There is a difference between hitting the head, and hitting the brain. Lots of now deceased former elephant hunters know this all too well. Plenty of deer get thier jaws and such blown off by Davey Crocket wannabees every year. If you cannot kill it with a chest shot, get a bigger rifle, period. I stand by my comments. At the origin of the post, the point that was trying to be made was the superiority of the 17HMR to a 22 MAgnum. Now we are to beleive that the intent of this idea this was relgated to brain shots. Not flying so well here.
Sorry, a chest hit coyote, hit by a 40gr HP from a 22 Magnum at ranges of 75 or so yards or less is a very dead yodeler. Won't go all that far either. Longer range - get your 222 or similar. No longer rimfire suitable.
Safariman,
Actually, I am fine with the origional topic of this thread. As a rimfire round overall ,the 17HMR IS superior to a .22 mag. And ,I know all about the anotomy of an animal's skull thank you.
No need to be "Dave Crockett" -just a competent rifle shot. Which many folks in this world are NOT, so they blame their armament.
A 40g bullet at 1,900FPS does not elevate the 22 mag into centerfire level of performance. It is still literally HALF the rifle that the little .22 Hornet is.
Inside 75 yards,if someone feels the need to take chest shots on coyotes with a rimfire, the 22 mag WILL NOT kill coyote 'em any deader than a 17HMR will with 20 grain slugs... Actually, with lung hits ,a 40g 22 mag load won't kill them any better than a 22LR with hollowpoints.
They all produce a holes going in and going out with a runner to be trailed 90% of the time.
No 22-250 "smackdown" with any of them.. Which is why I say and stand by based on experience- that C.N.S. hits are the only way to go on something as large as a Coyote with a rimfire.
