17 Hornet rat smackage......."Graphic"

[Screaminweasil]

Buddy and I went to a local farm yesterday to enjoy the sunshine. No better way to get a tan than lying prone, smacking rats, and getting a "front row view" of it all through the rifle scope.

To say that I fell in love with my 17 hornet yesterday would be an understatement.

Here are a few pics, hope you all enjoy, and hope that your doing your part to thin out these pesky little buggers.

Rifle used........factory CZ 527 Varmint .17 Hornet dropped in H-S Precision Kevlar stock.
Scope used.........Burris XTR 3-12x50 mildot
Load used.......12.2gr AA1680, Hornady case, Fed 205 primer, 20gr Nosler Tipped Varmageddon (these bullets are quite accurate and explosive). Loads consistently group 1/2" or less at 100 yards.

Shots I took were out to 290 yards with easy kills out to 250 yards
Pics of squirrels with two fingers in them indicate squirrels that were over 200 yards.
I don't usually count, but it was easy enough to keep track of hits/misses by orientation of empty brass in ammo boxes. I placed all brass that was a "hit" with the primer pocket facing up.........misses, were flipped and placed in box with case mouth facing up.

I fired 78 rounds total.............
13 misses......4 of which were at a squirrel at 290 yards and the wind had it's way with me.....haha
Still not bad for 65 confirmed kills for me

It was a slow afternoon in this field...........rats were very hard to pick out in the plowed field below, much looked like dirt clods and it was best to watch for movement with naked eye and then find them in the scope. My neck was getting sore from laying prone so much, so that seemed to work best, sitting up often to give the neck a break and spot squirrels chasing below to get setup for the next shot.

Not fast and furious, but a great few hours anyway...........here are some pics.

[Screaminweasil]

[TAJ45]

Man, on my bucket list for sure. At my age, I'm thinking a Long legged bipod and my back against a chair or SUMTHING. I have a half dozen boxes of 20s from somewhere but no 17 chambering. Gotta be a hoot and man, what carnage! My cuppa tea. Cant think of a better way to soak up some rays in the middle of nature helping out a "stocky" (Aussi for farmer) and shooting da chit with a Bud.

[Bill K]

Very nice. photos, story and all. Know you enjoyed that outing. Bill K

[Alan in GA]

..... and 6 of us have decided that 17 Ackley Hornet or Hornady hornet is THE round for this most enjoyable 'task'.

[df06]

I don't think any of those rats heard the shot that killed them.

[rickiesrevenge]

I miss being out west and this isn't helping.

Aaron

[Danny]

Is this your first CZ 527, or do you have others? I am considering getting back into one, but I also like Coopers. Lefty CZ 527s are easier to find than Lefty Coopers.

Danny

Originally Posted by Screaminweasil

Buddy and I went to a local farm yesterday to enjoy the sunshine. No better way to get a tan than lying prone, smacking rats, and getting a "front row view" of it all through the rifle scope.

To say that I fell in love with my 17 hornet yesterday would be an understatement.

Here are a few pics, hope you all enjoy, and hope that your doing your part to thin out these pesky little buggers.

Rifle used........factory CZ 527 Varmint .17 Hornet dropped in H-S Precision Kevlar stock.
Scope used.........Burris XTR 3-12x50 mildot
Load used.......12.2gr AA1680, Hornady case, Fed 205 primer, 20gr Nosler Tipped Varmageddon (these bullets are quite accurate and explosive). Loads consistently group 1/2" or less at 100 yards.

Shots I took were out to 290 yards with easy kills out to 250 yards
Pics of squirrels with two fingers in them indicate squirrels that were over 200 yards.
I don't usually count, but it was easy enough to keep track of hits/misses by orientation of empty brass in ammo boxes. I placed all brass that was a "hit" with the primer pocket facing up.........misses, were flipped and placed in box with case mouth facing up.

I fired 78 rounds total.............
13 misses......4 of which were at a squirrel at 290 yards and the wind had it's way with me.....haha
Still not bad for 65 confirmed kills for me

It was a slow afternoon in this field...........rats were very hard to pick out in the plowed field below, much looked like dirt clods and it was best to watch for movement with naked eye and then find them in the scope. My neck was getting sore from laying prone so much, so that seemed to work best, sitting up often to give the neck a break and spot squirrels chasing below to get setup for the next shot.

Not fast and furious, but a great few hours anyway...........here are some pics.

[Jeremy(WI)]

I use my 17HMR on squirrels as they taste good, head shots only @100 yards or less but the squirrels I shoot have long bushy tails

[camel]

No going back for a second round for those little buggers.