} Share it with your friends! Out to 75+/- yards I have found the .22 Magnum to be a better, quicker, killer of 'cats, coyotes, and foxes than the 17HMR. It shoots projectiles in the 17- to 20-grain range up to about 2,600 feet per second (fps). The semi-auto performance of the AR-15 also means you wont have to work a bolt-action to pull off multiple shots. The 12-gauge shotgun is really a do-it-all weapon. Ballistically, the .243 does everything the .223 and .22-250 do, only with a heavier bullet. We used the .17 HMR and .22 WMR for several years, and although they are adequate, exceptional shot placement is required to avoid wounding and losing the fox. Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online. If youre looking for a do-everything cartridge capable of dropping big yotes and big whitetails, this is it. border-color: #656565; Dont worry we have got you covered. In this article, we'll be discussing the best cartridge for coyote hunting. Good thing the boy scouts just dropped off the popcorn I ordered. There are plenty of high-quality bolt-action rifles available in .204 Ruger. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. To be frank, we have always the 22 WMR to be more beneficial than the 17 HMR Rifle for chasing groundhogs. the .22 mag has a heavier bullet, but the 17 HMR has the plastic tipped bullets, which are extremely explosive when they expand so I would think roughly equal performance on game. I've always had pretty decent luck with the Hornady labeled CCI 17gr Vmax stuff in my 17 HMR's but there can be a good amount of variance in all of it from Lot to Lot . I can personally attest to that many times over. That extra speed translates into a flatter trajectory and more kinetic energy. It is a popular query and it gets brought up all the time. Pay attention to which ones your gun prefers and stick with those for the best results. What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a coyote in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. Ballistically speaking, a 17 HMR sighted in for 100 yards drops less than 3 inches at 150 yards and drops less than 9 inches at 200 yards. The 17 HMR has a key advantage working in its favor: accuracy. Ammo and rifle cost used to favor the 22 WMR, but recently 17 HMR has caught up. You could probably extend the effective range out to 100 yards under the right conditions with the right bullet. Sightron S-Tac. Once again, we dont advise relying on a JHPs raw power for hunting coyote with a 17 HMR. The 17 HMRs suitability for coyote hunting comes with a caveat: Keep a much closer distance between yourself and your quarry than you would if you were varmint hunting. . box; midwayusa.com. Keep the shooting distance within 100 yards (although 75 yards or less is probably a better option). Barrels-Choke Tubes-Muzzle Devices; Handgun Ammo .17 HMR.357 MAG.357 SIG.44 MAG Ammo.45 ACP Ammo; 10mm Ammo Anything over 100 yards wont have enough juice left for a consistent and ethical killing shot. 150 yards: the cartridge will handle a 2-pound target. This load for the .17 HMR is as close as you will get to .22 Magnum performance. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo. Hornady makes a 17 and 20 grain selection and the 20 would be best. This is .17 HMR's strongest selling point and a primary reason as to why it was developed. Also, I understand that many other factors above and beyond ballistic performance play a significant role in the killing power of a caliber. The .22-250 varmint loads drop 5.5 inches less at 400 yards than the .223 Rem. In addition to this, you may have to look for a convenient place for a good shot. California recently rushed through legislation making it unlawful to communicate to those under 18 about broad categories of firearms, parts, and accessories. In the question of Is the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire within the ideal range of suitable calibers for coyote hunting? our answer is: Lets look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. For comparison, Hornadys Varmint Express line features both .223 Remington and .22-250 Rem loads. For example, shot placement, bullet configuration, penetration, bullet performance, etc., all play a part in determining the actual effectiveness of a caliber on a game species. The bullets hit and explode on impact, which doesn't bode well for deeper penetration and weight retention. Even when capped with heavier 40-grain projectiles, the .204 Ruger produces muzzle velocities of 3800 fps or faster. However, some cartridges are better suited to the task than others. It was also the most accurate; in fact, the average for five consecutive, five-shot groups was a remarkable .94-inch. If you're planning to go varmint hunting and most of the prairie dogs or coyotes are right around the 200yd mark, then you'll be shooting a bullet with a flat trajectory, which means better accuracy. This versatile cartridge will drop yotes from close range to well beyond 300 yards. This is a flat-shooting cartridge, which lets a competent shooter group shots like clockwork at ranges well beyond 100 yards. Winchester 17 HMR 20gr JHP is the best 17HMR ammo for coyote hunting because the bullet is a little heavier, so it will pack more of a punch than lighter bullets. Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox. Compare that to the 22 LR's standard 40 grain projectile, which only exits the muzzle just faster at 1,200 fps, and you at once spot the key difference between the two rimfire rounds. Hence, it is most suitable for medium-range hunting. You won't find better prices on .17 Caliber Ammunition anywhere! We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. Whats The Best Thermal Scope For Coyote Hunting. As a result, the NRA is forced to restrict the sending of certain materials and information into California. The .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) splits the difference between the two, crushing them both in all the categories that don't matter. That is correct, if you are in dilemma about 17 hmr vs 22 mag coyote hunting, then we have all the information in here. Use loads featuring lighter bullets to reduce pelt damage. While reloading isn't possible with rimfire brass, you can handload it to save a little money. As one of the most popular hunting cartridges in current production, ammo is relatively affordable and readily available. The .17 HMR is able to use bullet shapes familiar to centerfire shooters which are optimized for excellent ballistic ecoefficiency. font-size: 18px; Being avid hunters, we know how it feels when you are in a Catch-22 situation. }. Granted, if a non-expanding bullets wound channel overlaps with the heart or some crucial vertebra, the animals going down pronto. The word cartridge refers to an entire unit of ammunition - bullet, casing, powder, and primer. In short, 17 hmr magnum is more accurate than the .22 WMR. To tell you the truth, we will have to clarify one thing that the 17 HMR has a better ballistic coefficient in comparison to the .22 mag. It has certainly earned its acclaim fair and square. Remember the two Hs: head and heart. As an added perk, it throws a heavier bullet with a higher sectional density than the 6.5 Creedmoor, which means deeper penetration once it reaches your target. CCI is proud of its ammo, and that's also reflected in the price. } Here is the key to killing a coyote with a 17HMR; you need to stay away from a V-max or BT (Ballistic Tip). It was introduced in 2002! FMJs are less than ideal for hunting or self-defense because they're more likely to over-penetrate, unlike hollow point bullets that mushroom on impact and rarely go through the animal. This means if you chase yotes, then you have to ensure that you get the right gun for it. font-family: Arial, sans-serif; This is why it is a popular choice for shooting varmints. Due to the lighter 17gr bullet, the muzzle velocity of these rounds is clocked at 2,650 fps, much faster than the 20gr FMJ from CCI. More and more serious predator hunters are opting for cartridges that shoot smaller pills. While there are several capable .17-caliber coyote cartridges on the market, few offer the dog-dropping performance of the .17 Hornet. In fact, given the combination of wide expansion, high weight retention, and deep penetration, this may be the best rimfire coyote-killing load regardless of the cartridge. Choose a load with a heavier grain weight if youll be knocking down big-bodied song dogs or if you need to stretch your shots beyond 300 yards. The AR-15 is often considered a tactical weapon. Hornady is the company behind the 17 HMR, so they should manufacture the best ammo for it. Though the 22 LR is a great choice for hitting targets under 100 yards but 17 HMR is what you'll need to hit those targets at 125-175 yards. The little .17 HMR (Hornady Magnum Rimfire) has been used by plenty of hunters to put small game in the stew pot. No matter how you slice it, coyotes are a bit on the large side for these rounds. Coyote hunters are just like any other group of hunters and love to discuss and debate the popular predator hunting calibers. There are a few different types of bullets used in 17 HMR ammo, and each has its purpose. This caliber is perfect for youth hunters as a dual-purpose firearm, good for coyotes and deer. The Ruger Precision Rimfire 17 HMR is a bolt-action rifle featuring a one-piece chassis and a Quick-Fit adjustable buttstock, so it can quickly adapt to most shooters. a local hunting guide was in the gun shop last summer telling the guy behind the counter that the 17 hmr was the best coyote gun ever! Polymer-tip ammo is a JHP with a plastic tip that aids the bullet's aerodynamics without detracting from the bullet's expansion. I will take the 270 instead. The 17 HMR does not transfer enough energy to quickly and humanely kill a coyote across its entire 200-yard effective range. In 2022, he was named as the brands Shooting Editor. Rifles chambered in .17 Hornet are some of the softest shooting varmint rifles youll ever lay hands on, which makes high-volume coyote hunting far more enjoyable. Shooting a 20-grain V-max bullet, it produces a muzzle velocity of 3,650 fps and generates 592 ft.-lbs. Its lightweight, spitzer-style projectiles have a higher velocity, ballistic coefficient and a resultant flatter trajectory. So it's cheaper, per round, to buy 1,000 rounds than it is to buy 100 rounds at a time. I love 17 hmr threads, thanks for posting. This restriction is made under protest, but we have to do this to comply with Californias infringement on the freedoms of speech and association of the NRA and our members, supporters, and the general public. Fast, violent expansion on impact. That means if you like to call them in hot or youre hunting thick brush, a shotgun is a capable dog dropper, especially when it is loaded with a heavy payload of Number 4 or 00 buckshot. It is capable of sending featherweight 24-grain bullets downrange at blistering velocities (near 4400 fps). Whether youre a dedicated coyote hunter or youre completely new to the sport, if you want a versatile all-around coyote rifle, you simply cant go wrong with an AR-15 chambered in.223 Remington. However, if you value quick kills over flawless furs, both cartridges will clobber the heck out of nuisance coyotes. In fact, an entire hunting market has developed that includes dedicated coyote hunting guns (shotguns and rifles), calls, clothing, scents, etc. Once upon a time, the .22-250 was a very hotly desired round, when, for a time it was the de facto standard for bench rest shooting owing to its uncanny flatness in . For example, if you are about to go for coyotes, then we suggest .22 mag to be the most suitable one for you. Because the rifle hardly moves during the shot, you can easily stay with the target during and after the shot so you dont miss any of the show. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire. A common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Our Low Price $299.89 Your Security is Our Priority border-color: #656565; Federal 17 HMR 17gr Polymer-Tipped is a favorite of many varmint hunters because of its consistency. It easily pulls double duty for predators and big game. Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. It is shooting the same 17 grain bullet, but at the faster speed. Both the 6.5 Creedmoor and the 6.5 Grendel are hard on pelts. Its bullet is just a little too light and its wound channel is just a little too shallow for our liking. No, the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is UNDERKILL for coyote hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement. Here are five standout options, By Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest coyote - and to this question, the response again is no, the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is UNDERKILL for coyote hunting. border-width: 1px; This is the foremost reason why it pierces deeply into your prey. 50 - 100 yards: The .22 LR gets left behind by the others past the 50 yard line. Surprisingly, one of the best coyote loads for the .22 Magnum is the common 40-grain hollow point. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Mr. Brooks, welcome and to answer your question there are a couple of 17HMR rounds that you can use. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .22 WMR Winchester Magnum Rimfire. The full metal jacket bullet is most commonly used as in target ammo. The V-MAXs terminal ballistics do tend to make its wound channel relatively shallow, so shot placement does count for a great deal when youre hunting coyote with this bullet. Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn. Best 40 S&W Ammo For Self Defense & Target Practice, Best Shotgun Shell Types for Home Defense & Hunting, Best 17 HMR Ammo for Varmint Hunting and Plinking, Best Handgun Ammo for Self-Defense in Common Calibers, Best 308 Ammo For Hunting & Target Shooting, 10 Best 6.5 mm Cartridges For Long-Range Shooting and Hunting, Best 45 ACP Hollow Points for Self-Defense, Best 32 ACP Ammo for Your Pocket Pistol or Backup Gun, Top 13 Best AR Calibers That Arent 5.56 NATO, Best Ammo for Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Shield, Best 20 Gauge Ammo for Home Defense, Whitetail, and Upland Game, Best 45 ACP Ammo for Law Enforcement Officers, Best 38 Special Ammo For Target Practice Precision Shooting, Top 5 Best 45 ACP Ammo for Target Practice. Popular Rifle Calibers, Part I Though .17 HMR was designed to replicate the ballistics of the 5mm RMR. In 2015, Mann began contributing to Field & Stream to cover guns, ammunition, ballistics, and hunting. Ben started working in outdoor and sporting goods while in high school and now has 17 years of experience in the hunting industry, including some time as a part-time hunting guide. Coyotes have an expansive range, which means hunters use very diverse tactics. One potential method to measure a calibers effectiveness against an animal is to look at the terminal ballistics. So lets dive in and see if it makes sense to go coyote hunting in extreme cold. } What about the other assumptions? I doubt that it's even 1 in 100 here. Shot placement is critical, so make the shot count. In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire round is approximately 250 foot-pounds. Plus, if you are into .22 mag, you will need a lot of gear, which is much opposed to squirrel hunting. Caliber is literally the diameter of a projectile (or the barrel of a firearm that the projectile travels through), and is generally measured in fractions of an inch. Yet, don't be fooled; it can still take down larger predators such as coyotes. The 17 HMR is a clear winner when it comes to velocity. The HMR portion of the name is an acronym of the Hornady Magnum Rimfire name. ), predator hunting is still my. Now, what we must tell you is that the .17 HMR is a perfect choice for squirrel hunting. Were going to show you the ins and outs of the most popular coyote cartridges in current production. Top #2411967 - 01/26/13 03:37 PM Re: .17 HMR, Good Coyote Gun? dang didnt know id start a pissing contest! Hornady Custom .17 Hornet - 25 Grain HP Specifications (#83006): 25 grain HP Varmint bullet. At 100 yards, it hits like a .22-250 hits at 350 yards. Take the above-mentioned example, you can use.17 HMR for shooting a coyote. best 17 hmr ammo for coyotes. Every major commercial ammo manufacturer offers .243 ammo in most of its major hunting lines, including varmint-specific options that are capable as well as affordable. I say this as some states may have restrictions that prevent using a 17 HMR for taking coyotes. I believe there are three main factors that we all should consider when choosing the best ammo. Author with Savage turn bolt testing A-17 CCI Ammo. Weight sorting and rim thickness have no useful results on accuracy from my experience with measuring an entire brick and checking across a chronograph for all 500 rounds. Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in coyote hunting. Of the two, the .17 HMR is far and away the most popular. Not only is this the go-to gun for home defense, waterfowl, turkeys, and upland birds, but it is also a solid option for coyote hunting. Thus hopefully, you'll find one ideal product or another in our list. Plus, plenty of passing yotes have fallen victim to a deer hunters .308 bolt-action. The reson for this is both the V-Max and BT are desinged for quick and raiped expantion. Hence, if you are thinking about bullets, then you can reconsider .17 HMR or Hornady Magnum Rimfire these days. If pancake-flat trajectories, excellent ballistic coefficients, and fairytale accuracy turn you on, the 6.5 Creedmoor should be your dream cartridge. Ive taken a few myself with a 17 HMR, but Ill get more into that below. If that won't take a fat coyote out of the picture, the next two range limits will. It shoots reasonably flat, can be used for just about any small-game application, and is arguably the best coyote load for the .22 Long Rifle. They're both single-action revolvers, with the Ruger being much more expensive than the Chiappa. Most manufacturers will offer a better discount with the more rounds you buy. Ben was born and raised in the great state of Texas and comes from a long line of outdoorsmen. They're very reliable rounds and cycle smoothly through semi-automatic rimfire rifles. As with anything, the devil is in the details. With a muzzle velocity of more than 2000 fps, this is the deepest penetrating, widest expanding .22 Magnum load on the market. Smaller loads, including the .17 HMR, are much more fur-friendly than larger big game loads that punch huge holes in coyote hides. Ammo costs per box of 50 run $12 to $13 for 17 HMR, about $1 less for .22 WMR, and $2 to $3 more for .17 WSM. The 17 HMR turret that comes with this scope is calibrated for a 17 grain bullet and has BDC functionality that is set out to a max of 250 yards. Even when capped with heavier 40-grain projectiles, the .204 Ruger produces muzzle velocities of 3800 fps or faster. As an affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. While the 17HMR is almost always more accurate than the .22 Magnum, the heavier bullets do a better job on heavier game. Although the 6.5 Creedmoor was originally designed specifically for long-range target shooting, it provides a balance of ballistics, power, and handling that makes it near perfect for hunting coyotes. In this conversation about the 17 hmr vs 22 wmr, we have to agree that 2550 FPS giving with 246 FPE or foot-pounds of energy stands out. Ive taken three coyotes so far with an HMR while coyote hunting. text-align: center; You know you can go after a raccoon, varmint, and a rabbit with the .17 HMR rifles. However, savvy hunters. We recommend all the cartridges compared in our ballistic data for coyote hunting except for the Hornady NTX load. The .223 Remington is definitely the most popular and affordable option for predator hunting. Lots of 17hmr ammo still on the shelves. Rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor are available in everything from AR-10s to traditional lever-actions. If you want to curtail some of that pelt damage, look for loads with a controlled expansion bullet, like Hornadys ELD-X. Is the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for coyote hunting? For starters, the .22 WMR was released in 1952 and that makes it one of the oldest guns around. For this you need to have all the equipment you need and then can enjoy your hunt. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for coyote to be approximately 100 yards. overflow: hidden; Common 6.5 Creedmoor Problems | What You Need To Know. It's Consistent It isn't difficult at all to be down at the bench rest with the Savage rifle and turn in excellent groups at 100 yards. Remington 783 Vs 700: Which One Is Better? Here are five of the best coyote loads for these four rimfires. The Best 17 HMR Ammo Chosen by Experts at Ammo.com, Best 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire Ammo for Target Shooting, Best 40 S&W Ammo For Self Defense & Target Practice, Best Shotgun Shell Types for Home Defense & Hunting, Best 17 HMR Ammo for Varmint Hunting and Plinking, Best Handgun Ammo for Self-Defense in Common Calibers, Best 308 Ammo For Hunting & Target Shooting, 10 Best 6.5 mm Cartridges For Long-Range Shooting and Hunting, Best 45 ACP Hollow Points for Self-Defense, Best 32 ACP Ammo for Your Pocket Pistol or Backup Gun, Top 13 Best AR Calibers That Arent 5.56 NATO, Best Ammo for Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Shield, Best 20 Gauge Ammo for Home Defense, Whitetail, and Upland Game, Best 45 ACP Ammo for Law Enforcement Officers, Best 38 Special Ammo For Target Practice Precision Shooting, Top 5 Best 45 ACP Ammo for Target Practice. Ackley during the early 1950s, as a necked-down version of the .22 Hornet. So, think about it and make your decision based on proper information. While there may be other .22-caliber cartridges that shoot flatter and hit harder, the .223 Remington is a classic. Not only is this cartridge easy on the ears, but it also works in the hunters favor when multiple dogs come running into the call. It will expand to slightly more than 3/10ths of an inch and push to about 10 inches, leaving a wake of destruction in its path. We get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For target shooting, we recommend CCI 17 HMR 20-grain FMJ because they're reasonably priced, cycle reliably in a bolt-action rifle, and are highly accurate. With a muzzle velocity around 2000 fps, you can expect to see expansion/deformation of about 1.6 times the original bullet diameter, with a total penetration depth in the neighborhood of a foot or more. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute("id","a46e7b9f902311952422bf271018dcc9");document.getElementById("d82504c398").setAttribute("id","comment"); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. font-weight: bold; Get free updates when we add new tips, articles and more! Winchester makes some too but not nearly as much as CCI does. We dont like recommending an FMJ bullet for hunting anything other than varmints. Coyote hides in good condition can be sold to fur buyers and turned into hats, stoles, and coats. For simplicitys sake, lets combine those two figures and say an average coyote weighs 29 pounds. We include a quick look at 17 HMR ballistics and some recommendations for specific ammo loads. Again, if you want to go after smaller creatures, then the .17 HMR is the one for you. The .17 WSM is not as solidly established but, based on potential, certainly should be. Speaking about lightweight bullet construction, we have to cite that lighter bullets (.17 HMR) can travel faster than heavier bullets (.22 WMR). But youre interested in tackling coyotes with a .17 Win. I got my popcorn, crap ran out brb. Mr. Brooks, welcome and to answer your question there are a couple of 17HMR rounds that you can use. This is especially true for the .22 LR. Re: 17 HMR vs coyote. He grew up hunting nearly every game species that Texas had to offer, including wild pigs, White-tailed deer, and coyotes. If you still want to know which one is better, then we have to tell you that .22 WMR penetrates deeply, while the .17 HMR is faster. even out to 300 yards. And it will do the job. The smaller sized .17HMR is more than enough when hunting these smaller predators. However, it also has plenty to offer coyote hunters. Winchester manufactures three polymer tipped bullets: the lightest is a15-grain non-leaded bullet with a 20-grain midweight and a "heavy" 25-grain bullet. We use our .22 mag with 40-grain bullets and the correct distance of 150 yards pretty much works in our favor. Some snipe them at long range across open fields. Ben is married with three boys, who are continuing the family hunting traditions. Moreover, the explosive property of the .17 HMR makes it apt for small animals with thin skin.