I have an HW66 I use for Foxes on a small holding with houses 60 yards or so behind my shooting position, only 8 acres and I bait them to a safe back stop. Never had a complaint and have never lost a Fox, have had them run on rare occasion but 50 yard tops. I use with a N/V add on and its a very quiet effective tool. Also use on Crows and great for that. I love mine.
17 Hornet
- Thread starter beanieboy
- Start date
In my experience, noise is more related to calibre than powder capacity. A good mod will soak up the blast no matter what it's from, but the size of the bullet making the sonic crack will have an obvious and uncontrollable effect. .17's are quiet, very quiet. I was shooting my .17 Fireball for the first time at the range last week and several people commented on how little noise it was making. I've got a Wildcat Evo on it, so nothing huge.
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
Absolutely. A 22 HV makes more noise than a 17 HMR. With the same mod on.
Different story with the mods removed!
Neddle
Well-Known Member
People pour scorn on smaller calibres giving never used them,then there's those that compensate for poor bullet placement/marksmanship with by using larger calibres.
True the wind wrecks havoc with the lighter bullets but I've owned and shot 17 hornet and its more than capable of putting a dog fox on the deck at 200yds.
It really shines when used on long range crows and magpies too doing everything hmr were meant to do.
Quite fancy one but i am also wondering about having my 22 hornet re-barrelled and chambered to make a 20 hornet . You see i will get that longer range over the 22 hornet but better wind deflection and 20 bullets being available that should end up 3000- 3300 possibly ? Forming brass should not be too onerous either . That's effectively 223 rem speed with better BC , less recoil and yet gentle on the Barrels and a lot less powder ( quieter ) than the ruger . Make a cool NV gun perhaps ?
Dont honestly see 22 hornet lasting legal with lead being its thing or being very good with copper due to the lack of speed and the 1-16 twist rate .
Recently been shooting rabbits with 223 and 50 grain copper though , its not cheap but its good and hit them in the head the meat is still totally fine
Lot happening though with non-tox and legal changes within firearms licencing . Too soon to know which way to go and i do love the 22 hornet with stubby little lead 40-45 grain bullets
Everyone who shoots a hornet gets that " thing " it has
Dont honestly see 22 hornet lasting legal with lead being its thing or being very good with copper due to the lack of speed and the 1-16 twist rate .
Recently been shooting rabbits with 223 and 50 grain copper though , its not cheap but its good and hit them in the head the meat is still totally fine
Lot happening though with non-tox and legal changes within firearms licencing . Too soon to know which way to go and i do love the 22 hornet with stubby little lead 40-45 grain bullets
Everyone who shoots a hornet gets that " thing " it has
Sonicdmb73
Well-Known Member
The 20 would seem a good option. The 17 appears to be a good choice should you (like me) not be a fan of the 17HMR. However the 20 version would give a good choice of bullets plus likely more choice with copper if the need arises.
I have tried some low speed 32 grain loads in my 20 Tac (the idea being less damage for rabbits) but the accuracy wasn't what I was after so it went on the back burner.
I have Todd Kindler's book Terrific Twenties, he is a fan of small bore rifles in general. But 20 cal seems a favourite, that said it's worth looking at his work on the 17 wildcat's. The varmint hunters over in the US certainly rate small calibre low powder charge cartridges for high volume vermin shooting. That fits nicely with our rabbit/crow occasional fox scenario.
Neddle
Well-Known Member
With regards your rabbits , just stick to noggin shots ! Thats what I have been doing with 223rem 50 grain eCX copper. I simply thought if i can run a 35 grain 224 v max to a speed of up to 3000 i sure as heck should be able to get that or 3200 with a 25-30 grain .20 copper - with a hornet case ? it really would't upset me if i ran 2700-2800 fps as it would still do more than the std 22 version eh? Giving me reduced windages in the process ! 10-12 grains of powder and a long barrel life
Sonicdmb73
Well-Known Member
To be fair I don't shoot that many rabbits with the 20 TAC. Partly because head shots while leaving the carcass edible are still a bit messy, partly because we don't have that many about.
I can see that working, barrel twist rate to suit etc. My thoughts were along the lines of 20 Fireball, but the reduced loads were a route to avoid another rifle in the same calibre albeit different cartridge.
Get that , for real volume Rabbit shooting ie batting towards 50 CF gets a bit spendy but i dont think missing heads is something to worry about . My thoughts where more the extended barrel life ( perhaps doubling the 20 ruger) and less report via the hornet capacity and lets not forget the costs of powder today
Sonicdmb73
Well-Known Member
Missing heads is a bit of a problem if passing them on in the fur.
I think that the thing about the US shooters on Prairie dogs etc want the same thing. The numbers shot per day would finish off a barrel in no time. which quite possibly explains the small calibre fascination.
Neddle
Well-Known Member
Answered your own question, you'd need calibre specific moderators from same manufacturer, plus barrel lengths would need to be identical to make it a fair test
Oh yes. My little .17 isn't called a Fireball for nothing!
Not seriously sold rabbits into butchers etc many years Probebly the late eighties ? Any we dont eat the dogs get as a rule. Using none lead means no issues for BOP if you make a bad shot leave it where it lays if the buzzards dont get it the ravens / crows will
Sonicdmb73
Well-Known Member
I don't sell to the Butchers, but do give surplus away sometimes. But it just ends up as another thing people expect if you start dressing them, once of a day it would have been taken with thanks. But folks seem to have lost touch with where food comes from, and how it actually became food!
Doubt it takes me more than a minute to take its jacket off and joint a bunny and what else are we to do with them once we and the dog have plenty ? You wont get rich selling rabbit meat that's for sure , last big batch i sold into a butchers etc was circa 1986 /87 .
Sonicdmb73
Well-Known Member
Certainly won't. I got the same price 40 years ago as some offer now.
The time involved is not the point, more the expectation that you'll do it and they still get them for free.
I give a fair bit of venison etc away , its very good PR for what we do. Heck the dogs also get some , it makes them that much keener when they know how good a beast tastes
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