17 HMR if not what else should I look at

FGYT

Well-Known Member
Ok am putting in for vermin rifles

22 rimfire pretty much given for Fully moderated close vermin

but would like a bit more range and ocassional close fox so .17HMR (Dorset will sign it of for Fox for secondary ie if my reason was fox then no )

however they seem to be Marmite and on top there are a more than occsional ammo problem that could result in serious injury


SO what other options 80- 150+ yrds Rabbit with up to 50yrds Fox mainly the one who keeps getting my chickens (if I got a lot of Fox I would get a 223 etc well actually no i would get a deer cal and use that for both )


Oh and importantly I want to eat what I shoot if possible so ripping rabbits to pieces isnt any use

ATB

Duncan
 
Ok am putting in for vermin rifles

22 rimfire pretty much given for Fully moderated close vermin

but would like a bit more range and ocassional close fox so .17HMR (Dorset will sign it of for Fox for secondary ie if my reason was fox then no )

however they seem to be Marmite and on top there are a more than occsional ammo problem that could result in serious injury


SO what other options 80- 150+ yrds Rabbit with up to 50yrds Fox mainly the one who keeps getting my chickens (if I got a lot of Fox I would get a 223 etc well actually no i would get a deer cal and use that for both )


Oh and importantly I want to eat what I shoot if possible so ripping rabbits to pieces isnt any use

ATB

Duncan

.22lr for <80 yard rabbits and further when you get used to the holdover. Will also do your fifty yard fox no trouble with a headshot or well placed chest shot (avoid the front shoulder and you'll be amazed how effectively they go down).
.243 for everything else :)
 
.22lr for <80 yard rabbits and further when you get used to the holdover. Will also do your fifty yard fox no trouble with a headshot or well placed chest shot (avoid the front shoulder and you'll be amazed how effectively they go down).
.243 for everything else :)

I agree with the above, if your getting a .22lr the HMR is a pointless proposition.

A small centre fire would compliment it well. . .222 or .223 maybe ?
 
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unless you really want a centre fire
why not consider the .22WMR?

mine gets more air than the HMR and was my urban fox calibre of choice
33gr bullets clocking 2000+ really put a crimp in foxy's day

cheap enough to feed to be taking rabbits out to 150yds with practice
 
I love my .20 vartarg, but its a reload only option. 40gn bullets at 3500fps, 26gn at 4000fps+, will turn a crow inside out at 300yds no problem, awesomely accurate too, and bucks the wind better than a .22...
 
unless you really want a centre fire
why not consider the .22WMR?

mine gets more air than the HMR and was my urban fox calibre of choice
33gr bullets clocking 2000+ really put a crimp in foxy's day

cheap enough to feed to be taking rabbits out to 150yds with practice

.222 or the .22 mag would be good enough and more

.22 Hornet, from close rabbits to 170 yard + fox it is all you need.

Neil. :)

I love my .20 vartarg, but its a reload only option. 40gn bullets at 3500fps, 26gn at 4000fps+, will turn a crow inside out at 300yds no problem, awesomely accurate too, and bucks the wind better than a .22...

But none guarantee an edible carcass like the good old .22lr.

And then if your getting a c/f too, you just as well get the best all round caliber ever designed :stir: :rofl:
 
But none guarantee an edible carcass like the good old .22lr.

And then if your getting a c/f too, you just as well get the best all round caliber ever designed :stir: :rofl:

If you can't hit em in the head you don't deserve to have a meal out of it :p

Neil. :)
 
17 remington or fireball would be great, reloads not massively more expensive than HMR. Have a gander at YouTube for Si Snipes videos. With an appropriate mod not that loud either. 22 Hornet would also be good
 
I agree with the above, if your getting a .22lr the HMR is a pointless proposition.

A small centre fire would compliment it well. . .222 or .223 maybe ?

I'd have to disagree saying the HMR is pointless if you have a .22 as they have such different characteristics. I love my HMR and have had none of the issues some have had, I've only put about 1000 rounds through it but it's been faultless. Point and shoot from 30 to 130m and slight holdover with Mildots out to 200m and accurate enough to head shoot rabbits every time. No meat damage if they're shot in the head!
 
I agree. Both .22 & .17HMR have a place in the cabinet. I have 2 of each.

The .17 is more 'fun'. The .22 is cheap to feed. I use the .22 mostly under the lamp and for driving about on silage aftermath. The .17 is my daylight gun - you don't need to get very close. Also useful if you've been lamping a bit and the bunnies are getting twitchy and out of .22 range.
 
.22 with subsonics, quiet and fun and cheap, really out to 60 yards
ideal to carry when feeding the pheasants
.17hmr noisey but accurate, deadly, and trajectory far better
out to 120 yards. I use both depending where I am and what I am doing.
 
Or u could just get a 2nd cheap as chips 22lr and zero it for HV rounds? Not quite as good as some of the other options but much cheapness as plenty of 2nd hand and will do the job

I mind in the old days most keepers would have 2x 22's 1 with moderator/subs for lamping, and 1 with HV for daytime snareing/trap runs and out van window to give u that longer range if needed.
U then had a .243 and poss a .270, in thoose days no mod's on cf rifles

Mind when the boss got his first .222 he would disapear quite a lot for hours and u would just hear the cracks coming from the range up the hill. Beautiful rifle to shoot when ur just a boy as the 243 seemed to pack a punch in them days with no mod

Ps i'm not that old but things have changed massively in 30yrs, all these fancy calibre's and mods, dunno ur born, althou now far too much choice
 
Personally I enjoy my HMR.Great for driving around at night whacking rabbits.No worries about collecting cases for reloading etc.Flat shooting,light rifle for walking about,and ok for foxes within reason.
I've got ..22lr,.22hornet,and .223.Yeah,I can reload the hornet cheaply,but have to think about the cases..223?great for a bit of long range sniping,but cases again,and driving around with multiple targets,simply not practical.
Love my .22lr,finnfire,but at night,the HMR aces it with its flat shooting.
Always be a place for it in my cabinet.
However,if monies no object,you don't reload,than .22hornet is a superb cartridge.
 
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I have calculated my per round cost on the vartarg at 35p, pretty good I reckon, mainly thanks to small powder charge and long brass life, bullets are pretty cheap too.
 
Collecting them mate,to reload.less hassle with HMR as I can just eject them and move on to the next target.To me this is only an issue a night driving about.Makes more sense for me.

Fair enough.
I just roll the rifle over to the left before ejection and they then stay somewhere in the truck, usually.

Neil. :)
 
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