Moosemike: I think one of the most impressive things I have done with a rimfire (at least I thought so at the time) was a one shot DRT kill on a big Boar Badger as it emerged from its den and stared at me while I touched one off with my Ruger 77/17 V/T (in caliber 17 HMR) with Weaver V-16 scope.
I knew it was a long shot but did not have time to laser range the suspicious Varmint as he was just laying half in and half out of his burrow.
At full 16 power I aimed right between his eyes and hit him right in the Adams Apple!
That Badger never even twitched after my shot.
We did take my camera and Leica laser rangefinder out to him and lasered back to my VarmintMobile where I had shot from and the Leica read 172 yards!
Since that shot many years ago I have come to expect amazing things from this rimfire dynamo (the 17 HMR).
But the most amazing thing I have seen done with a rimfire was a shot my long time friend, the late Ron Kesselring, made with his CZ heavy barrel Rifle in 17 HMR.
The shot was taken from inside his Suburban which was filled with four Varmint Hunters total and each Hunter had a window and window bag to aid in Ground Squirrel Hunting.
I had spotted a Weasel darting in and out of a stone pile at the far end of an Alfalfa field and Ron wanted to take a shot at it.
He asked me to laser it once he spotted it himself and the Leica laser rangefinder (which I had purchased at Ron's gunshop!) read 242 yards to the rockpile!
Ron quickly killed that Weasel with ONE SHOT!
That my friends is a tough thing to do as Weasels are about 1 1/2" wide and are virtually always moving.
He had to wait for that critter to stop moving for an instant and still have the ability to squeeze of the shot while maintaining holdover at that amazing distance - all the while 3 other Varmint Hunters are wiggling around and twitching and laughing and cajoling.
Simply put, that was one of them most amazing shots on any game animal or Varmint, I have ever witnessed.
Long live the 17 HMR.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
