17hmr or .17 hornet

[jaseo69er]

hi whats the best calibre for vermin control guys

 

[cooper89]

Lots of questions to be able to help answer,
What are you hoping to shoot would be the first question? able to reload or not is another?

 

[ashray]

you will find it harder and harder to get 17hmr ammunition as most rfd,s wont be bringing it in / buying it due to so many problems and the increase in costs.

 

[cooper89]

you will find it harder and harder to get 17hmr ammunition as most rfd,s wont be bringing it in / buying it due to so many problems and the increase in costs.

I sold my hmr years ago but was shocked to find out the current prices of it today

 

[sir-lamp-alot]

As a vermin killing tool the hornet will be better but on the flip side it will be more exspensive to run

 

[beanieboy]

Big performance difference between these two. I've owned both. If ammo cost is an issue, you can reload for the Hornet at a similar cost to HMR. Some folk say the Hornet is difficult to reload for.....it isn't.

 

[Smellydog]

In my experience serious vermin hunting and shooting is best done by the HMR.
Even if reloaded a small centre fire will soon become less attractive say to deal with a squirrel or rabbit infestation. Even 22 ammo is not that far behind HMR cost wise but I guarantee you will waste more 22 than HMR.

 

[stubear]

Which vermin, where, and at what range?

Squirrels and birds around a barn - a sub 12ft/lb air rifle.

Foxes on wide open fields at 2-300y - .220 swift or .22-250

Foxes at 1-200y around livestock - .22 hornet

A mix of 2 and 3, perhaps a .222 or .223

 

[John Gryphon]

Which vermin, where, and at what range?

Squirrels and birds around a barn - a sub 12ft/lb air rifle.

Griff says 270 cal

Foxes on wide open fields at 2-300y - .220 swift or .22-250

Griff says 7 mm RM

Foxes at 1-200y around livestock - .22 hornet

Griff says 300 WM or 338 Norma mag

A mix of 2 and 3, perhaps a .222 or .223

Smile!

 

[bluesako]

17rem it will do everything and more,than you need bs.

 

[Dan Newcombe]

I was in the same boat recently and went for the HMR.

Wanted the answer to be hornet because I like to be different but for shooting decent volumes then HMR edged it easily.

Don’t seem to be having massive issues with ammunition supply and I can’t see it getting a massive amount worse, the case splitting etc seems to have been largely sorted in recent batches.

 

[xavierdoc]

I switched to 17Hornet after problems with HMR (split necks before and after firing, fliers). HMR was convenient though (no Reloading.)

17Hornet is more powerful and a little louder. It's not really comparable to 17Rem though. For my uses, 17Hornet fits the bill. I'll use 204Ruger or 223Rem if I need more oomph.

 

[Tony Morgan]

you will find it harder and harder to get 17hmr ammunition as most rfd,s wont be bringing it in / buying it due to so many problems and the increase in costs.

Market's too big to be ignored.

 

[jaseo69er]

Lots of questions to be able to help answer,
What are you hoping to shoot would be the first question? able to reload or not is another?

Foxes at 150 200 yards plus thanks

 

[cooper89]

Foxes at 150 200 yards plus thanks

I wouldn’t even entertain the hmr for that mate, if your intent on 17 I’d be looking at the hornet as a minimum, I use a 17rem for a lot of foxes amongst other cals (204/swift/7mm/300wm) rem is more than capable of foxes at ranges 95% of guys will shoot them at but brass is expensive and factory ammo hard to come by

If I was you I’d look into something else

 

[bluesako]

what cooper89 said above, 17rem brass is no more expensive than other calibre,s nowdays, all brass is expensive full stop, as are the bullets, so a 17rem is no more expensive than other calibres to load for, they are fantastic to shoot i mine dont even think about factory rounds they are sh*te bs

 

[Warbucks]

Foxes at 150 200 yards plus thanks

In that case neither, seen as factory amo is of similar price, and or reloading, a 223, 222, or 204 would be a better choice.
My mate had a .17 hornet, too many runners with body shot foxes, and if you use for volume rabbits when reloading you have the problem of having to catch all the spent cases (just what you need when you have a cluster of four rabbits together).

Dave (warbucks)

 

[xavierdoc]

Foxes at 150 200 yards plus thanks

17Hornet wouldn't be my first choice then. I use mine for rabbits/crows because the cliffs and gullies around me don't allow stalking to 22LR range. I'll shoot fox with it, just as I will with 22LR if conditions are right and it's the rifle in my hands (never had a runner) but it wouldn't be my choice for a dedicated foxing calibre.

20 or 22 centrefire make more sense for fox.

 

[BenBhoy]

I was in the same boat recently and went for the HMR.

Wanted the answer to be hornet because I like to be different but for shooting decent volumes then HMR edged it easily.

Don’t seem to be having massive issues with ammunition supply and I can’t see it getting a massive amount worse, the case splitting etc seems to have been largely sorted in recent batches.

I found the thread protector today for that hmr I sold you Dan, (told you id find it!) want me to post it up?

 

[BenBhoy]

Foxes at 150 200 yards plus thanks

Then definitely not hmr