.17 Hmr

[WILF 46,645]

After a general purpose rifle to rattle vermin including foxes, a dedicated fox rifle will be too much gun as I want it for crows as well......question is, is the .17 hmr upto the job of the odd fox?........any opinions on a decent killing range? ( I don't want to just injure anything)

 

Cheers chaps

[shropshire dan 467]

Hmr will certainly drop a fox with a head shot out to 100 yards maybe a little more. I had a hmr and chest shot vixen and cub at 60 yards moving shots cub ran 10 meters mum needed another shot so a head shot is a must in my opinion as with a .22lr

 

After this I replaced the hmr with a .22-250 and kept the .22lr for everything else

[Elliott 436]

If fox is on the cards I'd suggest you go for a small centrefire and reload to keep the ammo costs down (25p per round in my 22 Hornet) or go for a rimfire with a little bit more welly like the WMR and keep the fox ranges sub 100 yards

Edited August 10, 2016 by Elliott

[ianm 2,594]

If fox is on the cards i personally wouldn't bother with hmr, (many do, but i don't). Instead i went for .17 hornet which imo is a great little vermin rifle. Fox out to 200yds, crows, rabbits etc out to 300yds and cheap to load for. Although it isn't really a volume rabbit rifle, if i was shooting hundreds a week i would go for something else.

[WILF 46,645]

Cheers lads

[Jax13 251]

If your leaning towards it being used for fox on a fairly regular basis I'd go wmr rather than hmr.

 

Having used both on fox, the wmr is going to give you headshot accuracy out to 100 yards easily and beyond once you know how it behaves.

 

Me and my shooting buddy use both cals out to a known 200 yards on bunnys and 100 - 120 ish on fox purely because they need one in the head, even at closer range we have had runners with both calibres but wmr does seem more effective on body shots (though far from ideal imo)

 

It all depends on if your looking for a fox rifle to take bunnies with or a bunny rifle to take the odd fox with. 22 hornet can be reloaded for the same or less than vmax wmr can be bought so even if your looking at it as a volume rifle, don't rule out the hornet as the reloading setup will pay for itself and you will have a solid 200yd bunny & fox tool that is far more reliable and accurate than both rf options.

[Deker 3,478]

The HMR easily has the efficiency to stop a fox at 200 yards, as regards its effective range, that comes down to the person holding the rifle, few would say anything much over 100 yards.

 

If I'm after fox and know they will be 150yards or more then I would never grab the HMR as first choice, but I don't have an issue taking them at that distance if the circumstances warrant it and the situation is right, this went down at 130 yards last week with the HMR, everything was right and I was confident in the shot, I would have been no more confident if I was using a .243!

Of course headshots work well, but I'm not sure why people keep saying headsot, put a HMR V-Max anywhere in the right place and the fox falls down

 

Someone mentioned WMR above, fine, I may even agree that "my" WMR with 30g V-Max may just have the edge on the HMR on fox, but dead is dead, and personally I don't see the WMR as a general vermin calibre, I see the HMR fitting that bill better.

 

Edited August 22, 2016 by Deker

[Jaggsy 25]

Get a fox calibre its simple! I can't stand reading this crap about conditions being right and we all know people will push the boundaries. Have a little professionalism and humaneness and make sure you do everything you can to lessen the chances of the animal suffering or being injured.

 

"Oh look there's a fox... hmm it's night time let me assess the distance oh and with this pissy little round i better check wind drift too, ah seems ok, fire!"

 

Let me put it another way... if someone is going to shoot me I want them to get the job done, not die later through wounding or suffocate on blood in the airways.

 

And if your going to be shot do you really want to starve to death with a smashed jaw in intense pain?

Really think about that.

 

 

Its that simple there's no argument.

[jacknife 2,005]

There is an argument....i shoot many foxes with my HMR on an area where nothing but rimmfires can be used

[Deker 3,478]

Get a fox calibre its simple! I can't stand reading this crap about conditions being right and we all know people will push the boundaries. Have a little professionalism and humaneness and make sure you do everything you can to lessen the chances of the animal suffering or being injured.

 

"Oh look there's a fox... hmm it's night time let me assess the distance oh and with this pissy little round i better check wind drift too, ah seems ok, fire!"

 

Let me put it another way... if someone is going to shoot me I want them to get the job done, not die later through wounding or suffocate on blood in the airways.

 

And if your going to be shot do you really want to starve to death with a smashed jaw in intense pain?

Really think about that.

 

 

Its that simple there's no argument.

 

:laugh:

 

Strikes me you have a very narrow view and very little experience, either or both, and/or simply can't shoot straight!

 

There is a lot of argument... and you check distance and wind drift with EVERY calibre, or do you believe that is only necessary with rimfires?!!

 

What is a fox calibre, who are you to decide, I shoot loads of foxes with rimfires of all sorts and they work, so they are a fox calibre...right! Don't give me this bull that you need a centrefire, and don't come out with some crap about a dedicated fox calibre. I have shot fox with virtually everything between .22lr and .308, and shotguns, they ALL work when used appropriately!

 

People may well push the boundaries with ANY calibre, so where do you stop, how about a .5, just in case the numb nuts can't shoot straight?!

 

You don't give an incompetent idiot a bigger calibre to make up for their shortcomings, you educate them.

 

If you can't educate them you still don't give them a bigger calibre, that's stupid!

 

If I shot you with a HMR you wouldn't get up, because I wouldn't use it unless I was confident in the outcome!

Edited August 19, 2016 by Deker

[Jaggsy 25]

 

Get a fox calibre its simple! I can't stand reading this crap about conditions being right and we all know people will push the boundaries. Have a little professionalism and humaneness and make sure you do everything you can to lessen the chances of the animal suffering or being injured.

 

"Oh look there's a fox... hmm it's night time let me assess the distance oh and with this pissy little round i better check wind drift too, ah seems ok, fire!"

 

Let me put it another way... if someone is going to shoot me I want them to get the job done, not die later through wounding or suffocate on blood in the airways.

 

And if your going to be shot do you really want to starve to death with a smashed jaw in intense pain?

Really think about that.

 

 

Its that simple there's no argument.

 

:laugh:

 

Strikes me you have a very narrow view and very little experience, either or both, and/or simply can't shoot straight!

 

There is a lot of argument... and you check distance and wind drift with EVERY calibre, or do you believe that is only necessary with rimfires?!!

 

What is a fox calibre, who are you to decide, I shoot loads of foxes with rimfires of all sorts and they work, so they are a fox calibre...right! Don't give me this bull that you need a centrefire, and don't come out with some crap about a dedicated fox calibre. I have shot fox with virtually everything between .22lr and .308, and shotguns, they ALL work when used appropriately!

 

People may well push the boundaries with ANY calibre, so where do you stop, how about a .5, just in case the numb nuts can't shoot straight?!

 

You don't give an incompetent idiot a bigger calibre to make up for their shortcomings, you educate them.

 

If you can't educate them you still don't give them a bigger calibre, that's stupid!

 

 

 

If I shot you with a HMR you wouldn't get up, because I wouldn't use it unless I was confident in the outcome!

 

 

 

It strikes me that you've made quite a few assumptions, maybe I should drive over and you can educate me?

 

 

 

[David Aiken 253]

 

Get a fox calibre its simple! I can't stand reading this crap about conditions being right and we all know people will push the boundaries. Have a little professionalism and humaneness and make sure you do everything you can to lessen the chances of the animal suffering or being injured.

 

"Oh look there's a fox... hmm it's night time let me assess the distance oh and with this pissy little round i better check wind drift too, ah seems ok, fire!"

 

Let me put it another way... if someone is going to shoot me I want them to get the job done, not die later through wounding or suffocate on blood in the airways.

 

And if your going to be shot do you really want to starve to death with a smashed jaw in intense pain?

Really think about that.

 

 

Its that simple there's no argument.

My license has fox on my hmr. I'm confident shooting foxes with my hmr. I have shot many foxes with my hmr. I consider it a decent fox gun. As for windage and distance surely you take that into account with any caliber gun on any quarry ? I have a 22 250 does that mean if I'm out with that I can shoot fox from here to tim buck two? I've also shot foxes at around 40 yard with 22 250. Is this overkill should I have went home and got the hmr. Hmr will shoot for to a certain distance comfy.

 

 

 

 

I to have .17 HMR conditioned for fox, I do not consider it a decent fox round. Yes it kills fox, but is not as say my .223 a decent fox round. Just because the FAC say so, don't make it right. My .233 is open and conditioned for deer, yet in scotland it okay for roe but not in England. Just because the Scottish Parliament say you can, won't make a .223 a decent roe deer round, but of course, it will kill a roe deer. Who right on that one?

Edited August 19, 2016 by David Aiken

[delswal 3,819]

 

 

Get a fox calibre its simple! I can't stand reading this crap about conditions being right and we all know people will push the boundaries. Have a little professionalism and humaneness and make sure you do everything you can to lessen the chances of the animal suffering or being injured.

 

"Oh look there's a fox... hmm it's night time let me assess the distance oh and with this pissy little round i better check wind drift too, ah seems ok, fire!"

 

Let me put it another way... if someone is going to shoot me I want them to get the job done, not die later through wounding or suffocate on blood in the airways.

 

And if your going to be shot do you really want to starve to death with a smashed jaw in intense pain?

Really think about that.

 

 

Its that simple there's no argument.

My license has fox on my hmr. I'm confident shooting foxes with my hmr. I have shot many foxes with my hmr. I consider it a decent fox gun. As for windage and distance surely you take that into account with any caliber gun on any quarry ? I have a 22 250 does that mean if I'm out with that I can shoot fox from here to tim buck two? I've also shot foxes at around 40 yard with 22 250. Is this overkill should I have went home and got the hmr. Hmr will shoot for to a certain distance comfy.

 

 

 

 

I to have .17 HMR conditioned for fox, I do not consider it a decent fox round. Yes it kills fox, but is not as say my .223 a decent fox round. Just because the FAC say so, don't make it right. My .233 is open and conditioned for deer, yet in scotland it okay for roe but not in England. Just because the Scottish Parliament say you can, won't make a .223 a decent roe deer round, but of course, it will kill a roe deer. Who right on that one?

 

I would much prefer to shoot Roe with a .223 rather than a .243 …….but am I right? in my eyes yes

[delswal 3,819]

Deker hit the nail on the head, hit your quarry in the right place with the right calibre at the right range and its dead, all guns can kill, but can the shooter?

 

An old guy I know only has 1 rifle a .222 I once asked him "what other rifles do you have" he replied "none". I asked "why not" his reply was quite simple

 

"Because this one kills everything I shoot at"…………..Smart arsed old git.

[Deker 3,478]

This debate could run and run, as far as I'm concerned if you don't like the HMR for fox then don't use it, but don't tell the world it isn't up to the job.

 

You don't know any/everyone elses abilities, experience or circumstances.

 

I do this for a living, one area is getting rid of foxes in peoples gardens, it is a regular job for me, I don't remember the last time I used a centrefire, and I have NEVER missed one or had it run off.

 

Please don't tell me I don't know what I am doing, it seems I have a far more open mind and far more experience than many commentators here, or they would not be spouting the bull they are.

 

I have a lot of rifles to select from, I don't use rimfires because I have no other choice, I run .223, .243 and .308 as well, and several shotguns. I take out the most appropriate I consider for any given set of circumstances. It is very rare I take a .308 for fox, actually I don't think I ever have. Foxes are easy to train and can almost always be brought in close with a little thought/preparation, commonly if I shoot one with a centrefire it is opportunist when out after something else.

 

So, do what you like, but just because you don't rate it or feel confident, then please don't tell the rest of the world they are wrong for using it.

 

Edited August 20, 2016 by Deker