RE: Savage in 17 HMR?
 

Mine will blow a squirrel in half, what kind of bullets are you using?

Paul

RE: Savage in 17 HMR?
 

Blow a squirrel in half? With a 17HMR or M2?You should video one of those miraculous events. I'd like to see it. I'd like to see Elvis driving a flying saucer too while you're at it.

RE: Savage in 17 HMR?
 

I'm wondering the same thing, Paul. The .17HMR is a great squirrel gun as long as you head shoot them. Anywhere else and you're going to be destroying lots of good meat. The 20 grain game points aren't quite as bad but still do considerable damage. The mach2 also does it's fair share of damage but not to the same extent as the HMR. Still, they both blow squirrels apart much better than any .22 ammo I've ever shot. That includes CCI Stingers and my personal favorite, CCI Velocitors.
Maybe I'll have to take my Thompson .22 and my Mach2 out for a hunt this weekend and get some comparison photos.

RE: Savage in 17 HMR?
 

The HM2 is a great round for squirrels, but the HMR with V-max's is very distructive. It was made for small to medium varmint hunting at medium ranges. If you shoot an averaged sized tree squirrel at 50 yards or so in the body it will do severe damage. Same with small birds.

It won't always blow them apart, but if it doesn't everything inside will be mush in most cases.

Those are my experiences anyway.

I would bet from what I have read the 20 grn XTP's would do much less much damage, but penitrate more.

Paul