Anyone here have experience with this caliber for varmints?
17HMR For Varmints
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I do. It’s fantastic. I have an Anschutz with Leupold glass and it is murder on groundhogs out to 125 with 17-gr V-Max bullets.
I had one for a while..Accurate but to be honest it was a bit light for bigger critters.. And it was just not much good with even a little wind..plenty wind in Wyoming. Heck the 204 Ruger can't hack the wind here. We shot a few PDs when it wasn't windy out to 150 yds or so...Ground hogs it is a 75 yard round...maybe a 100 yds on the smaller ones The Hornet is a much better varmint round....especially the K variety. Way back yonder I had a 5mm Remington and it was a much better performer on Ground hogs and a few foxes
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It's a great little round for varmints like, ground hog, fox, racoon, beaver, etc. Very accurate. As long as there is little wind, you can poke them out to 150 yds. +/- with no problem. For squirrel, rabbit, etc., it's good as long as head shots are taken. For larger critters, like coyote, I say it's a tad on the impotent side. I'm just not a big fan of any rimfire round for yotes. But, that's just me....
Ruger M77/22wmr (converted to .17hmr with GM SS Fluted 20"Barrel)
Ruger M77/22wmr (converted to .17hmr with GM SS Fluted 20"Barrel)
I know the .17 is very accurate and quick but I stuck with the 22 magnum as I own two and like the heavier 40 grain CCI for varmints. The 30 grain stuff is faster at around 2200 F.P.S. but is not as accurate in my guns.
See them now and then at the Reno rifle range, out of their cases if......
there is very little wind or none, for the 100 to 150 yard targets.
They are accurate with low wind conditions but one problem is that one must
be VERY careful when shoving that small dia. cleaning rod down the barrel.
One gentleman wanting to run a patch down the barrel to clean it a little before shooting more,
pushed too hard and bent and snapped the rod, in the process.
Good shooting.
there is very little wind or none, for the 100 to 150 yard targets.
They are accurate with low wind conditions but one problem is that one must
be VERY careful when shoving that small dia. cleaning rod down the barrel.
One gentleman wanting to run a patch down the barrel to clean it a little before shooting more,
pushed too hard and bent and snapped the rod, in the process.
Good shooting.
Over on another Forum..... there is an ongoing debate about "which is better for Varmints?" .17hmr or .22mag. ....... like the .40 vs 9mm here.
Both have there pros and cons.....
.17hmr...... faster,flatter trajectory, good out to about 150 yds., wind issues
.22mag. heavier bullet, muzzle energy 250-350ft/lbs, better on "bigger" varmints, only good to 100-120 yds.
Both have there pros and cons.....
.17hmr...... faster,flatter trajectory, good out to about 150 yds., wind issues
.22mag. heavier bullet, muzzle energy 250-350ft/lbs, better on "bigger" varmints, only good to 100-120 yds.
F224
Member
I have fired almost 20,000 rounds of 17HMR at prairie dogs. Several at fox, coyote, badger, a snapping turtle, and woodchucks.
On the larger than rodent critters, limit your range and pick your shots. On prairie dogs, depending on wind, shots to 300 yards will kill them just fine, but at closer ranges it is far more effective.
On a badger, myself and a close friend hit one in the fore head at least six times, it just shook them off and went back down it's hole. Clearly it was not enough gun.
The snapping turtle was a different story. It was my first serious encounter with a charging animal and here is my story.
It was a hot and sunny summer afternoon when I first spotted him crossing my yard, as our eyes met, he gave me that look like I owed him money and he was here to collect it. He turned directly toward me and I knew the fight was on. Being that snappers can't cover ground very quickly, I had time to walk inside my house and open the gun safe to pick a suitable rifle for the fight. The 416 Blaser? Too much I thought, my 308 Blaser? Might still be over kill. One of my many AR15'?, I won't have time for a second shot. So the next rifle in the rack was my first 17 HMR, a CZ with a four power Leupold scope. That would be enough, I'll just use the 20gr XTP loads I thought.
As I walked back to my deck, I could see he was still coming headlong for me, looking even madder than before. I set up the rifle and to my surprise, the snapper started a hard left turn away. As he changed his path from a direct charge to a hard left, I though perhaps it was over, but then remembered that as my old Air Cavalry Commander once told me; "Once the attack has started, you must close with and kill the enemy, or he will come back to fight another day".
So I took the shot, cross hairs resting on his right eye, good thing I did not have to lead him much. When the shot broke, he collapsed as if the Hammer of Thor had struck him. But how was this? With the adrenaline dump I jerked the shot in my panic and I should have hit him in the shoulder. Could my scope have been knocked off? Was my call bad? Has the muzzle been nicked?
Well I walked up and circled around behind him, remembering it's the dead ones that will kill you, ready to pay the insurance. It was then I noticed an entry hole his right shoulder, and the exit hole on the left. He was clearly dead. Further investigation reviled it was a through and through shot, on call, that the 20gr XTP did a wonderful job on the way through, and clearly it's a bullet you can count on to stop a hard shelled 40 pound Iowa snapping turtle.
The moral of the story is you will be just fine with a 17HMR on most varmints. Just don't loose your cool like I almost did, or you might not live to tell the tale.
On the larger than rodent critters, limit your range and pick your shots. On prairie dogs, depending on wind, shots to 300 yards will kill them just fine, but at closer ranges it is far more effective.
On a badger, myself and a close friend hit one in the fore head at least six times, it just shook them off and went back down it's hole. Clearly it was not enough gun.
The snapping turtle was a different story. It was my first serious encounter with a charging animal and here is my story.
It was a hot and sunny summer afternoon when I first spotted him crossing my yard, as our eyes met, he gave me that look like I owed him money and he was here to collect it. He turned directly toward me and I knew the fight was on. Being that snappers can't cover ground very quickly, I had time to walk inside my house and open the gun safe to pick a suitable rifle for the fight. The 416 Blaser? Too much I thought, my 308 Blaser? Might still be over kill. One of my many AR15'?, I won't have time for a second shot. So the next rifle in the rack was my first 17 HMR, a CZ with a four power Leupold scope. That would be enough, I'll just use the 20gr XTP loads I thought.
As I walked back to my deck, I could see he was still coming headlong for me, looking even madder than before. I set up the rifle and to my surprise, the snapper started a hard left turn away. As he changed his path from a direct charge to a hard left, I though perhaps it was over, but then remembered that as my old Air Cavalry Commander once told me; "Once the attack has started, you must close with and kill the enemy, or he will come back to fight another day".
So I took the shot, cross hairs resting on his right eye, good thing I did not have to lead him much. When the shot broke, he collapsed as if the Hammer of Thor had struck him. But how was this? With the adrenaline dump I jerked the shot in my panic and I should have hit him in the shoulder. Could my scope have been knocked off? Was my call bad? Has the muzzle been nicked?
Well I walked up and circled around behind him, remembering it's the dead ones that will kill you, ready to pay the insurance. It was then I noticed an entry hole his right shoulder, and the exit hole on the left. He was clearly dead. Further investigation reviled it was a through and through shot, on call, that the 20gr XTP did a wonderful job on the way through, and clearly it's a bullet you can count on to stop a hard shelled 40 pound Iowa snapping turtle.
The moral of the story is you will be just fine with a 17HMR on most varmints. Just don't loose your cool like I almost did, or you might not live to tell the tale.
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I found it to be neither fish nor fowl. For under 100 yds I like .22lr, anything further I use centerfire. Being a handloader I can shoot .223 and .17 Rem cheaper.
I had a beautiful Volquartsen in .17 HMR is that was beautifully put together but heavy. It got dumped in short order.
I had a beautiful Volquartsen in .17 HMR is that was beautifully put together but heavy. It got dumped in short order.
38SPL HV
Member
17hmr is great ground squirrel medicine out to 200 yds. I know some who have used it successfully on prairie dogs in Colorado out to 200 yds as well.
I prefer the 20 gr version since it shots most accurately out of my CZ.
One downside, wind plays havoc on the 17 HMR’s light bullets on longer shots.
I prefer the 20 gr version since it shots most accurately out of my CZ.
One downside, wind plays havoc on the 17 HMR’s light bullets on longer shots.
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JamesArthur60
US Veteran
17 works for me on Ohio groundhogs. But, like others have said, on windy days, forget about it. On ideal calm days I usually stay within 75-100 yards. For a top notch scoped rifle shooter it will reach further in flat open country. It's also nice due to the low bang and lighter rifle weight, compared to the 22 magnum and larger calibers rifles.
Shot a lot of prairie dogs with mine out to 200 yards or so.Be aware that it’s worse in the wind than a 22 rimfire.
I've busted lots of prairie dogs with it out to 200 yds or so and it works well on them. I've also taken some bigger stuff with it, a couple of foxes and whatnot, and it worked but was not nearly as effective as I would have liked. I've found it to be accurate and deadly on small critters, but I would be extremely reluctant to use it on anything that weighs more than 2-3 pounds. I think you would be much better off with a 22 Mag or a Hornet on anything bigger than that.
I wouldn't say that .17 HMR is the ideal coyote cartridge by any means. But the coyote I killed with mine a few weeks ago (120 yards) is still dead. Have shot several groundhogs with it, and they were all bang-flops. None of them were over 25 yards away though. On all these critters there was one tiny hole going in and nothing coming out.
And if you are after fur that is the best thing that can be done. Maybe foxes to a 100yds but it really ain't a coyote round. I shoot the 22 Hornet or a 222 with the Nosler 40 gr BT The Hornet is a 150 yd coyote rifle and the 222 is a 250-275 coyote killer and that 40 gr bullet usually just makes one hole. In the 22-250 I use a 55 gr FMJ match bullet... 2 holes both small
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Have shot many thousands of Prairie Dogs here in Montana with the .17HMR and .22 mag. I moved to the 17 HMR back when .22mag was unobtainable.....17HMR however was everywhere. Seldom use the .22mag...
Bought a CZ 452 trainer with a Nikon 4x12 scope in a pawn shop for $275.00 and haven't looked back since.
Then wind issues many have mentioned have simply made ME a better wind doper/reader. That also transfers to when I change to .223 for 400 yard shots...when the wind is such that I have to favor 3 prarie dogs into the wind my .223 is only 1 prairie dog.....
The .17HMR is truly devastating for me out to 300 yards (measured).
In short, I LOVE it!!!!
Randy
Bought a CZ 452 trainer with a Nikon 4x12 scope in a pawn shop for $275.00 and haven't looked back since.
Then wind issues many have mentioned have simply made ME a better wind doper/reader. That also transfers to when I change to .223 for 400 yard shots...when the wind is such that I have to favor 3 prarie dogs into the wind my .223 is only 1 prairie dog.....
The .17HMR is truly devastating for me out to 300 yards (measured).
In short, I LOVE it!!!!
Randy
Accurate cartridge, no power.
We would fill up beer cans with water and shoot them at 175yrds, they wouldn’t even go through the can. And that’s using the A17 ammo.
And yes it better not be windy or even breezy.
150yrd chipmunk gun
Edited, because I want to add that those 175yrd beer can hits none of the bullets expanded.
We would fill up beer cans with water and shoot them at 175yrds, they wouldn’t even go through the can. And that’s using the A17 ammo.
And yes it better not be windy or even breezy.
150yrd chipmunk gun
Edited, because I want to add that those 175yrd beer can hits none of the bullets expanded.
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