Previous Post
Next Post

P1350655

 

Centerfire cartridges are great, but sometimes a little rimfire lovin’ is what you really need to get the job done. Winchester has developed a pretty kick-ass rimfire cartridge in the .17 WSM or “Winchester Super Magnum.” It’s a higher-powered .17 caliber rimfire round with an insanely flat trajectory and a muzzle velocity equal to most 5.56 rounds. The caliber means you can pack more ammo and more power into the same space, but the only rifles set up to fire that new cartridge have been bolt action guns. Until now . . .

Franklin Armory are the same people who custom-machined the lower receiver I’m using in my 300 BLK SBR rifle, and I’ve been a fan of their design ever since. They have a penchant for outside -the-box thinking and nifty designs, and the F17-L is another example.

 

P1350735

 

It all started with the caliber. Like I said, the .17 WSM is a great little round for varmint hunting, but when you set foot in California there’s another benefit that it has over the standard 5.56 round. In the Golden State, rimfire guns aren’t as highly restricted as centerfire guns. So while a varmint rifle in 5.56 would need to confirm to all of the ludicrously restrictive “assault weapons ban” requirements like bullet buttons and fixed stocks, an AR-15 chambered in .17 WSM gets to thumb its nose at all of that hogwash. The benefit to California residents (where Franklin Armory is located) is obvious, and so they set to work making it…well…work.

There are two huge hurdles to a rimfire cartridge in a semi-auto rifle: cleanliness and capacity.

 

P1350712

 

Rimfire is the dirtiest of the ignition systems. Typically a .22LR rifle will be completely coated in carbon and nearly useless by the end of an extended range session, but with the F17-L, Franklin Armory has baked in a little extra ingenuity from Osprey Defense. Instead of using a straight blowback design like most rimfire rifles, the F17-L uses a gas piston system like many 5.56 AR-15 rifles. This allows the bolt to remain closed longer, which means lower pressures when it finally does open and less gas (and filth) blowing back into the chamber.

Out on the range, that piston system really showed its worth. After firing hundreds of rounds, the chamber (shown above pre-cleaning) was still pristine. If I had tried that with my rimfire AR-15 barrel, the guts of the rifle would have been pitch black.

 

P1350717

 

The other problem to contend with using rimfire is in the magazines. Rimmed cartridges have a huge issue when it comes to feeding systems, as anyone who owns a Mosin Nagant will tell you.Rims not only make the gun malfunction if loaded improperly, but also require a much more pronounced curve to the magazine to load more than a couple rounds. The magazine well on the AR-15 platform was designed for the relatively straight-walled 5.56 NATO cartridge, so getting a mag with the proper curve to fit is a difficult proposition.

To solve that, Franklin put pencil to paper and designed their own proprietary magazine from the ground up. The version I tested sported an aluminum magazine design that holds 10 rounds in a semi double-stacked configuration, and seemed to work pretty well. However, I did have a few hiccups. There were a couple times when the last round failed to feed, and the process of inserting and removing the anodized magazine was a little difficult due to the friction between the parts. Franklin Armory has told me that this is a common problem and they’re working on some polymer magazines to address it.

 

P1350657

 

On the range, the gun works as advertised. The AR-15 design has been around long enough to be largely perfected by now, so that’s no surprise. However, the little things about this rifle are what make it really nice. For example, the matching milled upper and lower receivers that are available in multiple colors are a great addition and sure to be a welcome option for hunters. The styling is pretty slick as well, with the flowing shell deflector and forward assist molded as one continuous piece. I appreciate little details like that. The trigger as well is much nicer than the standard “mil-spec” switch most rifle makers drop in their guns, and makes shooting accurate groups pretty easy.

 

P1350668

 

The barrel is a thick piece of 4140 chrome moly with a nice target crown on the front for accuracy. This is California after all, land of the incomprehensible and ever shifting gun laws, so a muzzle device might not be the best first choice. With the popularity of silencers for varmint hunters elsewhere in the US, I’d love to see a model with a threaded barrel, but a standard target crown makes sense, too. It’s all about what you plan to do with the gun, and this one seems pretty well designed for killing large numbers of four-legged pests.

 

P1350663

 

Surrounding that barrel is a solid free-floated tube, which not only isolates the barrel from hands and bipods, and also keeps the heat from the barrel from screwing with the sight picture. There’s another nifty party trick, too: a camera tripod adapter built into the handguard and perfectly positioned to balance the gun, so you can take well-stabilized shots even while standing up.

The effect of those design changes are pretty obvious on the range.

 

IMG_20140925_150119

 

Shot from 100 yards, this group measures about 1/2 inch from center to center. The gun does this all day long with some good glass and a steady bipod, which is perfect for varmint hunters shooting small targets at great distances.

 

P1350642

 

For a varmint rifle, the F17-L is pretty darned good. Firing slippery little rounds, the gun is both accurate and deadly. There are still some teething problems to contend with, specifically the magazine (Kevin Brittingham at SIG SAUER jokes that the best way to make a gun is to find a magazine that works and build a gun around it). The magazine in this case wasn’t quite up to the same standards as the rest of the rifle, but there’s a magazine re-design in the works so that should change shortly. But until then, the current product shows a ton of promise.

 

Franklin Armory F17-L Specifications

Caliber: .17 WSM (Winchester Super Magnum Rimfire)

Action: Semi-automatic Osprey Defense piston

Barrel: 20″ 4140 chrome moly bull barrel with 11 degree target crown

Charging Handle: Standard

Trigger: Franklin Armory custom factory-tuned trigger

Stock: Magpul MOE rifle stock

Handguard/Upper: 12″ TML M-Lok Fluted and Vented, Integral Bipod and Tripod Adapter

Grip: Ergo Ambidextrous Sure Grip Pistol Grip

Bolt Carrier: .17 WSN Salt Bath Nitride

Magazine: 10-round magazine made of custom Franklin Armory aluminum

Gas System: F17 Piston

Gas Block: Piston

Receivers: Olive drab green hard-coat anodized Libertas Billet lower receiver and Libertas Billet upper receiver.

MSRP: $1,999

 

Ratings (out of five stars):

Accuracy: * * * * *

1/2 MoA with a semi-auto rimfire rifle. What’s wrong with that?

Ergonomics: * * * * *

It works. It’s an AR-15 at heart, and the AR-15 is pretty great ergonomically.

Ergonomics Firing: * * * * *

Zero recoil, low noise, and a positive reset. The bolt even locks back after the last round.

Reliability: * * * 1/2

There were a few feeding issues, but a new magazine should fix that.

Customization: * * * *

It’s an AR-15. The only thing costing the gun a star is the proprietary magazine.

Overall Rating: * * * *

The gun still needs some work. But not only is it a nice varmint hunting rifle, it’s a gigantic middle finger to the state of California. What’s not to love about that? A little on the expensive side, though.

 

More from The Truth About Guns:

RECALL: Do Not Use These Lots Of Winchester Super-X .17 HMR Ammunition

Ruger’s New .17 HMR, .22 WMR Magnum Models of the Ruger Precision Rimfire Rifle

Previous Post
Next Post

62 COMMENTS

  1. “the F17-L uses a piston system like a standard 5.56 AR-15 rifle.” Last I checked, standard AR’s utilize direct impingement.

    • agreed!

      .17 WSM might shoot flat in the 200 yards or less. – but a .223/5.56 will carry much farther with greater energy. Why would I drop 2000 bucks on a rifle that uses the … (insert expensive non-reloadable odd ball cartridge here) when I can get/build a ballistically better and cheaper rifle with a more readily available cartridge and cheap standard mags. The above rifle is a novelty item for me. Pass.

      • Well, in would be legal in CT, so that would be an advantage for those of us stuck behind enemy lines. It might be appealing for those who don’t have any grandfathered ARs. Me, I am looking at that Troy PAR.

        • as a rimfire, they will be making sales to the UK i believe. unless the self-loading rifles are evil, then the bolt actions will at least sell like hotcakes.

      • While a novelty to some, its a legal way to hunt coyotes in the cover of darkness where I live. Centerfire is illegal to hunt with at nighttime here at the current time. So this set up with a armasight drone pro will be my next set up.FYI its also illegal to hunt by a corded lighting device here.

      • It’s pretty easy to speak of things like, “Why would you do this when you could do that”, but if you lived in California you may just have a complete understanding. I myself am mildly considering one of these ARs for a number of reasons. The biggest being that it sort of gives me a feeling of giving the finger to California legislators and the absurdity of their gun laws.

        Is it a perfect alternative to a nicely set-up AR 15 you can legally have in another state? No way. Not even close. But it is something. I think it’s just simply hilarious when you think of this gun being legal in California as it’s not considered an AW under current law. It’s a very strong graphic representation of just how foolish our lawmakers are, and of just how leftists have turned their political views into a religion. That’s not even meant to be hyperboly. The left have dismissed religion or Judeo Christian belief systems and replaced it with the “Religion” of the Democratic party.

        Hillary squirted out Bill Clinton like Mary gave birth to Jesus and the rest is history. Later came the miracle of Barrack Husein Obama, the first, and only Communist, Muslim, half white anti Christ.

        But I digress severely. Yeah, I might buy one these little bad boys. Just so I can show people all over the neighborhood the extreme folly of the democractic party and it’s desire to control every move we make. George Orwell was on the dot. The ONLY thing he had wrong possibly was the date. Other than that, well it’s group think at it’s finest.

        I’m curious, impatient, and a bit scared of just how things will eventually calm. Will it be outright civil war? If so, my little rimfire AR can help to erradicate some democratic varmints yes?

  2. I will never understand why more AR-15s don’t use the piston system. Year after year I’ve read about the improvements and how it’s hardly more expensive at this point, and still the grouchy older shooters are downplaying it and trashing it as a fad. Anybody got a well-reasoned opinion?

    • Cheaper? I have yet to see a stand alone piston system that costs less than 2-300 anywhere. That is nowhere near a $50 gas block and 12 gas tube.

      If you are talking uppers something like a PWS Mk116 is basically $700 more expensive than their 16″ Modern Musket (DI) upper.

      I agree, I wish more would go to piston drive but they are hardly even close to as cheap as a DI gun. Aint hapn’n

    • I’d say the vast, vast majority of AR15s go less than 1000 rounds between cleanings. There’s probably very few that go 300 rounds between cleanings.
      The DI gas system has shown to be reliable for several thousand rounds before fouling gets bad enough that it starts impeding function so really, it’s a non-issue.

      If you like the different recoil impulse and relative cleanliness of a gas piston, then go for it. It definitely puts more weight down the barrel though. My cousin stopped using his piston AR in 3-gun because the thing weighed over 10 lbs loaded.

    • DI is lighter weight, less moving parts, cheaper and excellent for 90-95% of the ARs I have or folks I know have. I have an Adams Arms piston AR and the only place it shines over a DI gun is with a silencer mounted. Chamber stays cleaner and less backflow of gasses. Apart form that, I run 4 different AR calibers and none of my other guns have pistons, just the silencer gun…

    • I own piston and DGI ARs. The short version is that piston gun are more clean and reliable. The DGI guns are typically lighter, more accurate, and less expensive.

    • I agree, the piston system is much better and should be common! Heck, I paid $175 a few years ago for a 1954 Russian SKS, which they began making in 1948, and it uses a piston system. Is it that hard for US makers to build gas piston semi autos, for a reasonable price, with 2014 technology?

  3. “this is California, after all — muzzle devices need not apply.”

    What the heck are you talking about? Both muzzle brakes and flash hiders are allowed on AR rifles here in CA.

    Once again, TTAG shows true lack in writing prowess.

      • No, his comments on “bullet buttons and fixed stocks” show he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

        Nick: CA law is a 5 element test. Remove any one element and assault weapon status is avoided. Put another way, pick any 4 out of 5. (Going with rifles here, not pistols or shotguns which have different multi element tests).

        1: semi automatic; (bolt guns exempt, lever guns exempt, etc)
        2: centerfire (the whole point of this rifle is that by avoiding element 2 you can do whatever else you want);
        3: rifle; (non stocked belt feds and other non stocked weapons win on this count; similarly, it’s why a .50BMG semi auto M2HB is legal but a bolt action .50BMG is not; the M2 isnt a rifle);
        4: with capacity to accept a detachable magazine (bullet buttons exist because they’re a simple way to avoid count 4; just make it a non detachable mag and everything else is G2G); AND
        5: certain “features” (pistol grip, forward pistol grip, thumbhole stock, folding or telescoping stock, flash hider, grenade launcher muzzle device).

        Two exceptions are fixed 11+rd mags and any rifle under 30″ in its shortest fireable position (instant assault weapons regardless).

        Miss any one element above and you can break the other 4 to your heart’s content. So no, Nick, you don’t have to have a target crown or a fixed stock (on a bullet buttoned rifle, or on a rimfire rifle). The whole point of building a rimfire rifle is to avoid those hoops.

        I on the other hand build featurless rifles; by using fixed stocks, muzzle brakes, non-pistol grips, and the like, i can use detachable mags, including prebans.

        • 30 inch overall length doesn’t apply to rimfire. Now Californians can get a non bastardized scar, tavor, folding stock ak other bullpups in .17 wsm as long as it meets the federal oal requirement for rifles.

        • Excellent summary. Most people go the bullet button route, as then all the options for building or modifying your AR are legal. (Except mags and silencers.) NY’s SAFE Act is far worse than
          California’s current law

        • Here it is straight from the penal code:

          (as it pertains to rifles) A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
          (A) A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
          (B) A thumbhole stock.
          (C) A folding or telescoping stock.
          (D) A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
          (E) A flash suppressor.
          (F) A forward pistol grip.Remove the “detachable” magazine and it doesn’t matter what else it has on it as long as the magazine holds 10 or fewer rounds. otherwise it is subject to the “one feature test” so I think Nick is actually spot on.

          A bullet button removes the “detachable” magazine so it falls into the second category where it can have any feature you want as long as the magazine holds 10 rounds or less and the rifle is longer than 30″ overall length.

          Neither of these apply to rim fire though.

        • It may be.. factually inaccurate. But it cuts to the root of the problem.

          This commie crap could get worse at any point. California is at particular risk of worsening gun laws due to having demographics increasingly made up of the same people who brought in certain innovations to marriage in 2009 in Mexico City, and who have no problem with restrictive gun laws (that are repeatedly broken by actual criminals).

    • I lived in CA for 11 years so have a very solid grasp of the firearms laws there. However, I have no expectation that somebody outside of the state has any F’ing clue what’s going on, because the labyrinth of BS is a mind boggling nightmare. Maybe Nick was under the impression that threaded barrels or ‘muzzle devices’ were not legal. Or maybe he was talking specifically of suppressors or didn’t fully grasp how being rimfire exempts the rifle from even more of the things that would turn a semi-auto centerfire rifle w/ removable mag into an “assault weapon,” including pistol grip, adjustable stock, flash hider, etc etc. Also, as a threaded barrel instantly turns any semi-automatic pistol with a removable magazine into an “assault weapon,” the confusion is compounded.

      The bottom line is that this gun DOES circumvent many CA AWB laws and, thanks to it being rimfire, it can be enjoyed with a pistol grip and adjustable stock and removable mag and threaded barrel and many other things.

      The other bottom line is that expecting anyone outside of CA to know and really understand the myriad horrific, confusing, and overlapping CA laws and ways to circumvent them is pretty ridiculous.

      To further drive home how complicated the laws in CA are, even PC_Load_Letter, in his scathing remark where TTAG sucks and he’s the CA law expert, made a *big mistake* about CA law! Muzzle brakes are allowed but flash hiders ARE a “feature” of an assault weapon in CA. The law lists “a flash hider” specifically and adding one to a semi-automatic rifle with a removable magazine that has zero other “features” would immediately turn it into an assault weapon. Unless it’s rimfire. Ergo, Nick has a point and PC_Load_Letter would have committed a felony had he done this on a centerfire rifle that was otherwise legal!

      • He may have been thinking of rules in other stats – FWIW, that configuration would be legal in CT, because rimfires are regulated under the pre-2013 AW ban, which permitted two evil features (in this case the pistol grip and the removable mag) – a muzzle brake would be ok, but a flash suppressor would be a third evil feature, and the gun would be banned.

        For centerfire rifles, the test is now one evil feature allowed – the removable mag.

      • They are. It sort of makes pc_load_letter’s comments a little bit embarrassing. Not that I blame him AT ALL, because the CA laws are so deep and confusing that they’re almost impossible to memorize. But his comments could lead somebody to commit a felony in CA. Maybe a revision to the “writing prowess” insult is warranted at this point? I gotta say, if you’re going to err you’re better off on the safe side than the felony side. Unfortunately, this same mindset keeps a lot of people in CA from even attempting to own a firearm in the first place. Too many ways to innocently and accidently violate some arbitrary law that could actually turn you into a felon.

  4. Franklin armory said they will soon be producing cheaper uppers with 16 inch barrels. Great for California owners with extra lowers sitting around. no bullet button or 30 inch overall length required. Some one needs to make an ak version with a folding stock or a faxon arak21 in .17 wsm.

  5. Some hunting regulations, like TN, only allow rimfire in many circumstances (example coyote is rimfire or shotgun only during small game season on WMAs..no 250 yd+ shots…) … So it is nice to see new cartridge performance exceeding the expectations of stupid regulations and legislators. Now, to get a .22-250 or .308 Win equivalent in rimfire.

    • Yes. Everyone asking “what’s the point” of this rifle if you live in a state without assault weapons laws that are circumvented by it should know that there are way more states with rimfire-only hunting laws and this rifle should prove incredibly popular for that. Rimfire-only laws can be type of game, hunting location, and/or also hunting season laws, as sometimes there are areas open only to rimfire or early and/or extended seasons that are open only for rimfire, etc etc

  6. Half MOA semi auto rimfire? Could they build a cheaper, smaller .22 LR version? Y’know, for us in other countries that want an accurate semi auto rimfire but don’t want to spend a lot of money modifying a Ruger 10/22.

  7. I don’t know. Since I live in a free state, this seems like a solution in search of a problem (which admittedly it finds in those states with stupid anti-gun laws). I’ve never been all that enamored by the .17 WSM. If I want rimfire, I’ll go with inexpensive .22. If I want performance, I’ll shoot 5.56 or .300BLK. I guess I don’t varmint hunt, so I don’t see the need for a $2K rifle that shoots .17 rounds from a 10 round mag.

  8. $1999

    Who in the fucking world is going to buy this? Where is the market out there demanding a $2k semi auto in .17 WSM?

  9. If the POU is small varmint shooting what does this insanely expensive rim fire offer that BA’s don’t offer?
    In the end cost is the deciding factor

  10. Let’s cut to the chase this is just another boutique AR with proprietary parts and an odd ball cartridge. Stay away unless you got have loads of time and money or you live in one of those restrictive states.

  11. The Volquartsen is blow back operated, and still in development where they seem to be having problems. No wonder, 33,000 psi is just too high for blow back operations. Even the semis in .17 HMR are reported as problematic. Plus the Volquartsen is reportedly even higher priced.

  12. Plus, from what I hear, these .17s are a lot less alarming to both game and the neighbors in loudness of report.
    A can may well not be needed. I am going to find out in any case.

  13. Can we get a decent rifle at a rimfire price please before this round gets dropped because no one is buying rifles and ammo?

    Ruger help! Please make a 10/17WSM!

    • Not going to happen!
      Blowback operation just is not safe at those working pressures!
      Even all the makers of autoloading .17 HMR rifles,(except Volquartsen), have now dropped the autoloader line.
      And apparently they are having major problems with the .17 WSM design. And they have been working on it far longer than Franklin.
      Too many magazines being blown out when the bolt either didn’t close all the way, or opened too quickly.

      The Franklin F.17 is a locked breech and gas operated.
      Much, much safer, because of the breech opening somewhat slower.

  14. Great. One more item for the “when I hit the lottery” list! Pretty soon I’m gonna have to start a “when I hit the Second lottery” list.

  15. Thanks for the write up, the .17WSM is an outstanding rimfire though the ammo is only a little easier to find this year than last. Maybe Santie will bring me one of those!

  16. Nice firearm. Well designed. But….. tooo damned expensive. $500.00 or less and you would be in business like glock. How about plastic parts like glock and good craftsmanship
    Savage has a bolt action as well ad ruger. $350.00 -400. Shoots EXCELLENT!!! Help us out guys. I am buying one, either ruger or savage. But not $2000.00 !!##
    Dennis

  17. Tell Franklin Armory to copy the Lee Enfield 10-shot double-stack-double-feed magazine made for rimmed .303 centerfire cartridges.
    The Lee Enfield magazine is double stacked and, AS LONG AS CARTRIDGES ARE FULL LENGTH, the front wall of the magazine interacts with the bullet tips and the tilting follower to settle cartridges correctly so you do not get rim jam.
    This includes when you load the cartridges in a random fashion rather than the traditional “top rim ahead of bottom rim”. And it’s so much less of a pain to refill double-fed magazines!

  18. Some of you just don’t get it. The 22 and now 17 rimfires (not including the WSM) are what they are and designed to offer low cost shooting opportunities. There are a large variety of firearms from break open single shot to wonderful semi-autos even for the 22 WMF and 17MHRs. So along comes the 17 WSM. Fine, in a bolt gun it provides some greater reach and is more effective on certain types of game.

    Now what some of you aren’t reading in the tea leaves is what Franklin has done. While they created a wonderful modern sporting rifle, semi-auto at that they also raised a red flag to every gun control organization to include the upcoming administration that now rimfires must also be regulated the same as centerfires.

    Don’t you get it? Drawing a line in the sand is fine if you can back it up but there is no backup or better said any backup that will make a difference between now and the ends of your lives. I once had a 22 WMR semi-auto, the fantastic H&K300. Remember when California started it’s assault rifle bans? Well, the included the H&K300. Its a rimfire for crying out loud.

    So as you jump for joy at the development of this great rimfire super magnum what will you say when California decides to include all rimfires in their so called assault rifle controls? You’ll cry and scream but the results will only mean registration, confiscation or outright bans on ownership, not just for this rifle but ALL RIMFIRES. DON’T YOU GET IT?

    Sticking the middle finger to California only works when you have recourse and a way to make your position stand and simply put, no one has, not you and not me and not the NRA or any other pro 2A organization.

    California let rimfires slide under their radar but now look, we have a way around the centerfire feature bans, a rimfire with speeds that equal centerfires. Get ready people, we’ve finally managed to put rimfires at risk too. Get ready for non-pistol grip rifles and glued in magazines for rimfires too and all because we jumped before looking and decided that sticking it to the man in the short term was worth losing what little we had left in the long term.

    Are you thinking yet? Oh, and those of you in other states gloating and saying that California sucks (in many way it does) and you can own whatever you want let me tell you something, we used to be able to own just about any firearm in California too but politics change and in case you haven’t been watching, your little towns and your states are getting floods of new “residents” all with the intent on changing what you have. If you think you’re safe just look at Colorado, Austin-Texas, New York and some others. Its on the way. In short order Idaho will join the liberal left, its halfway there, look at Boise.

    While I applaud Franklin and would give half of one nut to get one of these, it is a swan song for rimfires. In the haste to create a centerfire performing rimfire we also hastened the scrutiny that will change the laws to put rimfires in the same nasty category as centerfires. So enjoy the short lived middle middle in the air feeling, it won’t last and who are we going to blame? The idiots that voted for the mess, the silent majority that remained silent and the attitude that it won’t happen where you live.

  19. If you love to wear hoodies? so get this amazing Feel The Beat Hoodie Moreover, it has a hoodie-style collar with a pullover front closure and rib knitted cuffs to hold your wrist. All these amazing features make it one perfect casual outerwear to get compliments from your fashion friends. Discover now the best deals and amazing prices.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here