At the Range: Testing the .17 Winchester Super Magnum

Varmints beware — the .17 WSM is here. The .17 Winchester Super Magnum is the newest technology in the surging market of magnum rimfire cartridges. Sure, it's a .17 caliber bullet, but that tiny projectile delivers some nasty results on small game out to 300 yards.

Unlike the limited availability of guns chambered in 22 Hornet, rifles such as the 1885 Rimfire and the Savage Arms B-Mag have already pioneered the .17 WSM market.

At a whopping 3,000 fps with a 20 grain bullet, the .17 WSM is a laser beam compared to 2,400 fps with a similar weight projectile from its .17 HMR counterpart. When launching heavier 25 grain bullets with 375 foot-pounts of energy, the .17 WSM outperforms the HMR by half.

The editors at G&A explored the ballistic performance of this hot new round with a classic two liter penetration test.