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17 hmr for coyotes?

12K views 18 replies 15 participants last post by  seokfisherman 
#1 ·
I just bought a 17 hmr for coyote problems around my farm. It seems to have enough power to kill and its FAST and accurate/havn,t shot anything yet but will soon/does anyone have pros or con about 17 hmr,I have killed them up close with a 22 and also found them dead later from 22 wounds,but I sure like the smaller shell in the 17. Is it larger than 22 mag? Ned Colt, Lawrence
 
#2 ·
If you can get a GOOD head shot ,you'll drop em right there,If you get a vital organ ,Heart /lung shot ,you'll kill em . I have shot them in the chest and seen them run off from a 70 yd shot . IMO I'd stick with the 22. I know I wont be wasting my ammo on any more coyotes in the future.I'll stick with my trusty .223
 
#3 ·
Tis fast, but extremely light bullet. Word up round here is they're on for groundhogs, but iffey for anything bigger. I wait awhile for I jump on a new round. But they've got some good press. For me would be a matter of a quick humane kill; so I'd use a heavier bullet, going lil faster.
I'd be inclined to agree with Richard. That's just me. I've heard guys bragging using em for deer. ???? The fact you asked, shows you care. Reps to ya.
 
#4 ·
From reading from some predator hunting sites, the 17HMR is a good round for under 50yds. Longer ranges is real iffy, bullet type and placement is the critical factors.
The 17HMR is a 22WMR necked to .17.

I also have the 17HMR, but mine is for fox and bobcat use. I will try it on a 'yote if it ever gets in close enough.

:004:
 
#5 ·
I have kept and shot a friends .17 Remington Center fire when they came out.I owned long guns in .22 short,long and long rifle.Pistols in .22 LR and .22 mag.I found the .22 mag to be useful for "Rat Shot" but nothing else in a pistol in 1 1/2-6 inch barrel lengths.I also had a single shot .22 Hornet.I thought about buying a .22 mag.,but the price of shells and the very narrow niche that I believed it to have in my cartridges.I did not.I could load my Hornet to duplicate the Ballistics,so I saw no reason.I don't really know about the .17 rim fires or the .22 mag.

I wonder if the old 22 Hornet will do a much better job for some of the things these souped up rim fires are being used for.I honestly believe that I can make a one shot kill on a Elephant with any rim fire or the 22 Hornet.That Elephant is going to suffer for many days before it dies but it will be a one shot kill.It is my understanding that Pygmies killed Elephants with Minni arrows and spears made of sharpened sticks.Some with or without poisions.I believe that the "Gut Shooting" of Elephants and watching for the Buzzards was the excepted and safe way for Ivory hunters to do business for centuries.Some hunt very much like that today.Time seems to be the answer to most newer things.

Now I have never owned a .17 or 22 mag. rim fire other than a .22 pistol,nor killed a Elephant.I admit to pure speculation.I do wonder if this type of hunting is being done when I hear of folks hunting Deer with the .17 & .22 mag to be able to say "I killed a Deer with mine".I have seen Deer killed and suddenly felled with a one shot 22 short to being riddled with 22 LR and found later by observing the Buzzards.I have butchered a Deer that ran 1 1/4 official miles with a buckshot in its heart and the buckshot was much larger than the 22 short.The type of bullet along with placement often means everything.It also seems to mean nothing at times.Could a round nose light grained .22 short be more suited than the wrong bullet in the .17 or .22 mag.?I don't know,but I want to.

I know people that hunt with Buckshot and shotgun,Yet will tell you that "If I see it,I shoot at It".They do too.Upon shooting 5 times at 500+ yards,one said,"you never know when you might luck up and kill it".He did elevate his gun to a high angle when he saw the dust caused by his buckshot hitting in the freshly plowed dusty field.This field had been surveyed as it had been used in the old allotment programs.The distance is not questionable.These men consider them selves sportsmen and get very angry at anyone that ever questions their sportsmanship.They also claim,include in their tally and brag about every rotted deer carcass found as theirs.Many or most have to be.

Some less experienced along with some more experienced people are buying and using these guns.Not all are hunters as farmers and ranchers who do not hunt use them for varmint control.I am always very interested in and looking forward to how they do work out and if they will last.I have seen quite a few "new cartridges"that did not survive and you can no longer buy shells for such in my lifetime.Many were good,but did not catch on.The simple renaming has made the difference for Remington at times.No such luck other times.Weird!

The .17 bullet was popular among Aussie Red Fox pelt hunters at night with head shots between or in the eyes.Red Fox in the USA ain't big.Many of the Aussies claimed to find all types of the .17 bullets wanting in body shots and these were center fire.17's.Bullets have improved.I hear of Folks bragging of "Blowing Up Squirrels"with them.I eat Squirrels.I can't eat the blowed up part as I could never find it.I am looking forward to hearing from you and everyone else who Squirrel hunts to Elephant hunts with any rim fire.There seems to be a lot of new going on along with changes.Some will definitely be improvements along with the hype to sell.I think there is room for more improvement for the .22 LR. though it has greatly improved in my lifetime.

Thanks.I love you Brothers and Sisters.peewee
 
#6 ·
as far as i know it shoots alot faster than a .22, but i dont think its bigger than a .22 mag. if it were me i wouldent exceed shots over 50 yards with your .17, and would rather stick to my ol' .22 any day.
 
#7 ·
I killed my first coyote with my 17 hmr yesterday/ real fast/ about 125 yrds it hit he spun and fell got up and ran 50 yrds and layed down/ made a nice little hole goin in/ I like it / I used the solid lead head shell but a guy was telling me to try the plastic tip shell/ I wonder if they make a larger grain shell? and what does the plastic tip do? anyone know? Ned Colt lawrence Ks.
 
#8 ·
Ned ,I'm guessin the ;'solid lead head' bullet you are referring to was the 20 gr bullet ? the plastic tipped or ballistic tips are 17grs lighter ,and designed to explode violently on small game .,Congrats on the kill at that range . I have been wonderin how they might work on coyotes.at a decent range as I haven't had a chance to shoot at one yet.
 
#9 ·
I bought a Savage bull barrell 17 hmr and they are EXTREMLY accurate and fast, but.............................The 17grain v-max bullets are too light for alot of applications! If the wind is blowing much over 5mph and your shots are going to be over 50yds, too much drift! I personally havent shot a coyoye yet, but I TRIED to kill some pesky beavers in my pond and at 15-25yds was Whacking them good! Guess what beaver dives, where did they go? A day or 2 later floating beaver! Not the results I wanted! I just think that the 17grain plastic tip and hollow points are too fragile, but I havent tried the 20grain bullets yet either! In regards to the 17Remminton (centerfire) Thats a COMPLETE different critter! 3900-4000fps................Good coyote round (light wind) to 150 yards. The bullets for the centerfire round MUST be constructed different for the increased velocity, because it is a MUCH better killer! I had some friends that varmit hunted in Nebraska every year after pheasant season was over and the 17Rem and the 22-250 was there "favorites". I think that what is happening with the 17m2 and the 17hmr is that alot of people are using this caliber out of its intended element.Thanks.:cool2:Sorry, too answer the question, I think the .22 w/stingers would penetrate better and theres NO comparison against the 22 mag!
 
#10 ·
Ned, I have to say I like the 17 hmr when shooting polly tip very well. I Don't have one my self but I have a friend that has one. his is a Ruger with the rotary clip. and I can tell you you don't want to go Ground squirrel hunting with him ,when all you have is a 22. he will kill squirrels at a distance I would not even think about shooting with my 10- 22 ruger with a 3-9 scope. One day we had gone out Squirrel hunting, he has a ruger 10-22 like mine only his has a bull Barrel with a nice scope. He said I will take the 17 incase we see a coyote, If it's on your side you shoot it, if it's on my side I will shoot it, well wouldn't you know it It was on my side and I took the shoot a good hundred yards and hit it right behind the front leg and it dropped like a rock. That was the first coyote with that gun, and He has not got one yet with it. what I like about it is it will explode on impact unlike a 22 that will hit the ground and keep going.
 
#12 ·
I know that the .17hmr is faster and shoots flatter than the .22lr

But there has to be a reason that it is the best selling longest lasting hunting cartridge in the ammo world . Maybe it's diehards that dont like change , Idont know . If it was me and I have shot both I would pick the .22lr for shots under 100yds . That is head shots only!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would never shoot a vitals shot with a .22lr or a .17hmr. The .17 has a limited shell selection, I know that is some what because it is a new round , but I can choose every thing from 30-60 grain shell for the LR at half the cost . If you are going to shoot the .17 get a Rem Mag centerfire . I dont want you to think that I am against the .17hmr , But is all goes back to shot placement . I know that is always what you here , but there isnt anything more than that . With a good shot , you will be amazed


P.S. If you are worried about the range with the .22lr get a BSA Sweet .22 Scope . I love mine
 
#13 ·
I have a marlin .17hmr with bull barrel and thumb hole stock and nikon prostaff scope. It is my main yote gun. I don't shoot the 20 grain hollow points,my gun don't like'em. the trick with the .17hmr is find the bullet your gun likes. buy some different brands and test them on some paper and you will see what im talking about, they are very pick guns. I found that hornady 17gr. and Winchester supreme 17 gr. poly tip is deadly out of my gun on yotes, and it absolutely hates Remington Premier 17gr. On a very calm day I have takin yotes out to 130 yard with a head/neck shot.

So as long as you match you gun up with a good scope and the ammo it likes to eat. It makes for a deadly coyote gun imo:wink:
 
#14 ·
Personally I wouldn't shoot anything bigger than a '**** or possum with a .17hmr, I don't like to see anything suffer, even pests/vermin, if I was going to shoot coyotes again the smallest rifle I'd use would be a .22-250, .223 works but doesn't have near the power or range of the .22-250. I've always been a big believer in using enough gun for the job, lots of people shoot deer with .223's and .243 but the smallest I use is a .270. Just my opinion, but if you're going to use rimfire, please make accurate headshots only on coyotes.
 
#15 ·
I know this thread is old, but for what its worth if you ask a farmer what gun he keeps on his tractor for varmint use, its usually either a .223 or bigger. most guys I know use a ruger mini 13.
between a .22mag and a .17hmr, the .22mag gets my vote. I like it better, and, downrange, it hits much harder because of the heavier bullet. at 150yards, shooting at a 3/16"thick steel target, the .17 barely makes an audible "ding" and barely swings the steel. a .22 mag much louder "ding" and puts much more swing in the target,.

I know these "tests" aren't much to go by, but the accuracy is similar, the price of ammo is similar, the .22mag just hits harder. between all 3, I like a .22lr. if I need anything bigger, I go to a centerfire.
 
G
#16 ·
I have shot coyote with the .17 HMR and it will do the trick but you have to make the shot count. The .17HMR has been my newest favorite round for the last several years. It is so ridiculously accurate. My son and I can easily shoot the eyes out of ground squirrel sticky targets at 100 yards with our Savage's with Leopold optics. Show me a 22 that is that accurate!
 
#17 ·
I know this post is over a year old but, Three of us hunt together and kill somewhere between 25 and 50 yotes a year either calling or spot and stalking. IMO and it's just derived from my observations the .17HMR is marginal for yote sized game. And the Mach II is out of the question. I was the first in our group to get the HMR and it has taken a few yotes but more often than not I just wasn't getting a good anchor. No doubt the yote died and sometimes we were able to do a blood trail recovery sometimes not. My Hornet seems to have about the same effective range but is more likely to drop the yote in place but the shot has to be kept in reasonable range. If you don't reload it won't pertain but I have worked up several loads for my .243 and use different ones for varying conditions, windy I go heaver bullet, calm lighter, faster, flatter bullet.

If you are using the HMR please don't take offense, if it's working for you great, but like I said I just wasn't getting the anchor I desire.
 
#19 ·
I tried my new 300 blackout I built on coyotes and it did the job. The first one was at about 100 yards and the second one was at about 35. I was shooting a 125 grain ballistic tip hand load. Not a good bullet choice if you are hide hunting. My gun of choice is my .22-250. I also have a .243 that works well for the job.
 
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