advise on what to buy

[lee8375dogs 9]

Hello guys i am expecting my firearms cert in a few weeks i have put down for a .17hmr . Today i visited my local gun shop and told him i was looking for a .17hmr he advised me against this as they are so unaccurate in even a slight wind and rain and recommended a 22 i am looking for something to shoot crows and rabbits about 100 yards plus and even a fox at 50-100 yards what are your recomondations . I have many air rifles and do know about medium to high winds but even with a air rifle i have had successful nights lamping is a .17hmr more sensitive on accuraties in certain conditions than an air rifles and he also said a 22 would be much more quiet for what i want yours veiws would be much apprechiated

[David B Allen 0]

Hello guys i am expecting my firearms cert in a few weeks i have put down for a .17hmr . Today i visited my local gun shop and told him i was looking for a .17hmr he advised me against this as they are so unaccurate in even a slight wind and rain and recommended a 22 i am looking for something to shoot crows and rabbits about 100 yards plus and even a fox at 50-100 yards what are your recomondations . I have many air rifles and do know about medium to high winds but even with a air rifle i have had successful nights lamping is a .17hmr more sensitive on accuraties in certain conditions than an air rifles and he also said a 22 would be much more quiet for what i want yours veiws would be much apprechiated

 

 

The .17Hmr has been around for the genral public since 2002 many shooter use them but the are no way as near as popular as .22 Lr Rimfire for a number or reasons

 

• The rifle cost more in the first place.
• The rounds are very expensive compared to .22 Lr Rimfire, just about three time the cost and that makes a big difference when you start using upwards of a 1000 rounds a week.
• Unless I'm very wrong there isn't a Subsonic .17Hmr round so you have the noise factor even with a sound mod.

As to the remake of shooting fox with a .17Hmr or .22 Lr Rimfire . . . not a very good idea, unless you're very good or lucky you'll just piss a fox off at range; just my view no doubt other shooter have their own views.

 

Many shooters like the faster round and the added range but there will always pro's and con's between .22 Lr Rimfire and .17Hmr

 

That should start things off.

 

[Wullz 408]

I have used both, the .17 is a cracking little round. Very fast, flat and accurate. Devastating on bunnies at greateer distance than the .22. I have heard its not so good in a wind, but have not tried, so wont comment. All I can say is its a great round, try it, I'm sure you would like it. As previous, there are cons, its noisy, very noisy compared to a .22 and it does cost a lot more. However it wont richochet the same as a .22......something to consider depending on your ground.

I will always have a .22, for the noise factor, the cost of the rounds and they are fun to shoot....very good round. Excellent for rabbits, rats and other vermin....you gotta have one in your cabinet, very handy.

[andyf 144]

Hello guys i am expecting my firearms cert in a few weeks i have put down for a .17hmr . Today i visited my local gun shop and told him i was looking for a .17hmr he advised me against this as they are so unaccurate in even a slight wind and rain and recommended a 22 i am looking for something to shoot crows and rabbits about 100 yards plus and even a fox at 50-100 yards what are your recomondations . I have many air rifles and do know about medium to high winds but even with a air rifle i have had successful nights lamping is a .17hmr more sensitive on accuraties in certain conditions than an air rifles and he also said a 22 would be much more quiet for what i want yours veiws would be much apprechiated

You should have applied for both (17hmr and 22rf) as you would get them both with no problem assuming you are going to get a grant in the first place.

I bet your 'local' gunshop has a hidden agenda cos he has plenty of .22's for sale and none or not many 17's so don't listen to him.

The 17 definately does 'what it says on the tin' fast, accurate and an assured killing range out to 150 yards+, however the ammo is expensive compared to the .22,

Like £12 for 50 17HMR and £40 for 500 .22, so you ex airgun users better break open your piggybanks. Then there's the noise, if you have prickly 'Neighbours' on or

near your shooting then the 17 will not endear you to them if your firing every 5 minutes or so, but with a Subsonic .22 they won't even know your in the area!

Both calibres have their uses and devotees, me I'll stick to .22 Subs, and get used to a max range of 100 yards. AndyF

[lee8375dogs 9]

Thanks for your replys i know what you mean about the cost of bullets but if you want to play you have to pay but is the .17hmr that sensitive as some so call shooters say they are thats all i hear is positive things about them well do you think i should swap the 222 to a 22 for foxes as can i still do this in my interveiw and then what ? 22 rimefire or centre fire tough choices easier when i bought my shotguns

 

 

[pestcontrol121 11]

Thanks for your replys i know what you mean about the cost of bullets but if you want to play you have to pay but is the .17hmr that sensitive as some so call shooters say they are thats all i hear is positive things about them well do you think i should swap the 222 to a 22 for foxes as can i still do this in my interveiw and then what ? 22 rimefire or centre fire tough choices easier when i bought my shotguns

If you are going to shoot fox please have a centrefire in your gun cabinet, as said the Hmr is great and the .22 rimrifle is good, if you can have all three .222 C/F .22Lr .17Hmr

[vitalspark 4]

unaccurate in even a slight wind and rain and recommended a 22 i am looking for something to shoot crows and rabbits about 100 yards plus and even a fox at 50-100 yards what are your recomondations .

 

Typical windage at 100 yards: 10mph windspeed (Force 3 wind), 3" windage (shift off target with wind at 90 degrees to shot trajectory); 20mph(approx Force 5)6" windage. Winds at 45 degrees to shot would give a windage of about 70% of these values. These are quite 'noticible' windspeeds yet the windage values are not excessive and are no worse than 22lr at this range and in some cases better. If you use a mil dot scope they fall into approximately 0.5 mil dots per 5mph wind change at 100 yards which is pretty handy.

 

A 22LR round has about half the energy at the muzzle and travels at less than half the speed of a 17hmr. The hmr can thus punch further and has a significantly flatter trajectory (some +/- 0.5" between 30 to 120 yards) with only about 2.5" drop at 150 yards, after which it drops off about an inch per 10 yards. Very impressive round.

Yes it is much louder, I'm guessing 130dB (at the muzzle) with a SAK mod on but if you are shooting at the longer ranges they don't know where the shot is coming from and they are dead anyway from the pinpoint accuracy )

The 17grn rounds turn to dust if they hit rocks so as said earlier much safer regards ricochet. Rounds fragment on entering the quarry and thus deliver max energy (it ain't gonna get up).

In the end it depends what you want the gun for. It is expensive for plinking although very satisfying. It is much louder than 22 subsonics but I just love the sound of the report, a lovely crack to it. If you can see the quarry at longer ranges you are more likely to hit it than with 22LR.

With twice the energy you are more likely to kill a fox at close ranges (50 yards max) although I think you would want to use 20grn non ballistic tips due to the bone density and stick to head shots. I suspect others could give you better advice on this point as I'm not sure of the legality of hunting fox with this calibre.

Bob

Edited June 18, 2011 by vitalspark

[jamie g 17]

i would go with the 22lr. but if you have fairly flat ground and its got flint in it then hmr would be better. less prone to get the zingers with the hmr then you are the 22lr

[zx10mike 137]

had both .17hmr was much better in my humble opinion,more accurate at longer ranges.as for the noise i have shot thirteen rabbits in one horse field one after the outher.yes they are spooked and make there way back but no more than by your lamp and the thud a 40g .22 bullet makes when it lands.and again its just one mans opinion but hmr is infanatley safer.each man has his own opinion tho.as for cost of ammo yes more pricey but if there hitting a rabbit head at 100yds each time and saving the meat its worth it.

 

 

[foxshooter69 6]

.17hmr for the rabbits, crows and the OCCASIONAL fox (upto 100m max) and .22 centrefire for fox

[salukiwhippet 6]

The HMR has to be the most overhyped cartridge around. For a 150 yard, still air bunny gun when you don't want to homeload fair enough, but no more than that. Ammo cost versus performance is ridiculous, terminal ballistics very variable, ammo QC seems iffy, and they DO richochet.

 

Not a calibre I'll ever have room for in my cabinet - .22lr and .22 hornet plus reloading gear makes so much more sense.

 

James

[stav#69 0]

i,ve used both 17hmr and 22lr and when i bought my own i got 17hmr. stav

[robbobsam 0]

On my initial FAC i had a 17hmr and a .22lr. After 6 months the 17hmr was sold and the .22lr was still going strong. The .22lr is very quiet and deadly on rabbits, hares, and corvids up to 75 yds and beyond. The 17hmr was very accurate if there was no wind but it is noisy and expensive to feed when compared to the .22lr. In addition I would be surprised if you could get a 17hmr for fox control as most police forces don't allow it. (Even though it stops them stone dead.) If you want my 2p's worth I would get a .22lr and a .223rem. The .22lr will stop everything up to 75yds easily and the .223rem with a 1 in 12 twist barrel will fire a 30 grain bullet at close to 4000fps for the foxes and long range rabbits.