The .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (.17 HMR) completely revolutionized the rimfire world when it hit the market in 2002. By necking down a .22 WMR (Magnum) case to accept a lightweight, highly aerodynamic .17 caliber bullet, Hornady created a hyper-velocity, flat-shooting cartridge. It effectively extended the ethical, accurate range of rimfire varmint hunting well past 150 yards.
Shortly after, Hornady introduced its little brother, the .17 Hornady Mach 2 (.17 HM2), which applied the same concept to a standard .22 LR case.
Below is a breakdown of the ballistic data for Hornady’s .17 caliber rimfire lineup, followed by an explanation of what these numbers mean for you in the field.
Table of Contents [Click to minimize]
Hornady .17 Caliber Ballistics Profile
Velocity & Energy
Note: All loads are measured with muzzle velocity, and energy is listed in foot-pounds (ft-lbs).
| Cartridge | Load ID | Bullet (gr) | Muzzle Vel. | 100 Yds Vel. | 200 Yds Vel. | Muzzle Eng. | 100 Yds Eng. | 200 Yds Eng. |
| .17 HMR | 83170 | 17 | 2,550 fps | 1,902 fps | 1,379 fps | 245 ft-lbs | 137 ft-lbs | 72 ft-lbs |
| .17 HMR | 83172 | 20 | 2,375 fps | 1,755 fps | 1,274 fps | 250 ft-lbs | 137 ft-lbs | 72 ft-lbs |
| .17 HMR | 83171 | 15.5 | 2,525 fps | 1,830 fps | 1,291 fps | 219 ft-lbs | 115 ft-lbs | 57 ft-lbs |
| .17 HM2 | 83177 | 17 | 2,100 fps | 1,531 fps | 1,134 fps | 166 ft-lbs | 88 ft-lbs | 48 ft-lbs |
| .17 HM2 | 83176 | 15.5 | 2,050 fps | 1,450 fps | 1,070 fps | 145 ft-lbs | 72 ft-lbs | 39 ft-lbs |
Trajectory (Bullet Drop)
Note: Bullet drop is measured in inches, assuming a 50-yard zero.
| Cartridge | Load ID | Bullet (gr) | 50 Yds | 75 Yds | 100 Yds | 150 Yds | 200 Yds |
| .17 HMR | 83170 | 17 | 0.0″ | +0.1″ | -0.3″ | -3.0″ | -9.1″ |
| .17 HMR | 83172 | 20 | 0.0″ | 0.0″ | -0.6″ | -4.0″ | -11.4″ |
| .17 HMR | 83171 | 15.5 | 0.0″ | +0.1″ | -0.4″ | -3.4″ | -10.1″ |
| .17 HM2 | 83177 | 17 | 0.0″ | -0.2″ | -1.2″ | -6.2″ | -16.3″ |
| .17 HM2 | 83176 | 15.5 | 0.0″ | -0.3″ | -1.4″ | -7.1″ | -18.5″ |
Understanding the Numbers
If you are transitioning from a standard .22 LR to a .17 HMR, the ballistic charts above tell a story of massive performance upgrades across three main categories:
1. The Speed Advantage
The defining characteristic of the .17 HMR is velocity. Pushing a 17-grain bullet at 2,550 feet per second out of the muzzle makes it roughly twice as fast as a standard-velocity .22 LR. This extreme speed is what causes the polymer-tipped bullets (like the V-MAX) to expand explosively on impact. However, notice how the lightweight 15.5-grain bullet sheds speed slightly faster than the 17-grain option over distance due to having a lower Ballistic Coefficient (BC).
2. Kinetic Energy and Stopping Power
Despite firing a tiny projectile, the high velocity translates to serious kinetic energy. The 20-grain .17 HMR load generates 250 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. For small game and varmint hunting, energy is what dictates a humane, ethical kill.
Looking at the 200-yard mark, the energy of the .17 HMR drops to around 72 ft-lbs. This is why most hunters consider 150 to 200 yards to be the maximum ethical limit for the .17 HMR on small game; past that, the bullet lacks the energy required to guarantee explosive expansion.
3. Flat-Shooting Trajectory
This is where the .17 HMR truly shines. If you zero a 17-grain .17 HMR rifle at 50 yards, the bullet only rises a tenth of an inch at 75 yards, drops just a third of an inch at 100 yards, and drops only 3 inches at 150 yards.
For a hunter, this means “point and shoot” reliability. Unlike a .22 LR, where you have to calculate heavy holdovers for anything past 75 yards, the .17 HMR allows you to place your crosshairs directly on a prairie dog or squirrel out to 125 yards without worrying about bullet arc.
Choosing Your Bullet Weight
- 17-grain (Load 83170): The gold standard. It offers the best balance of flat trajectory, high velocity, and explosive terminal performance.
- 20-grain (Load 83172): Best for slightly larger varmints (like coyotes at close range) where you need deeper penetration and less surface fragmentation. Notice it has a heavier drop at 200 yards (-11.4″).
- 15.5-grain (Load 83171): Often loaded as a lead-free option (NTX) for areas with environmental hunting restrictions.