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17 hmr

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I got a Savage model 93, with 20 grain hunting tips I use it to kill some really big hogs, thru the ear or with heart/lung shots, it makes jello out of them. I have cut them open to see for myself since I am overrun with hogs. the joke about hogs being immune to shoulder shots is just that, they dont know what they are talking about. maybe learning their anatomy might help. I use my .17 for coyotes too, the wind will play hell with you though, practice with it, learn your ballistics with wind conditions etc. you will love the .17hmr. !!!
 
A friend of mine had one we took it coyote hunting and we made good shots yet the coyotes still ran off it was effective but I don't like chasing coyotes that ive shot.
 
Although the only coyote I've shot with the 17HMR escaped wounded, I will say the shot was really past the effective range of the round. I really like the 17 for use on groundhogs and coons near buildings where a pass through or ricochet from a bigger round might cause damage.
 
at any range past 50 yards, it is real hard to say you made a great shot with that small a bullett. my little 20 grain tips usually drop them in their tracks, including some big hogs.
 
I have a Ruger 77/17 with a cheap BSA scope that i can shoot 1/2 inch 5 shot groups at 100 yds. i love it!
 
I would only favor shooting animals slightly larger than what you would ordinarily shoot with a 22lr, but the advantage for me is that it extends the range of the 22lr by about 100 yds. That's why I like it.
If you want more oomph try a 22 hornet.
 
IMHO, the .22Mag is more effective inside 150yds but the .17 is good out to 250yds. It is also typically extremely accurate. My little Savage 93 shoots half-MOA with the 20gr XTP, slightly worse with the 17gr V-Max. I switched to the XTP's exclusively. They do a much better job on larger varmints like coyotes, foxes, feral cats, coons, etc..
 
I have a CZ452 in 17hmr and completely fell in love with that gun and round. It is way more accurate than I will ever be and the round is destructive. Opening day of squirrel season was Saturday and we decided to go out. I shot one at roughly 75yrds and hit it in the side. When I got to it there was a pin hole with some guts hanging out the side, when we got home to clean them the whole inside was destroyed!!!! It was brutal.

Also the same friend that I went with shot a coyote last year with his savage in 17hmr and thought he made a perfect shot, however the coyote ran off and he couldnt find it. Well 2 weeks later his neighbor found it behind his house and the shot was indeed perfect but the coyote still ran 85yrds.
 
If you want a gun for things bigger than rodents, look elsewhere. Sure you can kill bigger things at close range, but hot .22cals were used for elephants as well. Several hunters paid dearly to find out that they weren't the best choice.

If you want a powerful .17cal, the .17 Hornet that Hornady just standardized would be a good choice as would any of the longer standing .17 centerfires such as the Mach IV or the .17 Remington.

I'm not poo-pooing the .17HMR at all. I have one that I really like (Savage 93R17 GLV), but you have to understand its limitations. By rimfire standards it is a very potent cartridge but it really isn't humane for anything bigger than a jackrabbit. You can kill anything with perfect shot placement, but what if your placement isn't perfect? The little .17 gives you no margin between DRT and either wounded and suffering while it heals or dies a lingering death. Think of it as a long range .22LR and you won't be wrong.
 
It will do in more than just jackrabbits I am sure of that. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot 'coons with it something that size either easily out to 100
 
I own one. It is pretty accurate out to about 150 yds. Nice tight groups at 100 yds. When the ammo I purchased is gone I will sell it. I can reload 223 for about the price of 17 hmr and the 223 is just a hell of a lot more for the money.
 
the 223 is just a hell of a lot more for the money.
Click to expand...
More money for the rifle, more noise, more weight, more time at the loading bench. It's definitely a hell of a lot "more". Just doing some quick figuring, for 50rds of .223 you'll spend $9 on Hornady V-Max bullets, $3.20 on powder and perhaps $1.50 on primers. That's $13.70 per 50rds. Whereas .17HMR is $11.50-$12.00 per 50rds. Folks can say that they would rather reload a small centerfire as a matter of personal preference but let's be realistic about the numbers.
 
I bought a CZ 452 American 17 hmr back in 2003 when they first came out. To date it is the most accurate rifle I have ever fired. I sold it when the price of ammo shot throught the moon.
 
Within 125 yards, it's like a death ray on smaller critters like pigeons, crows, rabbits, etc. No recoil at all. Lots of fun. Loses its punch at 175 yards. I've had multiple prairie dog kills at 200 yards, but they need to be well-placed. Some bigger prairie dogs won't go down reliably beyond 100. I witnessed the mercy killing of a whitetail doe at 30 yards. A 17 gr. V-max near the ear hole dropped her like a sack of rocks. I really enjoy my cheapo Savage. The .22 WMR and the .17 HMR debate will continue. No need to debate though. They each have their strengths and weaknesses.

Bottom line: Treat it like a .223 and it'll be affordable and weak. Treat it like a .22 LR and it'll be expensive and exceptionally powerful.
 
My wife gave me a CZ 452 Varmint TH in 17HMR.
6590952253_0f3a80d7a0_z.jpg

I've been having fun with it. The hype about it being a flat shooting caliber isn't hype. The first time I had it out I was amazed at the very little hold over/under it required within 200 yards. Where I shoot it's windy a lot of the time, I have not experienced as much disruption of the bullet by the wind that I first thought I would get. The accuracy is good. Be aware that most if not all the ammo is made by one company, so all that's different is the bullet color the label and the price.

The CZ is a quality rifle and I like the TH stock, it's my third thumbhole. This stock as a forearm shape that sits on the bags better than the sporter walnut stock I have. The TH stock might be too heavy for a walk around rifle.
 
I have a bull barrelled Savage 93, topped with a Mueller tactical scope. It is a joy to shoot a MOA rimfire. Here in MI we are restricted to rimfires and shotguns when hunting coyotes after dark. My .17hmr is so accurate getting them in the boiler room is as simple as waiting for the right shot. We keep out shots within 150 yards, as the energy and trajectory drop off sharply after 165.
 
I've got an older 453 American, really nice rifle, but I don't shoot it much any more.
Very accurate, but susceptible to wind which we have in spades around here.And I'm just more of a center fire guy.
 
I bought a Sako .17hmr with a Zeiss 4.5-14 scope about 12 months ago. I own rifles in .22, 22-250, .308 & .375H&H & have also hunted with many other calibers. I was impressed with the accuracy of the .17hmr. Probably the most consistantly accurate rifle I own for groups at 100 yards.
I think its a great rabbit gun out to 150 yards, with 200 yards max. I find the .17hmr drops like a rock after 200 yards. I have not been impressed with the .17hmr on chest shots for mid sized pigs or feral goats, but the little .17hmr was not really designed for this purpose. You can drop mid sized pigs & feral goats with head shots from the .17hmr, but you can also do that with a .22lr.
I guess if you look at a .17hmr as a super accurate rifle with similar killing power as a .22lr, but at double the range you won't be dissapointed.
 
I'm another with a savage R93. The caliber is devastating on small furry things at reasonable distances, and has a laser-like trajectory. I absolutely love it for hunting small game. It's also very accurate. I usually get somewhere in the neighborhood of a half minute out of mine.
 
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