17 HMR

[3030win]

I just put a NEF Single Shot 17 HMR in Lawaway and was wondering if anybody has tried it on squirrels yet. I know it is quite an explosive round, but with head shots I imange it woundn't do much damage?

I guess if I try it on squirrels and it is to powerful it can just be my target/crow gun.

 

[wildbirdhunter]

I have seen MPMI use it on ground rats and it can be really explosive if hit in the correct area and has great range and kills them very dead fast but make a mess of the it’s not going to be to good if you are using it on tree squirrels to eat as it would be head shots only it’s not a meat round.

WBH

 

[Tominator]

If you don't mind me asking, how much was the NEF? The only 17 HMR I've seen so far was a Remington 597 for $369. What kind of effective range does this round have? I was looking to get a 22mag for public land yotes till I heard about this round, now I'm undecided again...

 

[Rick]

I wouldn't recommend it for coyotes. That 17-gr bullet is just too small. It will work, if everything is perfect. How often does that happen?

 

[DannoBoone]

Just got a Marlin 17 VS and sighted it in. She got 1/4 & a 3/8" group at
75yds. Another guy told me his 14" Contender barrel was doing the same
groups at 100 meters. I've heard that just about all makes of them are very
accurate. At any rate, this is gonna be my squirrel/rabbit head poppin'
rifle!

I've heard the 17hmr being very effective on fox, and one guy has even
shot a few coyotes in populated areas with his. I wouldn't be afraid to
use it on fox, but would have to know more about where this guy's bullets
hit to use it on yotes.

This I do know -- it will absolutely vaporize sparrows out to 50yds!

 

[3030win]

I just read on predatormaster.com where a ol'boy just completed his testing of the new 17hmr. He shot at 35 coyotes and killed 33. What happened to the other 2? He missed. He's say's it a coyote Killing round....if only he could improve his shooting!

I paid $140 for the NEF great gun. Easily a 200yd round.

 

[grtwythunter]

3030win
If you're looking for a squirrel gun the .17 should work great. If you're looking for a coyote gun, there's alot of better choices. .22 Hornet, .223, .22/250 are a few that come to mind. I've read the PM thread you're referring to, but I've read alot more like this one

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubb/u...ic;f=1;t=003167

here at JHP, on Predatormasters, and elsewhere on the net. Granted, I've never shot the round, but I've been looking at getting one and been researching it as much as I can and the consensus seems to be it's only reliable of fox sized game and smaller.

Scott

 

[3030win]

I don't and probably never will hunt coyotes. Mainly because we don't have them here. But I have seen the power of the 17 HMR first hand, and I do belive it is powerful enough to kill a coyote. But your right, one would be alot better off with a centerfire 22. Mainly because you have more room for error. I have a feeling they will start making loads for the 17 that would be more suitable for coyotes after a while.

 

[Tominator]

I'll use it for yotes. We can't use a centerfire on public land unless deer season is open. The terrain around here is forested hill country and thick brushy cut overs, if the yote is not within 100 yds you won't even be able to see it most of the time. If I'm hunting pastures to get rid of some yotes for cattle farmers then I'll use my .270. Most who haven't done it would think that the farmers wouldn't want you using the longer range guns, but the guys around here won't let you use anything else. If you can see the yote, they want it dead. These are the same guys that let me turkey hunt in return for killing the yotes so i do what is asked.
Tominator

 

[Rick]

I wouldn't use it for coyotes, especially for "snap shooting" in cover or long distance shooting. That little 17 gr bullet needs to be placed right with very little margin for error for a quick kill. For small game, the smaller bullet is fine. For larger game, a larger bullet is needed. I'd rather hit 'em with a 34 gr (twice as heavy) bullet from a .22 mag at 2200 FPS than a 17 gr bullet at 2500 FPS, and even then I 'd still restrict shots to under 100 yards.

 

[davered1]

I have a Savage .17 hmr. I shot 1 coyote with it, at 75 yards, dropped him like a brick. Hit him about 1 inch behind the front shoulder.Made a ball of mush about the size of a softball inside him.

That said, it was the only time I used it on a coyote. I couldn't bring myself to take off from the truck with it and leave my 22-250 sitting there knowing that it will work out to 350 easilly. I don't think it will do a good job killing them out past 100 , That is just MY OPINION , right or wrong.

I have my .17 hitting about 3/4 of a inch high at 100, out to 150 it drops just over 1". you will have a tough time beating that for a rimfire gopher gun. As it sits now I can hold the crosshaiar on the gophers neck and kill it out to about 165 yards.

I have also used it on otter up here during trapping season. I have shot 6 otter with it at ranges from 50 -100 yards, I shoot just behind the ear into the middle of there neck, head shots require sewing and often damage pelt extensively. A ballistic tip bullet into ther neck seems to go in about 3", expanding instanly and actually seems to "blowup" inside the hide. It blows out there main neck arteries and leaves the same softball size ball of mush inside them, leaves a little .17" hole going in.They don't even flinch ,they fall flat were you shoot them which is important so they can't get back int othere hole in the ice ,losing them forever.I haven't lost any and haven't had any even kick after being hit with the round.

This little round amazes me every time I use it. I love this little gun. my 10 year old boy thinks he should use it and I should go back to my .22cal for gophers this spring

 

[Sarge2001]

3030: Where do you live in St Louis, I was hatched and raised there. By the way, you DO havs coyotes around and in St Louis.

 

[bubba]

Here's a link to somem info on 17 HMR testing doen by Varmint Al

Varmint Al 17 HMR test

 

[3030win]

Sarge, I was born in the city. Then we moved down to a place called Crystal City (next to Festus), lived there up untill 2 weeks ago. Now I live in South County.

Yes, we have a couple coyotes here. But not at all what you would call a huntable population. Think I've seen one in my entire life.