# .17HMR Coyote?



## porter

Does anyone use .17HMR for coyote? I've seen videos of it but I wonder how many would just wander off, or is the shockwave enough to drop them?


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## orangewarner

Only thing I've shot and efficiently killed with a 17hmr are squirrels. Anything bigger than a squirrel is probably going to get away. I have shot dozens of ground hogs with mine and haven't killed one yet or at least before it made it back to its hole.


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## porter

I've killed a lot of groundhogs with the .17 but found that if I use fmj ammo they run off and the ballistic tipped they drop. The only reason I would want to use the .17 for coyote is I could hit them between the eyes at 150yds without a rest. I'm not anywhere near as good with my .223. I will say when I've hit groundhogs with the .223 they've almost exploded.


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## fishingmaniac

Try the new 17 wsm. Near 223 speed. More knock down power than the hmr. Still a rim fire. Love mine very accurate


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## porter

Have you had trouble finding ammo? I was wondering if i should wait a couple of years to get one so more manufaturers can get in on the game.


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## supercanoe

I would get a .223. It will do everything that a .17 can do plus a whole lot more. There is almost no recoil with a 223, ammo is cheap and plentiful, rifle options are numerous, reloading is an option, and ballistics are far superior to the .17 rimfires. When coyote hunting you will find that coyotes rarely give you time to take a perfect shot. You will often be rushed. Many shots will be at moving targets or less than ideal angles. A 223 gives you some wiggle room at shot placement while still producing devastating results.


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## 9Left

fishingmaniac said:


> Try the new 17 wsm. Near 223 speed. More knock down power than the hmr. Still a rim fire. Love mine very accurate


Unless you have a .17 that's will take a winchester supermag casing..that won't work....a .17 and a .17 wsm are two different sized cartridges.


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## ddcollier

i agree with the power comparitions,an don't think any rimfire can equal a center fire but,i have killed a doz. groundhogs with one shot,using hornady v-max. course not another doz to shoot at,a hog may have a thicker hide then a yote. i carried a 17 hmr ever time out this winter to know for sure and didnt get the chance.the advantage i thought was the saftey of the low noise,lower chance of ricochet in a suburban area.plus probably wont get a 200 plus yard shot any way.i saw several but always wrong place wrong time wrong wind etc.so i need to practice more problems than caliber. should be some little ones soon.


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## Popspastime

I'm doubting a .17 will do the job, I have a .22 mag and I doubt it will do the job. Trouble is they don't carry enough down range shock energy. There will be the ones who say It can, there always are but.. day in and day out not for that job. Now take the .22 and put a 3 or a .250 after it and your in a whole nuther league. 
Class dismissed!


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## kayak1979

Get a Benjamin Marauder .25 cal PCP air rifle! =) I own one and love it. Pellets are dirt cheap too.


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## bobk

Popspastime said:


> I'm doubting a .17 will do the job, I have a .22 mag and I doubt it will do the job. Trouble is they don't carry enough down range shock energy. There will be the ones who say It can, there always are but.. day in and day out not for that job. Now take the .22 and put a 3 or a .250 after it and your in a whole nuther league.
> Class dismissed!



Class dismissed? lol Have you shot yotes with a .17? If that is the only rifle the op has it's more than capable of killing yotes. The .17 vmax is an impressive round.


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## Popspastime

bobk said:


> Class dismissed? lol Have you shot yotes with a .17? If that is the only rifle the op has it's more than capable of killing yotes. The .17 vmax is an impressive round.


No I have never even shot a .17 cal but do own and shoot a .22 Hornet which is twice the .17 cal in performance and lots of 22 mags. So I guess my question is did you ever shoot a coy dog with one? And if you did what was the result? My next question would be why would you want to be on the minimal end at best when there are many other tools to use? I've shot Coy's with both a .223 and a 22-.250 and can say they get it done without any doubt. So no I won't be taking a .17 out hunting anytime soon.

Pops


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## bobk

Yes I have and they dropped in their tracks. Is it the best option for yotes? Of course not. Class dismissed, of course not. Like I said if that's the only gun the op has it will kill yotes. To dismiss the calibre because you don't like it or even own one is rather one sided. I have ar15's and a new ar10 that are obviously better choices. Too often on here people are quick to dismiss something they don't like or use themselves. I say use what you have that is capable if killing those deer killers and go hunt them. Why discourage people? Again it's a heck if a little calibre when used at a responsible distance and a well placed shot.


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## M.Magis

I think the original question was a bit open. Will it kill coyotes? Absolutely, and nearly every time. 
Will it drop them in their tracks? &#8220; Sometimes&#8221; &#8220;Maybe&#8221;, and &#8220;It depends&#8221; are all good answers.

For someone concerned with finding every coyote they shoot, it&#8217;s not a good choice. A percentage are going to be lost. 
If the goal is simply dead coyotes, it&#8217;ll surely work. 

Just realized when the OP first posted the question. I suspect he's moved on by now.


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## Popspastime

bobk said:


> Again it's a heck if a little calibre when used at a responsible distance and a well placed shot.


So we totally agree on this.. my point entirely. I never said I didn't like it, I simply said I never used it or had any experience with it. I don't care if one tries a slingshot but when someone asks will a slingshot do it I sure won't agree with it in all fairness to the animal. We are still hunting a living, eating and breathing thing that's trying to survive, we owe them that right. nough said..

Class Dismissed! 
lol


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## ddcollier

wow my 17 not for sale


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## Bigeyes

I was talked into buyin .17hmr. Shot prolly 10 groundhogs. Only one died before making it back to its hole. And that was because he was prolly 100yds from hole. Also shot a red fox that got away. I can say you better shoot them through the ear to kill anything with this gun. I even shot a starling with it and was not impressed. Needless to say I'm not .17hmr lover. Would prolly sell it if found a buyer. But really not worth selling it for $200??


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## Popspastime

Bigeyes,
Thank you for an honest response.


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## kayak1979

Bought my first .17 HMR tonight. It's a Marlin Model XT-17V and hope to get a coyote soon with it.


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## supercanoe

The video shows a 17 Hornet centerfire, not a 17 HMR rimfire.


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## kayak1979

supercanoe said:


> The video shows a 17 Hornet centerfire, not a 17 HMR rimfire.


My mistake, but I still look forward to reporting some kills with it.


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## supercanoe

Good luck. Let us know what happens. I hope that more and more guys start killing coyotes.


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## kayak1979

supercanoe said:


> Good luck. Let us know what happens. I hope that more and more guys start killing coyotes.


Thanks @supercanoe last week I was awoken at 2am to a pack of yotes howling and yipping like crazy. Ever since then it made my blood boil. I have a Yukon night vision scope I'm putting on it and will be trying to devastate the local coyote population. I'm hoping more people try killing them too.


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## Sciotodarby

They'd be a little bit more effective than a BB gun. I'm not a 17 rim fire fan for anything other than rodents and never will be. I like to pack a gun with more range and more punch for yotes. As cheap as you can get into a Centerfire package from Savage, I wouldn't even think about a 17.


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## krustymc223

Right! Quite a bit of difference 17 HMR (2550 fps - 245 ft. lbs.) 17 Hornet (3650 fps - 592 ft. lbs.)


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## kayak1979

Taken with a .17 hmr


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## randymcfishnsfun2

Eye think he sees a squirrel!


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## krustymc223

Photo from the internet ??


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## kayak1979

krustymc223 said:


> Photo from the internet ??


Yes it is...go to Google and type in .17 hmr coyote and then click on images and you'll find the kills posted like the above. I never said I killed that. In my opinion anyone thinking a .17 hmr cannot kill a coyote just lacks skill as a marksman.


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## kayak1979

Here is the forum post about the .17 hmr
http://texaspredatorposse.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=3765

Also you'll find that this debate has been going on for years as far as I can see. People will just continue to agree to disagree on the topic, but saying that it's equivalent to a BB gun is just nonsense. I have an air rifle that shoots only 90 FPE at 850 fps in .25 cal and with proper shot placement can kill a coyote.


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## krustymc223

... You are correct, a .17 HMR will kill a coyote. I wish you good luck !


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## kayak1979

krustymc223 said:


> ... You are correct, a .17 HMR will kill a coyote. I wish you good luck !


Thanks, I'm hoping to get 75 yards or less shots for good placement and especially using night vision I'm hoping it will allow them to come in closer.


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