Help Choosing Groundhog/small game rifle and caliber

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greengt88

Well-known member
Looking to purchase a new Groundhog/small game rifle...i have previously owned a Savage 93r17 .17hmr...i liked that round but had alot of crawl offs using 20gr Hollow points...have been leaning towards 22WMR, or 17WSM...id like to bse this rifle for fox as well, typical yardage would be 0-150yds

I really like the CZ 455's ability to change calibers....not too many options for 17WSM bolt actions yet....
ive also considered a .17 Hornet, i have a .222 and .243 for med/
long range.
Any thoughts or opinions appreciated.

Budget is around $400-500
 
If you reload a 17-223 would be on my short list.

A buddy has a 17hh and although he really likes it, im was not super impressed.

I agree tyat the 17wsm sounds interesting but im not interested in a savage nor am i interested in the ruger at $800. What would get me going is a sako quad in 17wsm.
 
In that price range, unless you find something used, you're probably going to be limited to a rimfire. If you wanted to spend a little more and stay with something in the .17cal family CZ 527 in a 17 Hornet is a nice little rifle but I doubt you can buy a new one for less than $600.

Have you given any thought to a .204 or .223? If you're trying to keep the budget low something in a .223 would probably be the most cost effective.

I'm not sure you could ever go wrong with a CZ 455 but groundhogs, as you already know, can absorb quite a bit so if you're looking for more devastation on your hits, you may need to step up to something with a little more pop. My 17 WSM definitely has more pop than my HMR but I've never shot a groundhog with one so I can't say what they'll do to them. I am seeing pics of guys shooting yotes with the 17WSM and they seem to be getting the job done on those pretty well but they've also mostly been shoots well inside of 150 yards.
 
I agree that i want nothing to do with a B-Mag, and $800 for the ruger 17wsm is crazy....its a rimfire...i had a CZ 527 Varmint, had mag feed problems, and bluing was terrible, had it out 1 foggy night and the rust spots that set in were appauling. It was also alittle too heavy as a calling rifle. I think an american wouldve been a better choice.

Yes the 17hmr left some to be desired for killing power beyond 100yds...a few left me scratching my head, had 1 good hit on a hog, me and my partner both watched it drop and stop moving through our scopes, only to watch seconds later as it ran off. Had several backwards flop also and run off...no good. Amazing on grey squirrels however. Liked it better than .22lr for them.

I do not reload, so 17/223 is out, i have considered that however...i did also have a savage 12 204, accuracy with 40gr ammo was less than spectacular...another reloaders round for accuracy.
 
As stated in 1st post i do have a .222, its a Sako L461 Vixen Varmint .222Rem, it wears a Weaver V24...its my fox/coyote night hunting rifle. Its amazing with 50gr Superformance Vmax
 
Originally Posted By: greengt88I agree that i want nothing to do with a B-Mag, and $800 for the ruger 17wsm is crazy....its a rimfire...


Understandable considering their checkered history but they can be made to shoot pretty well actually, at least the HB SS ones. The Bmag Target version, same gun as the POS plastic stocked HB SS, with the laminated thumbhole stock seems to shoot pretty decent. Mine is a HB SS that I put in a Boyds stock then had it bed, it shoots well under MOA.
 
Just as an alternative idea, instead of buying a rifle, use the money to go ahead and get into reloading. You could make that 222 pretty much duplicate any of the rimfire rounds mentioned.
 
Id love to have a Sako quad, but thats waay off budget. Im going to have alot into a Bmag having to buy a stock and have it fitted and bedded etc. The action is the biggest turn off of the bmag. I think the 455 is a close second to the Quad.
 
I have a 2nd savage .243 i could build into something, but not sure what. But thats a whole different discussion lol. I dont really have time, space or desire to reload.

Between the 17WSM and 22WMR, which is more accurate?
 
I would check out getting a nice .22 Hornet it is a Center Fire round...are You allowed to use them since most Rifles You mentioned getting were Rim Fire's?

The .22 Hornet will reach out further and be easier on the hides/fur.I bought a really nice Used Browning A-bolt Micro Hunter .22 Hornet and it puts down the groundhogs really good.Im still trying to call in a Coyote with it and see how it fairs on them?
 
I will say the 17hmr is a joke for anything but paper and squirrels maybe a g-hog under 100yards. I groundhog hunt a lot in the summer and seen one shot at 250-300yards with a 55gr 22-250 sp and the thing ran back to its hole 50yards away. I was shocked! it was a lower body shot but still that's a fast round and should have killed it. Me personally I like the 223rem for groundhogs with 55gr v max or 50gr American eagle varmint tip. I have shot them out to 200yards in the head and body and they don't move after.

the reason I like 223rem is several reasons. ammo is found everywhere, cheap, accurate as all get out, the bolt guns are cheap, and the gun doesn't kick like the 22-250. I shot at one last summer with a 22-250 at around 250yards and couldn't hit it cause the gun kicks and muzzle flips. 200yards 223 he was dead.

as far as your price range look into the savage axis with accu trigger. I own both heavy barrel with accu trigger and sport barrel without accu trigger. both guns can be had for under $300. I can hit a g-hog in the head at 200yards with both guns with a good scope. I would even put it up against a rem 700 in the same caliber. I buy hornady v ax 50rd packs for around $25-30 if I want to shoot yotes with it I can. do the g hog a favor and use something bigger than 17.
 

No offense Ohihunter, but I respectfully, but totally disagree with the statement that the .17 HMR is a joke for anything but paper and squirrels.

If you are a serious long range groundhog shooter like probably most are, then a good centerfire is in order. I will venture a guess that many of the fine varmint calibers we have today were designed around the thoughts of groundhogs or rock chucks. However, when you add small game into the mix you are most likely talking rimfire.

On the other hand, a guy can be a serious groundhog hunter with a rimfire and have a barrel of fun. It will just be conducted at shorter distances. The rimfire is ideal for small game too, like rabbits and squirrels.

While I have mainly used centerfires, mostly .223, .22-250 and 6mm06 over the last 37 years, I (and friends) have hunted groundhogs with rimfires quite a bit (for the fun of it and to make a movie). We had a few shots past the 100 yard mark. We mainly used a .17 HMR and 20 gr. CCI Game Points, though we did use a .22 mag some and a .22 long rifle. We had one craw-off with a body shot from the HMR out of several taken. That is the only groundhog we lost and it was shot too far back, just a mishap in shot placement. The HMR is a fine groundhog cartridge in my opinion (considering rimfire). It is accurate and capable of head shots out to and past 100 yards. This statement is based on actual field experience, not just talk or conjecture. It is our go-to round when using rimfires. It will never equal a good centerfire and no one should expect it to. You just have to be a little more precise. We take head shots at every opportunity. If I were to give my hunting buddies a choice for groundhogs between the HMR, a .22 mag or 22 long rifle, they would choose the HMR hands down. So would I.

 
Originally Posted By: 6mm06
No offense Ohihunter, but I respectfully, but totally disagree with the statement that the .17 HMR is a joke for anything but paper and squirrels.

If you are a serious long range groundhog shooter like probably most are, then a good centerfire is in order. I will venture a guess that many of the fine varmint calibers we have today were designed around the thoughts of groundhogs or rock chucks. However, when you add small game into the mix you are most likely talking rimfire.

On the other hand, a guy can be a serious groundhog hunter with a rimfire and have a barrel of fun. It will just be conducted at shorter distances. The rimfire is ideal for small game too, like rabbits and squirrels.

While I have mainly used centerfires, mostly .223, .22-250 and 6mm06 over the last 37 years, I (and friends) have hunted groundhogs with rimfires quite a bit (for the fun of it and to make a movie). We had a few shots past the 100 yard mark. We mainly used a .17 HMR and 20 gr. CCI Game Points, though we did use a .22 mag some and a .22 long rifle. We had one craw-off with a body shot from the HMR out of several taken. That is the only groundhog we lost and it was shot too far back, just a mishap in shot placement. The HMR is a fine groundhog cartridge in my opinion (considering rimfire). It is accurate and capable of head shots out to and past 100 yards. This statement is based on actual field experience, not just talk or conjecture. It is our go-to round when using rimfires. It will never equal a good centerfire and no one should expect it to. You just have to be a little more precise. We take head shots at every opportunity. If I were to give my hunting buddies a choice for groundhogs between the HMR, a .22 mag or 22 long rifle, they would choose the HMR hands down. So would I.



no offense taken I was just speaking of personal experience and what ive read and heard from friends that have these. we have some freaky big chucks around here.
 
I had considered a .22 Hornet, but ability for small game really isnt there. Rimfire or centerfire is legal where i am. From a cost standpoint the 22WMR or 17WSM is looking the best.
 
I've killed a coyote,a grey fox,jackrabbits and a bunch of prairie dogs with the .17WSM. In my opinion it's an awesome varmint round. I love my .22mag and have killed piles of varmints with it but the .17WSM has noticeably more power.
 


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