Wanting a rifle/cartridge between a rimfire & 22-250 - considering a CZ 17 hornet anybody used this on bigger predators like coyotes ?
I know shot placement is everything and all that just curious if folks think it's ok - great - lacking etc. .
Efficient lil bugger , thinking the 25-30gr bullets would kill pretty well and not 22-250 a bobcat pelt .

I'm on the same quest as you but I'm going to try 22-250 with Seafire's bluedot loads and 35-45gr bullets first.
Reducing the speeds and keeping some midrange killing power gives me something to play with but an excuse to buy a new rifle is fun too.

Good Luck!

never had any trouble killing them (and other stuff) with the 20 gr vmaxes.....

I know a 17HMR will stop a coyote in his tracks at 150 yards.

Are you loading your own for that Don?

Yeah. But I stuck with the 20 grainers.....

Good stuff , Don I like that Ruger , appears to kill stuff . Is it accurate ? Fussy on loads ?
Are exits rare on coyote/bobcat size critters ?

Still kicking myself for passing on a cz 17H that had been cerakoted - bolt worked to help with lower scope mounting for $75 less than a new one ..

I killed a pig in Texas last December with the 17H (base of the ear.... it's all about shot placement). Didn't get a chance at Coyotes, Bobcats and Fox like I hoped, but I have a feeling if a songdog comes within 100-150yds of my 17H, he'll wish he hadn't.

I'm up to three of them, small sample, I know. 160 to 190 yards. All dead. My avatar is one of them.

Shot placement shot placement shot placement.

Huntsman knows guns and how to make stuff git kilt.no doubt

True, dat.

I've taken 4 coyotes with my CZ 527 17 Hornet and the farthest one has run was maybe 20 yards. The 2 in the picture were both at about 175 yards out and both dropped in their tracks from the 20gr vmax. I've got some of the 25gr Hornady hollow points that I haven't had a chance to use on coyotes yet, but they should work really well. If I'm going out specifically for coyotes I'll usually take my 204 or 223, but the 17 Hornet is a great one to take when I'm out for chucks or jacks and think I might also come across coyotes.

Hell, give him a sling shot and he could kill most everything that any one kills with a .270.

coyotes have a will to live,here in Minnesota coyotes are a little bigger and do die hard plus we don`t like to wreck the hides in the winter either .we use hounds alot and do some callin also ,but i now have went to using a 220 Swift cartridge with 60 gr. Nosler Partitions reason is this cartridge shoots out a long ways flat and this Partition bullet does wreck the hide to much. my friends all use 220 Swifts too and that is handy if one of us needs ammo too. if we are in thick stuff huntin cats we just use 22 hornets then or shotguns.

For my needs, I have to ask how would it perform on the neighbors' cats?

Overkill..... the 17 mach II is purr-fect for such......

I had several co yotes run off when hit solid on broadside shots with a 17 AH shooting 20g Berger MEF's @ 3550 fps, so don't use that bullet.

I had a bad experience with the 20 grain VMAX at .17 Rem speeds on a coyote's shoulder, so I'd suggest the 25 grain HP or VMAX if coyotes are on the menu. Anything smaller like rock chucks, fox, raccoon and ditch tigers are no match for that bullet and speed.

Huntsman obviously has not had that experience with the 20 grain VMAX, so maybe mine was a fluke or slowing that 20 grain VMAX to .17 hornet speeds is the trick. Either way the .17 Hornet is a nasty one on small to medium sized critters at normal ranges. I've been impressed with it out of the few I have played with.

I killed a coyote earlier this week (having trouble getting the pictures to embed) that succumbed to a 20 gr V Max from my 17 Rem. Not the optimum bullet, in my limited experience. The 17 or 22 rimfires are about the minimum for coyote-sized varmints, but there is a lot of room between the 17 HMR and the 17 Rem, and lots of good bullets. You should be able to find something you really like. A 17 Hornady Hornet will be my next toy and I expect it will do a good job on coyotes and a better one on prairie dogs.

The hide hunters often mention that the light bullets tend to leave only an entrance hole. I can verify that.

We killed a butt load of coyotes with custom 17 Rem and 17 Mach 4 wiht 25g Berger target, just don't hit them behind the diaphragm.