliked was that pulling the bolt seemed more challenging than it should have been. The safety was strangely easy to accidentally engage, but other than that, the action felt great. Feeding was flawless unless I ran the bolt too slow, and the magazines never missed.
The trigger was impressive – very light with no creep. Coupled with the rigid MDT chassis, the Savage B17 is a home run for accurate shooting. I had no problem shooting squirrels as far as 150 yards away. The average groups at 100 yards were about 1 MOA, which proved plenty accurate on a dozen or so squirrels.
I experienced no failures of any kind during testing. The rifle fed all three types of ammunition flawlessly, and the magazines worked as designed. I did notice that if I ran the bolt too slowly, there would be an occasional hangup as I cycled the bolt. This is easily avoided by running the bolt at a proper cadence.
