Talk me out of a .17hmr

[michael.birdsley]

I would like to get into more squirrel hunting this winter. Leaves are off the trees all of the vegetation is dead. I have a .22 I picked up for 50 bucks but, needs to be redone. I have a Henry .22wmr which I have about 500 rounds for but, the ammo Midas we'll be gold if you can find them same with regular .22 ammo. Only one local place had .22 ammo for under 5 bucks bought to boxes and felt horrible.
Thinking about either the Marlin or Ruger American in hmr .17 for squirrel ammo is way easier to find and during the depths of the ammo shortage I could always find it. Thoughts.


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[jblee10]

I enjoy the .17hmr for eradicating ground squirrels. I'm using the CCI V Max ammo, and what is left of a ground squirrel shot at 70 yards would not be much to eat. I actually turns them inside out. Maybe a head shot would be OK and there may be better loads for edible small game.

[M-Tecs]

I love the 17 HMR for prairie dogs for under 125 yard shots. I would recommend the CZ 452, 453 or 455 rifles. Ruger has a great magazine but accuracy is hit or miss. The Marlin mag can be an issue. Two friends had them but switched to the CZ do to mag issues.

I am not aware of anyone that went the CZ route that is unhappy with them.

[dverna]

Cheaper to reload almost any CF than buying RF ammo. Reduced loads in a .223 will get the job gone. There are many places to buy bulk jacketed bullets or you can cast as well but cast bullets will not have the accuracy.

[historicfirearms]

My wife bought one earlier this summer. It was one of the Savage rifles with the laminated stock. She bought it because "it is pretty". Whatever, I thought. When we got it home and sighted in the scope, I fell in love with it too. The rifle is hands down the most accurate thing I have ever shot. Now, I'm a reloader to the Nth degree. I didn't think I would enjoy another rimfire, but I have to admit that it is awesome.

[Mk42gunner]

Squirrels aren't all that big, so as long as you hit them right, they don't take a lot of killing. Hit them wrong and all bets are off, (that can be said about a lot of things).

With that said, I don't think a .17 HMR would be a good way to invite a mess of squirrels to the table. By the time the range gets long enough that you won't tear them to pieces, you won't be able to see them bare branches or not. If you did manage to knock one out of a tree, they are hard enough to spot at twenty five to thirty yards once they hit the fallen leaves, let alone seventy five or a hundred yards.

I would either get a halfway decent .22 and a few boxes of shells, or develop some downloaded centerfire rounds (if legal in your state). You don't need to stack bullet holes one on top of the other to bag squirrels, there are about a kazillion .22 rifles that will do the job.

OTOH, if you want a .17, by all means get one.

Robert

[Beagle333]

Plinking loads in a .270 is the way to go. Plenty of brass available and cheap to shoot. There wasn't much left but tail and claws when I'd use a .17 on squirrels. It's fun, if that's what you are after, but for cheap.... reloading cast is the way.
My .02 8-)

[shredder]

Ammo is crazy expensive and almost impossible to source up here. Get a .22LR. How is that for talking you out of it?

[M-Tecs]

Does Midsouth ship to Saskatchewan? https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000383170/17-hmr-17-grain-v-max-50-rounds

[MediumCore358]

As stated above I'd avoid another rimfire if I had the choice, but on my last adventure trying to find .22 lr three different Wal-Mart's.had 22mag and 17's but no .22lr...so I don't know lol

[leebuilder]

Shot answer no. I built my own 17HMR, ammo is getting pricy but is fast relatively flat shooting with punch for such a light bullet. Hit a few crows with mine they literally explode. Shredder 17 is getting hard to get out here too.
Be safe

[dkf]

I'd get an .17 hornet instead. You can reload for it and for some reason if you can't get brass, make it out of .22 hornet brass. NOE even makes a mold for the little guy. http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=102_105

[BKS]

I have a Savage with the thumbhole stock and love it. Ive killed fox squirrels at 100 yards in the fall woods.

[Bodydoc447]

I have a Ruger American in .17 HMR and I love it for around the ranch. I don't think it would be ideal for edible game, though.

[HarryT]

As stated, a .17 rimfire will blast a small animal to pieces. You can have a good time hunting small game with a good quality pellet rifle.

[Traffer]

When God invented squirrels, he had a 22 short in mind. Nuff said.

[Greg S]

22 Hornet with mouse fart loads. I don't have to go to 2-3 Wal Marts looking for 22 LR or the more unobtainium rimfires, (22 Mag, 17 HMR, OR 17 M2 which I think is exstinct now). Another nice option is the 221 with Lapua brass available now here in the states. Full house loads with 17-19 gr of powder or download. I'd like to try a 17 but in another crunch, it's really difficult to find bullets unless you make them yourself.

[Jeff Michel]

If you have to get a .17, you may want go the Mach 2 route. The ammo is tough to get as well, which is problematic. I use a .32 S&W Long or a .38 spl with a wadcutter. But in all fairness, I like to eat squirrels. Everything small I've ever shot with an HMR looked like someone backed over it.

[labradigger1]

Hmr is not hard to find.
I bought several bricks of vmax at the flea market a few weeks back for $60 a brick, that's .06 a round!
I always see it on the shelves for around $13 a box of 50.
All hmr ammo is designed to shoot 1 Moa or less.
You would be hard pressed to talk me out of one.

[tazman]

When God invented squirrels, he had a 22 short in mind. Nuff said.

I spent the first 6 years I hunted squirrels using short hollow points. They worked fine, shot accurately, and were very quiet.
I switched over to long rifle hollow points for the extra reach when I became a better shot.

[dale2242]

The reason 17HMR ammo is so high is they use real jacketed bullets, not swaged lead like 22lr.
There was 20gr FMJ rounds available. I`m not sure if they still if they are.
FMJs would be the ticket for hunting edible squirrels....dale

[needausername]

I've got the Savage 93 in 17hmr and while it's a great shooter, the clip feed is horrible and I get annoyed cleaning the thing. A special size little rod, tiny jag, tiny patches, etc. Feels like I'm playing the game Operation.

If I did it over again, I'd go for the 22 hornet.

[Dimner]

Not to be contrary....

I have the savage 93 heavy barrel 17hmr. Very easy to clean with a bore snake.

Hunting squirrels is alot of fun, but if you are looking to keep the meat you have to use CCI gamepoints.

I tried the FMJs and they just poke a 17 cal hole right through the squirrel. Then they hobble off. I shot one on a limb with an FMJ. Knocked it 12 feet away from me and dropped it right to the ground. Then the little bugger started hobbling away. They are tough little suckers. I chased it down for 40 yards and played ring around the oak tree before i could thwap it with a stick.

I hit it right through the neck. Should have snapped the spine, but it just made a tiny hole. No shock damage. That's the day I switched to gamepoints and those only do the damage of a 22lr HP.

I really like my 17hmr. It's a great long range flat shooting rifle with cheap ammo. The savage is one of the most accurate rifles I own.

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[osteodoc08]

Very accurate, flat shooting and depending on which bucket construction you get, can have impressive terminal performance on non edibles. Talk you out of one, nah. Enjoy it.

Of course for the price of a new rifle and ammo, I'm sure you could order some 22 ammo.

[Walkingwolf]

There is no need to justify the want to buy a gun. Want it, get it.

I think of a lot of varmints that need a long range small caliber, squirrels are not one of them. I take mine with a .22 pellet rifle. They are abundant in numbers, and have no problems getting close to people.

[blixen]

When I lived in W.Pa and Louisiana, I loved squirrel hunting. But I never shot one beyond 30 yards--so .22 mag/17hmr seemed overkill. .22 lr in any rifle (favorite was my Marlin 39a) i owned could pull off a head shot at that distance.

That said, I have a .17hmr single-shot Henry bolt -- shoots sub minute at 100--that would do the job.

But if it were me, I'd use my Triple-Deuce CZ 527 loaded with cast 55grainers down to barely sonic. Or even my 30-30, with a Ranch Dog and 6 grains of Red Dot. Either would leave more meat than the .17hmr and probably make less noises.

[ntxhawk]

I can't talk you out of one. I have a Handi Rifle and a CZ in 17HMR. Great for when you want to reach out further than the 22lr allows. 22 mag ammo is pretty much non existant around here. Last time I came across some was over a year ago. There were 4 boxes and I bought two so someone else would be able to shoot their's. 17HMR ammo is on almost everyone's shelf for a reasonable price. Get one and have fun shooting it. Head shots for edible critters. Maybe the lead free rounds won't do as much damage on body shots. Haven't tried them so I can't say.

[M-Tecs]

The 20 grain bullets tend to be less explosive than the 17 grainers. I have shot a couple of fox and coyotes with the 20 grainers. On prairie dogs they are noticeably less explosive but I have very shot anything eatable with the 17 HMR.

[michael.birdsley]

Only reason I am thinking about getting it is because .22 and .22 wmr ( I have both)is still hard to find in Michigan with out giving up your first born. However, .17hmr is stacked to ceiling at all of the stores. I would get the game points. I reload. I could get a .223 and down load it but, would that screw up just as much meat? I also have a 325c .30-.30. Tell me more about the .22 hornet for squirrel


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[Greg S]

Depending on style of rifle, mag fed bolt rifle or m falling block, the advantage in my experiance goes to a ruger #1 for the handloader giving them the option of oal seating of the varied bullets. The mag fed (Anschutz 1700) the oal is restricted by the mag so some 8f the newer bullets like the 30-40s you have trouble seating to optimum oal for your rifle.

As far as velocity, it can be downloaded and very accurate. I'm getting ready to start playing with mine again with some boolits. Looking at a rnfp pb and gc mold fom NOE to cover plinking and standard velocity.

Another option to extend brass life is a K Hornet.

As I also said earlier, you also might be interested in the 221mRem Fireball with falls inbetween the hornet and 223.

[NavyVet1959]

If you get a .17HMR, the next thing you'll want to do is start casting for it. Can you imagine trying to handle those little bullets? :(

You can down load the .223 to .22LR velocities. Take the Lee C225-55-RF and put a couple of grains of Red Dot or other fast powder in a .223 cartridge and you'll have a .22LR equivalent, but with a 55gr bullet or put even less and have a subsonic .22LR equivalent.

When .22LR was $8/500 round brick, it was great to have a semi-auto like a Ruger 10/22 and be able to burn through a lot of ammo in a day. I'm not keen on paying the current inflated price for .22LR, so all my .22LR firearms just sit in the back of the safe.

[michael.birdsley]

If you get a .17HMR, the next thing you'll want to do is start casting for it. Can you imagine trying to handle those little bullets? :(



When .22LR was $8/500 round brick, it was great to have a semi-auto like a Ruger 10/22 and be able to burn through a lot of ammo in a day. I'm not keen on paying the current inflated price for .22LR, so all my .22LR firearms just sit in the back of the safe.

This is the problem I am running into 5 years ago .22wmr was plentiful at 11.99. It is now no where to be found. I am afraid of getting the Henry out and running out of ammo to practice with.


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[Lightning22]

I've got a Sako Quad in .17HMR, it's an excellent rifle that has taken many rabbits and a few foxes but I wouldn't hunt squirrels with it. A miss at a high angle isn't a risk I would take. My BSA S10 air rifle is the go-to tool for that sort of thing.

[richhodg66]

I got a 17 HMR, because I liked the rifle and it was a great deal (G2 Contender) it is accurate and our Wal Mart always has ammo, but I doubt I'll shoot edible game with it.

If squirrels are the goal, I never saw anybody run out of 20 gauge #6 shells. A rifle is more fun, but a little shotgun does the job too.

[DerekP Houston]

just my 2c, we stopped at walmart on the way home this weekend and saw 17hmr and 22mag sitting on the shelf at regular prices. still no 22lr to be seen though ;).

[B. Lumpkin]

I love the 17 HMR. I still have several thousand rounds from when I did a huge buy in 2008 when it was on sale for $7.95 per box of 50 online.

As mentioned above, use the CCI game points on the squirrels. Even then I'd go for head shots. The 17 HMR is an awesome little round, but it will literally turn small game inside out if the wrong bullet is used.

Something to consider is getting a 17 hornet, and I'd recommend one of the CZ offerings. Cheap, efficient, and reloadable.

[tstowater]

I have them all, 22lr, 22mag, 17HM2, 17HMR and 17WSM. Depending on what your distance is going to be, I would stay with a 22lr (standard velocity with a silencer if you can) as an initial choice. I really like the 17HM2 if you have or can get ammo. I understand that it has been showing up so I would recommend buying a good supply. The Mach 2 makes a lot less noise than an HMR and won't tear up a squirrel quite as bad as the HMR and WSM will.

I can't fault the 22mag other than the ammo can be hard to find and the better stuff is getting expensive. I love the Remington accu-tips but they are ridiculously expensive so I stick with the black box Winchesters if I can find them.

The 17 Hornet and other centerfires could be a viable option as there is a decent chance that you can load them cheaper than buying most of the rimfire ammo.

As always, be careful of what is in the background as some of these calibers can fly a long ways, especially when the gun is pointed up in the trees.

[725]

Can't say anything bad about the .17 HMR. It is what it is. Out of my H&R it is awesomely accurate. If ammo is troublesome to obtain, a nice cast .22 HP out of a .223 does the job nicely.

[Ola]

Here the government changed the hunting law today : the .17 HMR can (finally) be used in shooting f.e. foxes and raccoon dogs.
Until now it has been legal only in shooting crows. I know, it is just stupid, but hey, it is the GOVERNMENT.

I'm quite sure the .17 HMR will also here finally get the attention it deserves. Personally I Like it a lot.

[Lead pot]

I would like to get into more squirrel hunting this winter. Leaves are off the trees all of the vegetation is dead. I have a .22 I picked up for 50 bucks but, needs to be redone. I have a Henry .22wmr which I have about 500 rounds for but, the ammo Midas we'll be gold if you can find them same with regular .22 ammo. Only one local place had .22 ammo for under 5 bucks bought to boxes and felt horrible.
Thinking about either the Marlin or Ruger American in hmr .17 for squirrel ammo is way easier to find and during the depths of the ammo shortage I could always find it. Thoughts.


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There is nothing more enjoyable then sitting under a Oak or watching a bunch of Hazelnut bushes hunting squirrels with one of the rifles like this http://www.ammoland.com/2013/09/traditions-32-muzzleloading-squirrel-rifles-reviewed/#axzz4JUzjUtpl Get a bag of #1 buckshot and a can of black powder and take a nap under a comfortable tree and enjoy the day. A 17 for squirrels is not the best.
A .32 front stuffer is in my opinion the best squirrel rifles.

If your offhand is not steady make yourself a fork like this.
http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww43/Kurtalt/th_IMG_0439.jpg (http://s704.photobucket.com/user/Kurtalt/media/IMG_0439.jpg.html)

and lay a rifle like this on the fork.


http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww43/Kurtalt/th_Flintrifle_zps873e61b7.jpg (http://s704.photobucket.com/user/Kurtalt/media/Flintrifle_zps873e61b7.jpg.html)http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b302/940Leadpot/th_3bb9c5ef-7573-4e52-868b-097cbddc4191_zpsmwyjwzfi.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/940Leadpot/media/3bb9c5ef-7573-4e52-868b-097cbddc4191_zpsmwyjwzfi.jpg.html)

I have a couple reds stealing my hazelnuts before they where ripe and season opens in a few days so you can bet that I will have a couple on the sticks roasting over a open camp fire in the back yard. :)

[NavyVet1959]

A .357 mag single shot rifle can be used as a sort of hybrid front stuffer shotgun if you so desire. Just load the brass with powder and a wad (paper, cardboard, or whatever) to hold the powder in place, then pour some shot into the barrel and stuff a small piece of paper towel (about 1-1.5" square) on top of that to hold the shot in place.

You can also make shotshell rounds by doing the same thing, but putting the shot (I prefer shot size "BB") on top of the wad and smearing a bit of wax over the top of the case to hold the shot in the case.

I use a similar technique, but with used primers instead of lead shot for pest control rounds in case I see something other than my dogs eating their food.

[rosst]

great cartridge the HMR . .. fantasticaly accurate, 1/2" 3 shot roups are common at 100yds with a good rifle/scope setup . . using a suppressor on will tame the bark by a huge amount making it user friendly around built up areas, flat shooting . . . packing a hundred rounds in your pocket is not a problem if you expect a lot of action etc etc . . lots of advantages with few downsides, cost is the biggy. . well worth a try

R.

[wonderwolf]

Can't cast for it, can't reload for it.....why bother. :kidding: