Does a .17 centerfire have a place in your safe? (Graphic animal images in thread)

[ZGunner]

For me, it does not. I've been pondering this for a few days now and my wife thinks she wants a 17 Hornet. Here's why I don't think I need one:

I have a CZ in 17 HMR, that gives me all the 17 caliber firepower I think I'll need. It's cheaper the shoot that Fireball, Hornet, 17 Remington etc (factory loads). Ammo is readily available.

I also have a few .223s. I reckon anything the more powerful 17s can do this can do just as well if not better. Again ammo is cheaper and more readily available in a wider variety.

What do y'all think? Am I the only one that doesn't really have a place for 17 centerfire?

 

[Panzerschwein]

You aren't the only one who thinks this way.

.17 rimfire is a hoot and very useful for hunting/pests, and while the .17 Hornet is interesting as a niche cartridge, it wouldn't do anything for me that numerous other guns wouldn't do better.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Nope

 

[WestKentucky]

i dont think a 17 cal does but maybe a 20 cal. .204 Ruger sounds like a great round, and if the 5.45x39 would get cheap again i would buy another provided somebody finally makes some rounds designed to hit where they are aimed.


now this is the part where i contradict myself....
My main issue however with the tiny-bores is in the reloading arena. Since i reload basically everything i shoot i am very much inclined to buy a round that components are popular for and relatively easy to find and inexpensive. That leaves me looking primarily at 22 and 30 cal with the 7mm family and .277 familys as close seconds. For the purpose a 17 centerfire serves i see myself behind a 22-250 or .270 win. The draw of the 17 centerfires (and .204 ruger and 22-250) is blistering speed. We have seen highly eroded barrels in these type of guns in the past so I personnally am not a fan of those however i do see one distinct advantage in that area...You dont have to be good at estimating range on a critter due to the speed of the round minimizing drop. Rangefinders keep getting cheaper and cheaper with the quality getting better and better. They are a lot cheaper than the cost of replacing a burnt barrel.

 

[TIMC]

Nope

 

[cat_IT_guy]

Agree with the rest. .17 rimfire is great fun and reasonably cheap to shoot holes in paper / targets wih. .17 centerfire fills no need or want for me at this time. Perhaps if I ever fell hard into varmint hunting and/or got into reloading (wherein the cost advantage of the rimfire probably gets negated) I'd see it differently, but at this time theres a whole bunch of other calibers I'd rather add to the safe first.

 

[js8588]

I have a CZ 452 17hmr Training Rifle on layaway at the moment. If I need anything smaller than 22 cal in a centerfire, make mine a 204 Ruger.

 

[cpt-t]

ZGunner: I have CZ`s in 17HMR, 17 REM VARMINTER, 22 HORNET,223 VARMINTER, 762-39,and a 30-06. And truley enjoy Shooting and Hunting with all of them. I have had these rifles for several years, and Shoot them alot. But my CZ 17 REM VARMINTER is very speical to me and I like it more every time I shoot it and it still amazes me on what I can do with it. I will probley buy a CZ 17 Hornet in a few years if, it ever gets where I can easly buy reloading componets. You might try a CZ 17 REM for a while, You just might change Your mind.
ken

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I have a .22 Hornet and love it -- after finally learning how to load it.

I think it's a mistake to try to make the Hornet into something it was never intended to be. Enjoy if for what it is, and if you need more, go to the .223 Remington.

 

[witchhunter]

I guess I will be the spoiler. You can load .17 Remington for the same price as 17HMR ammo. You can tune it to your gun to make it shoot better. Plus, you pick up a couple hundred yards in kill range on squirrels. You can see the hits with a 17 rem compared to a .223, no recoil. I have thought about a 17 rimfire, but for the same cost to shoot, I will keep my .17 Remington. Hmmm, a .17 fireball uses less powder for 90% of the velocity though.

 

[bannockburn]

No not really interested in any of the .17 offerings.

 

[Captcurt]

Nope. Even got rid of my 17 Mach ll and my HMR and my 22 mag. Now if I could only find some 22 lr ammo.

 

[Dframe]

I own no 17s except for a pellet rifle useful for small pests.

 

[ATCDoktor]

I guess the pics of the rifle were too graphic as well.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I also have a few .223s. I reckon anything the more powerful 17s can do this can do just as well if not better.

If that were true, I'd have never bought a .17 Remington. It's 1,000 FPS faster with bullets that have virtually zero risk of over penetration or ricochet. I shoot coyotes in the neck; the inside looks like an M80 went off, but there is only a pin prick entry hole and no exit.

Also, the recoil is so minimal that you can watch everything through the scope as though you were looking through a telephoto lens.

Yes, they're a pain in the neck to load, but I think you'll find most people who own a centerfire .17 have no intention of parting with it.

ATC-

While I and many others appreciate the damage and nuisance that feral cats and dogs bring, I would suggest not posting pictures of them with bullet holes. Millions of non-members view these boards, and the overwhelming majority of people do not really see a distinction between a large tom that's terrorizing your property and little fluffy, the adorable house cat. Also remember that, even though cats widely viewed as a woman's pet, studies have shown that men are just as likely to have them.

IOW, that kind of image is going to be offensive to a lot of people who aren't so much bothered by pics of dead varmints and predators.

 

[JShirley]

While housecats are pets, feral cats are a serious menace to ecosystems. It is unreasonable to expect control methods to always involve trapping. They also spread diseases to human populations.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/09/0907_040907_feralcats.html

 

[Vern Humphrey]

While housecats are pets, feral cats are a serious menace to ecosystems. It is unreasonable to expect control methods to always involve trapping. They also spread diseases to human populations.

Years ago, there was a study -- people who had outdoors cats were asked to record all the carcasses the cats brought home. That study concluded outdoor cats kill more biomass than automobiles.

A couple of years back, the study was replicated, but this time with mini cameras on the cats' collars. The conclusion was the first study underestimated the damage cats do by a factor of four.

Feral cats are indeed a menace to the ecology.

 

[Revoliver]

There is no place for a .17 centerfire anything in my safe.

 

[Captcurt]

Years ago, there was a study -- people who had outdoors cats were asked to record all the carcasses the cats brought home. That study concluded outdoor cats kill more biomass than automobiles.

A couple of years back, the study was replicated, but this time with mini cameras on the cats' collars. The conclusion was the first study underestimated the damage cats do by a factor of four.

Feral cats are indeed a menace to the ecology.

Free running dogs fit into this category too.

 

[Sam Cade]

Please keep the hunting pictures in the hunting section. At the very least post a link with description and not the image itself.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Free running dogs fit into this category too.

You bet they do. Years ago, my brother raised sheep, and dogs killed 40 in one night.

 

[JShirley]

Feral dogs are almost nonexistent when compared to the numbers of feral cats.

The flip side is that feral dogs can be a direct threat to humans, while the threat from cats is solely from disease.

 

[Sam Cade]

Coyotes pretty much solved our feral dog issues.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Feral dogs are almost nonexistent when compared to the numbers of feral cats.

The flip side is that feral dogs can be a direct threat to humans, while the threat from cats is solely from disease.

I live more than 3/4 of a mile off the county road, in the woods. My neighbor and I share a common road, the only two houses on it.

He was a cabinet maker and had a large shop about a hundred yards from his house. One day he called me -- he was trying to get to his house for lunch, and a pack of dogs wouldn't let him out. By the time I got there, the dogs were gone.

That evening, he called again, "Those dogs are on the road."

I grabbed my M82 Kimber and went walking up the access road. I could hear loud barking ahead. I rounded a curve, and there was my neighbor and his wife in their truck. On the road in front of them was a pit bull CHALLENGING THE TRUCK!

I looked to my left and saw another pit bull headed for me -- silently, no noise at all.

When the smoke cleared, we had two dead pit bulls and a third dog down and needing a final shot.

 

[Scot43]

I have owned 3 different 17 caliber rifles….probably because I didn't learn my lesson after purchasing a 17 Remington when they were introduced. Had a Mach II…useless. Had a CZ 17 Hornet but found no really suitable powder for reloading and my Cooper 218 Mashburn Bee is much more fun, anyway. I've had my fun with 17's….not for me.