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.17 HMR for Coyotes

easygo6easygo6 Member Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited May 2002 in Ask the Experts
Any opinions or actual results regading the use of this round on an animal the size of a Coyote. The bullet is only 17 grains! I know it is fast. Would most recommend short range (ie under 125 yds) use on Coyotes... if at all??

SEMPER FI
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Comments

  • varmit huntervarmit hunter Member Posts: 1,674 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Have used .22mag,Because it was all I had in my hand at the time.I like the looks of the .17,But would definitly not use it on coyotes.

    A unarmed man is a subject.A armed man is a citizen.
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  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427 ✭
    edited November -1
    The .17 cal, is one great bullet, I had a Rem. 700 BDL, Ground hogs at 600 yrds didnt stand a chance,, as for coyotes, if your any kind of shooter, it will make a mush pot out of their head..
    LR
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  • MballisticMballistic Member Posts: 101 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    17 grains at 2550fps does not have enough energy. Sure, you may kill some. Would probably maim more than kill. I own several .17's including a .17 Rem. Even with 30 grain Bergers 600 yards is just about impossible. (At least for me and I have been a competitive shooter for 45 Years)
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  • easygo6easygo6 Member Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you Mballistic. I realize the 17 Rem may be adequate to 200+ yards. The 17 HMR rimfire bullet, however, is intentionally very light in jacket construction and with the nylon 'wedge' tip aides in "explosive" mushrooming/fragmentation that minimizes richocet hazards while vaporizing small (ie fox/groundhog) varmints. I love the concept. I too believe it falls short of the punch necessary for CLEAN KILLS on Coyotes...even at 100yards.

    SEMPER FI
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  • NighthawkNighthawk Member Posts: 12,022 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I can tell you first hand experience on that one. I live in a rural area where there is alot of farms. Coyotes have became a serious problem around here. So a friend came by and wanted to go hunting for wood chucks. I usually take a 22-250 or .223 sometimes a .22 Hornet or .22mag,depending on where we go. I took my .17 which is sighted in at 100yrds. To make a long story short I got a 45yrd shot on a young coyote,I hit him behind the front leg, he never knew what hit him. I would say with good shot placement,it would be great out to 75 yrds or so. I have found the polymer tipped bullet to become unstable at greater distances.


    Good Luck.

    Rugster
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  • airborneairborne Member Posts: 1,728 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When it comes to coyotes my personal favorite is a Browning Low-Wall, .22 Hornet, with a Leupold 3x9 variable scope.

    B - BreatheR - RelaxA - AimS - SightS - Squeeze
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  • loan sharkloan shark Member Posts: 130 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I believe in clean kills too. That's why I shoot them with my 7mm Rem Mag. No muss,no fuss. The fun part is trying to see how many spins they make before they drop dead.
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  • buddybbuddyb Member Posts: 5,369 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The best way to find out is to shoot a coyote with one.Thats how I found a 223 works on deer.
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  • easygo6easygo6 Member Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I LIKE THAT Loan Shark!!

    I live in a suburban are. I have an order in for Savage's bolt rifle in 17HMR. When as Savage begins shipping these (July I think) I'll try it on Coyote.

    There has been two postings that claimed accuracy began to suffer at the longer ranges. I'd like to hear more about that or place a new posting on that alone. I'll stick with the 22WMR if accuracy falls off beyond 125 yds...whats the point without accuracy??

    SEMPER FI
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  • dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000 ✭
    edited November -1
    I don't own one, so I'm kind of speaking out of turn here. I've been told that the bullet is designed to explode on contact, and is no good for anything larger than a rabbit. I'm larger than a rabbit, and I don't want one used on me!

    Save, research, then buy the best.Join the NRA, NOW!Teach them young, teach them safe, teach them forever, but most of all, teach them to VOTE!

    Edited by - dheffley on 05/18/2002 20:23:51
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  • kaboomkaboom Member Posts: 75 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I haven't seen anything shot with the new rimfire .17, but I would strongly advise against it. That tiny bullet at 2500 fps isn't very impressive to me. The .17 Remington is another story altogether, and with the right bullet it would probably do quite well on coyotes. Some people I know have shot coyotes with a .22 LR, but they just ran off and probably died somewhere miles away. Much as I dislike coyotes and the way they kill pets and young livestock, I still don't want to make any animal suffer unnecessarily. If you have a bigger rifle shoot all the coyotes you want to, but please don't go wounding and crippling up any animal just to see if your .17 RF works. Sorry if any of this offends anybody, I just hate to see animals maimed and wounded with underpowered cartridges when there are plenty of adequate cartridges available.
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