17 HMR VS SOW

[G'dale Mike]

So, I had a thread on my lil marlin 17vs, been tickling it, trying to get it just right. Very satisfied with it. This afternoon, sat out for a while , figured maybe I could get a nice headshot on a meat pig. Sho nuff, the squad came by, 22 total. They hung around a minute, then started leaving, 2 stuck around and they were perfect grillin size. One shot to the dome did the trick. Sure am enjoying that lil 17. Got a rifle basix trigger on the way, then gonna upgrade the scope. But, this lil sow , I’d say 80lbs or so, was less than 20 yds from my stand when I shot her.

 

[Patocazador]

Good eater there.

When I lived in Alabama, you had to go down to the Jackson area to find hogs. Unfortunately, that must have changed. Are they up in the B'ham area now?

 

[LoonWulf]

BACON!!!!!
Nice looking sow.

Friend of mine lives a few houses down from me and shoots them behind his house with his .17 pretty regularly. All about that size.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Good size hog to shoot. Easy to deal with. Not too big to take with a rim fire. Usually small enough to ensure good eating since hogs around here vary in taste depending on a lot of different variables but the 100 pound and less ones are usually good to go.

 

[MCgunner]

Well, I read on the net where you needed at least a .505 Gibbs to bring a hog down. Gotta be true, it was on the net!

 

[Chickm1]

Yeah, I get really tired hearing all that noise about needing a huge rifle. You would think you were hunting a Cape Buffalo. Ans, if you are trying to shoot a 200 lb boar, behind the shoulder and have to go through the shield, you do need a a 7mm08, or something. I dropped a 153 lb boar, with a 22 Mag, at 113 yds, a couple weeks ago. But, I head shot him.

 

[earlthegoat2]

What bullet/round were you using?

 

[MCgunner]

Yeah, I get really tired hearing all that noise about needing a huge rifle. You would think you were hunting a Cape Buffalo. Ans, if you are trying to shoot a 200 lb boar, behind the shoulder and have to go through the shield, you do need a a 7mm08, or something. I dropped a 153 lb boar, with a 22 Mag, at 113 yds, a couple weeks ago. But, I head shot him.

Trust me, 7.62x39 does the job with the right load.

I have a Remington 597 .22 magnum. Only thing I've shot with it, though, is a turkey. That's legal in Texas on Rios. I have started hunting turkey with my .223 Bushmaster M4, though, not for the extra power so much as the cool factor. Got the gun, might as well use it. LOL I shot a little buck with it, but no pigs. My pig hunting is at night and I don't like the optic I have on the M4 for night hunting.

 

[Chickm1]

What bullet/round were you using?

I don't remember the brand, but it was a 30 gr polymer tipped varmint bullet. Using something like this, you have to hot the skull in the right place, where it is thinnest. It did not come out, but it darn sure went in and dropped the boar. haha.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I don't remember the brand, but it was a 30 gr polymer tipped varmint bullet. Using something like this, you have to hot the skull in the right place, where it is thinnest. It did not come out, but it darn sure went in and dropped the boar. haha.

Interesting. Never heard of a 30gr 17 HMR round before. That would have great promise as a hog round as you have demonstrated.

Folk around my parts swear by the .22 Mag and as solid of bullets as you can find like the CCI TMJs. The 50 gr Federal HPs too.

In the end though folks can kill them .22 shorts. There is a fella on 24hrcampfire who speaks of it now and then.

 

[Riomouse911]

A good shot with an accurate rifle at a reasonable range makes rimfire hog kills like yours a slam dunk. You don’t have much room for error, but when done right you have the proof right there in the bed of your UTV.

One of my former co-workers had a family ranch of impressive size in New Mexico. He swore by the .17 Rem for muleys, always using head shots as well. He had the time, location, patience and skill to make it work for him... for me I’m not that good (or that blessed with private lands) so I’d prefer something with a bit more horsepower for deer.

Nice pig!

 

[MCgunner]

I can't use a rimfire of any kind for deer in Texas, the regulations forbid it. But, on hogs, it's shoot 'em with what you got....PLEASE.

 

[Flintknapper]

I don't remember the brand, but it was a 30 gr polymer tipped varmint bullet. Using something like this, you have to hot the skull in the right place, where it is thinnest. It did not come out, but it darn sure went in and dropped the boar. haha.

Not aware of any 30 gr. bullets in the .17 HMR. The .22 magnum, yes.

I'd love to have a 30 grain for my .17, but never seen any offerings?

 

[balderclev]

Heaviest 17hmr I know about is a 20 grain

 

[G'dale Mike]

Good eater there.

When I lived in Alabama, you had to go down to the Jackson area to find hogs. Unfortunately, that must have changed. Are they up in the B'ham area now?

Oh yea! I’m 10 miles north up 65. I probably have 30 coming to corn right now. Every once in a while, they’ll get an itch and run up in a neighborhood and root a yard up and get on the local news!

 

[G'dale Mike]

BACON!!!!!
Nice looking sow.

Friend of mine lives a few houses down from me and shoots them behind his house with his .17 pretty regularly. All about that size.

Yep, she has cooked up pretty well. She was born in a batch from last spring. Been eating my corn ever since she was born. I guess we didnt have a good mast crop this year, this is the first time the pigs havent quit the corn for acorns. Usually around sept they disappear and trickle back to the feeder around march

 

[G'dale Mike]

Good size hog to shoot. Easy to deal with. Not too big to take with a rim fire. Usually small enough to ensure good eating since hogs around here vary in taste depending on a lot of different variables but the 100 pound and less ones are usually good to go.

I was gonna give her a pass. I was sitting up and heard some atv’s down the hil, didnt want to spook em right towards whoever was four wheeling. But, the 4 wheelers went on, the other pigs left, and she stuck around presenting excellent head shots, she sat right down to that 17

 

[G'dale Mike]

 

[earlthegoat2]

That round makes more sense. 17 gr VMax. Super accurate.

 

[Flintknapper]

That round makes more sense. 17 gr VMax. Super accurate.

Funny how each firearm can be a little different. My CZ-455 shoots the Hornady V-Max the least accurate of the rounds I have tried (about 1"-1-1/4" @ 100 yds.)

The A-17, the 20 gr. Gamepoint and the CCI TNT all shoot about the same (typically 5/8"-3/4") @ 100 yds.

I do wish one of the ammo manufacturers would offer a 25 gr. 'pill' (controlled expansion bullet) for larger varmints. But then I suppose folks would argue you might as well go up to the .22 mag (30 gr.) if you are going to enter that realm.

Barrel twist might also be a factor....I don't know. Personally, I just don't consider the .17 HMR to be appropriate for anything much larger than raccoons, though some folks successfully kill hogs and coyotes with them.

 

[MCgunner]

And, you know, folks seem to think 7.62x39 ain't enough. And, a 62 grain .223 seems positively HUGE compared to .17HMR.

 

[FL-NC]

Yeah, I get really tired hearing all that noise about needing a huge rifle. You would think you were hunting a Cape Buffalo. Ans, if you are trying to shoot a 200 lb boar, behind the shoulder and have to go through the shield, you do need a a 7mm08, or something. I dropped a 153 lb boar, with a 22 Mag, at 113 yds, a couple weeks ago. But, I head shot him.

I drop them cleanly with 223, 75 grain Hornady BTHP match, broadside.

 

[FL-NC]

Farm pigs get put down every day with regular 22 rimfire to the head. Or a claw hammer.

 

[Flintknapper]

And, you know, folks seem to think 7.62x39 ain't enough. And, a 62 grain .223 seems positively HUGE compared to .17HMR.

^^^^^^^

True.

I use the other end of the spectrum....just to be 'sure'.

 

[earlthegoat2]

^^^^^^^

True.

I use the other end of the spectrum....just to be 'sure'.

Nothing wrong with that either. I’m pretty sure few of us using rimfires would do so if the regs were different. I would be using my 12 ga deerslayer in the shotgun zones and my LR308 everywhere else.