Head Shots Only

[Elliott 436]

Just got back in from a golf course permission I share with darrenb47 on this forum. Just this week been give the green light to use my HMR and having not had the opportunity to shoot vermin with it since purchasing it earlier this year I couldn't wait

 

Well, its safe to say in future its head shots only for the rabbits! The little .17 was turning them inside out! That said its certainly an effective vermin control calibre, if just a little too loud even with the mod. I'm wondering if .22LR may be more appropriate for this permission now that I am able to use rimfires

[sussex 5,776]

The .22 with subsonic ammo & a mod is just about as quite as it gets ,I did a local golf course for years & used nothing else , with houses actually on the course the .22 was the only option . Good luck with it

[paulus 26]

with a 17 wind can be you best friend and worst enemy on the same night

[Alsone 789]

TBH I'd always use headshots anyway.

 

Despite the damage HMR does, I've seen far too many rabbits on videos on youtube jumping and writhing around for far longer than you'd expect from nerves alone. I'm sorry but I just don't subscribe to the notion that an animal is dead and not in pain when it writhes around for 10+ seconds. Polaxed on the floor shaking its dead and its nerves. Writhing around up and down the field for a long period, its wounded in my book.

 

I'm a great believer in head shots. Personally I'd rather miss than wound and if nothing else shooting for a small area like the head makes you a better shot!

 

BTW this isn't a critisism of .17, I've seen shots taken with .22 that make me question the efficacy of the heart / lung shot. Sometimes I feel too much emphasis is put on shock rather than bullet placement.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Alsone

[paulus 26]

TBH I'd always use headshots anyway.

 

Despite the damage HMR does, I've seen far too many rabbits on videos on youtube jumping and writhing around for far longer than you'd expect from nerves alone. I'm sorry but I just don't subscribe to the notion that an animal is dead and not in pain when it writhes around for 10+ seconds. Polaxed on the floor shaking its dead and its nerves. Writhing around up and down the field for a long period, its wounded in my book.

 

I'm a great believer in head shots. Personally I'd rather miss than wound and if nothing else shooting for a small area like the head makes you a better shot!

 

BTW this isn't a critisism of .17, I've seen shots taken with .22 that make me question the efficacy of the heart / lung shot. Sometimes I feel too much emphasis is put on shock rather than bullet placement.

i have also shot a fox with an hmr. the round went in through the top of its head exited through the roof of it mouth, back into the bottom jaw breaking it in two as it exited the chin. The fox then proceed to give its head a shake and run, requiring a heart lung shot to finish the job. So i would have to say that shock is just as important as shot placement if you need something to drop on the spot,

[The Seeker 3,048]

There are several debates on here if you search .17HMR vs .22 RF

 

It's down to personal taste, I own both and have done so for several years, to me the HMR is too loud, too much effected by wind and does too much damage on rabbits which is what I used it for.

 

It's not been out of my cabinet for over a year, I always reach for the rim fire and if distance is an issue I get a little closer to the rabbit.

[Elliott 436]

I'm not debating the effectivness of the two calibres, there's no doubt the HMR floors them. I've got .22LR on my ticket too so I'll get one soon.

 

The HMR makes a fair old mess on the body shots so as I say, it's head shots only from now on

[dedger 16]

Well done Elliott, I know what you mean, the HMR makes an awful mess with a body shot which is fine if your just thinning them out but if you want them for the table its headshots all the way. It always amazes me that when you make a statement like that on here, there are umpteen people who jump on the bandwagon and try and make it yet another HMR v's 22lr debate again.

[AR177 588]

22 with mod and subs are excellent mate and would be ideal for what you want,

 

its what i use and I can still reach out to 100m with 2.5 mil hold over so no real issue with the ranges

 

ATB

 

Adam

[Alsone 789]

Well done Elliott, I know what you mean, the HMR makes an awful mess with a body shot which is fine if your just thinning them out but if you want them for the table its headshots all the way. It always amazes me that when you make a statement like that on here, there are umpteen people who jump on the bandwagon and try and make it yet another HMR v's 22lr debate again.

 

If thats in reference to what I said, tbh that's not what I was doing, just observing that head shots are usually more effective and to my mind it makes you a better shot if you have to be more precise.

 

I'd personally buy a HMR over a .22 any day so don't take my post as anti-hmr.

 

If you want the real truth, I'm holding out to see what the .17 wsm finally brings to the table before deciding to go for an FAC as it promises much greater power, more silence, less recoil, little wind drift and more accuracy.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Alsone

[AR177 588]

They are all just tools in your toolbox and neither is better INDIVIDUALLY than the other, they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

 

It all depends on the task you want to perform that will decide on which is more suitable.

 

ATB

 

Adam

[fatjack 4]

Everybody says 22 with subs but I dont really rate this set up we used it for ages and with lots of jams and missfires got fed up got some high velocity and yes alot louder no jams and when I zero it in u can hear crack then hit the target or rabbit enough time to move well changin to highs stopped that im all for them much betta now ive swapped and wont go back to crappy subs

[gibbo1973 187]

the crack of the hmr is only loud at the muzzle end to the shooter holding the gun , you get a mate to stand 10 to 15 yards away(out of sight obviously) from a target and the shooter say fifty yrds from the target and when the round hits the target is sounds like a cap gun kids used to play with, you cannot hear the muzzle energy from the target area , ive shot many rabbits and hares which are only yards from each other with out the noticing the sound or friend been killed.

[Deker 3,450]

 

Well done Elliott, I know what you mean, the HMR makes an awful mess with a body shot which is fine if your just thinning them out but if you want them for the table its headshots all the way. It always amazes me that when you make a statement like that on here, there are umpteen people who jump on the bandwagon and try and make it yet another HMR v's 22lr debate again.

 

If thats in reference to what I said, tbh that's not what I was doing, just observing that head shots are usually more effective and to my mind it makes you a better shot if you have to be more precise.

 

I'd personally buy a HMR over a .22 any day so don't take my post as anti-hmr.

 

If you want the real truth, I'm holding out to see what the .17 wsm finally brings to the table before deciding to go for an FAC as it promises much greater power, more silence, less recoil, little wind drift and more accuracy.

 

 

....and there is that wonderful cop out Usually

 

Everyone does what they like or need to in the field, but have no illusions that headshots are more humane, you only need to be a fraction off to take a chunk off the skull or jaw, teeth, nose whatever and the rabbit/fox/etc., runs off to die.

 

Heart/lung, front or Texas heart shot and bunnies, etc., fall down, even if you are slightly off!

 

People will tend to take head shots on bunnies if they are for the table, if it is pure, bulk, Pest Control the idea is removal in double quick fashion, there is seldom time for the niceties.

 

And why would you buy a HMR over a .22lr any day, they are different, you buy the tool to do the job, that's why the nice policeman lets me have 2 x .22lr, HMR and WMR and a few centrefires and shotguns and air rifles, and know doubt anything else if I found I needed it!

[masmiffy 82]

We use both the HMR and 22 on rabbits depending on location. Personally I like the 22 but my mate hates it preferring the HMR.

When we are out, in my eyes, he gets into 22 range when I have the HMR to hand and stops at HMR range when the 22 is being used. I try to tell him but he just says 'if you wanna use that pop gun get on with it!!

Guess both shoot sub 40mm groups, at respective zeros, at present I would like them a bit tighter

Edited June 7, 2013 by masmiffy