What is the largest quarry I can effectively take down with a .17 HMR?

SifuSkyler · 02-23-2005, 04:20 PM

I'm looking for an economic small bore rifle, and I'm torn between .17 HMR and .22 LR. Which caliber would you choose? I mainly hunt small game with bows and air rifles, and I'm looking to step up to a powder burner. Any suggestions? Would the .22 be enough for coyotes?

Vapodog · 02-23-2005, 04:23 PM

I don't really consider either of them adequate for coyote but of the two possibly the .17 HMR is better......I'd prefer the .22 LR simply as a cost thing overall.

Pa_Sniper · 02-23-2005, 05:36 PM

I WAS going to get a 17HMR,but it costs 10 bucks for 50 rounds,a .22LR costs me 11 bucks for 550 rounds. The .22 is less powerful then a .17,but the .22 has been around for over 90 years,and it shows NO sign of leaving.

jcb9901 · 02-23-2005, 05:43 PM

You also might want to consider a 22wmr it cost more than a 22lr but less than 17hmr.and has more knock down power than the other 2 in my opinion.

Jim

Soilarch · 02-23-2005, 05:46 PM

22mag is definately the absolute minimum for a gun bought with coyote in mind.
.223 or some carbine in a pistol caliber would be the minimum I'd pick (the .223 is more than adequate)

gopher slayer · 02-23-2005, 05:47 PM

neither round is best suited for taking yotes, but lots of people have done it. as long as distance is resonable and the shot placement is proper. a 17hmr has more energy so it will give you a farther reach for yotes. i personaly wouldnt shoot a yote past 100 yard with my 17hmr.

go to http://www.varmintal.com/17hmr.htm and theres few charts on there compairing the 2 calibers.

www.rimfirecentral.com has lots of posts on shooting yotes with a 17hmr. just do some searches.

Slamfire · 02-23-2005, 09:26 PM

I'd have no objection to taking groundhogs with a .17 HMR if you were using the new heavier bullet, but I don't like the idea of shootin' 'yotes with it. I've done in a lot of 'yotes with a .22 Hornet, but they were hunted for hides, not just varmint control. As for small game, squirrels, rabbits, etc. nothing beats the .22 long rifle, without makin' a mess of the eatin' part.

SifuSkyler · 02-23-2005, 10:00 PM

Think I'm gonna go with a .22 WMR. Mess isn't really an issue for me. If I didn't want to make a mess, I'd just take my small game out with a high powered air rifle, leaving about two drops of blood. My goal is actually to get a good accurate smallbore rifle that will get me used to shooting a powder burner, and still be usable to shoot small game and predators when I get better (bear in mind I'm used to taking only headshots from about 30 yards). Anyways, I can get a Rossi Matched pair with the .22 magnum barrel and a 12 ga. barrel too, all for $108.94. Then I can use the gauge to tag the yotes with buckshot, and use the other barrel to take my distance shots, lol. Anyways, I would have got it in .223, but I don't really want to spend that much on rounds. Well, thanks for the input, guys. Peace out.

sqrln8r · 02-24-2005, 06:11 PM

We see coyotes all the time on the ranch, and when we do, guess which gun we run for. The 17 HMR that sits right behind the door. In my experience, the .17 is great for killing coyotes inside of 150 yards. Granted, we don't do it for the furs, mostly just to keep them away from the cows and the deer.

I've read on here so many times that the .17 isn't adequate for coyote's, and I just can't figure out why everybody feels that way.

Rebel Hog · 02-24-2005, 11:25 PM

Hello SifulSKler,
.17cal is what Mafia Hit Men prefer! Any ER doctor would rather recieve someone shot with a .38 than .17 or .22..
You might get shot in the chest and it might come out your knee.It does not brake bones.For Yotes it is fine.Thats what it was
designed for. Go for .17 for yotes.

KEEP ON ROOTING!!!