Foxes. 22lr or 17HMR?

Thanks HunterBear71,I think you're right they zipped right through and the bird flew off.Thats the only thing I can figure.I'm sure they did'nt fly far 3 of them were in thick trees and I never could find them.The one I did see fall out of the tree was on the ground to begin with.I shot it with my NEF .17HMR and it flew up in the tree.I loaded up another round to shoot it again and it fell to the ground and never moved again.I looked at it to see where I hit and it had a hole right under its left wing and a hole the same size on the other side.I wish I would have took a picture of it now that its all said and done.But I guess I could try another box and see if I was just having bad luck that day.They are 2 dollars higher than V-Maxes is the reason I really dont want to do that.
If I had'nt seen it for myself I would'nt believe it either so I dont blame ya'll for callin me out on my story.I know I did'nt miss because feathers were floatin through the air.Plus I was within 35 yards of every bird I shot at that day so there aint no way I missed.
Have you guys that are callin me out on this ever shot a bird with an FMJ out of your .17HMR or do you just think that could'nt happen?I suggest trying it.
I killed 3 porcupines with them too and only one required a second shot.So maybe they do work alright on heavier bodied animals.Those were the biggest animals I shot with them.I shot at a badger with an FMJ also but I dont know if I hit it or not.
 
Originally Posted By: OKRattlerThanks HunterBear71,I think you're right they zipped right through and the bird flew off.

I had a bunch of roosters once and when it came time to put 'em in the pot, I decided to bowhunt them. I shot one broadside with a 4 blade broadhead. The arrow went clean thru (as you'd expect!!!), the chicken fell over and kicked, and then got back up and started eating again!!! After the second shot took his head off, I found that the first went thru his breast muscle and sternum and nothing else. I've also seen a number of sparrows fly off after being shot with a .177 cal pellet (old school pellets- 30 years ago) only to fall dead out of the sky. So, it seems possible that a FMJ small-caliber bullet could zip thru a sparrow. But, I really don't know 'cause I have neither a .17 HMR, nor have I shot sparrows with one!

I don't have any experience with foxes, either. Well, not the kind you shoot and skin anyway.
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Now fellas, you shouldn't be so doubtful of someone's story.

I've shot a few birds with a .17 HMR Single Six, and they all flew off...

in small pieces of feathers and meat. Some might be surprised to see how far some of those pieces fly.

But back on topic...

Foxes (my experience is with greys) are pretty thin skinned. My concern with the .17 HMR would be with a big exit rather than insufficient penetration inside of 50 yards or so (which is the distance I shoot most greys at).

I usually hunt them with a .22 mag with expanding (not fragmenting) ammo. It wouldn't bother me a bit to hunt them with either a .17 HMR or a .22 LR. If you hit them right, they die pretty easily.

I'd also limit the range with either, but I doubt that'd be a problem with most greys I've called.

Daryl
 
50 yards or less buy the 60 grain 22lr ammo..from cabelas..it brings foxes right down,and very little noise...further than 50 the 17....a 22 mag isnt on the list or i would take it over both...the 17's are accurate ..i myself have shot crows and a pheasant with mine off a rest that has done flips and flew off leaving meat and feathers...sold it cheap..

jmo...
 
Shot a very nice grey fox out here in AZ and it dropped in it's tracks. 60 yd's 17 hmr 17gr did the job. Put the bullet in where it can do it's job and you have no problem.
 
Originally Posted By: tgrif22 mag. don't think the 22lr is pwerful enough and the 17HMR is just to light and explosive IMO.

This past Sunday I was out scouting and brought my Savage 93 with me. Lots of jacks scampering about.

Two I hit in the boiler room and they weren't dead by the time I got up to them (less than 60yds). Required additional shot each to end the ordeal.

One I head shot at 40yds.

The last one I pulled the trigger as it turned and headed 180 degrees from me. Round entered the back at the hip area and traveled along the spine and lodged in the base of the head. I suspect that was severe CNS incapacitation.

I would have figured that at those short distances, the jack would have DRT, instead of trying to crawl off. 17grn Hornady ammo.

Of course, just my experience, I was using a trigger stick and the entry holes were where I expected them to be.
 
Originally Posted By: .357maghunter Put the bullet in where it can do it's job and you have no problem.

Spot on with that advice.

Called in a coyote double and shot them both with my .17hmr. Both died within 5' of where they were shot. Didn't run at all. Both were shot just 25 yards from where I was sitting. .17 grain hollowpoints shot right into the vital organs in the chest and they dropped. No exits, invisible entries.

A lot can be said for shot placement. Yeah a .17hmr will have a runner now and again but all in all, put the bullet exactly where it needs to go and you'll have a dead fox, bobcat and even coyote.

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I agree Scott. Based on my experience with the 17g Vmax bullets, smallish critters drop dead in their tracks 95% of the time with good bullet placement. I fail to understand how some people here have total opposite experiences as I do.

No offense to those who have runoffs, but I believe you are either not hitting them in the vitals (perhaps you're mistaken in where you think the vitals are) or you're not as accurate as you think you are.

????
 
I totally agree and have great confidence in my 17hmr. However, I am certain the caliber police will be along to inform us how lucky we have been.
 
I love the HMR and killed a truck load of coyotes, fox and bobcats with it! Somebody better tell them varmints there not dead! Bah! Wa! ha! Most of these guys never shot a coyote with a HMR. But Im saying right now a fox will never know the difference after being hit with a HMR, 22 Mag or 5mm mag Ive killed with all and I never saw ANY difference. The one thing the HMR has over the other two magnums is I can kill crows at 200+ yds. can't do that with the 22 mag or 5mm. The 17HMR is a perfect fox round! ~Marco
 
Well, I nailed one fox this week but I got him between the eyes, not in the vitals.
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Marlin 17V with 17g Hornady Vmax, about 60 yards. DRT. Pin prick entrance between the eyes, no exit. His liquified brains poured out of his ear canal. I have a pic of the skinned skull showing the entrance hole, if anybody wants to see it PM me.

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what a controversial little cartridge. big thanks to the moderators for letting this thread run for a bit. 4 yrs ago i purchased a Savage 93R17 for my daughter to target shoot with. it is absolutely the most accurate firearm i've ever been associated with. one can truly love an accurate rifle. i have shot over 5000 rounds through this little rifle, plus what my daughter has shot through it. lots of target practice but i do some hunting with it also.

it's a fine caliber for smaller game. i much prefer it to the 22lr. i've owned several 22lr's and still have two in the gun box, but they dont see much shooting anymore. the .17hmr is so much more accurate, with more energy that i pick it everytime. i've killed at least 300 crows with it. use the 17gr ballistic tip for crows. the fmj's will get you some fly offs. but i've killed em from 20 yds out to 165 yds with the ballistic tip.

it's a fine caliber for raccoon. i've killed 25-30 coons with the hummer. it's superior to the .22lr on coons. and coons can be tough critters. again the ballistic tip 17gr have outperformed the fmj on coons for me. ballistic tip kills em dead, fmj's will require some follow up shots frequently.

haven't shot any fox or coyotes with the hmr so i have nothing to add to that debate. it's a dead ringer on feral cats, raccoons, crows, rabbits, buzzards, possums, and skunks. with the good results i've had on coons, i'd venture to say it'll do the job on a 12-15lb fox. everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but i have high regards for the little caliber. very much superior to the .22lr in every way.
 
Just for the sake of argument, the .22 mag has an average velocity of 1480fps, with muzzle energy at 194 ft. lbs.

The .17HMR has an average muzzle velocity of 2550fps, with average muzzle energy of 245 ft. lbs.

I'm not buying the .22 mag as a better fox round than the .17 HMR. The further the distance, the greater the confidence gap between the two, for me. Accuracy plays into that, too.

After examining the damage to a squirrel I shot with a plastic tip 17, I'm also not buying the birds being hit, unless it just winged it or passed through some feathers. If it was a body shot, the birds would have died right there. Technically, a wing shot or feather shot is a hit, though.
 
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