I was thinking a 10/22 in 17HM2 (17 M2, 17 Mach 2, whatever you choose to call it) would be a lot of fun on ground squirrels & small game.

Want to use a Majestic Arms Aluma-lite Barrel

Planned on having ADCO thread it & suppress it.

Whats the verdict, anyone done this (pictures pretty please).  Reviews etc?

OH, its been done! Lots of "Bangs" with flying pieces to prove it. Word on the street is "Beware!".  Go on over to RimFireCentral.com and see what they say. Ever wonder why Ruger doesn't build these things? They had considered it but the lawyers won out on that one.

I have heard the 96/22 convert fairly well to 17HM2, however its a lever gun, and good luck trying to find one for a good price... or a nice stock.... or a nice trigger... etc...

I had real good luck with mine and converted my bosses as well, ive put well over 500rnds through mine. Im runnin heavy weight handle and a GM 17" 17hm2 96/22 barrel.

I paid hell tryin to find a round that worked and settled witht he Hornady rounds. YMMV they are a tinkerers conversion for sure

If you do convert it, get an interrupter from nanocrank.com. I am not sure if he sells it separate but it is exactly what the HM2 needs to stop OOB strikes. I had a conversion and it worked very well. Just make sure you get some kind of weight to slow down the action. Some people use heavier springs, some get a weighted bolt.

I got the conversion done. Pics later, forgot to take any of the gun. Got a few of the groups I shot =).

Hogue Overmold
SS Ruger 10/22 receiver & bolt (Gifts from my father years back)
Volquartsen TG2000 Complete trigger pack
Power Custom weighted bolt handle & heavy spring
Titanium Firing Pin & Extractor
Majestic Arms 17HM2 17" barrel, Aluminum & Stainless steel
Centerpoint 4-16x40 (Walmart $70 special)

Going to send it off to ADCO for threading so I can put a suppressor on it.

I like setting up my guns so I can carry them (i.e. lightweight) so no heavy laminated thumb hole stock on this one.  Want to be able to wander around and shoot ground rats for hours at a time and shoot offhand =).

I did have one Kaboom (27th shot out of 145 down the pipe).  Inspected the round to find a crack near the mouth.  Inspected the ammo to find 3 out of 150 cracked on the case mouth straight out of the box unfired.  2 hand mangled mouths so I didnt fire those either (hence 145 fired out of 150). Going to be contacting the manufacturer about the lot # and possible replacement.

I checked all of the ammo following shot # 27 to make sure this problem was not repeated.

These were the best groups of the day, but don't represent the average group (closer to 0.75" average w/ 5 shot groups).  Few fliers here and there, closed up once I weighed the ammo and shot in groups sorted by weight.  My bolt action Marlin 917 in 17HMR definitely shoots better though.

I built one a year ago put 1000 rounds through it without a problem you just have to keep the chamber really clean and get a heavier recoil spring and charging handle the help keep the bolt from opening to early and causing and out of battery discharge.