17 HMR damn if you hunt fuzzy tails I know what to use

[steve2723]

All,
After last season hunitng with my 10/22 ruger I can tell you this year I used my Savage 17 HMR and I can tell you thereis no equal for fuzzy tail weapons. Head and neck shots all day long and neck shots were only due to my breathing. Accutrigger is great.

 

[churchmouse]

We have dropped Coyote with this round. I understand it is the round of choice for deer poaching but that is just rumor. I do not hunt deer. Would not know what to do with one if I shot it.

.17 is a super round for Varmints and fuzzy tail.

 

[45fan]

Seems a bit much, .22 LR has always been more than enough to knock them out of the trees for me. If .17 were the caliber of choice, I would think the 17 HM2 would be more logical. To each their own though, I have known people that hunt tree rats with .223, and even the old 30-06, loaded with a round ball. as ling as there is something left to eat, its a valid option.

 

[netsecurity]

I want to try one of those, but the ammo is so expensive. I bet I could reload it cheap, since it takes hardly any powder.

But my new Gamo air rifle would probably work almost as good within 40m. That thing is 17 caliber but only has a 10gr lead projectile. Still, it travels around 1,000 fps (and I can diesel it for a few hundred more fps ; ) so it is enough to penetrate a squirrels head at 50m I hear. Won't know how accurate at these distances mine really is until I get my new scope though. It is sure neat to hear a pellet break the sound bearier. I watched a video of some guys shooting a wild boar in the head and putting him down with one shot from this air gun, and that was only a 7gr pellet.

The cool thing about 17hmr is that it travels up near 3,000 fps. It puts 22lr to shame. My air rifle can shoot almost as fast as a 22lr.

 

[shawnba67]

Check your zero at 30 then 50 yds. Your breathing might not be the problem my 917s with 20 gr bullets zeroed at 30yd(1 hole group) hit 1 1/8 in high at 50. I neck shot a lot of squirrels before I figured that out.

 

[Shootin'IN]

The .17 HMR is dead accurate, but any close shot will destroy any meat you are hunting for.
My Savage .17 HMR is accurate enough to put a five round group inside a pop bottle cap at 100 yds. with room to spare.

 

[Small's]

Its probably my favorite varmit gun i have "cz452 standard". Zero it at 100 and at 20 yards its not of more than 1/2-3/4" then just a tad low at 150. The burris b-plex works very well with this cartridge out to 300yds. I like it because it doesnt go all the way through racoons and other critters of that size. Its fast but fragments into dust if it hits anything. I dont think its as dangerous as a 22lr because of the fragmenting after touching anything. A buddy and i shot beer bottles at 200-220 yards with hits on almost every shot. To deadly on squirrels unless head shooting them.

 

[T4rdV4rk]

We have dropped Coyote with this round. I understand it is the round of choice for deer poaching but that is just rumor. I do not hunt deer. Would not know what to do with one if I shot it.

.17 is a super round for Varmints and fuzzy tail.

17 hmr absolutely does kill deer.

I wonder why it's actually popular to poach with it? Quieter than a typical center fire?

 

[Hookeye]

I prefer .22 lr in handgun, kills 'em dead. Doubt I need anything of more oomph.

 

[Mitchell0481]

I want to try one of those, but the ammo is so expensive. I bet I could reload it cheap, since it takes hardly any powder.

17 HMR is a rim fire. Can't be reloaded.

 

[netsecurity]

17 HMR is a rim fire. Can't be reloaded.

Whoops, thinking of the Hornet I guess. I want a center fire one for reloading. Either way, I'm sure ammo is harder to find than 22lr--except maybe during this shortage.

 

[churchmouse]

Whoops, thinking of the Hornet I guess. I want a center fire one for reloading. Either way, I'm sure ammo is harder to find than 22lr--except maybe during this shortage.

We have enough for our .17's that I doubt we will ever have to buy anymore as long as we use our heads.

 

[Blown71X]

"Freakishly accurate" is my choice of words

Plus, she is a sexy thing

 

[jwh20]

All,
After last season hunitng with my 10/22 ruger I can tell you this year I used my Savage 17 HMR and I can tell you thereis no equal for fuzzy tail weapons. Head and neck shots all day long and neck shots were only due to my breathing. Accutrigger is great.

I've shot groundhogs with 17HMR and the results were devastating to say the least. There was not much left.

I'm assuming by "fuzzy tails" you mean squirrels?? In that case I suspect there would not be anything left. So if you are hunting them to eat, you might want to stick with your 10/22.

 

[patience0830]

I've shot groundhogs with 17HMR and the results were devastating to say the least. There was not much left.

I'm assuming by "fuzzy tails" you mean squirrels?? In that case I suspect there would not be anything left. So if you are hunting them to eat, you might want to stick with your 10/22.

I call b/s. unless you were standing ON the groundhog when you shot him, or he was a little tiny one. I mostly get an entrance and no exit at 75 yds and beyond on groundhogs with the 17 gr pills. It is a little overkill on squirrels you intend to eat but headshots do make for dead edible squirrels. I really prefer the mach2 later in the season when u can see farther. Right now .22 shorts are usually plenty. Subsonic in the SemiAuto guns I have.

 

[churchmouse]

"Freakishly accurate" is my choice of words

Plus, she is a sexy thing

View attachment 20731

I thought I was looking at my .17 when I saw the pic. My Savage is a freaking tack driver and so much fun to shoot.
I have a Taurus Tracker with a 7" barrel in .17 Hmr and it is spot on accurate. My buddy takes it deer hunting and eliminates the Coyote he sees stalking the deer. I have lost count.
I told him he needs to get one and leave it at the lodge and he just smiles and says why, I can us your right.

 

[Hookeye]

I call b/s. unless you were standing ON the groundhog when you shot him, or he was a little tiny one. I mostly get an entrance and no exit at 75 yds and beyond on groundhogs with the 17 gr pills. It is a little overkill on squirrels you intend to eat but headshots do make for dead edible squirrels. I really prefer the mach2 later in the season when u can see farther. Right now .22 shorts are usually plenty. Subsonic in the SemiAuto guns I have.

I agree. Maybe ground squirrel instead of groundhog?
Hell I use a .243 with Noslers and it still leaves chucks most rather photogenic.

 

[tallerthan28]

every time I go squirrel hunting I take my savage 17 HMR, it just shoots perfect. I always get a head shot. I used to us a 22 LR, but I love how the 17 HMR hits.

 

[wsenefeld]

Whoops, thinking of the Hornet I guess. I want a center fire one for reloading. Either way, I'm sure ammo is harder to find than 22lr--except maybe during this shortage.

Walmart in Lebanon frequently has 17HMR in stock but rarely will you see any .22LR.

You can reload rimfire if you have the desire but there's no practicality. You can get 3-4 shots out of the same rimfire case before it's a dud.

 

[Shootin'IN]

Walmart in Lebanon frequently has 17HMR in stock but rarely will you see any .22LR.

You can reload rimfire if you have the desire but there's no practicality. You can get 3-4 shots out of the same rimfire case before it's a dud.

Cases shouldn't be hard to find, they are laying all over the ground at the range. What powder & how much do you use to reload?