What scope do you have on your .17s?

I find it very difficult to do serious varmint hunting without a laser range-finder

Click to expand...

That's fantastic. But most folks are using their 17HMRs under 150 or 200 yards, not 400-600 yards. There's a big difference in guestimating the distance at 150 yards vs 400 yards.

Serious varmint hunting is apparently only serious if it's past what, 300 or 400 yards according to you? I can't do serious varmint hunting under 150 yards? Better tell that to the 400+ ground squirrels I shot last month in about 1 day with my 223 and 17HMR. I guess it was only moderate varmint hunting, not "serious" varmint hunting?

My 17HMR is zero'd at 135 yards, so I don't have any of those issues out to 150 yards. I can guess close enough to make those kinds of shots regularly. If I think it might be a little past 135, I'll just aim an inch high- aim for the neck or head instead of the chest. I have a little chart handy that references all yardages from 0 to whatever in case I forget. If one pops up under 50 yards, I can see that I need to aim a little this way or that way.

You don't need a laser rangefinder to be "serious". It's quite easy. I don't know the exact yardage of my longest shot. Does that make me non-serious?