Frenchieboy Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 I would not normally put a photo up of just one rabbit but there is a good reason for this post as it is advisory for a member who has asked for my advice/opinion! The weather looked like it was going to be kind to me yesterday evening so with a load of garbage on the TV I decided to take a chance and go for a quick walk with the HMR, that decision turned out to be a BIG BIG mistake! I got to the permission and the sky starrted to really darken up and I could see a band of rain coming in from across the hills about a mile away. Not really heading the warning I got the Hummer out, loaded it up and headed for the old slate quarry about 200 yards from where I was parked, which usually has an abundance of rabbits! By the time I got to a shooting position it was starting to drizzle quite heavily and only one bunny was to be seen about 100 yards away. I didn't feel like getting soaked through to the skin so I took a quick shot and the rabbit flipped on it's side without even a kick. I went and retrieved it, quickly "peed it" and headed straight back to the car without even looking for where I had hit it! When I got back to the car I sheltered under the rear hatch and gutted and skinned the rabbit, only to find that I had put the bullet straight through the rib cage. Many people warn about the meat damage when using a Hummer for rabbits if you don't head shoot them, and to an extent I agree, but if you manage to hit them in the "sweet spot" you can "body shoot" them with only minimal damage. Now for the reason for this post: I as contacted by a PW member yesterday saying that he wanted to go for a rimfire for rabbit control and wasn't sure if he should go for a .22LR or a 17HMR! As he liked to eat what he shot he was wary of the damage that a Hummer could do to a rabbit if you did not head shoot it so I have taken a couple of photos of the damage to show him what you can get away with. The first photo shows the entry wound towards the rear of the rib cage and the second shows the exit wound just in front of the top of the shoulder. You can see that as the bullet (A 17g Federal V-Shock) went through it passed through the heart but did not really make any contact with any of the "more solid" bones so it exited with minimum expansion. The only real damage is to the heart and lungs area which has been staurated with blood from the heart which was completely destroyed, but as there is very little meat in this part of the body then the meat wastage is very minimal and the biggest part of the rabbit is still perfectly edible. Much of the blood could be cleaned out with an overnight soak in salt water so if any of you that are thinking about getting a 17HMR are worried about the damage that it causes then this will show you that quite often the fears are ill founded. I have to say that I normally only take head shots with my Hummer but this was a rushed shot and not "one of my best" and if it had been more of a "gut shot" the results would almost certainly have been a lot more messy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 a lot depends on impact speed and hence range, faster and shorter more damage longer and slower less. The difference is more how many and how quiet between the two calibres beyond that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l1ukeRS Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 the 20gr hollowpoints dont do much damage if you bodyshoot them, i only ever use the back legs and the saddle bit anyway the rest goes to the dogs or the ferrets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l1ukeRS Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 a lot depends on impact speed and hence range, faster and shorter more damage longer and slower less. The difference is more how many and how quiet between the two calibres beyond that ive found with my hmr that the further the range the more damage it seems to do, for examply i head shot one at about 80 yards the other day while it did obviously carve a nice hole out, the next one i shot at 150ish was like id bored a 50p size hole right through which i guess is due to the bullet slowing up and expanding more on impact Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted September 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 I agree that range plays an important factor as does if the bullet hits a solid bone too! When I head shoot rabbits with my Hummer they usually end up with just half a head left and not too suitable to photograph! I put this post up to try to help a member who had asked my advice, I hope it has helped him just as all of your replies might also help him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyp Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 All information from experienced shooters is usfull when starting out. Thanks Frenchieboy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted September 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 All information from experienced shooters is usfull when starting out. Thanks Frenchieboy. We aim to please, it's just sometimes the rabbits aren't too pleased about our aim! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l1ukeRS Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 hopefully it will, i have both but i dont think there is any contest other than simply the noise factor between the HMR and the .22 its a far more multi use tool and the chance of those horrible ricohets is almost zero with the HMR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Dont ever think that when assesing a shot to be taken as they do. Two things i found on HMR ricochets they realy dont like frozen ground and cover Sedge grass can realy get them zinging at times. Ok most things dont like frozen ground but i can't say i have found the .22 as bad with cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 ive found with my hmr that the further the range the more damage it seems to do, for examply i head shot one at about 80 yards the other day while it did obviously carve a nice hole out, the next one i shot at 150ish was like id bored a 50p size hole right through which i guess is due to the bullet slowing up and expanding more on impact those are just two kills, much also depends on the exact placement and other factors. Shoot a bunny in the chest at 30 yds then one at 150yds+ you will see exactly what i mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted September 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Please do not be mistaken - The HMR can and will ricochet in certain conditions and on certain grounds, just like any round will. It is just that the HMR is less likely to ricochet than the .22LR in general use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l1ukeRS Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 those are just two kills, much also depends on the exact placement and other factors. Shoot a bunny in the chest at 30 yds then one at 150yds+ you will see exactly what i mean. ohh im not doubting what your saying as ive done that and tested the .17 to death on just about everything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 All information from experienced shooters is usfull when starting out. Thanks Frenchieboy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 A moderated .22LR using subs at normal range is still the best rabbiting tool IMO. Subconciously you tend to aim for longer shots sometimes above optimum range with HMR... Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut ? Accuracy hard hitting twice the effective range of the .22lr the list goes on and on. With the ricochet issue the simple facts are the faster the bullet is going the more likely it is to break up on impact, add to that a ballistic tip and it gets even more likely. Then if you do get a ricochet you have 17grains rather than 40 and everyone will tell you which retains the most energy. The LR being a slow moving lump of lead is very poor for ricocheting and it stays together hence the problem. You have to shoot the HMR with consideration for ricochets but its nothing compares to the LR its very rare to get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenhunter Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 I think I've shot more bunnies with the .17 than the .22 and I've had the .22 a lot longer. The extra useful range has made all the difference to me. I find most sit tight at 100yds+ whereas getting that 20-30 yds closer sometimes proves difficult. I think head or upper chest shots give acceptable damage and , more importantly, clean kills. It's a great round IMO. GH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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