The reason I ask is because I picked up a 77/17 all weather topped off with a Nikon for a few hundred bucks.I already have a 22 mag and 5mm rem, but the price was right. I'd love to start shooting this new (to me) .17, but i'll be miserable if I can't lay a coyote down, because of an explosive round.
If it's a head on sht, i'd like to know I can penetrate 7-8 inches into the chest.
Mike73

The 20 grain version using the TNT Speer hollow-point is as good as it gets as far as penetration goes. My take is none of the rimfires are much on coyotes even though all will kill em with perfect shot placement, the HMR is no exception.
I love the little sucker but for me it's an outstanding gopher gun that's pretty effective on bigger rodents at reasonable ranges. That said it was all I had with me once out in a buddy's pasture when I saw a fair sized badger. He'd a wrung my neck if he found out I saw a badger and didn't even try to kill it. Long story short I leaned across the hood of my pickup off a bag and tried to head shoot it at about 165 yards. The wind moved it an inch or so more than I reckoned and I hit it in the neck with a 17 grain V-Max out of a Hornady. It took one big bite a dirt, it's tail quivered a bit and it was toast. Does that make it an effective badger rifle? Not to me but it worked well in this case and my buddy was pleased. Just my 2cents.

Yeah, good points. Not sure why I bought it, other than it was a good deal. I'd like to think I could handle anything up to a yote, but
if it won't, oh well. Guess I could rid the farm of pigeons and crows......

Even a 22Mag is marginal on a coyote without perfect shot placement (or luck!).

Sorry if I'm steering away from the thread, but how does that 5mm shoot? I read that back when they came out they were accurate, but nothing to write home about.

Shot placement! Shot placement! Shot placement!! DO NOT SHOOT A BULL IN HE ASS WITH A B-B Gun and expect him to fall!! The 17HMR is a wonderfully accurate little rimfire round that will dispatch gophers, praire dogs even large eastern groundhogs with aplomb with SHOT PLACEMENT and that is the wonderfully amazing thing about the 17HMR's.........their inherrent accurracy. For coyotes, I'd rather have a bit more gun as in one of the centerfires from 17 on up to the 224's! BTDT!! Charlie (GHD)

quote:

Originally posted by Flippy:
Even a 22Mag is marginal on a coyote without perfect shot placement (or luck!).

Sorry if I'm steering away from the thread, but how does that 5mm shoot? I read that back when they came out they were accurate, but nothing to write home about.

Hi Flippy,
The 5mm shoots OK. The stock 591 model is a bit narrow for me, alot like tring to sight down a broomstick. It hits with noticebly more authority than the 22WM at 100 yards, on the steel plates. I played with the trigger some,and made it tolerable. she'll group close to a 1" 3 shot group @ 100, but the vintage 4X redfield wih the 1/8" thick crosshairs does it no justice. I would have no problem with dropping a yote with it within 80 yards.
The new ammo has alot of "snot" to it.
I thought if they made a solid for the 17, it may do the trick within reason too.
Mike73

I bought a new model 592 tube fed 5MM Mag when it first came out for about $85.00 as memory serves. A few years later it seemed a box of ammo was going for that. That had a lot to do with why after deciding I liked the HMR (as in "really" liked it), I stocked up on ammo for it while it was still $6.99 a box (as in "really" stocked up) . While I'm totally convinced now that this one isn't going away that ammo sure has gotten spendy, looks like I made a wise decision for once.
My, "oops", , I mean my "wife's" CZ452 varmint in HMR is her stomp down hope to die FAVORITE P-dog and gopher rifle. After she "Claimed" it, sad to tell I unfortunately had to buy myself a new one ,I was so heart broken I bought myself an Anschutz .
I'd sure shoot that thing before selling it, ya might just like it. I sure do!

20 grain xtp and a fmj, I think made by CCI. Both will work well for your use, head shots.

quote:

Originally posted by Moorepower:
20 grain xtp and a fmj, I think made by CCI. Both will work well for your use, head shots.

Even on pigs @ 50 yds, --Very Impressive, I was amazed.

I stand corrected!
Having stocked up on ammo a long time back I haven't kept up with the new stuff and sure haven't seen any on shelves. That said it changes my opinion of the .17HMR as a small game round but it still isn't a coyote round in my personal opinion. I noticed the ft. lbs. of energy at 100 yards are rated at 137 with the game point and 140 with the FMJ.
Thanks for the info on the new products.

The 20 grain Hornady XTP load gives the best balance of penetration and expansion, but it still doesn't elevate the HMR to coyote-capable status. Yes, it may kill them under perfect conditions, but those seldom exist under normal hunting situations.

The .22 WMR, while far from optimum, delivers much more authority on coyote-sized animals. I've used it quite a bit over the years, and inside of 100 yards, 'cats and coyotes don't stand a chance. The old 38 grain PLHP load for the 5mm was effective as well.

If I HAD to use a 17 HMR for 'yotes, I'd limit shots to 40-50 yards and only pull the trigger if everything was perfect -- and that means NOT shooting into the shoulder.

I have several more ideal guns, but for head shots at 100 yds , mine is plenty accurate. FYI, that is not to say I use it for coyotes.

a 20 grain FMJ version is now being loaded also now... it doubles the penetration capabilities of the round...

quote:

Originally posted by seafire2:
a 20 grain FMJ version is now being loaded also now... it doubles the penetration capabilities of the round...

Yep, even saw some of these rounds at our local Walmart.

I haven't personally used them, but some guys I took PD hunting back in May sure went through enough of them to sink a battle ship. I've fallin in love with my 204 and leave the 17 for dunebuggy trips after jack rabbits, which is a whole 'nother experience!

The 17HMR is a wonderfully accurate rimfire chambering that offers quick dispatch of small vermin with more efficiency and accuracy than was ever previously available with other rimfires up to about 125 yards.......200 yards with experienced shooters and good optics,(personally have confirmed witnessed kills out to 236 yards on groundhogs((this one was a big one, 12.5lbs))but do not recommend it it for larger vermin(cats and yotes)! Will it kill a deer?(they are vermin also in a lot of the country!) YEP!! Put that little 17 grain VMax in that dimple in the back of a whitetails neck and it will fall right there.......DRT!!Dead Right There!! Shoot a fox or yote in the shouder at 125 yards and you have just subjected an animal to a slow and painful death or a slow and painful recovery from a wound. I love the 17HMR for it's accuracy but also am aware of it's limitations! As Clint Eastwood said, "A mans' gotta know his limitations!" For the big vermin, use one of the centerfires from 17 on up to dispatch with authority! And again I would say, "shot placement, shot placement, shot placement!" Whether it's a 17HMR or a 300WinMag, a poor placed shot is a whole lot worse than a miss!! Charlie (GHD)

I believe the combination of 17HMR and penetration qualifies as an oxymoron.