.17 HMR, what will i do with one?

Alberta Bigbore

Alberta Bigbore

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What is the .17 HMR really good for besides gophers? what kind of ballistics am I looking at, and effective range? Found NeF firearms in .17 HMR for $179 bones, cant go wrong with that to have a fun gun. But i dont want it if its only good for shooting targets and gopher sized game. Coyotes? Crows? Magpies? Rabbits?

PLease help with some needed info.

Thx

Bigbore
 
It'll do all you mentioned and more up to but not including coyotes. It is an exceptional round for gophers and such, crows, rabbits and other small game providing you do not want the meat, then bullet selection becomes important. It shoots flat out to 100 or 125 yards and is reasonably accurate out to 200. Don't buy a hummer if you are planning to hunt larger game. The calibre is not meant for this. It is an economical, accurate and fun gun to shoot.

Before anyone else chirps in I'll advise using this calibre for coyotes. Go centerfire if this is your goal.

What kind of hunting did you have in mind?
 
I think the all time most versatile calibre would have to be the 22lr. It'll handle the small stuff like gophers and such while still being able to take out varmints up to Coyote size at a limited range.

My perception of the 17 is that its more specific than the 22lr, meant to do the small jobs better (gophers, crows). More accurate, higher speed, but the smaller bullet results in fewer options for hunting use. Anything smaller than a cotton tail rabbit I would say.
 
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I've used a .17HMR on most small game, very impressive accuracy and explosive expansion with the polymer tipped bullets.

Would I use the HMR on a Coyote? Yes if I encounter one when bunny hunting- but only side on and under 50 yards, likely the brainbox or upper neck with CCI Hollowpoints. (Far less expansion based on personal testing)

Should I use an HMR on Coyote? Maybe not- as my .223 Tikka will take 'ol Wiley out to 200yds with confidence. Remember that every "hunting" shot you fire has risk involved in it. Can you live with a wounded animal dying in horrific pain? (Bullet deflection etc)

Use enough gun.
 
I'm not saying a .17HMR is a coyote gun but over the last 3 years I've shot 3 'yotes and 5 fox with it. 2 Coyotes where 1 shot kills between 90-100yrds the third took two shoots but the first was bad shot on my part. I hit way back and even a .223 wouldnt have put it down with the shot. Of the fox 4 where one shot kills between 75 and 125yrds. The 5th was a two shoot, both on the run at 60yrds. It was one...two and he was down. I shot at 3 others and you see clean misses by the snow flying up from nowhere close to them.
Sighted in 1" high at 100yrds it will shoot plenty flat ut to about 160yrds and with a little practise hitting crows at 200yrd on a calm day isn't hard.
If your looking to get a true 100% varmint gun I'd go center fire like the others said. The .17hmr though does do a job on critters when used within reason but it's not even close to a .223 ,.22-250 or even a.22 Hornet (<--very close ballisticly but more power).

Tim
 
I'll have to jump on the same bandwagon as everyone else, and say it's a little light for coyote's unless you are close and side on. The .17 HMR is an incredibly accurate round out of most any gun it is chambered in. I personally have a Savage model # 93RBVSS in this calibre, and right out of the box, it would shoot 1/3" at 100 yards. I recently put an aftermarket trigger in it, and I expect to shoot in the 1/4" range. I took it gopher hunting last spring and I shot one at 248 yards in a fairly windy day. I will never sell that rifle.
 
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