will my 17hmr do the trick?

M

mn--17hmr

New member
i shoot a savage 93 17, simple set up, 3-9x 40, camo, sweet litle gun... anyway, it crushes squirrels, and crows. groups .85 @ 150yd with a stray of an inch here and there. is it adequate for coyotes and fox? can i feasibly expect a head shot most of the time?
 
Mn--17,
Your 17 will do just fine on yotes or any of the other varmints, they are fur friendly.
..........JOE.........
 
Mn- You may want to do a search on this.You will find out its really not a question of being fur friendly or not. Good Hunting
 
mn--17HMR,
What joetuc and chukarz may be trying to tell you is that the .17HMR is fur friendly, but killing coyotes is another issue.

Fox tend to be easier to kill than coyotes. Coyotes can be tough customers and a .17HMR is a minimal caliber to put them down effectively. :rolleyes:

Don't misunderstand me, a .17HMR can kill a dairy cow, but bullet placement is critical. Coyotes aren't known for allowing hunters to have the best of shot angles, distances, etc. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I'd use a larger caliber, if it's available to you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Good hunting, Bowhunter57
 
My take from extensive reading is that the .17HMR is adequate for killing coyotes at closer ranges with good shot placement.

But the .17HMR is not ideal for this task.
 
mn-17hmr,
I've killed a few creatures with my .17 hmr but after seeing a couple not so spectacular results with it I would recommend you use the 20 gr controlled expansion bullet they came out with and try to limit ranges less than 100 yards. I agree it is bare minimum for a full time yote gun. Good luck!
K.Ray
 
The .17hmr is really meant to be a small varmint
gun, it can kill coyotes, I have killed one with
it but shot placement and range are crucial. It
would be a better to choose a larger caliber if
possible.
 
thanks all, i rwlize that the gun is small, but i prefer shots of 100 yds or less n e way, it is my only varmint gun, as i am a college student with bills to pay, but hey, i do what i can.
_would a chest shot down a yote?, cat?, fox?
 
mn--17HMR,
Here again, IF you take head shots only and keep your shots inside 75 yards....it's possible. A clear-open-standing still-squeeze the trigger-behind the ear-in between the eyes shot will do the trick.

A chest shot on a coyote with a .17HMR is a high risk shot, at best. It's possible to kill one with that shot, but it's definately not in the high percentage of probable kills. :rolleyes:

Cats can be resilliant, even though they're thin skinned critters. However, a good head shot takes most of them down. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Fox are thin skinned critters too, but don't seem to have the resistance that cats and coyotes do for surviving getting shot. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Chest shots will work, but I'd stick to the head shots for sure kills. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I speak from experience, when I say that it's a bad feeling to shoot an animal and watch it walk off wounded. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif I prefer overkill, in my weapon choices. However, often you use what you have and get by until you can afford better. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Good hunting, Bowhunter57
 
I agree that it isn't a coyote gun. However, I shot a young male this morning with it, it was the only gun I had with me today. He was pretty close, approxiametly 30 yards away, shot threw the chest. He dropped instantly and never kicked. Now this is the first coyote I ever shot with a .17. I was using a 20 grain Hornady.

So, if was between using a .17 or not go at all, I wouldn't think twice about it. I'd definately use the 20 grain XTP over the 17 grain. But, I'd limit my range and shot placement.
 
The flip side to the deal is your calling ability. If you can get them in close, the 17 will be great.

So for I have killed 2 'yotes this winter with the furthest shot being 40 yards. A sling shot with a good 'ol steely would'a worked.
 
MN, check out the firearms forum. There is a sticky at the top called 17HMR thread.......it specifically adresses this issue.

Jake
 
Interesting thing about the head shot, if you are a little low you just crippled the coyote. You just gave him one of the slowest most painfully deaths there are out there. I get tired of hearing limit yourself to head shots. Every coyote that I have shot with the HMR has died in it's tracks with a behind the shoulder shot.

I think that if you feel that you need to head shoot some thing to kill it then you need to leave that gun at home and bring a bigger gun with you. I'm not debating the killing power of the HMR. I love my HMR and do bring it yote hunting. But I only use it in certain areas. I have passed shots that were too far. And the only coyotes that I have shot with that gun were more than give me shots.

Next time you are thinking of taking a coyote with a head shot think about, what if I shoot a little low and take his jaw off and he gets away! I would rather take a chance at loosing them by running with a bullet in the bread box, than to have it take them a week to die a slow painful death.

Just my .02, and I bet your glad that you didn't have to pay for it!
 
I feel comfortable shooting a Cat and yote with my 17HMR, if I was shooting a yote I would try and get a head shot. But on a cat I would thik that a chest shot be suffecient to bring it down.

I took a fox the other day with that caliber and it brought the fox down quick, and left a nasty exit wound. But I shot it at 10 feet.
 
ok heres the solution. Sell the 17 HMR and put that money in an envelope, add to that envelpe when you can, and when you have enough money (I can't believe I'm about to say this) go get yourself an NEF Handi Rifle in .223 They are great guns for the price and very accurate.
Not as good as a T/C Encore (Ok i feel better now, WHEW!!!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif But the reason I'm here praising the NEF is that Dad just got one, he is very happy with it. I'm happy with it cause he is. Maybe this new Rifle will get him to get out after coyote again and we can get back to the father and son coyote hunting that this predator hunting thing I'm addicted to started out to be.

t/c223encore.
 
I second the NEF reference. I own one. Or I guess you could say I am gonna own a few. I bought a .270, liked it so much, I sent the receiver off for two other barrels. At $90 each, you can't beat having three guns for the price of 1 regular one! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I am also gonna buy a NEF .17 HMR in the next week or so. Pretty sweet little gun for $149 at Cabelas!

Troy
 
If you have a Gander Mountain nearby, the Sportsters are on sale for $120...$150 is more than most retailers sell em for, the regular price here is $130.
 


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