17hmr max range

MarkT

Well-Known Member
The 17hmr is a round that divides
opinion, for me its maximum range on rabbits is around the 160 yard mark. Reason for this is simple, the Vmax bullet is designed to expand from 1600 fps upwards( at 160 yards it's about done), it's accuracy is marginal (at that distance in ideal conditions 1 1/2 " at best )and if a butterfly flaps its wings in a neighbouring county it'll be blown of path.
Am I being contentious? Yes. I'm still interested in other people's thoughts on what they consider to be an appropriate max range for the hmr though.

Regards
 
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I once killed a rhino with a round pebble I skimmed off a puddle at 750yds. I know it was a fluke...I can't normally throw that well.
 
Well aside from shooting elephants at 100 yards with an air rifle.......... I love the HMR. My standard range is 80 to 100 yards. That is the ideal range, okay maybe add a bit more, say 110. I have shot a rabbit at 160 yards. The butterfly was on holiday that day. And sometimes I shoot out to 150. Still night and passing the time. But generally I find 100 yards spot on. Don't tend to miss.

there is probably an element on me in that as I am shooting off quad sticks.

Did I mention I love my HMR?
 
100 yard sweet spot ,160 yard max and your a lover of the HMR.
Should add so am I.
 
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I am with big ears with this one changed my hmr for 204 last year and have never looked back
 
I have just had my ticket back with a HMR back on it,

I have to agree that it has its limits. and i have a 20 tac (posh 204 that uses less powder), but I cannot use that or a 22 lr anywhere near where i need to shoot,

so guess what..........................it has to be a 17 hmr for the less ricochet factor etc.

so IMO: it has a place in my cabinet, as for range lets not go there as i should imagine that someone has shot a flea of a ducks back in the next county with their 17 hmr. best to say that shoot within your own capabilities and you cant go wrong with any calibre you choose.

regards and enjoy what you chose in the end.

bob.
 
Depends on whether or not the bullet manages to exit the barrel.
As for all those that think it doesn't produce ricochets, well sorry but it does, at least as often as a C/F round.
It's just that it's a tiny bullet and doesn't make much noise, but like any other round if the bullet strikes at an acute angle it's going to bounce.

Neil. :)
 
I once killed a rhino with a round pebble I skimmed off a puddle at 750yds. I know it was a fluke...I can't normally throw that well.

Was the puddle or the rhino at 750?


Mine is zero'd to 115 - I don't bother flinging ammo past 140 (ish - my eyes only do +/- 0.5 yds range accuracy at that distance, probably in line with the ammo accuracy)
 
The 17HMR is the ideal rabbits at night rifle where the vast majority are shot at 100 yards or less. No need to aim off at that sort of distance and to be perfectly honest I totally ignore wind as when shooting from the 4x4 you don't really know where the wind's coming from anyway. We shot a lot last night with the 17HMR mostly chest shot, a couple were hit a bit further back but all paunched OK and none were wasted.
After thousands of rounds through the rifle I've had just one "squib "but would agree that's one too many.
 
150 max for me on quarry still has plenty of energy at further (may not expand but still carries many many times more energy than my 12ft lbs .177 airgun and thats good for 50-60yrds for head shots ) but combined with accuracy and wind thats plenty mostly 80- 120 ish is ideal for me obviously closer is nice to :D

excellent and flat for Night shooting with NVD when rangefinding thro the scope is all but impossible other than knowing your ground well
 
I use a .17 HORNET 160 yards all day long if you have got a really steady rest no problems at 200 yards give it a go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! muzzle velocity is 3650 fps exceptionally good for foxing at the same time
 
I was trying to get an idea of what hmr users really believed it's capabilities to be , real world.
A small point ,some of you are being bested by a man with a pebble ,my personal best was a wilder beast at 200 yards with a spit ball and a McDonald's straw.
 
Be aware the 17hmr will ricochet.


yes it will but its already a very light projectile with Low BC and after it hits most things to rik o shea when its generally lighter miss shapen and slower with the BC of a Feather which will slow and drop relatively quickly certainly with in a couple hundred mtrs if that


even Fired directly with no bounce its only carries 12ft lbs at 800mtrs and thats without it destabalising as it goes thru transonc which would slow it faster etc
 
I was trying to get an idea of what hmr users really believed it's capabilities to be , real world.
A small point ,some of you are being bested by a man with a pebble ,my personal best was a wilder beast at 200 yards with a spit ball and a McDonald's straw.


Good lungs! Didn't realise McDonalds had a franchise in the Kruger - good to know in case I get hungry on my trips out testing my extra strong elastic band and prototype polymer tipped titanium unbent paperclips on rhino. Keeping it close an personal at the moment - need to feel the breath before unleashing, like what the bowhunters do. Plan to develop a dope chart based on a mortar though for extended ranges if testing goes we....................
 
What's more impressive is that I have asthma and a profound ability to embellish the truth .So I'm told.
 
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