Is .17hmr a worthy upgrade for ruffed grouse over .22LR?

If I only had a .17HMR for grouse I would want to upgrade to a .22LR! I guess I'm not as good a shot as some here because I don't limit myself to head shot for grouse. Body shots with a .17HMR is not an option.
 
Gillshot said:
As mentioned 17 hmr is noticeably louder than 22lr. For grouse CCI subsonics work great and I have found them more consistent than CCI quiets. Eley subsonic 38 grain hollow points are even better but a little pricier.
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I’ll second this, the quiets start to drop within grouse ranges as well. I’m switching from cci mini mags to subsonic HP’s this year since they are more quiet, but still on the button within ~35yards. CZ 457 with a leupold 2.5x20 or 4x28 is perfect grouse medicine
 

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I grew up head shooting ruffed grouse in the head with my pellet gun, then upgraded to 22lr. Did that for years, then decided to try my 17HMR. I only use the CCI fmj rounds, they work amazing. I have taken them at a hundred yards after it has been spooked, then flew and landed thinking it was far enough away...it wasn't.

I have had one shot at those ranges hit the very top of the breast, and there was less damage than a normally 22lr at close range.

I say if you want to use it, go right ahead. Not a fan of shotguns for grouse. Sometimes I use my 22lr/410. But always just hit them in the head with the 22lr. I use round nose bullets in my 22lr for grouse. Have been using Winchester dynapoint for quite a few years.
 
DGY said:
one thing interesting is in Scandinavia they hunt grouse and ptarmigan with center fire rounds with full metal jacket bullets to not waste meat, some 222, 223, even 6.5x55…. I’m not sure why but it seems to work great for them. When I found that out I thought it was mainly for the massive capercailli and the black grouse but they do use lt on all type of grouse, but mostly in the winter( snow on the ground) .
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Those capercaillie birds look like a male spruce grouse got drunk and banged a Merriam's turkey........:)

Our COS would have a sh!t if someone shot a turkey with a centerfire rifle.

I'm guessing the meat is red, not white like our turkeys. And apparently gamey as well.....:sick:

https://www.professionalsecrets.com...game/game-meats-guide/game-fowl/capercaillie/

Freezing one's nuts off in -30 below to shoot a gamey capercaillie would not be high on my bucket list........:ROFLMAO:
 
Thunderhog said:
Those capercaillie birds look like a male spruce grouse got drunk and banged a Merriam's turkey........:)

Our COS would have a sh!t if someone shot a turkey with a centerfire rifle.

I'm guessing the meat is red, not white like our turkeys. And apparently gamey as well.....:sick:

https://www.professionalsecrets.com...game/game-meats-guide/game-fowl/capercaillie/

Freezing one's nuts off in -30 below to shoot a gamey capercaillie would not be high on my bucket list........:ROFLMAO:
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Well I never had wild turkey or capercaillie… so can’t tell. But I love ptarmigan and pretty much all game birds so far. I have a Norwegian friend and I want to go for a winter capercaillie hunt with him one day. He told me that even non resident can go and go pretty much anywhere too.
 
DBeato said:
CCI subsonic HP is the go to for us,
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So for all the cci subsonic hp user out there, is you hit the breast area of a grouse at say 30yards, what kind of damage does it do? I try for head shot 95% of the time but sometimes a body shot is the only shot.
I used round nose and they don’t make a mess when hit in the body but sometimes birds get away w/o finding them so I decided to stop using round nose.
 
DGY said:
Well I never had wild turkey or capercaillie… so can’t tell. But I love ptarmigan and pretty much all game birds so far. I have a Norwegian friend and I want to go for a winter capercaillie hunt with him one day. He told me that even non resident can go and go pretty much anywhere too.
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Our BC wild turkeys have white breast meat, prepared properly it tastes pretty good.

My understanding is ptarmigan have red breast meat, as do our Spruce Grouse. I do not care for spruce grouse meat as I find it tastes like pine needles. September 1st killed spruce are a little better.

Ruffed grouse are delicious, blue grouse are pretty good as well. Now California Quail are the best tasting upland game bird I've ever eating. I do not hunt them anymore, as there are only a few around Creston and are not open to hunt. Not even sure how they got to Creston from the Okanagan. I can assume someone transplanted them?.........:unsure:

From my research those Capercaillie's taste like sh!t, (extremely gamey meat). I would never shoot one, but that's just me.......:ROFLMAO::poop::oops:
 
theoutdoorsman said:
I’ll second this, the quiets start to drop within grouse ranges as well. I’m switching from cci mini mags to subsonic HP’s this year since they are more quiet, but still on the button within ~35yards. CZ 457 with a leupold 2.5x20 or 4x28 is perfect grouse medicine
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Sweet setup! That scope seems nice and light
 
saskdude99 said:
I love my CZ457. I use Eley target loads and neck base shoot them. Quiet and effective. ACCURACY .is .25 at 50 yds. Little worried this year with the very late spring and flooding.
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Thank you for the recommendation! The 457 seems to be everyone's favorite here. I'll have to look them up.
 
bisonviril said:
Sweet setup! That scope seems nice and light
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About as light as they get, no need for anything over 4x for grouse. Easier to track bobbing ruffy heads in the brush with less magnification. They are discontinued, but there is one in the classifieds right now and some alumina flip caps on gunp0st that would fit ( not cheap, but awesome)
 
DGY said:
So for all the cci subsonic hp user out there, is you hit the breast area of a grouse at say 30yards, what kind of damage does it do? I try for head shot 95% of the time but sometimes a body shot is the only shot.
I used round nose and they don’t make a mess when hit in the body but sometimes birds get away w/o finding them so I decided to stop using round nose.
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Head shots only for me, the hollow point is somewhat irrelevent.
I'd like to think they deform more when hitting the head or a branch thus falling from the sky (more) harmlessly. My dog trees them for me so 90% of my shots are pointed upwards. I live/hunt in the middle of nowhere, but better safe than sorry.
 
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I kinda like a 30-06 loaded with “00” buck sized to .308 in front of 5 grains of pistol/shotgun powder. Very accurate out to 25 yards. If I’m feeling conventional, my scoped.22 Cooey is sighted in at 15 yards for CCI Quiets.
 
Mmmm, quail eggs from Quail's Gate winery... I wonder what turkey eggs are like? Probably taste wild...
QDOF0134.JPG
 
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Al Bear said:
I kinda like a 30-06 loaded with “00” buck sized to .308 in front of 5 grains of pistol/shotgun powder. Very accurate out to 25 yards. If I’m feeling conventional, my scoped.22 Cooey is sighted in at 15 yards for CCI Quiets.
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Well I certainly would not have expected that answer.
 
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