To be honest, coyotes are big, but thin-skinned animals. Here are five standout options, By We use our .22 mag with 40-grain bullets and the correct distance of 150 yards pretty much works in our favor. Pay attention to which ones your gun prefers and stick with those for the best results. A 17 HMR provides you with better air resistance in comparison to the 22 WMR. However, some cartridges are better suited to the task than others. On the other hand, 22 WMR could be a choice for those that want to keep the prices down for this kind of sport. 50 - 100 yards: The .22 LR gets left behind by the others past the 50 yard line. For the .22 WMR, it is 125 yards for effective shooting. Once this unconstitutional law is struck down or repealed, this restriction will be removed. 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. border-color: #656565; 150 yards: the cartridge will handle a 2-pound target. [fbcommentssync] No related posts. Firearms manufacturers such as Savage Arms used the CCI 17 HMR 17gr Polymer Tip for testing when they developed the Savage A17, and it's still what is recommended by Savage to be used in their firearms. The jacketed hollow point is used for self-defense and hunting because it expands on impact just as a traditional hollow point does, but it feeds better in semi-auto handguns and rifles. This load for the .17 HMR is as close as you will get to .22 Magnum performance. On the other hand, the .17 HMR is a comparatively younger model. And its very pelt-friendly. Although most .17 HMR loads feature featherweight 17-grain projectiles, V-Max bullets are designed to violently fragment in soft tissue. 6.5 Grendel performs well out of an SBR (it was engineered for short-barreled AR platform rifles), so if you want lightweight maneuverability from your coyote rifle, this is certainly one way to do it. Thankfully, the .204s soft recoil makes it easy to get a quick follow-up shot on a wounded dog. Rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor are available in everything from AR-10s to traditional lever-actions. Ammo ; Hornady Varmint Express 17 Grain 17 HMR 50 Rounds; Skip to the end of the . 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. This is why it is a popular choice for shooting varmints. Go The Distance - 6.5 Creedmoor The HMR is built on a 22 Magnum case mated to a 17 caliber bullet. I would be curious how many have actually used both enough to compare results. However, it also has plenty to offer coyote hunters. match grade 17 hmr. Ive taken a few myself with a 17 HMR, but Ill get more into that below. Originally a wildcat cartridge, the .17 Hornet is one of the smallest centerfire rifle cartridges ever developed. 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. A bit on the heavy side for fox and varmint targets, the .243 is ideal for coyotes, especially big northern dogs. Of rimfire design, it's ideal for prairie dogs, potgut gophers and most of the smaller furbearers out to a couple of hundred yards. 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. The Winchester 17 HMR 15.5gr Polymer-Tipped is a lighter bullet so that the wind will affect it more, and it's more expensive. Most ballistic charts indicate that the 17 HMR hits with a maximum of 215 to 220 foot-pounds of energy at 25 yards. So, for easy math, lets say that the average male coyotes weight is 31 pounds (18 +44/2), and the average female coyotes weight is 27.5 pounds (15 + 40/2). The .17 HMR can also be used in a wider variety of firearms than the .22 LR. MSRP: $11.69 per 50-rnd. 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. This is less of a factor for rimfire ammo because, compared to centerfire rounds, it's very inexpensive. font-weight: normal; The.17 HMR ammo round is analogous to rimfire wildcatters' efforts to design a rimfire cartridge with an extraordinarily flat trajectory. In short, 17 hmr magnum is more accurate than the .22 WMR. My father introduced me to predator hunting at a young age, and it quickly became one of my favorite species to hunt. Recovered bullets will crowd the half-inch mark, and youll have to dig deep to get them out; they can penetrate as much as 18-inches. 223 is also good as is 221 fireball and 222 rem. Winchester .17 WSM ammo is a great choice for taking care of varmints and pests. Best 223 Ammo; Best .44 Magnum Ammo; Best Shotgun Shell Types for Home Defense & Hunting; Best 270 Ammo for Hunting; Best 17 HMR Ammo for Varmint Hunting and Plinking; Best Bulk 22 Rimfire Ammo; 4 Best AK-47 Ammo Picks [7.62x39] Best 38 Special Ammo for Self Defense; Best Handgun Ammo for Self-Defense in Common Calibers; Best 308 Ammo For . Exploding impacts work excellent on thin-skinned small game. 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. Some weather creates opportunities, while bad weather can take away opportunities. font-family: Arial, sans-serif; Although this load is substantially slower than the 20-grain offering, it delivers the same energy and will penetrate about twice as deep. CZ USA - 455 AMERICAN 20.5IN 17 HMR As a true-blue American rifle, the CZ 455 Rimfire Rifle is one of the most highly sought after 17 HMR rifles for accuracy. 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. The 204 ruger is superior to the 17's somethings a little rough on foxes but devastating on yotes out to three hundred yards. However, in recent years, many shooters have noticed the reliability of Winchester ammo decline. It has also proven to deliver very good precision out of a wide range of firearms, which makes it suitable for head shots on coyotes. Of the two, the .17 HMR is far and away the most popular. In this zone, a hunter can take the smallest game and vermin up to turkey, beaver, fox, and coyote with any rimfire. Conversely, the 17 HMR is low on energy which is why it is regarded as a good weapon for hunting small animals like varmints and chipmunks. But the FMJs terminal ballistics are just too lackluster for larger (and more intelligent) game. padding: 10px 5px; What do you say? For comparison, Hornadys Varmint Express line features both .223 Remington and .22-250 Rem loads. Having used them for hunting other small game, they are too small and dont pack enough punch for a coyote. It easily has the power however I have a good friend who bought one primarily for coyote hunting. Adding a red dot or reflex sight to your scattergun can help increase accuracy. What is the Best Cartridge for Coyote Hunting? font-size: 14px; You could probably extend the effective range out to 100 yards under the right conditions with the right bullet. The accurate answer is it depends. border-color: #656565; word-break: normal; These bullets tend to act much like high-end controlled-expansion bullets out of centerfire cartridges. The fact that lots of people use rimfires for coyotes doesnt make them ideal for the job. It wont take you long to determine that 17 HMR coyote hunting is a hotly debated topic. If you want to peg predators and drop whitetails with an AR-15, the 6.5 Grendel is capable of doing both. The Guide carries 17 HMR Hollow Point Ammo, as well as .17 HMR Ballistic Tip Ammo that are built for quality and consistency. Wound cavities will be shallower but wider than those from a .22 Magnum due to the higher velocity, which is almost 2500 fps at the muzzle, and it will shoot flatter, too. Were going to show you the ins and outs of the most popular coyote cartridges in current production. Messages. . } Theres a reason this cartridge is so popular. Although I have harvested a few coyotes with the HMR, I would say that the caliber is on the very edge of having sufficient power to harvest a coyote, but not a good caliber for the job. 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. Many hunters consider the popular .308 Winchester to be overkill for hunting coyotes. The .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) splits the difference between the two, crushing them both in all the categories that don't matter. 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. Although some shooters use the terms caliber and cartridge interchangeably, the words refer to vastly different things. 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. None come close to matching the low per-shot costs of .22 LR, but all shoot rings around it. border-style: solid; I always found the look of the HMR round itself to resemble a miniature 270 Winchester cartridge. They're both basically the same price now for rifles and ammo: a bit more for the rifle compared with one designed for 22LR, and about $17-$20 for a box of 50 rounds. 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. So lets dive in and see if it makes sense to go coyote hunting in extreme cold. It is excellent for decent range and stopping power providing it's the rig. Two of three were one-shot kills at close range (one at 20 yards and one at 40 yards). Currently, 17 HMR ammunition is sold in the following bullet weights: From a bullet type standpoint, this Hornady caliber is available in the following configurations: If you were planning to use a 17 HMR for coyotes, Id completely rule the 15.5 grain rounds out. While a lot of people believe CCI, Federal, Hornady or Remington ammo is most accurate in their .17 HMR, all those "brands" are made by CCI, using the same powder, cases, and bullets. 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. text-align: left; This ability to dial in is why it takes the No. The single smallest group measured a diminutive .21-inch. border-spacing: 0; (Plenty of hog hunters use FMJs to sever their preys cervical column in exactly this fashion.) Youll want to be extremely careful with your shot placement. I can personally attest to that many times over. Yet, don't be fooled; it can still take down larger predators such as coyotes. I believe the reason it was designed on the most part is for coyote 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. With the .22 Magnum, .17 HMR, and Winchester's .17 Super Magnum, you can opt for a more explosive bullet because the higher velocities will translate to more tissue damage. color: #ffffff; Shane Watson is a Co-Founder veteran. There are plenty of high-quality bolt-action rifles available in .204 Ruger. This means lightweight bullets can hit the target quicker with ease. That is to say, we assume the coyote being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). When hunting small critters like raccoons, prairie dogs, and other varmints, we've found the best 17 HMR round to be Hornady 17 HMR 17-grain V-MAX due to its high muzzle velocity, reasonable price, and the V-MAX bullet. of energy. Speaking about lightweight bullet construction, we have to cite that lighter bullets (.17 HMR) can travel faster than heavier bullets (.22 WMR). Buying bulk ammo increases the overall price but decreases the cost per round. The biggest drawback is that so many people stock up on these rounds it's often difficult to find. but the sweet spot for this caliber is in the long range dispatching of small game like coyotes and varmints. In the same line of thought, we must continue to inform you that the heavy bullet weight of 22 WMR makes lends it more energy.