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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,971
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,971 |
I'm tempted to try my 17 HMR and go for head shots.
Thoughts ?
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 9,919
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 9,919 |
did your 22 fail you? Mine never did and I love the HMR for stuff your not going to eat
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,971
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,971 |
I've had a squirrel or two fall and crawl into a stump or someplace I can't find him, so I'm tempted to eliminate it.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,798
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,798 |
I hope to find out, next yr. Don't own a HMR, yet, but intend to rectify that, in the next 2 mos. Read somewhere that the 20 gr. Game point doesn't tear the squirrels up, as bad as the 17 gr. V-max.
maddog
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,291
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,291 |
If your rifle likes them the 20gr FMJ's eliminate decapitation yet still kill cleanly with headshots. That being said, I still prefer something quieter than the HMR in the squirrel woods. The .17HM2 is the "grail" of squirrel cartridges if you ask me....
X=VERMINATOR
Sooner or later our heritage of hunting is going to be a rich mans sport and the words "Outfitter" and "Hunt Industry" will be synonymous with cancer and A.I.D.S. among blue collar hunters like me and my family! (A.L. Williams - 2010)
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,576
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,576 |
The .17HM2 is the "grail" of squirrel cartridges if you ask me.... it is the bomb-diggity. i think back to the times as a kid when i hunted a big, open pecan orchard behind my grandparents house where i could see squirrels at a hundred yards...and they could see me. not that it wasnt fun banging away at them with an old iron sighted 22, but i was more of a nuisance than a threat. if i'd had a scoped mach2 back then, squirrels might be extinct in that area.
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,291
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,291 |
I hear ya.....A good set of binoculars, a quality 4x12 with a fine duplex or target dot, and an accurate rifle chambered in 17HM2 is as deadly a tree rat trio as you can get. I hope it survives!
X-VERMINATOR
Sooner or later our heritage of hunting is going to be a rich mans sport and the words "Outfitter" and "Hunt Industry" will be synonymous with cancer and A.I.D.S. among blue collar hunters like me and my family! (A.L. Williams - 2010)
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,120
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,120 |
My mom demanded cleaned, head-shot squirrels if she was going to cook them up for us. We used a Mossberg that is still in my gun safe, a 4x Lyman Alaskan in Weaver mounts sat on top and we used shorts only. We learned a couple of important life lessons, patience, trigger squeeze, and that Mom really was the best teacher that we had.
Terry
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,232
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,232 |
I used my HMR on limb chickens a few times and didn't like it. Way more than neccesary at woods ranges {that's where squacks live here} in power, destruction and trajectory with expanding bullets and FMJ's don't kill as well as .22 LR HP's. The [bleep]' thing is neither hay nor grass for squirrels as far as I can tell.
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,813
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,813 |
I'm forbidden from my Brother-in-Law to shoot them in the body with my .17 HMR. He says they area mess to clean. But I still prefer it over the .22. They don't get away LOL. I vote for whatever your heart desires. Variety is the spice of life!
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,437
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,437 |
An accurate .22LR and head shots has worked well for me for many years.
μολὼν λαβέ
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,777
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,777 |
17 hm2 would be the way to go but the hmr will kill them for sure. will be somewhat messy tho.
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 919
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 919 |
Most of my shots at squirrels are close. (under 20 yrds). I wanted just a little more power than a .22LR. I found the answer along time ago in the 25-20 WCF. This number was popular around the early 1900's. I drive an 86gr JSP at around 1350fps. The load will drop a squirrel with a body shot and no excessive meat distruction. I once drove one length wise through a squirrel. I also use an 80gr plane base cast bullet load with equal effect. Both loads hit at the same point of impact. 5 gr of Unique for the JSP and 4.5gr of the same powder for the cast bullet. Both loads use a small pistol primer. My rifle ia a Marlin 1894CL. It is hard to find a rifle in this caliber today but if you can you should give it a try.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 19,722
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 19,722 |
Squirrels a good quality pellet gun is all you need.
NRA Lifetime Member
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,971
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,971 |
HM2 is much flatter than a 22.
Anyone used a HM2 on Squirrels ?
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,576
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,576 |
HM2 is much flatter than a 22. Anyone used a HM2 on Squirrels ? i usually start off with a .22, but after leaves drop, its usually mach2's from there on.
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Joined: May 2002
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9,991 |
I actually get more excited about squirrel hunting than I do deer hunting.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,885
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,885 |
Squirrels a good quality pellet gun is all you need. Agreed. Pellet rifles are illegal in Texas for game animals, which squirrels are.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country." Robert E. Lee
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,798
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,798 |
I actually get more excited about squirrel hunting than I do deer hunting. Any more, me too. I have an H&R Sportster .22 that I have had an absolute ball, hunting squirrels with, this fall. Just for the hellofit, I'm going to buy the same gun in HMR to do some late season hunting with, next fall. maddog
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,900
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,900 |
I actually get more excited about squirrel hunting than I do deer hunting. It can be a lot of fun! Deer hunting can get to be work. I also get to play with my rimfires....Just conked one in the head at 35yds with an "old school" Westernfield 855 semi auto (Mossberg 351). What a blast!!! That old rifle works a LOT better than the 100.00 price tag would suggest. Also have Mossy 340BA, a Stevens Crackshot, and a Marlin .17 that need to go out and play.
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