Mossy-dog Posted April 24, 2021 Report Share Posted April 24, 2021 I have a .22LR and it’s handy but I could do with something with a bit more range / flatter shooting for shooting at night, mainly with NV. Common sense says a HMR is the obvious choice but I’m a bit fickle and don’t love the idea of one so looking for thoughts on WMR, Hornet (.22 or .17) or even a .17 rem potentially. Not firing millions of rounds, do reload (very basically). Noise isnt a massive issue other than disturbing other rabbits (I use a .22-250 occasionally for the job when I get really pissed off) but less is better. Am I just being stubborn with avoiding the HMR or is one of those options a real contender, I’ve never used any of them but quite like the idea of the hornet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossy-dog Posted April 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2021 Ps. Only shooting rabbits and hares, no foxes or anything any bigger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT3_richy Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 Not want you want to hear, but personally love the hmr for bunnies with nv or thermal, .22LR rarely leaves cabinet. Also have a 17H but purely for twatting bunnies out to 150 or so with NV/thermal, I find grabbing an hmr and a box of ammo from the cabinet and heading out suits me - I really couldn't be bothered loading a couple of hundred for the hornet every week for rabbits. I only take a small CF for rabbits if I'm shooting somewhere that foxes are also likely on the menu, otherwise its a rimmy every time - cheap as chips if youre whacking a couple of hundred+ rabbits a week. HMR is definitely marmite, yes theres been some dodgy ammo, but personally never had any issues. End of the day, we buy what we want, if you have a 17rem itch you need to scratch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossy-dog Posted April 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 Thanks for that - it’s not a dislike of HMR or anything to do with bullets really, I know plenty people who shoot thousands of rounds through theirs with no problems - it’s more just a stubbornness and wanting to feel special I think I know that it’s the right choice really and the 17rem is probably too much but the hornet had peaked my interest a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akeld Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 Just to add another to the mix, the .17fireball is a good little round Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuggy Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 I have always liked the sound of a .221 Fireball for a rabbit rifle - but they are not common. However, the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook shows that the much more readily available .222 Remington can be safely loaded to match normal .22 Hornet velocities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 Another vote for the 22 Hornet. My son and I both shoot CZ 527's and love them. It's almost embarassing to admit that these are two of the most accurate CF rifles in the house, but when fed the ammo they like, they are. Prairiedog, rabbit, coyote: works well.~Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One on top of two Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 .22 hornet 🐝 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 Another vote for the 22 hornet 13 grains of Lil gun with a 40 grain V Max bullet will give you a 2 inch kill zone from 20-180 yards or a 1 inch kill zone from 30-150 yards Cheers Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzer Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 Love the little hornet easy to reload accurate and doesn’t have the problem of wind affected as the 17 HMR tends to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visiter1 Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 17 hornet every time , love minen quiet enough to still shoot loads a rabbits and you get such distance 300 yards on a rabbit on a noce eve is doable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outlanda Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 Another for .17HMR as preferred option. Never was very impressed with .17Hornet. A .20 cal or .223 will do everything the .17H will do and more. Noise, barrel length, carry weight, magazine capacity, safety and bulk ammo deals are reason for preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangbangman Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 I ditched the 17HMR and went to the 17Hornet. No regrets. It’s everything I’d hoped the 17HMR would be but wasn’t. Maybe the 17HMR ammo has improved since I used it last but even when working as advertised it doesn’t compare to a 25gr V-max at 3400fps (3397fps@14C). Reloading keeps costs down (especially the bulk 17gr for plinking, with sniff powder) but I will say that 17Hornet isn’t the most forgiving to reload for (small charges, small funnels, small everything!) I use it for rabbits because the cliff edges, gorse-covered gullies and ridges around me don’t offer 22LR range shots and limited opportunity to stalk in. If I’m knowingly after fox, I’ll take 204Ruger or 223Rem but should I encounter a fox while out with the 17Hornet, I know it’ll do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT3_richy Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 1 minute ago, Bangbangman said: I ditched the 17HMR and went to the 17Hornet. No regrets. It’s everything I’d hoped the 17HMR would be but wasn’t. Maybe the 17HMR ammo has improved since I used it last but even when working as advertised it doesn’t compare to a 25gr V-max at 3400fps (3397fps@14C). You're really not comparing apples with apples here, to be fair to the little HMR. I sold my first HMR, bought a 17H, and have since bought 2 more HMRs 😜 Shooting 50 rabbits a night at 50-150 yards with NV or thermal I still think the HMR is hard to beat. If you cant get that close, shoot in difficult conditions or regular whack foxes while shooting rabbits then fair enough, something with more ooomph makes sense. Tbh, I rarely use my 17H (usually a few times a year on corvids in summer), 204 comes out every time instead for fox, although I completely agree that the 17H flops gingas over no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangbangman Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 2 minutes ago, GT3_richy said: You're really not comparing apples with apples here, to be fair to the little HMR. I sold my first HMR, bought a 17H, and have since bought 2 more HMRs 😜 Shooting 50 rabbits a night at 50-150 yards with NV or thermal I still think the HMR is hard to beat. If you cant get that close, shoot in difficult conditions or regular whack foxes while shooting rabbits then fair enough, something with more ooomph makes sense. Tbh, I rarely use my 17H (usually a few times a year on corvids in summer), 204 comes out every time instead for fox, although I completely agree that the 17H flops gingas over no problem. I don’t shoot rabbits in that volume, otherwise I’d probably be more inclined to use the 17HMR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT3_richy Posted April 25, 2021 Report Share Posted April 25, 2021 1 minute ago, Bangbangman said: I don’t shoot rabbits in that volume, otherwise I’d probably be more inclined to use the 17HMR. If I was shooting half a dozen a night, or shooting them during day time and could knock them off at range I'd probably choose to use a CF to be fair. No wrong answer is there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodder Posted May 3, 2021 Report Share Posted May 3, 2021 I had an hmr for a while but sold it as I just couldn't get the accuracy I was after. This may have been ammo related, but every time I missed with it I never knew if it was me or the rifle. I've had a .17Rem which was good but now have a .17Fireball which is ridiculously accurate (mines a Cooper) so can heartily recommend one of those assuming you can find one. I nearly bought a Sako M78 that had been rebarreled in .17AH but it never came off. I have always fancied a .22 Hornet - plenty about and relatively cheap or you could go for a .222 but thats possibly not too dis-similar from your .22-250 but it is a lovely round and inherently accurate. Enjoy doing your research and the search for your new rifle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossy-dog Posted May 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 Having got totally bogged down yet choice I’ve been using my .22-250 for hares in some plantings and now I’m I’m no mad rush. a .222 / .223 with a 40gn varmint grenade could be another option. such a massive choice is a pain sometimes, especially when you are being a bit picky for no reason! The hornet itch is, however still there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRD Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 .22 Hornet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner Posted July 9, 2021 Report Share Posted July 9, 2021 id go for the hornet of the one's mentioned or 17 fireball , both have good range and will moderate well , but have about 2x the distance of the 22rf . atb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty_seven Posted February 12, 2022 Report Share Posted February 12, 2022 On 4/25/2021 at 5:58 PM, One on top of two said: .22 hornet 🐝 It is a great round for bunnies. Hard hitting and accurate. It is my go to rifle when I do rabbit and hares. Also a light rifle to carry around all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richiew Posted February 12, 2022 Report Share Posted February 12, 2022 Hmr no problem if your doing big numbers upto 150 yards . I would start with the 22lr first until they run when they see movement or get used to a person then run , once at this stage use the extra range of the hmr with good quality ammo hornady or cci . Then move onto night shooting with the hmr as bunnies don’t usually know where the bang came from . I’ve shot over 2700 rabbits over the last 2 years and would hate to think how much that’ll cost if only using centrefire. Upto now it’s over £300 of rimfire ammo . Trying to get the last skittish ones with the 223 before the new crop of young dumbnuts come out to breed . Roll on the Easter bunny . Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted February 21, 2022 Report Share Posted February 21, 2022 On 4/24/2021 at 10:03 PM, Mossy-dog said: I have a .22LR and it’s handy but I could do with something with a bit more range / flatter shooting for shooting at night, mainly with NV. Common sense says a HMR is the obvious choice but I’m a bit fickle and don’t love the idea of one so looking for thoughts on WMR, Hornet (.22 or .17) or even a .17 rem potentially. Not firing millions of rounds, do reload (very basically). Noise isnt a massive issue other than disturbing other rabbits (I use a .22-250 occasionally for the job when I get really pissed off) but less is better. Am I just being stubborn with avoiding the HMR or is one of those options a real contender, I’ve never used any of them but quite like the idea of the hornet. HMR is a super cartridge, mine a Ruger M77/17 All-Weather (stainless heavy barrel) can head shoot out to 200 yards on a fine day, but is not so clever in the wind, that's just the way it is. If I was moving up then it would be the 17 Hornet, as that is a little peach; fast, flat-shooting and good accuracy potential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT-Hunting Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 .223 Rem with 1/8" twist has good set of ammo coverage and does well for rabbits, hares foxes, muntjack, cwd and roe in Scotland. Find it good for practice and ranging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted April 25, 2022 Report Share Posted April 25, 2022 22 Hornet takes some beating with 40gr V-Max Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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