Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
Got a call last evening from my horse rancher neighbor lady asking me to come over this morning and thin out some rockchucks and sage rats. This is a bi-annual event for me, and I usually take my Cooper M38 20VT, but today I decided to take my Anschutz 1517HB in 17HMR.
Most shots at this place don't go much over 200 yards, so I was hoping the little HMR would anchor large chucks at this range. I was not disappointed. "Annie" on her bipod in the field:
The scope is a Leupold VX2 4-12X 40mm AO with their excellent LR Duplex reticle in Talley rings & mounts....perfect for use on the HMR. I was using Hornady Varmint Express 17gr V-Max's, and it appears my early fears about adequate stopping power on the larger chucks was unfounded, as least at these ranges. In all, I shot 8 chucks, 2 large adults, and six juveniles:
Not a bad way to spend a morning before mowing the lawn. I'm getting used to this retirement thing more every day. Another shot of the area:
All these chucks were shot from a fixed prone position firing from 188 yards on a long sprawling rock pile:
One area had a large squirrel mound complex. I wacked quite a few at 133 yards all coming out of and running into a single hole.....bad move on their part:
At this limited range, the little HMR really puts the hurt on Skippy and his pals:
Parting shot at the ranch looking NW to Mt. Jefferson, an extinct volcano, one a dozens around here:
I won't be using my HMR's for chucks all the time, but this trip proved to me that for ranges under 200 yards, and taking head shots only if possible, it's completely adequate. Not to mention a fun morning prior to lawn duties...... (But next spring, I know "Scooter", my Cooper 20VT will get the nod. :wink: )
Most shots at this place don't go much over 200 yards, so I was hoping the little HMR would anchor large chucks at this range. I was not disappointed. "Annie" on her bipod in the field:
The scope is a Leupold VX2 4-12X 40mm AO with their excellent LR Duplex reticle in Talley rings & mounts....perfect for use on the HMR. I was using Hornady Varmint Express 17gr V-Max's, and it appears my early fears about adequate stopping power on the larger chucks was unfounded, as least at these ranges. In all, I shot 8 chucks, 2 large adults, and six juveniles:
Not a bad way to spend a morning before mowing the lawn. I'm getting used to this retirement thing more every day. Another shot of the area:
All these chucks were shot from a fixed prone position firing from 188 yards on a long sprawling rock pile:
One area had a large squirrel mound complex. I wacked quite a few at 133 yards all coming out of and running into a single hole.....bad move on their part:
At this limited range, the little HMR really puts the hurt on Skippy and his pals:
Parting shot at the ranch looking NW to Mt. Jefferson, an extinct volcano, one a dozens around here:
I won't be using my HMR's for chucks all the time, but this trip proved to me that for ranges under 200 yards, and taking head shots only if possible, it's completely adequate. Not to mention a fun morning prior to lawn duties...... (But next spring, I know "Scooter", my Cooper 20VT will get the nod. :wink: )
