#1
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Bobcat Rifle
Good morning guys,
I am looking for a rifle for shooting Bobcats at 150 yards and close. Normally I would just grab my .17 Remington and go. However I have a predator control buisness and am expected to do what the customer wants. It's a big ranch with a lot of cats and they recently informed me by November of this year they want me to switch over to lead free bullets on the ranch. I am and always have been a fur hunter at heart so fur damage is a concern. Now that the ranch has put this caveat on me it has me considering other options. I am looking at a CZ 527 in .17 HH and just shoot the factory ammunition since time is short. Also has anyone cut the barrel short and noticed or remembered the velocity loss say 16 or 18". It will be ran suppressed. Has anyone used this set up? My other option is to go to a .22 caliber rifle .223 or .223AI a shorter barrel and run barnes TTSX bullets. Any other suggestions or recommendation guys? Thanks Brent Last edited by Brent Parker; 09-18-2019 at 12:15 PM. |
#2
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If you reload why not just take the 17 Rem you have and load the 15.5 grain NTX Hornady's ? Or get some of the Lehigh Defense non-lead bullets, load and use them.
You have the 17 Rem all set up, so it is just a matter of loading non-lead bullets, which work well, however you will find more damage to the fur on the thin skinned bobcats. Bill K |
#3
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There is a video over on Varminter dot com where Eric uses his CZ 527 17 HH and the Hornady 15.5gr LF ammo to shoot a bobcat and that stuff dumped it in its tracks with very minimal pelt damage. The bobcat enters the video at around 3:30 if you don't want to watch the whole thing.
https://varmintertv.com/17-hornady-h...a-bobcat-hunt/ I had one of my CZ 527 17 HH rifles cut back to around 20in when it was in getting threaded. I don't recall exactly what the difference is in velocity compared to my other one with its longer barrel but it didn't lose all that much. These little 17 HH don't shoot very much powder so they don't lose all that much velocity when you chop a few inches off of them but they sure are more convenient to whip around when they're shorter and you have a can screwed on the end. With a good quality can, they sure are quiet, too. |
#4
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Long before the 17HH hit the market, I was looking for a "low velocity" load for my 17 Rem that was quieter and didn't heat up the barrel like full house loads during extended fire fights. The load I ended up using was:
20 gr. Hornady Vmax pushed by 17 gr. H4227 lit with a Rem 7 1/2 primer. Velocity is right at 3700 fps and the charge weight is large enough that a double charge won't fit in the case. This might be a data point for using the 15.5 gr. NTX with H4227 in your 17 Rem. |
#5
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Ruger
Down load the .204!!! Much better deal!
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#6
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Going to a smaller capacity case like the 17 HH or even a 20 vartag, 17 fireball will be a lot tamer going to 16-18" barrel.
In my experience smaller capacity cases use faster burning powders which is less sensitive to velocity loss in shorter barrels and the blast/heat is notably less. If a new rig is in the budget for you maybe you can keep the 17rem for when you need more legs...but if you forsee lead free ammo being a common requirement thus making that rifle useless in your kit then maybe try reduced loads like mentioned earlier and chop/thread it. |
#7
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If you are short on time, definitely go with the CZ .17 Hornet and the lead free factory ammo. It was very accurate in my 527 Varmint and did wonders on bobcat, prairie dogs, etc. The article that accompanies the video B23 linked (Thank you B23!) shows the cat being skinned, etc too: http://www.varminter.com/17-hornady-...h-bobcat-hunt/
You can also find it for $13.98 a box over at LAX Ammo ( I have no financial arrangement with them): https://www.laxammo.com/rifle/17-hornet-ammo/hornady-17-hornet-15-5-gr-ntx-25-rds-83004-detail |
#8
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Thanks guys, I have preference for short barrels. Still leaning hard toward the 17 HH also looking hard at the 20 VT. Lead free is going to be a requirement on this ranch. The informed me by November everything I shoot needs to be lead free. I called it the last weekend and had 8 Bobcats come in and really started looking at fur friendly again. However bobcats are secondary on this ranch and need something that will kill coyotes as well. Even if the coyotes run off a bit that's ok. I have a couple of good coyote dogs that will trail up.
Also just considered loading my .223 with 50 or 55 TTSX bullets and make it simple. |
#9
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Have you checked any of those Howa mini's? I recall a few on here stating they work well as a repeater with the shorter cartridges. Such a nice little package. I plan to build off one of those for my next bolt gun project. a 16-18" 20 VT suppressed would be a bitchin little setup on one of those. That's not a turn key endeavor however. maybe buy a 204 and have the barrel set back/rechambered/shortend/threaded would at least be a less expensive proof of concept method if viable.
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#10
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Well I do all my own work and I am to busy with other projects, fur put up still and getting ready for trapping to build another rifle. I will probably buy the cz .17 hornet and hope for the best and develop a load for my .223 if I have time. My other rifle is a 16.5" .22 creedmoor shooting 77 LRX. It's just a little more than I really want to use for a 50 yard bobcat.
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