hags
Member
Out of a 22" barrel I think it may be. Outrageous performance on these dirty varmints!
Opinions?
Opinions?
Is the .17 Mach 2 the ultimate squirrel round?
- Thread starter hags
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Justin
Moderator Emeritus
It works extremely well on prairie dogs.
salthouse
Member
Why Mach 2 over HMR?
MCgunner
Member
With a solid it'd work on squirrels, but it's a lot more than necessary. I've hunted squirrel with a .22 CB short a lot, deadly accurate at 25 yards out of my old M512X Remington. In a long rifle, I use solids. Hollowpoints mess up too much of that yummy meat if you can't make a head shot for some reason.
Actually, for about 10 years I've not hunted squirrel with a rifle, preferring my Contender with 10" .22LR match barrel. It's just more fun with the contender and that thing is ACCURATE!
I got a .22 mag a while back, really don't know what to use it for other than range fun. It just seems like overkill on piney woods squirrels.
Actually, for about 10 years I've not hunted squirrel with a rifle, preferring my Contender with 10" .22LR match barrel. It's just more fun with the contender and that thing is ACCURATE!
I got a .22 mag a while back, really don't know what to use it for other than range fun. It just seems like overkill on piney woods squirrels.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
IMO, the .22 rimfire is less destructive of meat. Absent a headshot, there's too much chance of waste with the .17.
Art
Art
jerkface11
Member
I know .17HMR knocks them out of the tree on the first shot EVERY time. I've yet to see one hit with it that wasn't dead when it hit the ground.
MCgunner
Member
I don't know how big them Arkey squirrels are, but I've never had a problem killin' squirrels quite dead with a Benjamin .22 cal pellet rifle and five or six pumps. .22 short is overkill.
jmorris
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When I was 9, I shot one with an 8mm mauser brought back from WWII it worked fine and while that’s only one case study, I'm sure it would get the job done with only one shot every time. However, I’ll have side with MCgunner on the 22cb rounds as being plenty (I like them for the extremely low noise).
MinnMooney
Member
I almost agree with MCgunner about the smaller cartridges. A modern pellet gun can launch a pellet as fast as a .22 rimfire.
As far as the ultimate squirrel cartridge - It is and always has been the .22 Rimfire in short, long or long rifle.
They're cheap, fun and they do a great job on a 3 lb. squirrel.
As far as the ultimate squirrel cartridge - It is and always has been the .22 Rimfire in short, long or long rifle.
They're cheap, fun and they do a great job on a 3 lb. squirrel.
.17M2 would be a great round if the ammo cost half the price or less. As it stands, the .17HMR is so accurate and flat-shooting, it's a better choice, since with a tiny target you don't want to worry about bullet drop at all if you can help it.
Ruger has dropped all its .17M2 guns from production. Marlin makes 2 .17M2's when it offers a line of 7 .17HMR's. One of the Marlin guns is an autoloader, which does make it attractive, though if you're going to let loose on squirrels, a .22LR will do it cheaper. No .17M2 guns from Remington, either. It doesn't seem that the cartridge has the market appeal of the .17HMR.
Seems to me the .17M2's best application is rebarreled 10/22's.
Again, if it were $3 for a box of 50, that would be different.
Ruger has dropped all its .17M2 guns from production. Marlin makes 2 .17M2's when it offers a line of 7 .17HMR's. One of the Marlin guns is an autoloader, which does make it attractive, though if you're going to let loose on squirrels, a .22LR will do it cheaper. No .17M2 guns from Remington, either. It doesn't seem that the cartridge has the market appeal of the .17HMR.
Seems to me the .17M2's best application is rebarreled 10/22's.
Again, if it were $3 for a box of 50, that would be different.
Way too much zip in a .17M2
for squirrel-red, gray, or fox.
While it's true that an air rifle or CB will kill them well, the vital area of a squirrel is quite small and if you insist on fast, humane kills, you'll need to be fairly close. Their trajectory is quite high and it's too easy to over or undershoot.
22LR in a rifle zeroed to hit 1/2" high at 50 yd can be aimed more or less point blank out to about 60-65 yd. It stands alone as the best squirrel cartridge.
Unless you don't care to eat them, of course.
for squirrel-red, gray, or fox.
While it's true that an air rifle or CB will kill them well, the vital area of a squirrel is quite small and if you insist on fast, humane kills, you'll need to be fairly close. Their trajectory is quite high and it's too easy to over or undershoot.
22LR in a rifle zeroed to hit 1/2" high at 50 yd can be aimed more or less point blank out to about 60-65 yd. It stands alone as the best squirrel cartridge.
Unless you don't care to eat them, of course.
Ghost Tracker
Member
Got hooked on hunting squirrels with a scoped High Standard Victor when I was a kid. It honed my shooting & stalking skills. If a .22 solid had ever seemed "underpowered" I quess I would consider a faster M2 or HMR, but it seems like hunting Whitetail with a .300 Win Mag. Yeah, it'll KILL 'EM...but why?
Deer Hunter
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When I was younger, I used a .410 single shot that was given to me by an older cousin.
People actually shoot squirrels at long ranges?!
People actually shoot squirrels at long ranges?!
Around here we have ground squirrels. Not really worth eating, and they carry some diseases at times, but they're considered varmint: no season, no limit.
They're small and they are skittish. Shooting them at 150 yards with a scoped .17HMR has its appeal.
They're small and they are skittish. Shooting them at 150 yards with a scoped .17HMR has its appeal.
351 WINCHESTER
Member
I have no doubt that the 17machII will kill squirrels. I hunt them with a .22lr single shot. Much cheaper. I take head shots only so as not to waste meat. Personally I think you are wasting your money on the machII, but that's not my call.
MCgunner
Member
Exactly, LOL. I have always zeroed my .22s at 25 yards. The vast majority of shots come out at 20-25 if you're HUNTING squirrels and not just sitting on the road taking shots off the truck into the trees. This is why the CB short works so well and the lack of noise doesn't disturb the other squirrels in the area which can be a major bonus.
With a rifle using .22 LR solids, I just hold over about an inch at fifty and dead squirrel. I won't shoot past 50 yards, will either sit and wait for him do come closer or I'll try to ease up on him without making any noise (sorta dependant on conditions since dry leaves are quite noisy).
I never shot any rock squirrel, ain't worth wastin' a bullet. We have fox (red) and cat (grey) tree squirrels down here and they're good eatin'. I was hunting squirrel with my Benjamin from about age 7 and got my Remington 512X bolt gun on my 9th birthday, but my grandpa didn't let me take it out for about 6 months when he decided I was mature enough after a full hunting season with him.
We don't have a lot of squirrel down here, so when I get the chance, I run to a public hunt area in East Texas. There's lots of excellent public small game hunting up there. Yeah, the deer huntin' sux, but squirrel hunting is GREAT!
Hutch
Member
What part might THAT be? The only reason I shoot squirrels is to keep 'em out of the bird feeders. They are rodents, double-cousins of rats, and I'll not have them on the table. I'm sure a crowd will form to tell me how to prepare them, cook them, season them, serve them...
Forget it. Vermin I say, vermin.
El Hombre
Member
"Again, if it were $3 for a box of 50, that would be different"
Actually, I think Midway USA & Natchez has Remington 17M2 for a little over $3.00 a box. Ely can be bought for a little over $4. Thats alot less than the $9-10 a box for the 17HMR. Yes, I know 22 lr can be bought for $1.50, but that level does not have the same accuracy. To buy equilavent accurate 22 ammo you are going to spend $4-5 a box. The HMR is also pretty destructive on squirrels you want to eat. The 17M2 is just about right, & shoots like a lazer beam. I bought a Cooper Jackson Squirrel rifle in Mach2. If I can see it, I can kill it!
Actually, I think Midway USA & Natchez has Remington 17M2 for a little over $3.00 a box. Ely can be bought for a little over $4. Thats alot less than the $9-10 a box for the 17HMR. Yes, I know 22 lr can be bought for $1.50, but that level does not have the same accuracy. To buy equilavent accurate 22 ammo you are going to spend $4-5 a box. The HMR is also pretty destructive on squirrels you want to eat. The 17M2 is just about right, & shoots like a lazer beam. I bought a Cooper Jackson Squirrel rifle in Mach2. If I can see it, I can kill it!
hags
Member
Exactly! The ammo is cheap, compared to some premium .22 LR it's a bargain. I'm not detracting from the .22 LR but I like the .17 M2. It's faster, flatter shooting and more explosive (on varmints).
Fun, Fun, Fun! I have an NEF Sportster in .17 M2, scoped with a Harris bipod, perfect squirrel shooting outfit.
alsaqr
Member
"Is the .17 Mach 2 the ultimate squirrel round?"
No, it ain't. It destroys too much meat. Have killed thousands of squirrels in my life time: 95 percent of them were killed with head shots. For me the best squirrel caliber is .22 Short. 22 Shorts are quiet and do not greatly disturb squirrels in adjacent trees. Love my Browning auto .22 in Short and my Winchester gallery gun in .22 Short.
No, it ain't. It destroys too much meat. Have killed thousands of squirrels in my life time: 95 percent of them were killed with head shots. For me the best squirrel caliber is .22 Short. 22 Shorts are quiet and do not greatly disturb squirrels in adjacent trees. Love my Browning auto .22 in Short and my Winchester gallery gun in .22 Short.
MinnMooney
Member
It must boil down to if you're out to obliterate them (read - Varmint) or eat them (read - yummy in gravy, slow cooked).
Remember, most of the time you're shooting into the trees so you have to be thinking about where that bullet will land. A .17HMR and .17Mach2 both will travel further than the little .22 Short. That short is sooo quiet, also.
Remember, most of the time you're shooting into the trees so you have to be thinking about where that bullet will land. A .17HMR and .17Mach2 both will travel further than the little .22 Short. That short is sooo quiet, also.
It should be noted that squirrels vary from region to region. Here in Montana the most common squirrel is often referred to as a gopher. It is, in fact a ground squirrel, and is generally about the size of a large chipmunk. I never understood the point of eating squirrels until I was in Washington DC and Virginia, where I saw squirels the size of cats.
hags
Member
Here in the socialist republic of Illinois, up north, I take them on the ground. There are so many of them that it's never a problem. They're so many acorns laying around that I see hundreds a day.
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