Best 17 hmr that won't tear up small game meat
Dear therussman:
I hit a grey squirrel in the shoulders with a round of Hornady 17 gr red point and lost that meat. I love squirrel! After more practice with which I got the best sight settings to 100 yards, I bought a fresh box of the same ammo which shot into 1.0" at point of aim at 100 yards and was very little above line of sight 25 yards through 75 yards.
Before saying more I should tell you that I began shooting with iron sights in 1949 and got my first squirrel before that year ended. I was hand-loading and shooting center-fires by 1954. Many years of competitive shooting of most kinds have elapsed until I gave it up 1990-2003.
I am shooting a Savage Stevens Favorite model 30R17 .17HMR with iron sights that weighs 4.25 lbs with a 21" octagonal barrel. It makes a light and lovely woods squirrel rifle for an old man who began shooting with it after open heart valve replacement in 2003 wanting a little fun, which it most certainly has been.
Out of my second box of Hornady 17gr red spitzers I got 48 squirrels in 50 shots. All were patiently head-shot from a supported position at ranges from 20-100 yards. The two misses were my own fault trying to shoot the mark from unsupported offhand in a blasting wind at only 25 yards and missing! That is pretty humiliating if you are me.
I have found that if I stick to my shooting methods carefully, it really doesn't matter what .17 HMR load I am using or what it costs given the average of one shot one kill. Squirrel has proven healthy food. I practice marksmanship with a .22 LR version of the same rifle which has been good on squirrels, and with a CZ Ultra Lux- all from supported positions with the utmost concentration. My eyesight is still good at 75+ and the ferocious degree of perception that once won me the nickname "Squirrel Dog" is still with me. I have no dislike of scopes, just don't need them yet. I use a 12X monocular for aiding search sometimes.
Russman, study marksmanship with joy and zest until you can nail a target paster at 100 yards every shot from a supported position. When you can do that, you will be at home hunting small game with the .17 HMR. I wish you the best of luck in this quest.
Respectfully Yours,
William Harper
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