So I'm out yesterday enjoying my favourite spring past time, Gopher Hunting.

Out in around 1,000 acres of pasture, cleaning house on a very excellent 2010 gopher crop.

I'm shooting a Ruger 10/22 sporting model I think they called it? blued barrel, fairly nice walnut stock with checkered palms etc. 3X9 scope on it,

However, I'm thinking to myself, I wish I had a little more reach and would like to make more consistent 100yard shots or so.

So I've heard great things about the .17 HMR, anybody have experience in this round or rifle?

Sugestions would be great!

 

That would be my choice. Visit youtube and just type in 17 HMR.

 

Anything from a squirrel to 350# hog I can make consistent killshots from 50-200yards with my rem model700 .223 have a thumbhole stock with a medium target barrel from shilin barrel co.

 

What's the price of Ammo like on that .223?

Yesterday we burned through 7-800 rounds of .22 LR if that gives you any indication.

 

here's a fun way to get the little buggers, watch the video

http://www.rodenator.com/pests-contr...eos-rodenators

 

Buying Federal 55 grain .223 for 39 a hundred right now, so figure .39 each......

Don't think .17 HMR is that much cheaper, is it?

 

I have used a few different rounds for this purpose;
22LR
22 Hornet
223
300 Win Mag 110gr hollow point
45-70 405gr flat point

 

22 Hornet works very well. (with hand loads)
220 swift will vaporize them. (with hand loads, of course)
243 with hollow point hand loads will also vaporize them.
30-06 deer loads vaporize them too. (yes, hand loads again )

 

I'm not honestly sure, I haven't got that far in my search yet.

You can get cheapo .22LR ammo for like $0.02 a round at .$0.039 a round this would start to get to be an expsinsive hobby.

 

Then you might want to stick to your .22. Trust me if you like shooting as much as I do it will get expensive quick....wait my gun hobby as always been expensive! I stocked on bulk ammo and I have alot from cheper than dirt, I have shot my ar15 and m16 until the barrels are red hot. Bulk ammo is cheap and it's easy to burn through, but I don't do the same with reloaded ammo.

 

The .17 HMR is a laser of a gun.. I can shoot the primers out of a 12 gauge shell at 100 yards. The ammo runs about $13-15 per 50. They will flat out destroy a groundhog's head

 

I have a 22-250 Remington VLS with a heavy barrel & a 10-40 scope, I can reach out and touch someone at over 500 yds. I have killed Wookchucks at 400 ++++++

Rob

 

did someone say 7mm Mag??

 

You won't be hunting whitetail. If you want the overkill I would do a .300 ultramag. That 7mm bullet drops like a sob at 300yds.

 

You have got to be kidding. I had to put a cow down a few years ago and used my 45-70. She dropped staight to the ground. I couldn't imagine shooting a gopher with it.