22WMR or 17HMR for coons?

If you are going to shoot fox I'd go with the 22mag.I simply believe this caliber has more killing power than the 17HMR.The 17's are great for punching paper at greater distances but when it comes to harvesting critters I like the 22mag.Just my .02cents /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.
 
I would think that the .22 mag would blow throgh a coon and that at most distances coon's are shot accuracy would not be a problem. My .22 mags shoot really well out to 50yds. When you try to push it out to 100 groups start to open up quite a bit. Rem 33gr is about the only load that shoots really well at 100.

As for the .17 HMR, if I needed to make 100 yd shots or slightly more the HMR would be it. The difference I see in the two is .22 mag 50 yd and in, .17 HMR 100 and out unless on larger targets. I would think the 20gr HP's would be a good load.

Still this is expensive shooting for coon's. We always used .22 shorts to the head.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. A lot of great info here. I will add something to this that just happend to me tonight. I did some coon hunting with 22 Stingers and was very impressed with them in my 10/22. I shot a 20lb coon through the head at about 40yds and it was dead before it hit the ground. Anyone have the same or different experiences with the Stingers?

Most of my Coon hunting takes place in the woods where shots are generally under 50yds. If I keep getting the same results with these Stingers, I might just hold out on buying a 22WMR or a 17HMR and save my money for another centerfire caliber!!
 
That's probably not a bad idea at those ranges. I've heard of many people hunting coons with .22's. How do you hunt coons? If you use a distress call and there's a possibility of foxes coming to the call you don't want to be stuck with a 22LR.
 
The distress sounds that we are using are coon fight and coon puppies. The sounds are just more geared towards Coons than fox. We have few red fox and even fewer grays. I do believe however tha a Stinger Round would take out a red or gray at the ranges that I would be shooting them at. Wouldn't be my first choice of bullet though. When we hunt coon, we are for the most part doing it in the woods so an encounter with a fox would more than likey be at close range.
 
Quote:
Those 10/22's are nice guns. If I could use any factory-made .22 that would be my choice. Too bad we can't use them in PA.




Why not?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
Semi-auto rifles are not allowed for any hunting in PA. Semi-auto shotguns can be used for small game and waterfowl, but that's it (may be legal for furbearers, not sure). 3 shot capacity maximum in the shotguns, too.
I have no idea why. Very outdated and unnecessary laws in my opinion.

Some other laws that should be changed:
Minimum hunting age is 12 (too old)
Any centerfire can be used for deer hunting (22 hornet?!!, 50 BMG?!)
No hunting on Sundays except for crows, foxes (in the season), and yotes. There's really no reason for this.
The only thing to hunt in the summer are wood chucks and yotes (and their fur is very thin then). I understand there are many juvenile animals in the summer, so this law does make some sense.
Lights can not be attached to firearms.
I'm sure there are some others but these are just some off the top of my head. Sorry for the off-topic rant but these laws just make no sense to me.
 
bea175,

I agree ,i have a 17 mach2/nef ,22 mag/marlin bolt ,17 hmr /cz .
Of coarse the mag's will outdo the mach2 but all will kill a raccoon.
I'd probably reach for the 22mag ,it shoots the 33 v-max really well[1 1/4"] at 100yds.
My uncle gave it to me and it was shot now and then.I gave it a good cleaning and polished the barrel with fritz ,glassbedded the action and first 3 inchs of barrel ,had the trigger lightened.I camo painted it and now have a 3 x9 bushnell 3200 firefly scope on it.
It's just a great little rough and tumble go everywhere kind of rifle i've come to love.ME
 
Swift One,

Not sure your range. I can add this the .17 hmr has trouble anchoring Woodchucks at 100 yards. A Coon is twice the size.

You asked "is the 17hmr really that much more accurate than the 22 mag ?" Those statements are over rated especially considering the hunting distances of 100 yards. Side by side actual tests may surprize you. The hummer averages about a 1" 5 x 5 group at 100. The differance is a hummer every now and then with zero wind will shoot one group(not 5x5) at 1/2". So it gets accuracy hype.

I have popped many coons with a good ole 22LR and Winchester 40 gr. HP . At 25 yards you can pop them right in the head, off hand and the 40 grains of thump does it job quick.

Savage has the accu trigger now on both 22mag and 17hmr. Get the mag for any hunting get the 17hmr for bench or a rim fire only egg shoot IMO.

I don't care what they try and show on paper. The 17hmr has less kill power than the Mag. And the kill power differance is larger than the accuracy differance.
 
Thanks Bill. When I hunt coon, I am in the woods and shots are 50yds and under. Yes, have had shot opportunities at 100yds on a coon. But that is when I am caling coyotes in open fields and I will just shoot them with the 223 then.

I posted earlier on here that I have had some recent experience with coon and the 22 stinger. Head shots at 40yds are clean kills. Coon was dead before it hit the ground.
 
I will no longer use a .223 for a coon at 40 yards. The difference between my coon and your coon was that your pelt will get money. For now on I will bring my .17HMR /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Well, had some bad experiences with the Stinger rounds last night. Had to shoot one multiple times to kill it and the other one took a number of rounds and got away. I hate that. Brush was way too dense for any tracking. 22LR rounds are just not consistent enough for me too use on coon.
 
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