300 Yards with a .17HMR is extremly possible!

On Sunday I finally got started on my long range test of the .17 HMR. The rifle that I used was a Savage 93R17 BTV with a Bushnell 4200 Elite 6-24x40mm Mil-Dot scope. I also had a Burris bi-pod mounted on the front sling swivel. At the last minute I decided to switch scopes from the BSA Sweet 17 to the Bushnell. I wanted to make sure that I had enough elevation and windage adjustments on the scope so that I could push this round past my limits. This rifle has proven over the last two years to be a very accurate weapon and averages right at 0.90 MOA at 100 Yards with just about anything that I have fired through it. I also brought some other gear to the range with me like my Kestrol 4200 NV weather station, a large bean bag to use as a rear support, GPS and Nikon 550 laser range finder as well as my log book so that I could track and repeat all the adjustments that I made. All of the shooting was done from the prone position using a bi-pod and rear bag for support.
Once I arrived at the range I quickly set up a paper target at 50 yards so that I could get the newly attached scope properly zeroed. Luckly this did not take all that long and I only used a total of 10 rounds to get a perfectly centered group. I then moved the same target out to 100 yards to check point of impact. Like ususal the little 17gr V-Maxes had an identical point of impact at 100 yards. Now that my rifle was properly zeroed I retrieved the paper target and placed a 12 inch by 12 inch steel plate that was suspended off a wooden frame at the 200 yard line. I was taking a risk at putting the target that far out right away.
Once I got back to my rifle I updated my log book to show the current temperture, humidity, barometric pressure, altitude, density altitude and wind speed and direction. I then looked at all of the available drop charts that I had for the .17HMR and made a quick adjustment for 200 yards. As I laid behind the rifle simultaneously checking my natural point of aim, concentrating on the trigger pull, stock tension and the sight picture the shot finally broke. Through the scope I got to see the little grey puff of smoke as the round impacted the plate just a little low. I added just a bit of elevation and wind and then settled down to make the next shot. Poof, the grey smoke and the perfect bell like ring of the plate let me know that I had made yet another hit. Looking through the scope I could see the impacts so adjusting was a simple matter of twisting the dial. I fired 5 rounds untill I was perfectly centered on the plate then I fired 5 more to make sure that the POI did not change. After the 10 rounds I was content with my 200 yard zero and I decide that I would push the target to 250 yards. I forgot paint so the target was not "clean" for this stage of shooting. Not a big deal really but it would have been nice to have a new target to shoot at as it would have made spotting the impact that much easier. I went throught the same steps as I did at the 200 yard line. It did take 2 shot to get on target though. After I finally hit the plate it was no problem to center the group. Unfortunatly 250 yards is a very long way for a high speed 17 grain projectile to travel. The wind was a big factor. Even a very slight increase of decrease in the wind speed would send the round into the dirt to the left or right of the target. Perfect wind estimation is a must if you plan on shooting little furry things at this range. The round seemed to still vaporize when it hit the plate but I am not sure that the same thing would happen if you were to replace the steel with flesh. As I neared completion at the 250 yard line the winds were steadly increasing. I really wanted to be able to get data to at least 300 yards so I stopped shooting at the 250 yard line. After a quick trip downrange I had the target at the 300 yard line. This time I used to back of the steel plate as a target so that I would be able to see exactly where the rounds were impacting. The back of the plate was red so actually seeing the impacts through the scope was impossible. I added what I thought would be way to much elevation and then I added a little more right wind. Imediatly following the first shot I noticed through my scope that the round had impacted the right hand target support. If I had not noticed this I am not sure that I would have been able to get on target. Spotting the impact of this little round through 3 ft tall Oklahoma prarie grass was not going to happen. In any case I fired a total of 20 rounds with 10 actually hitting the steel plate. If I did my part it seemed that missing was something the rifle could not do. If, however, I did not pay attention to the wind then it was a miss for sure. Once I got a chance to look at the target I was happy to see very little vertical dispersion (around 2.5"). This told me that I was holding at the same point on the target. But the horizontal dispersion went from one side of the target to the other. Wind ended up being the single biggest hurdel when shooting the .17HMR at extended ranges.
Is it possible to get to 400 yards wtih the .17 HMR? Yes and No! If the atmospheric conditions are favorable, like little to no wind, absolutly not over 8-10 mph then YES is is possible. If the atmospheric conditions are not in your favor then you may get lucky and get a few hits but I highly doubt you will get repeted hits. I am looking forward to shooting at 400 yards with my Savage 93R17 BTV.
In retrospect though I may have to start much closer than the 400 yard goal. Durring the first stage of this test (everything that you have read thus far) I was able to walk the target out and the winds remained constant. So I had very recent wind data to add to the scope. If I would have sat the target out at 300 yards and attampted to hit it with the first shot then I give my self only a 30% chance of getting a first or second round hit. I am sure that at 200 yards getting a first round hit on a rabbit sized animal is very possible though. Most people will never shoot their .17HMR past 200 yards and if they do I am sure that they are just lobbing rounds to see if they hit something. Not to sound snobbish or anything! Just plain old factual information.
I do not know when I will be able to conclude this test. Work, weather and general lack of funds are all simultaneously consorting to make this not happen. But, the next time that I go out I will attempt to start at the 300 yard line if the conditions permit. If I am not able to do this then I may have to slowly push the target to the 400 yard line.
The end state of this test is to provide me with the necessary real life shooting data from 100 to 400 yards in 25 yard increments. All of this data will be condensed into a data card that I will be able to tape to the stock of my rifle. Talk about a deadly crow gun then. CHEERS