Real world 17 HMR results

gixer1 said:
I’ve used a few different 17 HMR’s and was never really that impressed with knock down power on foxes or the blowing up ammo/rifles - however they seem to make sense for longer range bunnies.

Does anyone have any real world opinions on their accuracy at 100-200 yards? Grouping at 150 or 200 yards? Does it completely run out of steam at 200 yards?

I have a need for a longer range bunny tool but don’t want to go down the centrefire route as it needs to be easy and cheap to feed. (So buying factory ammunition)

Even more specifically out of the 16” Tikka T1X as I was impressed with my 22LR version so guess it would make a good rifle in 17 HMR?

Regards
Gixer
Click to expand...
Ive got the t1x in hmr. I wouldnt shoot more than 120 yards really in normal conditions. But that said, last summer in that hot spell when there was no wind, I used it to good effect off the bipod on some rabbits at 180 - 200 yards. It’s not amazingly accurate at that range and you’re holding a lot but a 2” group is plenty for centre mass on the rabbit
 
I may be not as accurate at a long distance as some others or have to do more training. Or maybe I am just honest..:
The .17HMR is very accurate, and in daylight I would happily take a rabbit at 100 yards or a fox h/l shot at up to 200 yards provided I feel I am in a very stable and well supported shooting position.
At night, using sticks and a red LED Torch mounted on top of the scope, the more realistic maximum distance I will shoot most rabbits at, (for me) is around 50-60 yards. You can get closer in at night, with favourable wind, and in my view the closer I am the better.
This is, btw, with Hollow Point .17HMR amo.

Saying all that, with hindsight and having seen others at work, I believe the .22 Hornet is the better choice for rabbits and more accurate at a longer distance.
 
With respect a fox at 200 with the .17 is asking for problems, brilliant round that it is you are stacking the odds against yourself for a clean kill, something we should all strive for. See my post no. 3.
🦊🦊
Edit (upon re-reading)
perhaps you meant fox at 100 and rabbit at 200?
 
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Its a marmite round
A lot of expert opinions don't use it.
If you stay within sensible parameters it wont let you down any more than other cals.
Generally split case on firing isnt an issue.
When open a new case, I empty all of them out and spin them so my thumb nail picks up any split necks BEFORE its loaded. I also carry a rod if a squid leaves a head in the barrel.
The crack dissipates within short range. Its not as noisy as people think.
I never use it for body shots. Better off as a head shooting.
It will drop foxes. You just have to be sensible re range and allow for wind including not squeezing the trigger if in any doubt.
Its a useful tool.
If you like it fine, if you don't then fine. There are plenty other options that cover this quarry list. Your hardly forced into it.
I dont really view it as a leggy round. If you want longer range, then I would be looking at suitable CFs some of which are encompassing deer species subject to legislation and area and species etc.
 
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Had one a savage with accu trigger when the 17hmr 1st became available ,bought a large ammount of hornady vmax when i bought it .
With that it was amazing lots of 200yrd grey crows magpies etc from a stable position (picnic table )😄
Then started to get issues with ammo once the inital batch needed replacing fizz pops and split necks got so ****ed off i sold it
One thing i will say is the 20grn hollow point is a much better fox round than the vmax
 
i had one and it became a sod took about 20 shots to become accurate then would open up any where from 100 - 200 shots lost all faith in it
 
Should of said in my other post, some don't like to be cleaned, I did mine...once, it took ages to come right so never done it since, one mate cleaned his and it was about 250 shots he said before it was back to how it used to be

J
 
Jamie956 said:
Should of said in my other post, some don't like to be cleaned, I did mine...once, it took ages to come right so never done it since, one mate cleaned his and it was about 250 shots he said before it was back to how it used to be

J
Click to expand...
I used to clean mine about every 200 rounds. It only took about a dozen rounds to shoot it back in but the cleaning to get it to that point was onerous because it wouldn't shoot in easily until the patches were coming out absolutely spotless. Now I tend to pull a dry bore snake through after each outing and seem to be able to keep the deep cleaning to every 1000 or so rounds.
 
I have never been able to rod any of my HMRs. The brass with a .17 patch just won't fit.

I bore snake using good oil as opposed carbon or brass removing solutions.

Can't say I notice a huge change in POI or group size.

However, I do notice if I swap ammo make. Main gun spits remmington gold tips out likt a Demon.

CCI 20 grn could hit a barn door.

They say the ammo all comes from the same place. Sadly, nobody has told my rifle that
 
sako85708 said:
Just make sure you have plenty of rabbits , it didn't take me long to clear 1000 acres !!
Click to expand...
Did you manage to clear a property of rabbits by shooting them with an 17hmr ?
I would like to learn to do so. I am serious, I have been shooting them in a similar sized property for years and I am losing the war.
 
gixer1 said:
I’ve used a few different 17 HMR’s and was never really that impressed with knock down power on foxes or the blowing up ammo/rifles - however they seem to make sense for longer range bunnies.

Does anyone have any real world opinions on their accuracy at 100-200 yards? Grouping at 150 or 200 yards? Does it completely run out of steam at 200 yards?

I have a need for a longer range bunny tool but don’t want to go down the centrefire route as it needs to be easy and cheap to feed. (So buying factory ammunition)

Even more specifically out of the 16” Tikka T1X as I was impressed with my 22LR version so guess it would make a good rifle in 17 HMR?

Regards
Gixer
Click to expand...
Back when I had a lot of rabbits to shoot, I would regularly take them at 180m+ with my furthest being 220m (through the rungs of a 5 bar gate!!)
Never tested its accuracy but on the gate/rabbit shot I think I held over by around 2” with the zero being at 100m, but it was at least 10 years ago!!
 
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TringSaint said:
Back when I had a lot of rabbits to shoot, I would regularly take them at 180m+ with my furthest being 220m (through the rings of a 5 bar gate!!)
Never tested its accuracy but on the gate/rabbit shot I think I held over by around 2” with the zero being at 100m, but it was at least 10 years ago!!
Click to expand...
You are a very goid shot Sir. And your 17hmr is one of the accurate ones. I am not capable of connecting with the rabbits regularly at 150+ metres. Sometimes yes, even once at 230m. But I am pretty sure it was just pure luck.
 
Frank Alc said:
You are a very goid shot Sir. And your 17hmr is one of the accurate ones. I am not capable of connecting with the rabbits regularly at 150+ metres. Sometimes yes, even once at 230m. But I am pretty sure it was just pure luck.
Click to expand...
I’m not saying that there was no luck involved - usually is with my shooting!!
 
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