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Author
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Topic: 17HMR or 17MACH for squirrels
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Baldknobber
Knows what it's all about
Member # 514
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posted January 14, 2007 06:24 PM
I'm looking at getting my wife a new rifle for squirrel hunting as she is an avid enthusiast. I just wondered if the 17HMR tore up the squirrels too much. I have hunted them some with a 22 mag and it is a little much. If you have squirrel hunted with either gun let me know your thoughts.
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JTBMO
Posts: 202 | From: Missouri | Registered: Jan 2005
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TA17Rem
Hello, I'm the legendary Tim Anderson, Field Marshall, Southern Minneesota Sector
Member # 794
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posted January 14, 2007 07:18 PM
Baldknobber; The HMR is a little too much gun for tree rats unless you shoot them in the head.
On the other hand i think the 17 Mach-2 would be perfect for the job, they shoot flat and straight enough for those small targets.. Good luck.. Tim A..
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What if I told you, the left wing and right wing both belong to same bird!
Posts: 5066 | From: S.D. | Registered: Jan 2006
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Andy L
HI, I'M THE NEW MODERATOR OF THE CENTRAL MISSOURI FORUM, PULL MY FINGER!
Member # 642
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posted January 15, 2007 06:41 AM
I havent had mine long, but in the words of Shaun Frame, the mach ii is almost like cheatin on squirrels. If you can get steady, it only has a half inch of arch out to 150 yards. They dont even know your in the woods yet when you knock their little heads off. LOL
Accurate as hell, mine is anyway. I bought the Marlin 717m2, semi auto. Has a 7rd detachable magazine. Short, light, accurate, my favorite rimfire already.
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Andy
Posts: 2645 | From: Central Missouri | Registered: Apr 2005
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Baldknobber
Knows what it's all about
Member # 514
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posted January 15, 2007 06:42 PM
Andy, how's the trigger on that semi-auto. I have a Marlin model66 and the trigger on it is terrible.
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JTBMO
Posts: 202 | From: Missouri | Registered: Jan 2005
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Andy L
HI, I'M THE NEW MODERATOR OF THE CENTRAL MISSOURI FORUM, PULL MY FINGER!
Member # 642
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posted January 16, 2007 07:01 AM
Bald,
The triggers sure not the best in the world. But, its accurate as hell and I gave $166 for it new. What can you expect?
Its no different from any other cheap rimfire I have ever bought or a Savage.
Doesnt bother me.
Its rapidly becoming my favorite rifle to shoot. Like a little lazer beam. From 20-100 yards (and beyond) put it on what you want and watch it disappear in the scope. Pretty kewl. And, you never hear a riccochete like you normally do with a 22lr. Those little bullets turn to dust. Which is a big deal in this area. Not a big deal in the desert SW.
[ January 16, 2007, 07:04 AM: Message edited by: Andy L ]
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Andy
Posts: 2645 | From: Central Missouri | Registered: Apr 2005
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yotedog
Knows what it's all about
Member # 1095
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posted January 19, 2007 09:06 PM
Why not just get her a new 22 mag and teach her how to aim better I know your wife she could probally do this but i dont know if you could teach her or not HA!HA!
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NB TX
Posts: 11 | From: texas panhandle | Registered: Jan 2007
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Andy L
HI, I'M THE NEW MODERATOR OF THE CENTRAL MISSOURI FORUM, PULL MY FINGER!
Member # 642
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posted January 20, 2007 06:06 AM
Hey, my Mach II has had a workout this week. My oldest son, since our trip to AZ was iced out, has been working over the local rabbit and squirrel populations with it. If there is a better gun for small game, I dont know what it is.
Its deadly accurate well past 100 yards and had almost no arch, flattest thing I have seen for a small rifle. And unless you hit a shoulder, no damage to meat. If he hit the head, no damage. If he hit behind the shoulder, it was like a 17Rem on coyotes, no damage, and the internal damage is contained to the chest cavity, no guts blown up. If he hit a shoulder, it tore up that shoulder only. Didnt penetrate to the other one.
I havent had mine long and hadnt killed much with it to make a good decision. Now Ive seen enough to know its the best squirrel and rabbit meat gun I have ever seen. Only problem I see is I gotta buy another one. Hes claimed that one and Im out a gun. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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Andy
Posts: 2645 | From: Central Missouri | Registered: Apr 2005
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Tim Behle
Administrator MacNeal Sector
Member # 209
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posted January 20, 2007 08:32 AM
Andy, If you think that boy is latching onto things now, just wait until he's old enough to drive! I try to look in the back of Dean's truck at least once a week now to retrieve my missing tools. I've taken to replacing my tools with a bag of trash in the back of his truck. That way he can still drive around with something of mine, but I don't mind if he never brings it home again!
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Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass kickin'.
Posts: 3160 | From: Five Miles East of Vic, AZ | Registered: Jun 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted January 20, 2007 09:43 AM
That's funny, Tim.
Reminds me of a story that Lochi told me, in Africa about one of his friends. Seems that the blacks are guaranteed to steal anything that is not nailed down. His friend cleans up after the dog and empties the catbox every morning and throws the plastic bag in the back...as we all do, from time to time. Every evening, it's gone. Amazing!
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31465 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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stevecriner
UNKNOWN-before he was famous?
Member # 892
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posted January 26, 2007 05:36 AM
Hey was reading this post and have read on this round a bit. I thought i would post its impressive trajectory for you guys to look at. Its not quite as good as 1/2" arch at 150yrds but it is still alright. This is a quote from Chuck Hawks, quote:
The trajectory of the .17 M2 is quite a bit flatter than that of a High Velocity .22 LR bullet. Hornady's trajectory figures look like this: +0.7" at 50 yards, 0 at 100 yards, and -4.4" at 150 yards.
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"I love coyotes and put up with dogs....My neighbor has a slew of them."
Posts: 321 | From: missouri | Registered: Jul 2006
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Andy L
HI, I'M THE NEW MODERATOR OF THE CENTRAL MISSOURI FORUM, PULL MY FINGER!
Member # 642
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posted January 26, 2007 09:28 AM
Steve, that sounds more like it. I havent shot mine that far, just read up on it. Still a good trajectory. Hell of a squirrel gun, I know that. I havent shot paper much.
Now if I can pry it out of my youngins hands. LOL
I thought about it Steve and know where I got screwed up. I read the same thing you did and Frame told me he has shot his, identical to mine, at 150 and it was accurate as hell. I had two conversations confused.
But, that doesnt confuse the fine eatin squirrels and rabbits my boy has brung home with it lately. And not shot to hell either!!
[ January 26, 2007, 05:17 PM: Message edited by: Andy L ]
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Andy
Posts: 2645 | From: Central Missouri | Registered: Apr 2005
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Buffalobob
Knows what it's all about
Member # 825
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posted January 26, 2007 03:22 PM
Today was the coldest day of the year so far and it was supposed to snow last night so I thought I would take my new coyote call out and give it a whirl.
So I arrive at the fields at about 8:00 and get all of my coats on and sling the 17 Rem over my shoulder and trudge off through the little dusting of snow. About 300 yards later a crow flies up and lands in a tree about 100 yards away. I ponder the likelihood of me seeing a coyote to shoot at versus the crow in the tree. I conclude that this is some Yankee crow who has not heard of me nor my crowshooting gun so I decide it is my solemn duty to educate him and unsling the rifle. I kneel down there and take off a glove and get my elbow locked on my knee and ponder whether I have a round in the chamber. I decide I do and then ponder where the safety is on or off and decide to slide it off . All this time the crow is sitting there centered in the crosshairs blissfully ignorant. Finally, I put my finger inside the trigger guard and fire. The crow does the standard back flip and the wings fold up and down he plummets. I check him out and I have made a bad shot and ruined the meat so I leave him lay.
After about an hour of yipping and howling and walking around, I decide it is time to head back and once again a flock of Yankee crows fly up in front of me and land in a tree about 100 yards away. So I flop on my butt this time and find one that is clear and get my elbow locked and knock him out of the tree. The rest fly up in the air and circle around and I consider taking a shot at them on the wing but decide that these are really stupid crows and one of them will sooner or later land. Sure enough two of them land in a tree and one is way back in the branches and the other only has a few branches between him and me. I line up on the one that is cleaner but there is still a lot of limbs. Well it is cold sitting on the frozen ground so I decide to shoot anyway. Naturally the bullet doesn’t make it through the limbs and the Yankee crows are now educated as to why it is not good to sit in a tree when I am out with that gun.
Two out of three is not too bad even though none of them were very difficult shots.
I regularly squirrel hunt with this gun and it is fine as long as you only take head shots.
[ January 26, 2007, 03:24 PM: Message edited by: Buffalobob ]
Posts: 90 | From: Potomac River | Registered: Mar 2006
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Tim Behle
Administrator MacNeal Sector
Member # 209
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posted January 26, 2007 04:31 PM
BuffaloBob,
Have you ever notice how those educated crow, can some how tell the difference if you are carrying a rifle or a shovel?
I shot a lot of crows growing up, I could be out working and those things would be all around, I'd go home and pick up a rifle, and couldn't get with in a hundred yards of them.
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Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass kickin'.
Posts: 3160 | From: Five Miles East of Vic, AZ | Registered: Jun 2003
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yotedog
Knows what it's all about
Member # 1095
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posted January 27, 2007 07:34 PM
buffalobob do you really it those damn thing i would assume that they are horrible to eat but i have never ate one are they good.
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NB TX
Posts: 11 | From: texas panhandle | Registered: Jan 2007
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Andy L
HI, I'M THE NEW MODERATOR OF THE CENTRAL MISSOURI FORUM, PULL MY FINGER!
Member # 642
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posted January 27, 2007 07:36 PM
Ive never tried it, but the old feller down at the bait and tackle asks everyone to bring any crows they kill to him. He loves em.....
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Andy
Posts: 2645 | From: Central Missouri | Registered: Apr 2005
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Buffalobob
Knows what it's all about
Member # 825
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posted January 28, 2007 05:15 PM
A couple of ways to cook crow. Fried like chicken is fine but a lot of trouble (frying messes up the stove). Mostly what I do is just fillet out the breasts and then maybe keep the legs and maybe not. I put this in salted water and boil it for about half an hour. I then put that in a baggie with salt and pepper and put it in the fridge. When I was working I would take to to work as my lunch. Same thing with goose. Nobody at my house will eat either, so it is my lunch fare and the salt and pepper helps kill the taste and the meat is tough and chewy so you think you have eaten a lot when you really haven't.
Posts: 90 | From: Potomac River | Registered: Mar 2006
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Buffalobob
Knows what it's all about
Member # 825
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posted January 28, 2007 05:22 PM
If it helps explain eating crow, I grew up in Alabama.
The way you avoid ruining the meat is to shoot high and to the rear and smack the back bone. That hold works on a lot of birds such as ducks and geese (although it is not legal). I imagine it would be great on a turkey too but I have yet to get one in my sights when it is legal.
Posts: 90 | From: Potomac River | Registered: Mar 2006
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Baldknobber
Knows what it's all about
Member # 514
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posted January 29, 2007 04:27 PM
Yotedog, You have eaten enough crow in your lifetime that I'd be surprised if you dont shit feathers every morning.
You also know absolutely nothing about women. Never buy a woman a bigger gun than she needs, she might use on you. A 17mach2 will do much less damage than a 22mag. Use the thinking side of your brain once in awhile.
All you guys give my brother a big hello. He's up in the Texas panhandle with his cold bare ass pointed into the north wind.lol
[ January 29, 2007, 04:28 PM: Message edited by: Baldknobber ]
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JTBMO
Posts: 202 | From: Missouri | Registered: Jan 2005
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Andy L
HI, I'M THE NEW MODERATOR OF THE CENTRAL MISSOURI FORUM, PULL MY FINGER!
Member # 642
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posted January 29, 2007 06:46 PM
Welcome Yotedog.
Your right about that damned panhandle country. Nothin between there and the north pole but a barbwire fence and somebody left the gate open.
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Andy
Posts: 2645 | From: Central Missouri | Registered: Apr 2005
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yotedog
Knows what it's all about
Member # 1095
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posted February 01, 2007 03:05 PM
baldknobber what can i say!!!! OH wait just a minute how many coyotes have you killed this year.
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NB TX
Posts: 11 | From: texas panhandle | Registered: Jan 2007
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Baldknobber
Knows what it's all about
Member # 514
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posted February 04, 2007 02:58 PM
Mmmmm....I'm starting to like crow. Where's the Charmin?
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JTBMO
Posts: 202 | From: Missouri | Registered: Jan 2005
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