.22LR 17hmr 17hornet 223

[InTheSticks]

I have a FAC air rifle which is great up to 50 yds for what I use it for, I seem to now have 3 other guns, 2 of which I am not using, them being the 17hmr and the 22lr, the 223 I use for foxing which is a keeper. I am looking at a 17hornet to replace both the hmr and lr. here's my logic;

whilst they are both great rounds and have their niches i find my fac air is better suited to the short range stuff, the 22lr doesnt seem to offer me much above that apart from accuracy to say 70/80 yards whereby the hmr then takes over to say 100/125yds at which point slight windage is an issue whereby the hornet would be on balance more consistent at those size of targets at that distance yet overkill at 80yds and not as cost effective as the hmr.

I am shooting rabbits, crows from as near as i can get them out to 150yd so need accuracy and something to cover that hence me looking at the hornet. I am an out of the box shooter so don't reload and as I dont shoot a right lot the cost is then not to big of an issue.

The hornet am looking at is the cz527 american with the shorter barrel, I know there will be contrasting views but am looking at the practical side of this knowing there are trade offs either way and one gun does not fit all scenarios.

[GT3_richy]

I have all of the above. Haven't used the .22 for ages, favour my .25 Impact which is comfortable out to 80-90 yards if noise is an issue and its not windy. Hornet is rarely used atm as although I shoot a few hundred bunnies a year, its 100% night shooting and the HMR is less hassle (don't really enjoy reloading the hornet that much, and its factory 25"-odd is unwieldy) and more than adequate range-wise as I rarely need to shoot them over a 100 yards.

I'm about to get the hornet chopped to 20" which might make it more appealing but tbh I'm still not sure what gap it will fill for me personally. If I was shooting crows during the day I'd take my 204 every time.

Why not just use your 223 if you want to reduce guns? Dead is dead, a 40 vmax on a crow will probably mean you dont need to go and pick anything up, head shot rabbits will probably be salvageable depending what if anything you are doing with them afterwards. If you just fancy a change then fair enough

[AnthonyR]

I hated my 17 Hornet, partly because I just didn't like the rifle but also because it is just terrible in the wind and is not powerful enough to be a proper foxing round either IMO

I have also given up with rimfire so I now use a .25 Impact for rats and rabbits and then into a 20 Cal or 223 for everything a bit bigger.

17 Hornet is not much cheaper if at all to shoot factory ammo than a 223 so why limit yourself.

[InTheSticks]

thanks yeah, am more a night shooter, when you put it like that the 22lr is really redundant and the hmr slots in very well to that niche - also as pointed out am conscious of the fact the hornet and 223 are not too distant on round cost and the trajectory at 200yds, am leaning toward now ditching the hornet idea and perhaps losing the 22lr and holding onto my T1 hmr, my Brocock is fine where it is so I may just put night vision on the hmr.

[One on top of two]

.22 rimmy 

.223 

is all you need , bin those silly 17 things off 👍😂

[outlanda]

I have been on this same path as OP and then come to my senses. I pretty much agree with comments above except .17hmr bashing..

I also convinced myself i needed a 17 hornet. Great factory ammo but hopeless rifle choice and overpriced because it was the 'in thing'

The ad said it shoots like a 55gr .223 and one day the penny dropped. So why not just shoot a .223 especially if you already have one. And in my case i also have a 20 cal. So i had 3 rifles to do the same thing and any one will do just fine. I didn't like the 17 hornet enough to drop the .17hmr and the hornet went instead. .17hmr is a useful round especially when you already have the rifle. If you got that yearning for a 17H then go for it and see if its for you, i would never say otherwise but you already have a rifle that will match it in every way and exceed it in others.  

 

 

[InTheSticks]

think the penny has dropped here too, hornet is way too close to the 223 except in accuracy   .   .. . so what's the point.

 

[Richiew]

Hi all 

ideal setup for me is daylight bunnies upto 100 yds = 22lr  anything over that and night gear is the 17 hmr to 140 yds and the odd close fox . Longer range fox will be a 223 eventually . 22lr in daylight doesn’t make too much noise to spook the bunnies but you do need to know the drops in the scope . Night time with the flat shooting hmr just need to get used to how big the bunny looks in the scope at effective ranges and adjust for a bit of wind . 
cheers 

 

[InTheSticks]

14 hours ago, Richiew said:

Hi all 

ideal setup for me is daylight bunnies upto 100 yds = 22lr  anything over that and night gear is the 17 hmr to 140 yds and the odd close fox . Longer range fox will be a 223 eventually . 22lr in daylight doesn’t make too much noise to spook the bunnies but you do need to know the drops in the scope . Night time with the flat shooting hmr just need to get used to how big the bunny looks in the scope at effective ranges and adjust for a bit of wind . 
cheers 

 

HI - notwithstanding your logic but is it worth having a gun for a 40 yd difference ? - why not use the hmr instead of the lr, least wise if you are out in the day you got some distance advantage if the opportunity arises, round cost not that different and use a day/night scope ?

[outlanda]

On 11/18/2020 at 7:15 PM, Richiew said:

Hi all 

ideal setup for me is daylight bunnies upto 100 yds = 22lr  anything over that and night gear is the 17 hmr to 140 yds and the odd close fox . Longer range fox will be a 223 eventually . 22lr in daylight doesn’t make too much noise to spook the bunnies but you do need to know the drops in the scope . Night time with the flat shooting hmr just need to get used to how big the bunny looks in the scope at effective ranges and adjust for a bit of wind . 
cheers 

 

HI. This seams to arse about face to me. Generally daytime rabbiting is at longer range than night time lamping unless you like that field craft thing where you are crawling round on your belly. Why make it so complicated? Use the advantage of the flat shooting .17HMR for Longer range in day and if you must use .22lr then keep it to 50-60yds lamping at night, although harder to estimate range at night so use .17hmr instead  Quick and simple.

[Richiew]

Main reason for daytime .22 is it’s usually near to a local village so trying to keep things low key and it’s mostly ambush tactics on known warrens . I have plenty of time to laser range find and adjust for the shot . 17 hmr night shooting up on the dales so no problem with noise on skittish rabbits they also don’t know where the shots come from so they will stay out in the fields but soon get wary to the fact that numbers drop when bangs happen so next time they’re very wary of bangs . So can mix it up a bit with the 22 to take some rabbits but numbers still reduced without them running for cover after a bang . As stated this works for me and my situation . 
cheers 

[Richiew]

Cost wise it’s 2041 rabbits shot in the last year and a half so £600 for 17 hmr against just over £200 if using the 22lr . That’s just one permission too . Still plenty to shoot . 

[Andrew]

How can a shooter be without a 22LR??~Andrew

[spanner]

I use a 17H for Foxing on a permission that backs onto houses and it's perfect, quiet and knocks them over with ease (max 100 yards). I sold a 17HMR to buy it and have not regretted it at all.  Rifle is an HW66 and is very accurate, light and a total delight.

[spanner]

Another tonight, straight over and quiet as perfect for use round housing.