Phil9 Posted May 24, 2015 Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 Hiya guys, well after a long day at a football tournament with my 8 year old we finally got home around 6:30pm ish my girlfriend said she was taking the dogs for a walk, so I went to the cabinet and pulled out my CZ 17hmr threw on my jack pike camo grabbed my shooting sticks in the car and off the the farm. I arrived at the farm about 7:40pm parked up and got myself ready,had a walk around the 1st field but nothing around on rounding the side of the tractor shed something caught my eye,,I froze solid then slowly lifted the her onto the sticks scanning through my scope to see what I could see...BOOM a nice plump rabbit was sitting feeding totally ablivious to me I quickly ranged it with the range finder 148yds 10 seconds later a little squeeze and over he went, number 1 in the bag. As I shot it another rabbit ran about 10 yards and stopped dead,but this was further away behind the 1st I'd just shot,again I ranged it 203yds,,,, still on the sticks I quickly reloaded and made my adjustments ,,click and over No 2 went, a brief pause to make sure there were no more knocking about then made my way to my victims,the 1st I hit straight in the front of the neck as he was facing me,,picked him up and made my way to the other as I bent down to pick it up and have a look(THIS IS THE STRANGE PART) I couldn't find any trace of a wound nor any blood no entry or exit hole,, I couldn't believe it, so I put it in the game bag with his mate and went on my way. Has any of you guys experienced anything like that with a HMR as everything else I have shot the amo I used 17g hornady v-max has made a right mess of it. Thanks chaps phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted May 24, 2015 Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 Regardless of what's strange, you shooting rabbits off sticks at 203 yards is incredible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetter Posted May 24, 2015 Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 Its possible it had a heat attack from the near miss. Check when prepping it for the table as any wound should be obvious once its skinned it could be that its not readily visible, I smacked one at 100yards with the LR once and it went straight over, I couldn't see a mark on it or an exit wound turned out after skinning the round had smashed it through the neck and shoulder. I had the a few years ago with the air rifle, I took a shot at a rabbit at about 30 yards and fluffed the shot the rabbit ran off up the hedge took a left into the field and then fell over. I thought it was a wounding shot but when I retrieved the bunny and subsequently prepped it for the table there want a scratch on it. My only thought was the near miss and the running stress caused it to have a hear attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted May 24, 2015 Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 I once shot a fox with a .243 SP bullet, at a range of no more than 15 yards. He came from behind a wall, and did not notice my mate and myself. He dropped like a stone, but on checking it over, there was no entry or exit wounds. I shot it through the chest. The fox was left on the wall so that the farmer could see it, and the next day, there was a small drop of blood on the stone wall, that had 'leaked' out of the entry wound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marnold Posted May 24, 2015 Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 Regardless of what's strange, you shooting rabbits off sticks at 203 yards is incredible. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil9 Posted May 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 Regardless of what's strange, you shooting rabbits off sticks at 203 yards is incredible.cheers mate I did have a big cheesy grin across my face I must admit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuddster Posted May 24, 2015 Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 I suspect a 'matrix' like manouvere to dodge your long range bullet caused the rabbit to snap its own neck. its the only logical reason I can see. f. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr smith Posted May 24, 2015 Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 I've had two v-max in my hornet not expand and drilled straight through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat g Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 At just over 200 yards is it possible that the round was not carrying enough energy for it to fragment and simply "drilled" straight through. Thats the thing with the HMR it can be very unpredictable. As said though hats off to you for 200yard bunny shots of sticks. Must admit i consider 150 yards is realistic for the HMR. over that theres just too many variables. ATB, Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 Reminds me of the time many moons ago shooting a fox at night with a Hornet. The only shot available was between the eyes. As I shot the fox turned its head. The bullet cut the skin at the back of its head betwixt the ears just like a knife had been drawn across it. The muscle was completely un touched but he was gone forever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tignme Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) I regurally use my five legged sticks ambush style and shoot out to 380 to 400 yds in daylight. Foxs n bunnies.I can zero off these sticks. Edited May 25, 2015 by tignme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 Check that the bullet didn't go in one ear and out the other. Or if the bullet didn't go up his bum and out his mouth . Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy RV Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 I've had this quite a few times with the HMR, normally at longer ranges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 Skin it and see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good shot? Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 Has any of you guys experienced anything like that with a HMR as everything else I have shot the amo I used 17g hornady v-max has made a right mess of it. Thanks chaps phil My mate and I have been having this discussion recently. I shot a rabbit at 35 yards and had difficulty finding an entry or exit point. (definitely a hit,did not do a post mortem at the time as it was left at our fox midden). I also shot a squirrel at 162 yards and it made a mess, as I would have expected.We have had one or two similar experiences which left us saying we would examine all results of HMR wounds to try and reason why the dissimilar results. I also only use Hornady 17g v-max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Same here with the HMR, think it depends on how soft the area hit is... perhaps it's going fast enough and the soft skin makes it not fragment? I chest shot one a while back and couldn't hardly see a mark on it - and last night I head shot one at 130 yards and looked like a scene from a horror movie... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casts_by_fly Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 At 200 yards the HMR doesn't have enough energy to expand the bullet properly. There will be a very tiny (approximately 0.172") hole that you'll only see once you skin out out (carefully). If you just rush through the skinning quickly, you'll probably tear a bigger hole by accident in other places and not be able to find the real one. rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil9 Posted May 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Thanks for all your replies guys I guess I'm not alone then ey and it ain't that strange after all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cambsman Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 200 + yds shooting at rabbits. Off sticks. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 I regurally use my five legged sticks ambush style and shoot out to 380 to 400 yds in daylight. Foxs n bunnies.I can zero off these sticks. i once heard of someone off here shooting a hare at 704 yards colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 i once heard of someone off here shooting a hare at 704 yards colin It appears my post hasn't gone unnoticed....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted May 27, 2015 Report Share Posted May 27, 2015 It appears my post hasn't gone unnoticed....... It's funny when you go to the Catton PW weekend and the chap from the estate was telling us that the targets on the HMR range past 100 yards were seldom hit by the 'lamping foxes' group lol. i once heard of someone off here shooting a hare at 704 yards colin Nice flat shooting those HMR's are.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil9 Posted May 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2015 200 + yds shooting at rabbits. Off sticks. Why?why not if I didn't feel I was capable of making the shot a clean kill I would definitely not of taken it but the conditions were right no wind ect and so I took it,, each to there own to be honest,, I'm no idiot I've taken plenty rabbits at between 190 and 210 yards,!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marnold Posted May 28, 2015 Report Share Posted May 28, 2015 I seldom take shots with my hmr past 100 yards. 99% of the time they are up to 75 yards I would say. I think I have had maybe 2 shots at live quarry and neither of those were past 120 yards and that was in perfect conditions. I have had a play at 150 yards with the hmr on paper, off of a bipod, but there was a mild breeze and my bullets were being pushed around substantially, so I like to stalk in closer. I personally wouldn't take a shot at that distance on something live as my skills aren't up to it with the hmr and I've seen how far the slightest wind will bully that small pill at extended ranges. The .223, now that's a different story and I find shots up to 200 yards are pretty run of the mill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPARKIE Posted May 29, 2015 Report Share Posted May 29, 2015 It's funny when you go to the Catton PW weekend and the chap from the estate was telling us that the targets on the HMR range past 100 yards were seldom hit by the 'lamping foxes' group lol. Nice flat shooting those HMR's are.... it was 120 yards...i painted all the targets out to 256 yards i beleive in the morning.... it was dougy ranged it and the large fox about 200yrds had plenty of hits but all the 3 and 4 inch discs had only 1 some 2 hits on them past 120yrds. there was a lot of rounds let off at them targets too over the weekend... happy to say when the pw weekenders got on them there were a few more hits to them..... i was shooting the 256yrd target with my .17ah and was spot on every time. even hit the 450 yrd fox a few times. I seldom take shots with my hmr past 100 yards. 99% of the time they are up to 75 yards I would say. I think I have had maybe 2 shots at live quarry and neither of those were past 120 yards and that was in perfect conditions. I have had a play at 150 yards with the hmr on paper, off of a bipod, but there was a mild breeze and my bullets were being pushed around substantially, so I like to stalk in closer. I personally wouldn't take a shot at that distance on something live as my skills aren't up to it with the hmr and I've seen how far the slightest wind will bully that small pill at extended ranges. The .223, now that's a different story and I find shots up to 200 yards are pretty run of the mill. i have a .17hmr and have reguler taken stuff out to 150yrds hit the targets at catton past that. now my .17ah is a diffrent beast lazer flat and 20grain vmax or the 25grn hp bullet heads i use are very good at range and dont seem to be that affected by wind. i was out with reggiegun other week and shot a very long range bunny of sticks...so much so reggie couldnt see it in the lamp at first. his jaw hit the deck when the report of vmax smacking bunnie and it flopping down dead came back.....he now wants to build a project like i did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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