Trading my .22 mag for .17 HMR

[welshdragon77]

Hi all,

 

afer a while shooting with my .22 mag i am applying to get a .17 HMR. EVeryone seems to be biging up the .17 !

 

I use my .22 mag for lamping foxes which has always been more than adequate in dispensing foxes.

I already know that th. 17 has a flat trajectory but up to what distances does it stay flat until.? can it reach 125 yards easily and still take down foxes ?

Also my .22 mag could easily take down foxes up to 80 yards, can the 17 do this to and if the shot is placed carefully out to what distances can foxes be taken realisticly.

 

I have thought maybe to by a sako quad with a .17 barrel and .22 mag barrel, does anyone have any reviews on this rifle or advice in buying a soild reliable .17.

 

 

So many quaestions i know, but this is what makes these forums interesting. !!

Any advice would be great

 

Many Thanks

 

Welsh dragon

[Down South]

Hi Welshdragon, have a look at this web site, widely regarded to be the best, compares all sorts of data for rimfire.

 

http://www.varmintal.com/17hmr.htm

 

I have a Sako quad in 17HMR and like it very much. I don't think there is a bad rifle made in this calibre out there so it's down to price and preference.

 

Foxes easily taken at 80 yds, this is a very accurate round in the right conditions, no or very light wind. Ammo about 20p per round.

 

Regards. DS.

[welshdragon77]

Thanks, much apprecaited,

 

So i take it then the gun isnt very reliable in heavy or mild winds, maybe a ticket for a .223 maybe in order !

[jonno 357]

Axe also has a Saxo with the 17 hmr have a natter with him

 

I personally haven't taken a fox with my 17hmr but the rabbits and crows love them

 

jonno

[Down South]

If you look on the Varmint Al web site, you can see a chart that suggest a 4" drift at 100 yds in a 10 mph crosswind, I can vouch for that. If you want a dedicated fox killer don't get a 17HMR. I've taken foxes when rabbiting and it kills them clean using ballistic tipped ammo out to 80 yardsish , some say further. All I can say is that at those ranges you need good shot placement, the tiny bullet just doen't have enough UUMPH if you're off a bit.

[markbivvy]

for lamping foxes

 

then get a fox gun.

[deadeye ive]

Thanks, much apprecaited,

 

So i take it then the gun isnt very reliable in heavy or mild winds, maybe a ticket for a .223 maybe in order !

If it's going to be used mainly for Fox then you've answered your own question here .........I can't comment on the .22 mag other than it now seems to be a rare calibre nowadays with ammo getting more scarce .Is this the reason your considering a change to the .17 ?

 

A .17 hmr zero'd in at 100yds will let you shoot from 25 out to 125 with little or no holdover .Now from personal experience I shot a rabbit at 106 paces ,on retrieval there was no entry or exit wound apparent considering I was aiming for the head .On skinnig the entry was the shoulder with the opposite shoulder containing all the energy from the ballistic tip which obviously caused severe internal damage but this sort of penetration at this range IMO is underpowered for fox