.17 HMR

[bluesj]

Yesterday evening I was out having a wonder round with my .17 hmr just looking at what rabbits were about, had one or two at 50 to 60 yards at the most and it got me thinking. I've not realy had much over that sort of range so a subsonic 17 round would be handy for most of my shooting.

So what do the PW members think? Would a subsonic .17hmr round work and if it did would any one use it?

[rem708]

It’s a rim fire so even if everyone on here thought it was a good idea you would have to convince the manufacturers – unlikely!

 

If you want subsonic for that distance use a 22lr and it's cheaper!

[Bewsher500]

no it wouldnt work unless you produced it with a different bullet

 

VMax bullets require supersonic speeds to fragment (I believe 1200fps is the breakup limit hornady indicate)

at 900-1000fps they would pencil something rotten I would imagine

 

subsonic 17gr .17 calibre would be air rifle energy figures at range and not even FAC air levels at that

 

only reason subsonic works with .22lr is the projectile is 40gr solid lead

[kent]

no it wouldnt work unless you produced it with a different bullet

 

VMax bullets require supersonic speeds to fragment (I believe 1200fps is the breakup limit hornady indicate)

at 900-1000fps they would pencil something rotten I would imagine

 

subsonic 17gr .17 calibre would be air rifle energy figures at range and not even FAC air levels at that

 

only reason subsonic works with .22lr is the projectile is 40gr solid lead

Exactly I personally found that at somewhere around 160 ish (depending on bullet choice and freakolistics pencilling occurs) To the OP buy a .22 lr and feed it subs you have bought the wrong gun for your use. The only thing a .17 has going for it is a flatter trajectory curve. Sub-sonic pretty much means an airgun in .177 (800 fps ish is off ticket depending on bullet weight)

[bluesj]

no it wouldnt work unless you produced it with a different bullet

 

VMax bullets require supersonic speeds to fragment (I believe 1200fps is the breakup limit hornady indicate)

at 900-1000fps they would pencil something rotten I would imagine

 

subsonic 17gr .17 calibre would be air rifle energy figures at range and not even FAC air levels at that

 

only reason subsonic works with .22lr is the projectile is 40gr solid lead

All good points and well made! . Came to that sort of conclusion after i thought about it for a bit

I've got a .22 and use it most of the time from my truck etc, Just prefer the 17 when I'm walking around as its lighter and becuase there is less chance of ricochet when the angle to the ground is less.

[kent]

All good points and well made! . Came to that sort of conclusion after i thought about it for a bit

I've got a .22 and use it most of the time from my truck etc, Just prefer the 17 when I'm walking around as its lighter and becuase there is less chance of ricochet when the angle to the ground is less.

 

I accept that they can ricochet less on some contacts though they can also be worse on others and remember you have twice the energy! In fairness and speaking frankly anyone who takes a shot with hmr they shouldn't with .22 lr is shooting past the safe limits. Just because you don't hear a ricochet does not mean one has not occured