WHAT bullets should i use for my new 17 hmr

[tkdkid37]

i got a new 17 hmr and want to now what rounds to use. i will mostly shoot hogs and coons with it that come into my feeders.
ive read alot of nfo i just want to noo ur opinions thnks

[Golfbuddy45]

There are many brands of .17 HMR ammunition available. When I got my MKII .22 I started by trying about 10 different brands of bullets. I found that my gun had no problem with any of them but some people say their guns do not shoot certain ammo as well as others. You just need to try a few out and see how it shoots. Hornady, Federal, Winchester, Remington, CCI and others make ammo for your gun.

You did not say what model .17 HMR rifle you bought?

[shaman]

What do you use to get groundhogs to your feeder?

[dk17hmr]

I have used 17gr Hornady V-Max, in my 17hmr for squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, birds, rockchucks, p-dogs, and just about every other varmint in Michigan or Wyoming. I tried the 20gr TNT HP's and they worked but not as well as the little 17gr bullets.

I probably wouldnt use the 17gr for hogs (pig type) but the 20gr TNT would probably work better....brain shot of course.

[KajunKat]

I would think for a pig you definitely would not want to use the ballistic tip bullets. They expand way too fast and fragment too much for something like a pig, even a brain shot. The heavier hunting rounds with controlled expansion (mushroom instead of fragmentation) would be the best. I've dropped in their tracks a few umm how shall I say this.... larger than normal varmits with the cci hunting ammo because that is all I had available at the time. Quick clean kills but I would not recommend to anyone unless in an emergency situation. I robbed this list off of chuck hawks site. you would want to pay attention to the small game bullets headings.


CCI

Varmint Hunting

HMR - 17 grain TNT-JHP; MV 2525 fps (rifle).
Small Game Hunting

GamePoint - 20 grain GamePoint; MV 2375 fps (rifle).
Federal

Varmint Hunting

V-Shok - 17 grain Hornady V-Max; MV 2550 fps (rifle).
V-Shok - 17 gain Speer TNT-JHP; MV 2550 fps (rifle).
Hornady

Varmint Hunting

Varmint Express - 17 grain Hornady V-Max; MV 2550 fps (rifle).
Small Game Hunting

17 HMR - 20 grain Hornady XTP; MV 2375 fps (rifle).
PMC

Small Game Hunting

Gold Line - 20 grain JSP.
Remington

Varmint Hunting

Premier - 17 grain V-Max; MV 2550 fps (rifle).
Winchester

Varmint Hunting

Supreme - 17 grain V-Max; MV 2550 fps (rifle).

[Golfbuddy45]

There are several videos on youtube showing hog kills with .17HMR 20gr bullets.

The pros at my local gun shop will tell anyone who buys a new gun this when asked about what ammo to buy:

Start with the cheapest ammo you can buy and if it shoots good you are done. If you have any problems get the next price up and so on.

My MKII BSEV Target rifle shoots perfect with the cheapest .22 ammo and some of the most expensive MATCH GRADE bullets shoot worse in it. Go figger . . .

[TRAVIS 204]

20gr HP Hornady for sure. Tried different brands but Hornady by far.

[shaman]

There are several videos on youtube showing hog kills with .17HMR 20gr bullets.


And Gamo has a commercial of a pig being killed by an air rifle.

[shovelheadave]

Oh.....I was thinking "hogs" as in groundhogs.

[shaman]

Oh.....I was thinking "hogs" as in groundhogs.




I was hoping it was groundhogs

[davemuzz]

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a212/davemuzz/IMAG0054.jpg

;D This little fellow managed to say "hello" to a 25gr. Berger .17 caliber bullet fired from my own little build from a Stevens Action with a .17 Fireball chambered barrel wrenched onto it. The shot was only about 20 or maybe 25 yards at best.

This shows you how "fur friendly" those little Berger 25gr. match bullets are. Just one small hole in and no exit wound.

But then......maybe I got fooled and this guy was just "sunning himself?" 8)

Dave