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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 23,686 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 23,686 Likes: 1 |
Hornady 17gr vmax rounds weren’t very impressive today on a groundhog at 100yds. First shot in the boiler room, it took off. Walked back to the garden and it was flopping around behind my shop. Another round at 15 yds same placement, still twitching, head shot it. Killed 3 others out of the garden this week with 55gr Vmax out of my .223. The .17hmr is suppressed so rather use it , Is there a better round for varmints?
Last edited by jackmountain; 06/15/22.
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,952 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,952 Likes: 2 |
Hornady XTP or CCI Gamepoint if you need to get a little deeper.
Probably still get same reaction though if shot through the airbags.
It's what lung shot critters do sometimes.
Last edited by 10gaugemag; 06/15/22.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 17,333 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 17,333 Likes: 3 |
Flopping around is the fun stuff!
Screw you! I'm voting for Trump again!
Ecc 10:2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but that of a fool to the 24HCF.
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 23,686 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 23,686 Likes: 1 |
Flopping around is the fun stuff! Not a fan of the flopping around. More of a DRT guy. I have no problem with killing, but want it to be as efficient as possible. I cried at the end of Bambi.
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,952 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,952 Likes: 2 |
Even head shots have a little flopping, sometimes more.
If you want DRT every time stick with the 223 and explosive bullets.
Last edited by 10gaugemag; 06/15/22.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,383 Likes: 3
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,383 Likes: 3 |
OP - you are asking more out of the 17 HMR than it was designed for. The 17 HMR is a fantastic round for Richardson's ground squirrels and similar small species, asking for it preform well on something as large as a ground hog is just a step too far.
I suspect that there will be some replies that they have killed rockchucks and grounhogs with the 17 HMR, if that it the case my reply is that I have killed them with a 22 LR but it is not the idea round anymore than the 17 HMR is. Step up to a centerfire for DRT moments on groundhogs.
drover
223 Rem, my favorite cartridge - you can't argue with truckloads of dead PD's and gophers.
24hourcampfire.com - The site where there is a problem for every solution.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,810
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,810 |
For me its the 20 grain XTP
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,950 Likes: 21
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,950 Likes: 21 |
OP - you are asking more out of the 17 HMR than it was designed for. The 17 HMR is a fantastic round for Richardson's ground squirrels and similar small species, asking for it preform well on something as large as a ground hog is just a step too far. You need to get out more......
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 23,686 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 23,686 Likes: 1 |
For me its the 20 grain XTP I’ll try this.
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 23,686 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 23,686 Likes: 1 |
OP - you are asking more out of the 17 HMR than it was designed for. The 17 HMR is a fantastic round for Richardson's ground squirrels and similar small species, asking for it preform well on something as large as a ground hog is just a step too far. You need to get out more...... Stunt shooter ^^
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,283
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 3,283 |
Yep , the 20 gr penetrates better , but some rifles don’t shoot them as well as the 17 gr . Have killed groundhogs out to 180 yds and can’t recall a lot of flopping . High brisket or head shots ends it pretty quick . It’s a bad ass little rd . Kenneth
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Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 371
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 371 |
20gr HPs (they don’t feed well in a t-bolt unfortunately).
Pitter Patter!
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,952 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 18,952 Likes: 2 |
A bud swears by the TNT load for coons in buildings.
Never shoots through em, might be a good choice.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,229
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,229 |
I shoot the A!7s in my 17HMRs because they run a little faster and more speed equals more kinetic energy to dump on a live target.
That said, I prefer to shoot animals weighing over 10+/- lbs. with the .22MAG because the heavier bullets seem to penetrate better and kill more effectively than the 17HMR. i shot a couple of coons when I got my first 17HMR back in 2004 and was so disappointed that I went back to using the .22MAG.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,056 Likes: 9
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,056 Likes: 9 |
Yep, I also use the A17s. Not sure if that is the same Hornedee bullet or not, but damn they shoot good and hit hard. Shot a fox squirrel at 175 yards, and it dropped out of the little tree like tied to a cinder block. Also shot a chuck at about 50 yards, and it didn't go a foot.
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 23,506
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 23,506 |
I shoot the A!7s in my 17HMRs because they run a little faster and more speed equals more kinetic energy to dump on a live target.
That said, I prefer to shoot animals weighing over 10+/- lbs. with the .22MAG because the heavier bullets seem to penetrate better and kill more effectively than the 17HMR. i shot a couple of coons when I got my first 17HMR back in 2004 and was so disappointed that I went back to using the .22MAG. Being an avid 17 hmr and 17 wsm shooter for small furs. I’d say this is a pretty fair assessment 👍🏼 I killed badgers with my hmr. Ear hole shot kills em, right quick. Body shot, might take a few more IME. 🦫
Curiosity Killed the Cat & The Prairie Dog “Molon Labe”
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,274 Likes: 11
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,274 Likes: 11 |
I shoot the A!7s in my 17HMRs because they run a little faster and more speed equals more kinetic energy to dump on a live target.
That said, I prefer to shoot animals weighing over 10+/- lbs. with the .22MAG because the heavier bullets seem to penetrate better and kill more effectively than the 17HMR. i shot a couple of coons when I got my first 17HMR back in 2004 and was so disappointed that I went back to using the .22MAG. Being an avid 17 hmr and 17 wsm shooter for small furs. I’d say this is a pretty fair assessment 👍🏼 I killed badgers with my hmr. Ear hole shot kills em, right quick. Body shot, might take a few more IME. 🦫 I got rid of my .17 HMR for that reason. Still have a couple .22 mags...We ain't got any ground squirrels around here.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 165
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 165 |
I’ve killed over 100 groundhogs with the 20 grain XTPs, not by choice (I prefer the good ol’ .22 Mag for rimfire chuck shooting) but because the frangibility of the little HMR bullet and (to me) a slightly quieter report than the WMR was preferable in the close-in areas I was forced to use it on. Will have to admit the killing ability of the little round on our big Eastern ‘chucks surprised this usual centerfire groundhog hunter; I killed ‘em DRT regularly out to 130 yards, and one yearling at 200+ (freak shot.) Shot placement and a long-enough barrel are the keys.
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,487 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,487 Likes: 1 |
CCI gamepoints work the best for me on Foxes, Sod Poodles and Jackrabbits.
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