I have a box of CCI 17 HMR "Small Game Cartridges". I mostly shoot cottontails, squirrels, turkey, and other small, edible, south-central Texan game. My question is: will these act like most other FMJ bullets, and go right through the animal being shot, or will they expand/reliably (reliably is relative, I know, no sure 1-shot kills) I don't want to use ballistic tips, b/c I plan on eating what I harvest.
FMJ for small (edible) game?
- Thread starter john917v
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KBintheSLC
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Looks like it says FMJ on the box, so I doubt they will expand at all. For very small game, I prefer FMJ... I once wasted a good kill because the CCI Stingers I used blew the poor animal to bits. Expansion would be nice for a bigger animal like a Turkey, but I would not want an expanding round for something as small as a squirrel... especially one that moves at near 2400fps.
I bought a box of FMJs for my HMR and they performed horribly on squirrels. I figured with the speed of the round it wouldnt make a difference but it did. It was one small hole in and out. No damage at all. I even lost one squirrel. They do not expand and i could barely find the entry and exit hole through the fur.
I bought them because the regular HMR rounds caused too much damage and i wanted something better. None were instant kills.
If you stick to head shots you will probably be ok but you wont with a body hit.
Mine were the CCIs. I believe they were 20gr too.
I bought them because the regular HMR rounds caused too much damage and i wanted something better. None were instant kills.
If you stick to head shots you will probably be ok but you wont with a body hit.
Mine were the CCIs. I believe they were 20gr too.
R.W.Dale
Member
Inside 50yds or so the 20grn CCI HP's would tear squirrels up pretty badly, headshots only inside this range. But once the range stretches out a bit 75yds + the bullets expansion becomes more controlled and they don't blow your dinner up
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