.17 Hornet for a calling rifle

[WampusCat]

First I apologize for the lack of pics of the actual rifle but I didn't hunt this season due to work and all the tools are being stored for now. The only pics I have are the ones saved on the puter now.

 

I would also like to add that this is not intended to portray the .17 Hornet as the "be all, end all" of fur rifles because there are just too many different hunting styles with different needs than mine. I primarily target fox and cats in rough canyon country as well as coyotes in wash bottoms and creosote flats. While home visiting family I also pitted this caliber against the heavy furred winter dogs I grew up calling.

 

I purchased this rifle summer of 2013 with proceeds from a couple fur checks and a real interest in this small caliber. After a couple years of playing with different powder/bullet combos for a few different calibers I was still hunting the perfect fur load. My perfect fur load would be one that hits hard leaving a small entrance hole and enough gas left over to completely use up all its energy inside the vitals of the predator I launched it at. I have always dreamed of a caliber that could tip a grey fox over without popping it like a water balloon yet still be capable enough to pile up a coyote at 200 yds while leaving the pelt in great condition not requiring any sewing. There are a lot of variables in a shot like angles, bone encounters, and just plain ole freak happenings. The best success was with 36gr Varmint Grenades out of a 22-250 or a modestly loaded 52gr Speer HPs from a .223, but still not what I was chasing. When hunting a confined canyon or a wash that limited max visibility to an average of 100yds I found myself grabbing a 22 mag as I headed out.

 

If I am honest with myself I would say that 90% of the critters who expose themselves and commit to the call in these situations end up within 50 yds of the end of my rifle. My thoughts are always that if I am calling them in close why not use a smaller rifle to limit fur damage? My next stop was going to be the .17 Remington until I read about the 17 Hornet. I did some research and a friend purchased the Savage model 25. The gun shot great but had lot of issues with feeding. I chose to go a different route and ordered a CZ 527 in the lighter weight barrel.

 

Once the rifle arrived I sighted it in and was very happy with the results. The groups hovered around half MOA with factory ammo. It wasn't fox season yet so I made a cardboard one to test the old Leopold scope I had decided to mount on the rifle. I lasered off 200yds and was anxious to see what the rifle could do in a little wind on a relatively small target. The fox was intended to resemble a grey but was more proportionate to a kit. The wind affected the little screaming bullet but not nearly as I would have guessed.

 

 

I was pumped with the results even though fur season was a long way off. Some low desert scroungy coyotes would have to suffice as test medium for a while.

Fast forward to season and as the varmints began hitting the dirt I was grabbing the Hornet every time I left the house. At the shot almost everything folded up and tipped over. I had a couple coyotes that were hit in the vitals without hitting bone and made it 50 yds or so. Most looked like they were hit with a larger rifle in respect to the way they flopped over. The most interesting thing to me was the lack of fur damage. In many cases when shot center mass in the chest (common when called critters stop at the last 50 yds reviewing the situation) the animal didn't even bleed. I could carry by a front foot back to the truck and not be drenched in blood from a massive hole. I don't mind blood at all but the lack of clean up, washing of pelts, and sewing in the fur shed is really the reason I seemed to pursue a smaller rifle for fur all the time.

 

Throughout the rest of the season the little round kept amazing me at its abilities to drop stuff in its track and leave little evidence of a being shot. Here are a few pictures from the season. Some are only phone pics while I was hitting the hills alone.

 

 

Here are a couple close up shots during fur put up that showed the damage or lack of.

 

 

More critters

 

 

On a trip back to KS the little hornet had no trouble putting these bigger coyotes down.

 

 

Notice the severe mange on the face and fore legs of this coyote surviving in the snow.

 

 

Tried for a Kit to complete a Yuma Slam but couldnt get it done.

 

 

The only negative thing I encountered was reloading the little hornet. After buying brass, powder, bullets, and dies in an attempt to make a good thing even better with a HP bullet instead of a VMAX, I could not keep it from blowing primers. Even after reducing powder charges the pockets just wouldn't hold. I researched and found I was not the only one suffering from a large batch of tapered primer pockets. Oh well I will try again when they work the kinks out of their brass.

 

 

One last dog in June of last year before I jumped on a plane.

 

 

In short I love this little round and the lightweight compact rifle that shoots it. It fills a niche that I live in very nicely where I call for the thrill of the hunt and for their fur. Lots of my opinions could be countered by someone with different needs or who holds other things more important than me. If you operate inside it's capabilities it will be just the ticket for lots of fur hunters. Although this rifle is awesome I think I will start tinkering with a .17 Fireball when I get back. Happy hunting.

[Havasuhunter]

Nice. Great write up. I've been very interested in a 17 hornet. Used to have a 22 hornet, but it did nothing a 22 mag wouldn't do for me most of the time. Those little hornet cases are fragile too and having a tiny .17 opening to work with scares me a little too. What powder are you using? Lil Gun?

 

The pictures speak for themselves. Another thing I love about the .17s are almost zero recoil and minimal noise. Even on s 223, you get enough muzzle jump to blur the shot. With a 17 you see the impact through the scope with very little movement.

 

Thanks again for the great write up on an interesting little caliber.

[BruinPoint]

I first heard of the 17 Hornet about the time I was losing interest in predators but it sure seemed like a good solution. I was using reduced loads in a 17 Remington to about the same effect but still a little hotter than I wanted.

[WampusCat]

Thanks Havasu, I too had a 22 hornet a while ago and I had similar results as you describe. For reloading the 17, I was using lil' gun and the brass was fine except for the primer pockets.

 

Your remarks on the lack of recoil and watching the impact are spot on and I can't believe I forgot to mention them in the post.

[twowindy]

It sounds like the 17 hornet is just the ticket for the type of hunting you're doing.I have a 17WSM that I'm hoping to get similar results with.I had a 17 ackly but it just did to much damage to everything I shot with it.

[Presmyk]

The hornet shoots a 25 grain bullet like 500 fps faster then then the 17 wsm I'm not sure how big.of a difference that makes in ballistics but I got a 17 wsm for varmit gun and have a very itchy trigger finger to try her out lol

[WampusCat]

I had a 17 ackly but it just did to much damage to everything I shot with it.

The Hornet is dang near the exact same thing as the Ackley. The only damage I had with this caliber was on a fox that jumped up on a boulder 5-10 yds in front of me as I called a big canyon. It startled me and I took a poor shot. I believe at the angle I hit him in the shoulder blade any chambering including a 22 mag would have removed a lot of "mass". More my fault than the caliber. Other than that instance the Hornet has behaved very well.

[twowindy]

The 17 ackly is a 222mag necked down to 17 cal.I was shooting a 25 gr bullit at 4100 fps.

[WampusCat]

Fair enough. When I read Ackley I immediately thought Ackley Hornet. He worked his magic on the little case long ago. Hornady just breathed new life into it.

[Guest wdenike]

Cat,

 

 

Your letting the whole world in on a pretty good thing. I have the 527 varmint. Got it when the first came out. When ya put that little bullet where it needs to go it indeed makes things sick. Be careful, and thanks for what ya all do. Always enjoy your posts.

 

 

 

Take care, Willie

[HunterB17]

I just bought a Ruger 17hmr yesterday for all the same reasons you described. Can I expect similar results?

[WampusCat]

Thanks Willie!

 

HunterB17, I won't tell you an HMR wont kill a coyote but I will say you may be frustrated with some of your results. Shot placement will be a key factor! Fox is a different story and I think the HMR is a great fox round when called inside 100yds.

[mmtx10]

Nice write up.

Great, now I have to go buy a dang hornet. I'm kinda a savage freak so it will be hard to go CZ but I will do a fair internet research analysis.

Stay warm up there. I'll save a little fur down here for when you get back.

[WampusCat]

Ha, I promise CZ is the way to go on this little guy. Their set trigger is icing on the cake. Hope you are stacking up all the fur I left in the desert for you.

[GreyGhost85]

i have had a .17 fireball for years now. it is crazy accurate and everything i have shot is DRT, even a couple javelinas. what kind of bullets do you shoot? the only reason i don't shoot the fireball more is because it is so dang hard to reload for. i have a very hard time holding the bullet on the neck while seating them, being that all the bullets are flat based and not boattail they don't balance on the end of the brass very well. do you have a secret to making this easier?