Let's talk: 17 centre fires for coyotes

G

gobigorgohome

Regular
Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
42   0   0
Location
Saskatchewan
I'm looking for first hand experience with 17 centre fires for shooting coyotes. I would say the 3readily available ones would be the 17 hornet, 17 fireball/17 Mach IV and 17 Remington, however I'm sure there is plenty of others out there and I would like to hear about them all! Knock down power, loads, fur friendliness, wind drift, let's get talking!!
 
A good buddy of mine shot 2 with a 17 rem. First at 70 ish yards on the shoulder. Only shot he had thru the trees. It was a mess. 5" hole. No penetration and a couple hour chase until I took it at just over 300 with my 25/06
His second was at 200 paces or so. He held for lungs and gut shot it. Another mess. Guts hanging out as it ran away. We never caught up to that one. He sold it shortly after

I've taken on with the 17 mach2 rimfire right behind the skull at 50 yards. Flatten him and another shot in the throat facing me at 20. Again flattened
 
What "brybenn" said
I personally would like to see them drop dead where shot - no running around making a mess or spinning in a circle - shot placement is key. If you like the zippy projectiles consider the .204 with the 24 inch barrel. But if the .17 work for you again shot placement is key - practice at the range at the distances you think Mr. C. will show up at - once you know your gun you can place the shot in the boiler room.

cheers
ivo
 
I've shot 4 with 17 fireball. Three of them 300yds or less, all bang flop. One was shot at 417yds (lazered) and the bullet didn't expand due to lower velocity at that range, just cut a 17 caliber hole through and through. He ran about 25 yds before piling up.

So personally I think the 17 fireball should be limited to 300yds, and within that range it is a great caliber when saving pelts is the goal. Any hit in the chest is instantly fatal.
 
I shot a lot of coyotes with a 17 Rem AI when I lived in Alberta. Clean kills out to 250 yards or so... but required to be broadside shots...hard to find an entrance hole, never an exit. But I wounded coyotes running straight away. The ass end absorbed the little 25 grain.

I also found you couldn't see your misses when there was snow on the ground... Late in winter we preferred larger calibers for that reason.
 
I acquired a left handed 17 rem fireball a couple years back off the EE. Normally I shoot a 222 rem and try to not touch my fireball for anything but gophers, but I really want to try it this season. I have a friend and his entire family swears by the 17 rem and 25gr hornady hp. I've skinned his coyotes, it's 50/50. Either they're blown to hell or you can't even tell that they're shot... I hope this fireball drops them....
 
I've shot two coyotes with my Sako .17 fireball, and 25gr hornardy Hp, both pretty close range 70m and not more than a few steps, I've now got said rifle in New Zealand and have shot two, young Fallow deer, (different country, different rules, and I was hunting small game,and the opportunity arose, so used the tools on hand) with the same bullet at 20-30 m, one shot in the throat, facing straight on, penetration 9", into the spine, other in ear, from the side, bullet found on skin far side, 8" penetration.
Place your shots well, and it work out just fine, at sensible ranges.
 
Last edited:
a lot of Fox shooters here made the 17 Rem popular in the late 80s , back then the Fox pelt was worth around $30-40+ a skin, back then it was roumered that the 17 Rem with some 20gr projectile, was Deadly on a still night an not to be shot through a blade of grass........... minimum pelt damage

now days everything is 223 ..............

I still use a .222 Rem, cos I got one.
 
brybenn said:
A good buddy of mine shot 2 with a 17 rem. First at 70 ish yards on the shoulder. Only shot he had thru the trees. It was a mess. 5" hole. No penetration and a couple hour chase until I took it at just over 300 with my 25/06
His second was at 200 paces or so. He held for lungs and gut shot it. Another mess. Guts hanging out as it ran away. We never caught up to that one. He sold it shortly after

I've taken on with the 17 mach2 rimfire right behind the skull at 50 yards. Flatten him and another shot in the throat facing me at 20. Again flattened
Click to expand...

I'm going to assume that a hornady vmax or berger 25 gr varmint was used here.
The hornady 25 or the old 25 berger match wouldn't do this I feel.
 
cath8r said:
I'm going to assume that a hornady vmax or berger 25 gr varmint was used here.
The hornady 25 or the old 25 berger match wouldn't do this I feel.
Click to expand...

Exactly my findings too. I shot around a 100 last year with the .17 rem and the original berger target. Never had to track or follow up any that were shot properly, and the hides don't even need a single stitch. You shoot them in the guts with anything and you will be tracking them and looking for another shot. The only factory ammo I have seen is the Rem stuff is with 20 grain v-max which is not a fur bullet. I only shoot v-max for gophers now as results are too unpredictable in any of the sub cals. With my 204 the one winter I had way too much time off work to call coyotes. I started with the 32 v-max and had a bunch of them splash on shoulder shots so switched to the 40 grain v-max. It was worse, one would splash and the next would exit. Tried the 35 grain berger next and it was better but still got the odd splash if they hit bone. There was just no happy medium. Until I found the 32 nosler varmint and that has to be the absolute best fur bullet around in the 20's 268 dogs later that year. If you want to shoot coyotes with any of the fast 17s you need to run better bullets. I wish we has some of the options out of the states like Chan Nagles or the Lehigh defence.
 
I have owned the 17 Hornet, 17 Fireball and 17 Rem.

17 Fireball, 25gr Berger Match HP @ 3850 fps. Broadside coyote at 30-40 yards, hit a bit far back as it ran for my decoy. Second shot as it was doing egg beaters dumped it.

17 Hornet 20gr Vmax @ 3550. Coyote quartering to @ 150y, it dropped at the shot but was out of sight instantly, on the edge of the timber on a fenceline. Found one tuft of hair and not a drop of blood

Have since switched to 25gr Hornady HP @ 3200, hope to put one into a coyote this winter
 
Last edited:
cath8r said:
I'm going to assume that a hornady vmax or berger 25 gr varmint was used here.
The hornady 25 or the old 25 berger match wouldn't do this I feel.
Click to expand...

He was using factory ammo. I cannot recall the type

I used the vmax in my rimfire but they were shots of lucky opportunity while squirrel hunting.
If he put the bullets thru the ribs I believe both of my buddies dogs would have died fast

I use the 75gr vmax in my 25/06. Not exactly a pelt friendly option but i've never wounded and lost one. I hunt for predator control not pelts. A guy takes what I do get. He said something about the craft trade so he don't care about the size of hole
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom