Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: washelkhntr on November 19, 2009, 11:30:38 PM

Title: 17HMR
Post by: washelkhntr on November 19, 2009, 11:30:38 PM: Just currious who all has a 17HMR. Are you using it for plinking, or are you using it for varmits as well? I been thinking about getting one for the ladies in the house to shoot, but I want to get some use out of it as well.

OK, blast away.....
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: Mookie on November 19, 2009, 11:55:35 PM: I will be honest, I have zero use for the HMR. But it is one of the most fun calibers to shoot, almost as much fun as the HM2. The reason I have no use for it, $$$$$$, way to expensive to shoot. It it to much to spend on plinking ammo, it is to powerful to use for small game, except maybe rabbits, and not powerful enough, IMO, and not legal to use on coyote or other similar. You can actually reload 223 and 22 hornet cheaper than it is to shoot.
Where it does excel is a low noise varmint shooting out to about 200 yards max, again IMO.

I would never discourage anyone from buying one, they are great to shoot and fun. But make sure you are willing to spend $12 for 50 rounds, and more, to shoot it.

If it is just for plinking get a 22. $18 for 500 rounds and will double as a close in rat getter. Another option is either the 22 mag, while it does not have the flat trajectory as the HMR, you can find cheaper ammo and they have made astounding strides in quality since the HMR came out, getting their butts handed to them will do that.

I actually use the HM2. Runs about $7 for 50 locally, I buy it online for $4 shipped, and blows the 22lr out of the water for performance and matches the HMR out to 100 yards. Rifles are somewhat hard to find but ammo is plentiful and cheap, especially since I have about 8K that I bought for less than 4 bucks.
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: 509er on November 20, 2009, 05:04:41 AM: It is a fun gun. I bought one for my girlfiend to practice with at 100 yards, alot cheaper and quieter than her 30-06.
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: C-Money on November 20, 2009, 06:01:11 AM: Very fun and very accurate! Great little cartridge! I have shot a few rabbits with mine, with shot placement behind the shoulder, you will spill guts.
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: jdb on November 20, 2009, 06:44:38 AM: not sure about the not legal for coyotes comment. Ive shoot a lot of squirrels and out to about 150 it is awesome way better than anything else Ive tried. i have also shot 3 coyotes with it and cant in good conscience re comend it for that purpose. If your looking for a fun round to plink and hunt non edible small game it is a helluva round
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: Gutpile on November 20, 2009, 06:57:05 AM: Quote
and not legal to use on coyote or other similar

Huh? I wouldn't recommend it for yotes but not legal? Where do you see that in the regs?
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: 257 Wby Mag on November 20, 2009, 06:58:57 AM: I've shot a few coyotes with em, some spun around biting the entrance hole, some just ran off. None were recovered. The 17 works nice on feral cats, and under, from what I've gathered. Fun little round, just remember its limitations... Later
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: mhadix on November 20, 2009, 10:58:36 AM: i use the 17 hmr on coyotes. i use the 20 grains instead of the 17 grains.
i shoot them in the head just behind the eye and in front of the ear. small target area but works well. takes allot of patience to get the right shot placement. most come without iron sights, so a scope is needed. sighted in correctly and you can hit golf balls at 100+ yards. ammo is not cheap, for general plinking i would/do use a 22 rifle.
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: Grizzly95 on November 20, 2009, 11:17:36 AM: I bought on in the rossi single shot, loud sob! Fun as all hell to shoot, wasted a few dogs with it.
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: Mookie on November 20, 2009, 01:50:12 PM: Quote from: Gutpile on November 20, 2009, 06:57:05 AM
Quote
and not legal to use on coyote or other similar

Huh? I wouldn't recommend it for yotes but not legal? Where do you see that in the regs?
Apparently I am misremembering. I could have sworn I read that using a rimfire was against the regs, I must have read the cougar leg and had my brain say coyote. Went through the last 3 years of regs and it was not mentioned. Weird.
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: LongTatLaw on November 20, 2009, 02:12:20 PM: I love mine

bought it for 2 reasons...

1. Its loud enough and bolt action...so its excellent mental prep for shooting for my wife who is a lil big game gun shy... we practice with it as if she was shooting a 300 win mag...

she gets all the prep for deer season with none of the shoulder pain

2. I got it for rock chucks - I believe its the perfect round for them... Id take a close head shot at a yote but seems a lil small as a dedicated / intentional yote gun but Ive got 2x .223's so thats my option!
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: MtnMuley on November 20, 2009, 06:56:54 PM: Killed several bobcats with mine and a few coyotes, but shot placement is critical. Great plinking gun unless you plan on going semi-auto and shooting several hundred rounds, as it could get expensive. 17 grains of v-max at 2550 fps, is pretty lethal up to 100 yards on most varmints. ;)
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: jdb on November 20, 2009, 07:04:41 PM: I do plan on useing mine for bobs and coons
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: carpsniperg2 on November 20, 2009, 07:17:40 PM: like said not much of a yote gun :twocents: but good from grey diggers feral cats etc. and yes it is legal to shoot yotes with it you can kill them with shotgun,rifle,air gun,spear,bow,rock, sharp stick :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: 257 Wby Mag on November 20, 2009, 08:56:58 PM: The boy shoots the *censored* outta the coons down here on the river, they always need more than 1. Ever thought of a 22 magnum? There's pure poison right there....
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on November 20, 2009, 09:20:08 PM: Love my savage 93 in 17HMR. If I was to do it again I'd get a CZ though, just looks better. But the savage is a shooter (sub-moa at 100 yards), so I can't complain. I've taken sage rats, rabbits, and racoons with mine. I think with proper placement you could do bobcats and coyotes, but I would not want to try it. The racoon I took head on did a backflip and was dead. I've shot racoons with a 22lr and never had that type of response. Rabbits are also a bang/flop type of thing. Just aim at their heads, or right behind their shoulder (either it removes the head, or the entrails). I'm really thinking of picking up an HM2 just due to ammo costs, course not sure if I'll be pleased with the trajectory/power. I'm sure the hm2 will be fine though.
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: KLRKeith on December 11, 2009, 07:00:31 AM: I love mine. It's super accurate and still cheap to shoot. I've shot 10 yotes and only lost one. The one I lost was around 150yards; all the rest under 100 yards. I'm using the CCI TNT which has a much thicker jacket than all the rest.
On ground diggers I'm using the XTP bullets that just explode them.
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: bighorns2bushytails on December 11, 2009, 07:26:57 AM: ive got a 17hmr and a 22mag. i prefer shootin the 22mag. i like my little 17 but the ammo is more expensive and the 22mag is just plain fun to shoot. i think its about a wash as far as ballistics. the 17's a little smaller and faster but the 22mags a little bigger but slightly slower. if your going for coyotes id suggest a centerfire cartridge. if your plinking id go with the one with the cheapest most readily available ammo.

--BH2BT
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: demontang on December 11, 2009, 07:55:43 AM: Id take a 22mag over the 17hmr. Theres way to many problems with the 17 ammo and the cost isnt worth it. :twocents:
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: huntnphool on December 11, 2009, 08:14:02 AM: Quote
Where it does excel is a low noise varmint shooting out to about 200 yards max,

Mookie, last month we were having no issues dialing up the scope and shooting praire dogs out to 300 yards. :twocents:
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: Intruder on December 11, 2009, 11:54:06 AM: Quote from: Mookie on November 19, 2009, 11:55:35 PM
I will be honest, I have zero use for the HMR. But it is one of the most fun calibers to shoot, almost as much fun as the HM2. The reason I have no use for it, $$$$$$, way to expensive to shoot. It it to much to spend on plinking ammo, it is to powerful to use for small game, except maybe rabbits, and not powerful enough, IMO, and not legal to use on coyote or other similar. You can actually reload 223 and 22 hornet cheaper than it is to shoot.
Where it does excel is a low noise varmint shooting out to about 200 yards max, again IMO.

I would never discourage anyone from buying one, they are great to shoot and fun. But make sure you are willing to spend $12 for 50 rounds, and more, to shoot it.

If it is just for plinking get a 22. $18 for 500 rounds and will double as a close in rat getter. Another option is either the 22 mag, while it does not have the flat trajectory as the HMR, you can find cheaper ammo and they have made astounding strides in quality since the HMR came out, getting their butts handed to them will do that.

I actually use the HM2. Runs about $7 for 50 locally, I buy it online for $4 shipped, and blows the 22lr out of the water for performance and matches the HMR out to 100 yards. Rifles are somewhat hard to find but ammo is plentiful and cheap, especially since I have about 8K that I bought for less than 4 bucks.

+1 Hard to argue w/ that assessment.
Title: Re: 17HMR
Post by: alanger on December 12, 2009, 05:42:55 PM: 17HMR = good time; shooting, hunting, plinking.

my favorite small caliber rifle.