How Long Is a 17 HMR Pistol? Length, Barrel & Size Guide

How long is a 17 HMR pistol? The most common 17 HMR pistol, the Ruger Single-Six with a 6.5-inch barrel, is 11.5 to 12 inches long (29.21 to 30.48 cm). That is almost exactly the length of a standard 12-inch ruler. Across all the handguns chambered in .17 HMR, overall length ranges from 11.5 inches (29.21 cm) for the Ruger Single-Six up to 17 inches (43.18 cm) for the Smith & Wesson Model 647 Varminter with its 12-inch barrel.

One thing to know first: a “17 HMR pistol” is almost always a revolver, not a semi-automatic pistol. No major maker builds a semi-automatic pistol in .17 HMR. The two handguns that define the category are the Ruger Single-Six, a single-action revolver, and the Smith & Wesson Model 647, a double-action revolver. Both are built for target shooting and small-game hunting, not for concealed carry, and both are longer than a typical 9mm pistol because of their long barrels.

The .17 HMR cartridge itself was introduced by Hornady in 2002. It was developed by necking down a .22 WMR case to hold a tiny 0.172-inch bullet, and it became the fastest rimfire cartridge on the market, with a standard 17-grain load leaving the muzzle at 2,550 feet per second (777 m/s). Ruger chambered its Single-Six revolver in .17 HMR in 2003, and Smith & Wesson followed with the Model 647 the same year.

17 HMR Pistol Length at a Glance

Measurement	Inches	Centimeters	Millimeters
Barrel length, Ruger Single-Six	6.5 in	16.51 cm	165.1 mm
Overall length, Ruger Single-Six	11.5–12 in	29.21–30.48 cm	292.1–304.8 mm
Overall length, Ruger Single-Six Hunter (7.5 in barrel)	13.25 in	33.66 cm	336.6 mm
Overall length, S&W 647 (6 in barrel)	11.75 in	29.85 cm	298.5 mm
Overall length, S&W 647 Varminter (12 in barrel)	17 in	43.18 cm	431.8 mm
Height, Ruger Single-Six	5.0 in	12.70 cm	127.0 mm
Width, Ruger Single-Six	1.25 in	3.18 cm	31.8 mm
Weight, Ruger Single-Six (unloaded)	32–35 oz	—	907–992 g
Weight, S&W 647 Varminter (unloaded)	54 oz	—	1,531 g
Bullet diameter (.17 HMR)	0.172 in	0.44 cm	4.37 mm
Cartridge overall length (.17 HMR)	1.349 in	3.43 cm	34.3 mm

Quick tip: published overall lengths for the Ruger Single-Six differ slightly by source — 11.5 inches in some retailer listings, 11 7/8 inches in a 2003 review, and 12 inches in the American Rifleman spec table — because of the sights and the grip panels fitted. The range 11.5 to 12 inches covers every version with the standard 6.5-inch barrel.

How Long Is a 17 HMR Pistol with a 6.5-Inch Barrel?

Ruger Single-Six revolver with a 6.5-inch barrel

A 17 HMR pistol with a 6.5-inch barrel is 11.5 to 12 inches long. That is 29.21 to 30.48 centimeters, or 0.96 to 1.0 feet. The 6.5-inch barrel itself is 16.51 centimeters (165.1 mm) long, and it is the standard barrel on the Ruger New Model Single-Six in .17 HMR, the best-known 17 HMR handgun.

The Ruger Single-Six is a single-action revolver with a six-round cylinder, adjustable rear sights and a ramp front sight. Its sight radius — the distance between the front and rear sights — is 8.0 inches (20.32 cm), which is longer than the whole of many compact pistols. The cylinder is 1.406 inches long (3.57 cm), just long enough for the 1.349-inch .17 HMR cartridge. Here are the Single-Six numbers:

Ruger New Model Single-Six .17 HMR (blued): 6.5-inch barrel, 11.5 to 12 inches overall (29.21 to 30.48 cm), 5.0 inches tall (12.70 cm), 1.25 inches wide (3.18 cm), 35 ounces (992 g) unloaded, 6-round capacity.
Ruger New Model Single-Six .17 HMR (stainless): 6.5-inch barrel, 11.5 inches overall (29.21 cm), 32 ounces (907 g) unloaded, 6-round capacity.
Ruger New Model Super Single-Six .17 HMR (stainless): 6.5-inch barrel, 11.5 inches overall (29.21 cm), 35.6 ounces (1,009 g) unloaded, 6-round capacity.

The 6.5-inch barrel is the one to remember because it is the only barrel length Ruger offered when the Single-Six .17 HMR was introduced in 2003, and it is still the standard version. The 7.5-inch Hunter version came later for shooters who wanted a longer sight radius.

17 HMR Pistol Barrel Lengths: 6 Inches, 6.5 Inches, 7.5 Inches and 12 Inches

Four 17 HMR pistol barrel lengths compared

A 17 HMR pistol comes with a barrel between 6 and 12 inches long, and the barrel length is what sets the overall length. Every step up in barrel length adds roughly the same amount to the overall length, because these are all revolvers with the same basic frame size.

6-inch barrel (Smith & Wesson Model 647): the shortest 17 HMR pistol. Overall length is 11.75 inches (29.85 cm) and weight is 39.1 ounces (1,108 g) unloaded. This is the stainless double-action Model 647 with an 8-round cylinder, the only 17 HMR revolver with a capacity above six rounds.
6.5-inch barrel (Ruger Single-Six): the standard and most common size. Overall length is 11.5 to 12 inches (29.21 to 30.48 cm) and weight is 32 to 35 ounces (907 to 992 g) unloaded, depending on the finish. Six-round capacity.
7.5-inch barrel (Ruger Single-Six Hunter): the stainless Hunter version of the Single-Six. Overall length is 13.25 inches (33.66 cm) and weight is 38 ounces (1,077 g) unloaded. The extra inch of barrel adds about 1.25 to 1.75 inches of overall length over the standard Single-Six.
8.375-inch barrel (Smith & Wesson Model 647 variant): a less common K-frame variant. Overall length is 13.5 inches (34.29 cm) and weight is 52.5 ounces (1,488 g) unloaded.
12-inch barrel (Smith & Wesson Model 647 Varminter): the longest 17 HMR pistol. Overall length is 17 inches (43.18 cm) and weight is 54 ounces (1,531 g) unloaded, per the factory spec sheet. This is a Performance Center varmint revolver with a fluted 12-inch barrel, and some retailer listings show 17.5 inches (44.45 cm) and 61.5 ounces (1,743 g) with the bipod and accessories fitted.

The jump from the 6.5-inch Single-Six to the 12-inch Varminter is 5 to 5.5 inches of extra length and 19 to 22 ounces of extra weight, which is why the Varminter is a bench and field gun rather than a holster gun.

How Much Does a 17 HMR Pistol Weigh?

A 17 HMR pistol weighs between 32 and 54 ounces (907 to 1,531 g) unloaded, which is 2.0 to 3.38 pounds (0.91 to 1.53 kg). The lightest is the stainless Ruger Single-Six at 32 ounces (907 g), and the heaviest is the Smith & Wesson Model 647 Varminter at 54 ounces (1,531 g). The standard blued Single-Six weighs 35 ounces (992 g).

Here is how the models compare:

Ruger Single-Six, stainless: 32 ounces (907 g), 2.0 pounds
Ruger Single-Six, blued: 35 ounces (992 g), 2.19 pounds
Ruger Super Single-Six, stainless: 35.6 ounces (1,009 g), 2.23 pounds
Ruger Single-Six Hunter: 38 ounces (1,077 g), 2.38 pounds
Smith & Wesson Model 647, 6-inch barrel: 39.1 ounces (1,108 g), 2.44 pounds
Smith & Wesson Model 647, 8.375-inch barrel: 52.5 ounces (1,488 g), 3.28 pounds
Smith & Wesson Model 647 Varminter, 12-inch barrel: 54 ounces (1,531 g), 3.38 pounds

These are heavy pistols for their size. The all-steel construction and long barrels are the reason: a 17 HMR revolver is built like a small rifle in handgun form, and the weight is what keeps the tiny, fast cartridge steady on target. A loaded cylinder adds very little, because six .17 HMR cartridges weigh only about 1 ounce (28 g) in total.

How Big Is the .17 HMR Cartridge?

The .17 HMR — .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire — was introduced by Hornady in 2002. It was made by necking down a .22 WMR case to hold a 0.172-inch bullet, and it is the smallest-diameter cartridge in common use, with the highest velocity of any rimfire round.

Bullet diameter: 0.172 inches (4.37 mm)
Case length: 1.058 inches (26.9 mm)
Overall cartridge length: 1.349 inches (34.3 mm)
Rim diameter: 0.286 inches (7.3 mm)
Common bullet weights: 15.5 to 20 grains (1.0 to 1.3 g)
Standard load: a 17-grain V-Max bullet at 2,550 feet per second (777 m/s) with 245 foot-pounds of energy (332 J)
Heavy load: a 20-grain XTP bullet at 2,350 feet per second (716 m/s) with 250 foot-pounds of energy (339 J)
Effective range: about 150 yards (137 m)

The .17 HMR is a bottleneck rimfire case with a 25-degree shoulder, and its overall length of 1.349 inches is the same as the .22 WMR it came from, so the two cartridges fit the same actions. The difference is the bullet: the .17 HMR fires a 0.172-inch bullet against the .22 WMR’s 0.224-inch bullet, and the lighter bullet is why the .17 HMR is faster and flatter-shooting, drifting only 3.3 inches in a 10-mph crosswind at 100 yards against 5.7 inches for the .22 WMR. That flat trajectory is the whole reason the cartridge exists, and it is also why the pistols built for it have such long barrels: a longer barrel lets the small cartridge reach its full velocity.

17 HMR Pistol vs Glock 19: How Much Bigger Is a 17 HMR Pistol?

The Glock 19 is the most common modern pistol in the United States, so it is the natural comparison for a 17 HMR pistol. The two could hardly be more different: the Glock 19 is a polymer-frame, striker-fired semi-automatic in 9mm, and a 17 HMR pistol is an all-steel revolver firing a tiny rimfire cartridge.

A Glock 19 Gen 5 has a 4.02-inch barrel (10.21 cm), an overall length of 7.28 inches (18.49 cm), a height of 5.04 inches (12.80 cm), a width of 1.26 inches (3.20 cm) and a weight of 23.63 ounces (670 g) with an empty magazine. Against the Ruger Single-Six .17 HMR, the differences are:

Length: the Single-Six is 4.22 to 4.72 inches longer than the Glock 19 (11.5 to 12 inches against 7.28 inches), or about 1.6 times as long.
Height: almost the same — 5.0 inches for the Single-Six against 5.04 inches for the Glock 19.
Weight: the Single-Six is 8.37 to 11.37 ounces heavier (32 to 35 ounces against 23.63 ounces), which is about 237 to 322 grams.
Barrel: the Single-Six barrel is 2.48 inches longer (6.5 inches against 4.02 inches).
Capacity: the Glock 19 holds 15+1 rounds of 9mm, while the Single-Six holds 6 rounds of .17 HMR.
Width: almost the same — 1.25 inches for the Single-Six against 1.26 inches for the Glock 19.

The Smith & Wesson 647 Varminter is in another class altogether: at 17 inches long and 54 ounces, it is 9.72 inches longer and 30.37 ounces heavier than a Glock 19, and longer than many rifles’ barrels are long.

Everyday Size Comparisons: How Long Is a 17 HMR Pistol Really?

A number like 12 inches is easy to say and hard to picture. Here is how the most common 17 HMR pistol, the Ruger Single-Six at 11.5 to 12 inches long, compares with things you already know.

US Dollar Bill

A US dollar bill is 6.14 inches long (15.60 cm). A Ruger Single-Six is 5.36 to 5.86 inches longer than a dollar bill, or about 1.87 to 1.95 times as long — very nearly two dollar bills end to end.

Unsharpened Pencil

A standard unsharpened pencil is 7.5 inches long (19.05 cm). A Ruger Single-Six is 4.0 to 4.5 inches longer than a new pencil. The 6-inch barrel Smith & Wesson 647, at 11.75 inches, is also 4.25 inches longer than a pencil.

Credit Card

A standard credit card is 3.37 inches long (85.6 mm). A Ruger Single-Six is about 3.4 to 3.6 times as long as a credit card. Three credit cards laid end to end are 10.11 inches, still 1.39 to 1.89 inches shorter than the pistol.

Soda Can

A standard 12-ounce soda can is 4.83 inches tall (12.27 cm). A Ruger Single-Six is 6.67 to 7.17 inches longer than a soda can is tall, or about 2.4 to 2.5 times as long.

A4 Sheet of Paper

A sheet of A4 paper is 11.69 inches long (29.7 cm). A Ruger Single-Six is about the same length as an A4 sheet — the 11.5-inch version is 0.19 inches shorter than the paper, and the 12-inch version is 0.31 inches longer. Lay the pistol on an A4 sheet and it runs almost exactly from one edge to the other.

Standard Ruler

A standard ruler is 12 inches long (30.48 cm). A Ruger Single-Six is 96 to 100 percent of a ruler’s length. The pistol runs from the zero mark to just short of, or exactly on, the 12-inch line. The Smith & Wesson 647 Varminter, at 17 inches, is 5 inches longer than a ruler, or about 1.4 times as long.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a 17 HMR pistol?

The most common 17 HMR pistol, the Ruger Single-Six with a 6.5-inch barrel, is 11.5 to 12 inches long (29.21 to 30.48 cm) and weighs 32 to 35 ounces (907 to 992 g) unloaded. Across all 17 HMR handguns, overall length ranges from 11.5 inches for the Single-Six up to 17 inches (43.18 cm) for the Smith & Wesson Model 647 Varminter with its 12-inch barrel.

What is the barrel length on a 17 HMR pistol?

The most common barrel length is 6.5 inches (16.51 cm), on the Ruger Single-Six. The full range is 6 inches on the Smith & Wesson Model 647, 6.5 inches on the Single-Six, 7.5 inches on the Single-Six Hunter, 8.375 inches on one Model 647 variant, and 12 inches on the Model 647 Varminter.

Is a 17 HMR pistol a revolver or a semi-automatic?

Almost always a revolver. No major maker builds a semi-automatic pistol in .17 HMR. The two handguns in this caliber are the Ruger Single-Six, a single-action revolver with a 6-round cylinder, and the Smith & Wesson Model 647, a double-action revolver with a 6-round or 8-round cylinder.

Is a 17 HMR pistol bigger than a Glock 19?

Yes. A Ruger Single-Six is 4.22 to 4.72 inches longer than a Glock 19 (11.5 to 12 inches against 7.28 inches) and 8.37 to 11.37 ounces heavier (32 to 35 ounces against 23.63 ounces). The two are almost the same height, 5.0 inches against 5.04 inches, and almost the same width, 1.25 inches against 1.26 inches.

Conclusion

A 17 HMR pistol is 11.5 to 12 inches long (29.21 to 30.48 cm) in its most common form, the Ruger Single-Six with a 6.5-inch barrel (16.51 cm), and it weighs 32 to 35 ounces (907 to 992 g) unloaded. That makes it almost exactly as long as a standard ruler, about twice as long as a dollar bill and about 1.6 times as long as a Glock 19. The longest version, the Smith & Wesson Model 647 Varminter with a 12-inch barrel, stretches to 17 inches (43.18 cm) and 54 ounces (1,531 g). Every 17 HMR handgun is a revolver firing the same 1.349-inch cartridge, a 0.172-inch bullet at 2,550 feet per second, and the long barrels are what let that tiny cartridge reach its full speed. If you are picturing one, picture a ruler: that is how long a 17 HMR pistol is.

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Michael Carter

Hi, I’m Michael Carter, I write simple, everyday size guides so you can picture any measurement in seconds.