17HMR STAYING OR JUST BLOWING THRU TOWN

[diver dan]

I have heard about different small calibers thru the years like 22 hornet and a couple others and they are popular for about 5 or 10 years than kinda disappear.I think one was a 17fireball or something. I am 67 years old and read quite a few gun magazines over the years and saw a few one shot wonder calibers.I just bought a ruger american in 22mag,and am super impressed with accuracy.Love that rifle for sneaking around farm ditches and hvy woods , put a burris drop tine scope on it and so far very happy with it.BUUT I kinda been nosing around 17HMR info.and thinking about getting one.I am happy about its speed record but wondering about punch on a coyote.Some people say its a coyote killer at 200 yards, I dont know wether to believe them or not, its a tiny pill.Do you think this round will stay around a long time or fizzle out ? If any of you guys hunt yotes with this round , give me your opinion on it please.AND NO, I am NOT selling my ruger american in 22mag.

 

[yetti462]

The 17 hmr will be around for a long time. I have not tried it on a yote, 17 wsm i have. 17hmr is my go-to tree rat rifle, head shots only. Its a great coon rifle and drops fox in tracks. Very fur friendly.

I'm shooting with a suppressor which makes it all the sweeter.

 

[jy951]

There is alot of info on coyote hunting with the .17hmr. There are much better choices. 22wmr would be better imho.

 

[Ggreen]

17hmr has been popular for like 20 years+ at this point

 

[Biggredchev]

I haven’t shot a coyote with it but it’ll knock down a groundhog at 200ish yards.

 

[DadSmith]

Is it possible for this rd to be put into a pistol say with a 4-5" barrel.

 

[patience0830]

Is it possible for this rd to be put into a pistol say with a 4-5" barrel.

Yes

 

[DadSmith]

Yes

Does anyone make them?

 

[yetti462]

Does anyone make them?

taurus, smith made the 647, but it's no longer produced.

 

[patience0830]

I still own an HMR. I'd definitely hit a coyote with it inside 200 yds. Closer is better. There might be blood trailing involved, depending on shot placement, at any distance, but odds increase for that with distance. I do not hunt them with HMR on purpose. Only targets of opportunity when squirrel hunting. .243, .223 or .20 VarTarg when I'm targeting the species which is not nearly often enough to suit me.

 

[DadSmith]

taurus, smith made the 647, but it's no longer produced.

Not popular I'm guessing?

 

[patience0830]

Does anyone make them?

You'd get more velocity out of something like a 14" Contender.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I haven’t shot a coyote with it but it’ll knock down a groundhog at 200ish yards.

And a WMR will gut a racoon at 25 yards. I took one out and did a quartering shot, hit behind the right shoulder and it exited in front of the left hip. He was DRT with nary a twitch and half his intestines were hanging out the exit hole. Yikes. Internal shock wave must have been incredible to shut him down like that.

I miss that rifle.

But yes, 17HMR is here to stay. Get one. I want one when this chaos calms down.

 

[bwframe]

17HMR is really accurate. With decent glass a good rifleman can make very tiny 100-125 yard groups.

Good hits are possible way farther then that, but the bullet is not really hunting effective at longer range.

I had an easy brain shot at 90 yards for my one yote kill.

Lotta folks get in and out of the 17HMR biz pretty quick. Watch for good deals on 17HMR's in the classifieds. (Someone needs to buy that RPR in the classies now.)

Deals can be had in the classies on ammo also after folks have parted with their rifles.

 

[1nderbeard]

If that's what you had I wouldn't have a problem with using it. I've got 22lr, and a .223 bolt gun. I just don't see the need for .17 or .22wmr with my current inventory.
I don't do any hunting other than squirrels and deer at the moment.

 

[maxwelhse]

If that's what you had I wouldn't have a problem with using it. I've got 22lr, and a .223 bolt gun. I just don't see the need for .17 or .22wmr with my current inventory.
I don't do any hunting other than squirrels and deer at the moment.

In the darkest days of the rimfire shortage, I found .17HMR in every single store I went to and 0 .22LR for about 3 continuous years.

I was about to sell all of my .22s and buy .17s just so I could feed them. That, and my buddy having one for 20 years now and having a riot with it, are my only real reasons for "needing" one.

 

[Winamac]

I have a Ruger 77/17 HMR. Walnut stock and blued steel. A work of art. The 17 HMR has always been a pleasure to shoot and always, always does the job. I believe the 17 HMR will be around for years to come.

 

[1nderbeard]

In the darkest days of the rimfire shortage, I found .17HMR in every single store I went to and 0 .22LR for about 3 continuous years.

I was about to sell all of my .22s and buy .17s just so I could feed them. That, and my buddy having one for 20 years now and having a riot with it, are my only real reasons for "needing" one.

I remember that now. I considered buying one then too.

 

[maxwelhse]

I remember that now. I considered buying one then too.

My buddy's 20 years ago model Savage has been a really fun plinker. It's basically a laser beam for blasting muskrats at 100-150 yards. Dead flat shooter.

 

[johntheplinker]

I'd pass on the 17 for yotes. It'll kill them just fine with a perfect shot but on a less than perfect shot that tiny little fragile bullet just doesn't have the gumption to get the job done. Yotes aren't that hard to kill but they can take some punishment out of proportion to their size.