Groundhogs+17 Hornet=success

Good thing about ontario is we have big ground hogs. Ive taken a few this year with my truck and 2 with my 17mach2. Its about the smallest 17 and it steals the life from them quick. I was interested in the 17 hornet. But the rimfire mach2 fits that niche so a 22 hornet is one my list. Still less than a 223 but more than my 22mag
The properties i have for groundhogs have been void since a cool windless day some years ago with my 2506. I got 21 of them. Now the farmer reports to rarely seeing 1 or 2 a year. Still thanks me when we cross paths.
He broke several main componets on his combines i dont know if they were axels or what but they were damaged by the holes made by the groundhogs
 
brybenn said:
Good thing about ontario is we have big ground hogs. Ive taken a few this year with my truck and 2 with my 17mach2. Its about the smallest 17 and it steals the life from them quick. I was interested in the 17 hornet. But the rimfire mach2 fits that niche so a 22 hornet is one my list. Still less than a 223 but more than my 22mag
The properties i have for groundhogs have been void since a cool windless day some years ago with my 2506. I got 21 of them. Now the farmer reports to rarely seeing 1 or 2 a year. Still thanks me when we cross paths.
He broke several main componets on his combines i dont know if they were axels or what but they were damaged by the holes made by the groundhogs
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Owning both a 17 hm2 and a 17 hornet there not even in the same league. Try a 17 hornet it will impress you.
 
prairie lover said:
Owning both a 17 hm2 and a 17 hornet there not even in the same league. Try a 17 hornet it will impress you.
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Ive had 17hmr and 17rem. Niether impressed me. To violent for edible game and on the light side for coyotes in my experience. Id rather a 20 or 22 or 25cal for the varmints around me. Im building a 250savage and toying with the idea of the 22 hornet for a lower noise option
If i lived out west where you can shoot all day id think differently but here in the real south west ontario 3 to 5 shots a day are good days. Unless shooting crows over bait
 
brybenn said:
Im not knocking the 17 hornet its just not for me right now. Im sure its a great ground hog round
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It really is brybenn....and I've shot groundhogs with all kinds of calibers. So far, best combination of effectiveness/low report I've ever used. .223 is still my favorite..but I'm reaching for this CZ every time this year. :)
 
I have 17HM2, 17HMR, 17WSM, 17 Hornet and 17 Fireball. Can’t see getting rid of any of them any time soon. I use em all at some time or another on gophers. Which one depends on the field I will be shooting, distances, cattle’s, buildings etc. Have most of the other small calibers but because of where I’m at one of the 17s usually gets the nod. Less noise, no ricochets etc.

I do use the 22 Hornet as well and for coyotes the 204 gets the most use.
 
.22LRGUY said:
It really is brybenn....and I've shot groundhogs with all kinds of calibers. So far, best combination of effectiveness/low report I've ever used. .223 is still my favorite..but I'm reaching for this CZ every time this year. :)
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You should see a 75gr vmax at 3600fps mv from a 2506 smack a groundhog. Its hard to locate all 4 legs. Effective it is. Quiet it is not. Lol
How do you like the rifle itsself?
 
brybenn said:
You should see a 75gr vmax at 3600fps mv from a 2506 smack a groundhog. Its hard to locate all 4 legs. Effective it is. Quiet it is not. Lol
How do you like the rifle itsself?
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Hey brybenn~didn't see you'd replied, sorry for the delay. :)

Biggest I've personally shot them with is 243, but I've seen the air let out of a few with a .270 as well. I'd LOVE to see one whacked with that 2506 combo...open to seeing photos via PM too! :)

The rifle~VERY fond of it to be honest. It's the first 527 I'd handled, and I was struck by how close in size it is to the 452 I have so much trigger time with. I imagined centerfire=bigger, etc...just not the case. Works as it should in every way, about 1/2-3/4 MOA shooter using Hornady 20gr factory ammo~what's not to like! I got side-tracked in the load development process and still have my "refined" loads to test when I finally get to a range. Until then, no groundhogs I've shot at have escaped those little V-Max bullets, nor have any of them done anything but die once hit.

Your comments about the noise involved with 2506 reminded me of a property I hunt where the neighbor would appear to be anti-gun/anti-hunting. 17 Hornet is good to have in that case (though played no part in the decision to buy it)...but that fellow and I may be close to having words either way.

Back to the rifle, and it's not a CZ thing... Only issue so far is the Calhoon single-shot adapter I bought for it, doesn't feed properly with it in place, but in conversations with a guy on another board who think he has "the fix". Using the CZ mag=no feeding issues whatsoever.
 
I was hoping to find a nice little single shot 25/20 but i maybe getting access to properties where its over sized hence the shift to a hornet. I dont think i have any pix on this phone however i once measure 41' between a crows tail end and its head. Shot was 38 yards. Never found the main body. Even at 600 yards crows blow apart. The 2506 is amoung my favorites
 
brybenn said:
I was hoping to find a nice little single shot 25/20 but i maybe getting access to properties where its over sized hence the shift to a hornet. I dont think i have any pix on this phone however i once measure 41' between a crows tail end and its head. Shot was 38 yards. Never found the main body. Even at 600 yards crows blow apart. The 2506 is amoung my favorites
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41'...wow! lol Using .223/.204...I've had crows come apart pretty good too. lol Quite the sight on a windy day too! (you'll know what I mean) Not 41' mind you, under 20'.

I think most people would like 17H for varmints. More of a rimfire-like experience when shooting, but results more centerfire-like. 2506 has me interested...but so, too, does the Mauser M18 in .243. I've seen that caliber work wonders on groundhogs. :)
 
I first thought about the 243 and a 270. I chose the 2506 as its between them and offers the best attributes of a dual purpose varmint deer rifle. Ive even taken bear with mine. Im currently acquiring parts for a couple of 250 savage builds. If i get permission to hunt some certain farms i cant use a 25 cal and noise is a concern some i was looking into the hornets as a quieter option than my 223 yet offering more punch than my 22 mag. Ive seen results first hand of 17s on coyotes and personally im not sold. Yes ive seen them work perfectly on occasion to but 1 out of 6 isnt inspiring. For groundhogs crows and other small living things the 17s are hard to beat. Fast flat generally accurate and devastating on small rodents they really shine. I love my mach2 for rabbits and squirrels. Theyre still edible even if shot in the ribs. Alot less runners and hangers with the mach2 vrs a 22lr with standard velocity rounds.
 
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