HMR damage to rabbit meat

[Catweazle]

Someone asked what meat damage an HMR does to rabbits. I shot two this afternoon, here they are skinned but not gutted ( so you can see there are no secondary projectile wounds ). Top one was shot from the side, bottom from about 45 degrees front, both in the front of the chest / shoulder, which I have found drops them straight away - straight through the heart and lungs. Range was just over 100yds, ammunition was 17grn V-Max. There are no exit wounds on either rabbit and only tiny fragments of bullet remain.

 

Not a very interesting thread, I know, but someone considering an HMR might find it useful to know that it won't turn rabbits to pate.

[webber]

Interesting, but I find head shots have the desired effect and no meat damage.

 

webber

[The Duncan]

Interesting, but I find head shots have the desired effect and no meat damage.

 

webber

Likewise (but with a .22lr) and thanks for posting the pics CW - puts things into perspective

 

Cheers

 

Duncan

[linny]

Interesting, but I find head shots have the desired effect and no meat damage.

 

webber

front of the chest / shoulder, which I have found drops them straight away imm with weber head shot good pictures though

[mick miller]

Head shots all the way, no damage to the bits you sell.

[Catweazle]

I shoot them, they fall over dead without bouncing all over the field. That's good enough for me

[Frenchieboy]

Good and interesting post for those that say the HMR will "destroy" a rabbit unles it is a head shot. The main thing about meat damage with a 17HMR on rabbit (Unless it is a head shot) is the difference betwen what bones the bullet hits. I have had bullets that have gone straight through because they have not contacted any bone but others that have hit maybe the spine and have destroyed a lot of the meat and made a heck of a mess. When this happens they go to the foxes "Bait Station"!

As stated earlier, always go for the head shot if possible!

[Catweazle]

I'm not going to get into an argument about headshot rabbits, I head shoot them with an air rifle and a 22LR and HMR. However, the HMR shot into the shoulder destroys the heart and lungs and is a bigger killzone than the brain, so for me that's a valid killzone at 100yds+. I wouldn't shoot them there if they weren't dropping like stones. There wouldn't be much point in me posting a pic of a headshot rabbit to show meat damage would there.

 

I've seen the same killzone used with 22WMR, that works fine too.

[Si-Bore]

When I got my first HMR 5 years ago the damage was significantly more than what the current ballistic tips do. I have friends and others on the forum who back this up. I don't think they are as frangible as they once were and a few topics have caused an interest on this subject. I have no probs shooting them in the heart/lung area and eating them. The game dealer doesn't mind either as long as the backs are not smashed as processing them becomes more difficult.

Headshots are obviously the best way to ensure perfect meat - unless its front on and in line with the body.

Si

[John_R]

I've shot a few rabbits in the shoulder with the HMR when taking longer free-standing shots. I found much the same as you, the entire saddle and back legs was undamaged, so I just cut off the front and kept the rest.

[al4x]

I've shot a few rabbits in the shoulder with the HMR when taking longer free-standing shots. I found much the same as you, the entire saddle and back legs was undamaged, so I just cut off the front and kept the rest.

 

 

exactly, there is naff all on the front end really so i'd prefer a rapid humane kill

[Dave-G]

Good post but this causes me concern: "There are no exit wounds on either rabbit and only tiny fragments of bullet remain."

 

That's my experience too - which indicates the sharp fragments of the bullet are still somewhere in the meat - which might cost the game dealer future sales to the affected customer. I have frequently felt sharp HMR fragments under the skin of rabbits as I pee or clean them out. I often see quotes that a spoiled rabbit unfit for the human chain gets fed to dogs or ferrets, that sounds too risky to me.

 

If it's to be taken away then headshots only for me.

[Catweazle]

It's not a shot you'd take if you were taking them to a game dealers, but if you just cut the front off the rabbit in my opinion it's fine to eat or give to your dogs. I guess that modern regulations might not agree, I read that lead bullets could be illegal on deer in the future.

[southeastpete]

well thanks for that catweazle, just got onto a proper pc to take a look. I had just seen some vids on youtube where the rabbits seemed to diusintegrate sometimes! I am thinking about getting my fac to get bunnies for the pot, but qould want to be taking them further than 50 yards, so not the .22 rf.

thanks again

pete

[Catweazle]

well thanks for that catweazle, just got onto a proper pc to take a look. I had just seen some vids on youtube where the rabbits seemed to diusintegrate sometimes! I am thinking about getting my fac to get bunnies for the pot, but qould want to be taking them further than 50 yards, so not the .22 rf.

thanks again

pete

 

Don't underestimate the 22LR, it would be my first choice of rimfire. Accurate, cheap, and with subsonics and a decent moderator it's very, very quiet.

 

HMR is great, but to be honest when rabbit shooting it just compensates for lazy fieldcraft.

[apache]

well thanks for that catweazle, just got onto a proper pc to take a look. I had just seen some vids on youtube where the rabbits seemed to diusintegrate sometimes! I am thinking about getting my fac to get bunnies for the pot, but qould want to be taking them further than 50 yards, so not the .22 rf.

thanks again

pete

I'm no marksman but can kill bunnies easy to 80 yards with the .22. further than that it's all about about range estimation. Longer range the HMR comes into its own.

 

I often chest shoot bunnies with the .22RF or the HMR and they are dead by you get to them. Get an odd twitcher but never had to snap a neck [like when you use a shotgun].