.17s getting it done !!!

[spiderman 52]

My son and I did some daytime coon calling this week. We had lots of walking and wading in hip boots but it was a good time. We got 5 one day and only one on another. I was using my .17 WSM and he used his HMR. Jim

[hd833]

Great huntin'. Glad for your 17 working out. I've sent back my skinny and hb ss. Replacement skinny is doing great!

[Old Hickory]

Nice going and pictures! What WSM ammo are you using?

[spiderman 52]

I'm using the 20 grainers.... we get lots of close shots with most only 30 yards but all the way to kicking the coon as it runs by!!! I started with the 20s and then tried the 25s. The 25s were coming close to exiting on the close shots and I went back to the 20s. Tried the 25s again this year with same result so back to the 20s. No exit with them with any kind of direct hit . Any glancing hits will make a nasty cut . No exit even on head shots at 10 yards . Jim

[Al the Infidel]

Cool. humb: Thanks for the ballistics report.

[shepmankev]

How does the 17 hmr work on them? I have shot some with a 22 mag but yet to get one with the 17 and am curious how it will do.

[Al the Infidel]

Originally Posted by shepmankev

How does the 17 hmr work on them? I have shot some with a 22 mag but yet to get one with the 17 and am curious how it will do.

I took one at 30 yds or so, head-on, center of chest with a Vmax and it ran about 20 yds. If given a choice I'd've used a TNT 20 grn but the Vmax was in the gun and the coon was an unplanned victim, er, target of opportunity. My very limited experience other than a few with a 22 in my youth and one with a .177 pellet gun.

[spiderman 52]

The HMR works great . If he uses the jacketed hollow points they seem to always exit even traveling through lots of body . The ballistic tips do not exit and puts them down fast and hard . We head shoot mostly but shots behind the front leg will drop them from the tree fast and they are usually done when they hit the ground . The WSM does the same only more shock and awe for the coon . The shots , like I said , are not to long (longest so far 90 yards ) most 20 -30 yards and we key in on no pass throughs for sake of fur value . Coons are very tough and we get some large ones ( 20 -25 lbs ) so when they clear the hole they are coming out of , we hit them as soon as their hips clear the hole so they won't fall back into the hole . If you don't seal the deal with that shot , they will turn around and go back into the hole and not come out again and you will lose it . We used to use .22 mags but could not get consistent , not pass through , hits and got too much damage that ended up in money loss come fur sale day . We got 80 coons last year and we are on a little over 50 so far this year . We have hunted daytime calling for the last 4 years so we have quite a few coons down to make our decisions . We have lots of fun and learn something every time out . We skin them immediately in the woods and see the results , under the skin , of how the different rounds have performed . Jim
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[tbates66]

My bro-in-law had an infestation of coons and asked me to help him get rid of some. I used my 17HMR and he uses a .22 mag. Both rifles produced quick, clean, one-shot kills. We killed about 20 0f them.

[shepmankev]

Glad to hear that about the hmr thanks