17HMR vs 17WSM vs coyote?
- Thread starter rhino519
- Start date
Personally in a rimfire at that range I'd go 22mag. 17HMR @ 120y is hitting at 1689ft/sec and 127pound of energy while the 22mag is hitting at 1274ft/sec and 144ft/lb of energy. The 17hmr is 17gr while the 22mag is 40gr. Coyotes are tough buggers and that extra penetration goes a long ways. Either way, if your looking for a dedicated coyote gun look at a centerfire. .223, 22-250, 204 or the legendary triple deuce.
i have considered the 22Mag, the gun would be a squirrel to yote gun, for yotes in particular i have a dedicated .243, its just too much for squirrels, rabbits and grouse
wheelin_ca
CGN Regular
- Location
- Simcoe County Ontario Canada
Between the two, Id go 17hmr for that situation. How many coyotes do you usually see while out walking the woods for edible game? A well placed shot will put a coyote down in your range. My fear with 17wsm is only Winchester makes ammo for it, and only a few rifles offered. HMR is only 10 years older, but almost everyone chambers for it.
That said, for the same situation as you, I use a 22mag.
That said, for the same situation as you, I use a 22mag.
duncansuds
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Weyburn, SK
Ive levelled coyotes with both… the wsm hits noticeably harder, have shot to 200 , the organs get more hydrostatic shock (I think) as they are jellied to a greater extent. Ive never had an issue with them going down with the HMR (all shots sub 125), not as much damage internally speaking
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
I’ve been using a 17hmr for over 20 years and recall the huge following and buzz it created back then (round was introduced in early 2000’s) as everyone was raving about it as the ultimate fur saver.
Many people started using the 17hmr and forums became flooded with stories of lost coyotes as popularity of the round surged.
Use your .243 for coyote
not that many but have came across them occasionally when small game hunting (usually with a shotgun or .22LR)
Watch some vids discussing and testing 17 HMR vs 22 WMR. The 22 bullets don't expand much at all. Basically they drill a 22 cal hole.
The 17 HMR has much better terminal performance. Its not about energy delivered, its about the terminal effect.
As an example, consider the energy delivered by throwing a bowling ball. MASSIVE compared to a 22 rimfire. Which is gonna do the most damage if it hits you?
maybe i wasn’t clear in my opening post: if im hunting yotes i have a dedicated gun for it, im looking for a small game gun that would also be effective on a coyote when im looking for bunnies, chickens and tree rats, i would NOT try and engage even a coyote with a .22LR, im not that cruelYOUR the one who said COYOTES in your opening Post
Thunderhog
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Kootneys
I've killed plenty of coyotes with a 22 LR rifle. Use the correct bullet and there is nothing cruel about it.
Now watch a Liberal Coyote hock a deer, and start to eat it while its still alive. Now that is cruel......
And yes I said Liberal coyote as they are both cruel, sneaky, and some-times mangy.
Choose the correct bullet for your application and either the 22WMR or the 17HMR (or WSM) will work on coyotes at relatively close range.
That said, I prefer the 22WMR over the 17HMR for larger varmints such as coyotes.
I have a coyote problem on my place in NE Alberta. So I set up a dedicated semi-auto for this reason. My 22WMR likes the CCI Maxi-Mag offerings with decent accuracy. I’ve used two bullets, the Small Game and the Varmint bullets. Both bullets have killed Coyotes quickly, at 100yd plus ranges. The Small Game bullet definitely is less explosive and penetrates better than the Varmint.
My experiences with the 17HMR is mixed and the terminal effects are not as decisive on bigger animals. Some coyotes have died quickly (even when shot at over 100yds) and a few have run off (presumably to die later). I believe all the bullets used were the .17gr. V-Max type.
I have one story to demonstrate my thinking. I shot a troublesome fox who was after our yard cats. I’d seen the fox a number of times. I finally got a shot off with my Ruger 17HMR. It was about 120 yards, the bullet went “ker-plop” and the fox trotted about 10yds and sat down facing me. Its reaction to the shot made me question if I hit him but the sound convinced me that I did. Anyway, as I watched, the fox very slowly crumbled to the ground like it had been deflated. It reminded me of our inflatable Christmas Santa when you turn the air blower to “off”.
It was a center mass hit just forward of the diaphragm. The bullet opened up on the inside and his lungs were mostly destroyed. But he didn’t die as quickly as I’d like.
For me, the .22WMR seems to dispatch coyotes more quickly and decisively than the 17HMR. That said, depending on your surroundings, I would worry about missing a squirrel up in a tree with the .22WMR. The 30-40gr. bullet has the energy to travel a really long way if you miss. I don’t believe the 17gr. HMR or WSM bullet carries the energy as far, so it might be a marginally safer choice for smaller critters in trees.
That said, I prefer the 22WMR over the 17HMR for larger varmints such as coyotes.
I have a coyote problem on my place in NE Alberta. So I set up a dedicated semi-auto for this reason. My 22WMR likes the CCI Maxi-Mag offerings with decent accuracy. I’ve used two bullets, the Small Game and the Varmint bullets. Both bullets have killed Coyotes quickly, at 100yd plus ranges. The Small Game bullet definitely is less explosive and penetrates better than the Varmint.
My experiences with the 17HMR is mixed and the terminal effects are not as decisive on bigger animals. Some coyotes have died quickly (even when shot at over 100yds) and a few have run off (presumably to die later). I believe all the bullets used were the .17gr. V-Max type.
I have one story to demonstrate my thinking. I shot a troublesome fox who was after our yard cats. I’d seen the fox a number of times. I finally got a shot off with my Ruger 17HMR. It was about 120 yards, the bullet went “ker-plop” and the fox trotted about 10yds and sat down facing me. Its reaction to the shot made me question if I hit him but the sound convinced me that I did. Anyway, as I watched, the fox very slowly crumbled to the ground like it had been deflated. It reminded me of our inflatable Christmas Santa when you turn the air blower to “off”.
It was a center mass hit just forward of the diaphragm. The bullet opened up on the inside and his lungs were mostly destroyed. But he didn’t die as quickly as I’d like.
For me, the .22WMR seems to dispatch coyotes more quickly and decisively than the 17HMR. That said, depending on your surroundings, I would worry about missing a squirrel up in a tree with the .22WMR. The 30-40gr. bullet has the energy to travel a really long way if you miss. I don’t believe the 17gr. HMR or WSM bullet carries the energy as far, so it might be a marginally safer choice for smaller critters in trees.
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Have taken quite a few yotes with . 22 mag and the HMR behind the ear , farthest shot was just past 100 and the results are quick. Previously I was hitting them in the boiler room with both cartridges and while they died , without snow they were difficult to blood trail as the small hole ( almost always entrance only) didn’t leak much.
i’ve seen itI've killed plenty of coyotes with a 22 LR rifle. Use the correct bullet and there is nothing cruel about it.
Now watch a Liberal Coyote hock a deer, and start to eat it while its still alive. Now that is cruel......
And yes I said Liberal coyote as they are both cruel, sneaky, and some-times mangy.
hate what happen but they are what god made them, i’ll take one ethically, as with as little chance of letting it suffer as i can, even if they won’t wait for their prey to expire before feeding
