Ammo Reports Team
At a Glance
| Primary Use | Varmint hunting / Small game |
| Bullet Type | V-Max — Hornady Polymer-Tipped Hollow Point |
| Bullet Weight | 17 gr |
| Case | Brass |
| Primer | Rimfire |
| Packaging | 50 rounds per box |
| Typical Price | ~$22–24 / box (~$0.44 per round) |
| Closest Competitors | Hornady Varmint Express 17 HMR 17 gr V-Max · CCI 17 HMR 17 gr V-Max · Federal Premium V-Shok 17 HMR 17 gr V-Max |
Official Specs
Manufacturer-stated data. No independent verification — see Submit Your Data below.
| Spec | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Muzzle Velocity | 2,550 fps | Winchester (official product page) |
| Muzzle Energy | — | Not published by Winchester for this load |
| Bullet Weight | 17 gr | Winchester |
| Bullet Type | Hornady V-Max (polymer tip) | Winchester |
| Manufacturer SKU | S17HMR1 | Winchester |
| UPC | 020892102491 | — |
Note: Winchester’s official product page confirms 2,550 fps and describes the load as delivering “consistent chamber pressure.” Muzzle energy is not published. At 17 gr and 2,550 fps the calculated energy is approximately 245 ft-lbs. Test barrel length is not specified. Community submissions will provide real-world velocity from actual hunting barrels.
Variants
This page covers Winchester Supreme S17HMR1 · 17 HMR · 17 gr V-Max only.
Winchester’s .17 HMR lineup also includes:
- Winchester Super-X 17 HMR 20 gr XTP (X17HMR1) — heavier controlled-expansion hunting load
- Winchester Deer Season XP 17 HMR — polymer tip optimized for small game
Each has its own report page. The Supreme line represents Winchester’s premium rimfire tier; the Super-X is their traditional value-oriented hunting line.
Best Uses
Good fit:
- Prairie dog, ground squirrel, and woodchuck hunting at 75–150 yards
- Hunters who want the proven Hornady V-Max bullet in Winchester brass
- Shooters whose rifles show a grouping preference for this specific load over alternatives using the same bullet
- General varmint hunting where flat trajectory and explosive terminal performance are the priority
Not the right tool for:
- Maximum velocity — at 2,550 fps this load matches CCI V-Max and Winchester’s own Super-X listing, running 100 fps below Hornady’s own Varmint Express and CCI VNT
- Lead-restricted areas — this is a lead-core load
- High-volume practice — no advantage over FMJ at this price point
- Self-defense — not designed or rated for it
Reliability Notes
Not enough data to draw conclusions. This section will be updated as community submissions accumulate.
General notes:
- Winchester’s Supreme rimfire line is positioned as their highest-performance rimfire offering — the name implies tighter tolerances and more consistent powder charges than the Super-X line, though Winchester does not publish specific lot-to-lot consistency data
- The Hornady V-Max bullet used here is identical to the projectile in Hornady’s own Varmint Express load and CCI’s V-Max (SKU 0049) — the bullet’s terminal performance is extremely well-documented across all three brands
- Winchester brass in rimfire has a generally positive reputation for dimensional consistency; primer reliability data specific to this load is not widely published
Competitors
| Load | Weight | Bullet | Adv. Velocity | Price / box | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady Varmint Express 17 HMR 17 gr V-Max | 17 gr | V-Max HP | 2,650 fps | ~$23–25 | Same bullet, 100 fps faster — the benchmark load |
| CCI VNT 17 HMR 17 gr Varmint Tipped | 17 gr | CCI Proprietary Tip | 2,650 fps | ~$22–24 | Faster, different bullet, lead-minimizing claim |
| CCI 17 HMR 17 gr V-Max | 17 gr | V-Max HP | 2,550 fps | ~$21–23 | Identical bullet and velocity, typically $1–2 cheaper |
| Federal Premium V-Shok 17 HMR 17 gr V-Max | 17 gr | V-Max HP | 2,530 fps | ~$21–23 | Same bullet, marginally slower, lower price |
| Browning 17 HMR 17 gr Polymer Tip | 17 gr | Polymer Tip (unspecified) | 2,550 fps | ~$23–25 | Same velocity, unknown bullet, higher price |
Report pages for the loads above are in progress and will be linked here when published.
Price Reality
- Typical retail range: $22–24 per box of 50 (US market, 2025–2026)
- Per-round cost: approximately $0.44
- Case pricing: ~$760 / 2,000 rounds (~$0.38/round) — significant savings for volume varmint hunters
- vs. CCI V-Max: same bullet, same velocity, Winchester typically runs $1–2/box more than CCI’s equivalent load
- Fair price benchmark: under $23/box is competitive; above $25/box is hard to justify when CCI V-Max offers the same bullet at lower cost
Prices change. Check the Where to Buy block for current listings.
Where to Buy
Affiliate links. These do not influence ratings, data, or any editorial content on this page.
- Ammunition Depot — add link
- MidwayUSA — add link
- Brownells — add link
- Palmetto State Armory — add link
FAQ
Winchester Supreme vs CCI V-Max — same V-Max bullet, which is better?
The projectile is identical — both use the Hornady 17 gr V-Max at 2,550 fps. The difference is in the brass, primer, and powder charge. Winchester Supreme is positioned as a premium rimfire line with implied tighter tolerances; CCI has a well-documented reputation for rimfire primer consistency. In practice, accuracy differences between the two — if any — will show up at the rifle level. CCI V-Max typically costs $1–2/box less. Buy a box of each, shoot groups at 100 yards, and keep whichever your rifle prefers.
Why does Winchester Supreme run slower than Hornady Varmint Express with the same bullet?
Both use the Hornady 17 gr V-Max, but the powder charge differs. Hornady loads their own bullet with a powder charge that produces 2,650 fps; Winchester’s Supreme load reaches 2,550 fps. The 100 fps gap is a powder charge decision — it affects pressure, velocity, and potentially lot-to-lot consistency. Whether the lower-velocity Winchester load is more or less accurate than the faster Hornady in a given rifle cannot be predicted — it depends on that rifle’s specific chamber and barrel characteristics.
Is Winchester Supreme still in production?
As of the time this page was last updated, the S17HMR1 load is listed as active on Winchester’s official product page. Note that Winchester did issue a recall for a different .17 HMR SKU — the Super-X X17HMR1 (20 gr XTP) — which is a separate product. The Supreme S17HMR1 (17 gr V-Max) is not affected by that recall. Always verify current product status and any active recalls at winchester.com before purchasing.
What is the difference between Winchester Supreme and Winchester Super-X in .17 HMR?
In Winchester’s product hierarchy, Supreme is the premium rimfire line and Super-X is the traditional value-oriented hunting line. In .17 HMR specifically, the Supreme uses a 17 gr V-Max polymer-tipped bullet (S17HMR1), while the Super-X uses a 20 gr XTP jacketed hollow point (X17HMR1). These are different bullet weights, different bullet designs, and different terminal performance profiles — not just different tiers of the same load.
Submit Your Data · Real-World Results
Manufacturer velocity figures are measured under controlled lab conditions — barrel length, temperature, and lot number all affect real-world performance. The data below comes from community submissions tied to specific test conditions and reviewed before
publishing.
Once this page reaches 3 approved submissions, aggregate velocity
and confidence level will appear here automatically.
| UPC # | Firearm | Barrel (in) | Avg Velocity (fps) | Shots | Temp (°F) | Chronograph | Lot | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shot this load? Share your results — firearm type, barrel length, average velocity, shots fired, temperature. No account required.
All submissions are manually reviewed before appearing on this page.
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Results vary by firearm, barrel condition, ammunition lot, and environmental factors.
Submitted data is for reference only.
AmmoReports does not guarantee accuracy of user-submitted results.
Last updated: April 2026 · Data confidence: Low (0 submissions) ·
