the best 17 hmr ammo

Originally Posted By: sharkathmiOriginally Posted By: Cooper17HMRMr. Brooks, welcome and to answer your question there are a couple of 17HMR rounds that you can use. Hornady makes a 17 and 20 grain selection and the 20 would be best.
Ah, I think in the 17HMR Penetration Testing thread, I think it was determined that the 17gr V-Max, not the 20gr XTP, was the better bullet of choice.

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This is copied and pasted from the test.

"The 20gr XTP bullet is slower to expand. It appears to start at about 1" and be completely expanded by the time it reaches a depth of 2". After that it continues penetrating to a depth of about 5" but there is not much distruption past 2", it pretty much just punches a small hole. The XTP bullet really does mushroom like a big game bullet and stays intact."

I personally wont take the 17 HMR on a coyote hunt, But if out digger and rabbit hunting and a shot at Mr yote is presented at close enough range I'll take the shot.

Any of the 20 Grain bullets would be better than any of the 17 Grain bullets of the same design.

Hunting Mr yote with your deer rifle makes for some [beeep] good practice.

DAB
 
I finally found a use for my 17hmr. It is great at shooting left over punkins from halloween. It gave me and my son something to do while my wife was out xmas shoping.
 
Originally Posted By: J_SchroederI finally found a use for my 17hmr. It is great at shooting left over punkins from halloween. It gave me and my son something to do while my wife was out xmas shoping.

That's what we used to use after the rifles were sighted in. When they're good and solid, they sure make a good explosion!
 
I wont say any of the .17hmr bullets are the way to go, but when I first started out I used my hummer on a few occasions and managed to kill 3 coyotes and a bobcat with mine. All of those were one shot kills and never did lose a critter. These were all shot with the Winchester 17gr v-max. Its not the ideal coyote round but if its all you have and keep the shots under a 100 yards with proper shot placement it will do the trick. I have since stepped up to a .223 and .204 and leave the hummer at home. Come to think of it, I havent even shot the [beeep] thing in about 2 years. Need to put a scope on her and start wacking some squirells or put the thing up for sale.
 
Originally Posted By: 64kodiak

They seem to work on hogs?
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So does a big ole Bowie Knife....If ya get close enough.
 
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The hummer is a great little round, within reason. I sold mine but before that it claimed a lot of prairie dogs with th .17gr. I had a target of opportunity on a 100 yaef coyote the 1 time I wasn't carrying a larger rifle with me. Hit the ribs and he turned to bite, hit again and rolled him into a wash. 10 seconds later he was up and moving, hit again, and bit the ribs again, then dissapeared. I followed the meager blood trail until it petered out.

Not really sold on it for bigger than prairied dogs. Shots were goodm repeated hits, and wished I had my 223 with me instead.
 
Dear sbrooks, just about anyone can start a pi$$ing contest just by posting. There are plenty of "experts" that follow the forums, and everyone of them has an opinion, and you know what they say about opinions.

I think your question was, in part, "What is the best ammo for the 17 HMR......" Although some will be critical of your selection of quarry, you shoot what you've got so try the Winchester ammo from Wally World. I've shot most brands and my experience with the Winchester tends to make me favor that brand in the 17. And that's my opinion.
 
If I can quote Chuck Hawks, "A growing number of companies offer .17 HMR ammunition. It is true that CCI actually loads all of the .17 HMR ammunition for the CCI, Federal, Hornady, and Remington brands. However, the ammunition is loaded with different bullets to different specifications." In his article he also covers Winchester and PPC.
 
Best ammo....as in most accurate and my preference to purchase. Hornady 17 gr. Vmaxs shoot the best for me. I shoot a whole lot of prairie dogs with them, not too dramatic but they make quick kills. Never shot anything bigger with them though.
 
The only article I personally know of from chuck was in 2005, showed 4 brands, 2 bullets and chrony data that was all within typical batch variance if memory serves.

In 2009,
" CCI, Federal, Winchester, Remington and Hornady all loaded here at CCI in Lewiston, Idaho with a V-max bullet are identical, with the exception of tip color. Manufactured on the same equip, to the same ballistic specs, using the same components other than color of the tip of the bullets. Obviously the shellcase 'head stamp' and packaging would be different on the various products.

Linda Olin CCI/Speer Technical Services
2299 Snake River Ave.
Lewiston, ID 83501"

Its almost 2012, so that may be out of date by now. They *should* be loading hotter for the mayan zombies that are going to get us all next year.
 
Originally Posted By: NdIndyThe only difference in brands is the color of the tip. Its all made by cci.

Well that is sort of hard to believe
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I have bought and shot every brand of 17 HMR and bullet style made in the USA. Why do the V-Max's of different Brands not shoot to the exact same POI or group the same?

I have 3 17 HMR's and all three shoot the Winchester Supreme 17Gr V-Max's better than the Hornady 17 Gr. V-Max's.

Maybe it is the stamp in the bottom of the case that makes them shoot different.
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Tongue in cheek>
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I was told by an employee of CCI that the only difference is in the powder they use, each brand has their own recipe. Now He could be blowing smoke up my ---.

It just seems very Odd that the Hornady and the Winchester 17 Gr. V-Max will not shoot to the same POI and that the Winchester groups way better than the Hornady's , So please explain that.


I shot the Hornadys for quite a while till BI Mart started carrying the Winchester ammo and I tried them.

I still have over 1K of both sitting on the shelf as I type..

I make the wife shoot the Hornadys out of the CZ. She doesn't know that the Win.V-Max's shoots better. I got to do that to keep her from killing more PD's and Sage Rats then I do.
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Great controversy.
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DAB
 
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