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Lets talk 17's for fur.

I have shot fox with .17 HMR and .17 Remington. Both do a great job on those. I haven't shot coyotes with one yet but I have witnessed my buddy shooting them with a .17 Mach IV. With the song dogs don't hesitate to double tap them even if they are down. We had one drop instantly in its tracks, lay there looking dead for probably 20 seconds or so and get up and run. They will all work with proper shot placement and within their bounds.
 
I used an MGM 20" 17 Hornet barrel until I traded into a 14" mgm 17 hornet barrel. Lost about 200fps going shorter and dont miss it at all. The sbr contender is amazingly accurate and also super quiet with a 223 can on it. 12.3 gr lil gun sends the 20 varmageddon 3450 and always into less than an inch at 100. On marmots, it is good medicine, no exit on body shots. Prairie dogs pop, but i dont see any coats made from them. An adult fox wont burst, but a young one will. Pigeons burst, as do crows. House cats hold together, no exit. For what I do with it, the 14" mgm 17 hornet is perfect for me.
 
I've used 17 Rem, 17 Fireball, 17 Ackley Hornet, 17 Hornet, and 17 HMR. I like the 17 Hornet best with 20gr Vmax. In practical use its effectiveness isn't much below the more powerful rounds, with so little fuss.
 
If you go with the 17 MIV, I recommend considering the Hornady 25 gr gr HP. It will not keyhole in a 1/10 twist barrel and is less expansive than the V-Max line of bullets. H335 worked well for me. Wind is a problem for the 17s in my experience.

Chuck
 
I bought a CZ 17 Remington 11 years ago as my fur rifle when you could get a little for the hides and I hunted where some of the best hides in the country were available. I am not proud of how many runners I had.. I shot two on one stand this year. The second was broadside at 250 yards and I hit low on the brisket and lost it. That was my fault. However, I shot one and 19 yards broadside right behind the shoulder and he ran off. I didn't even bother to jack another round as I watched him run back the 150 yards to rocky ravine he had come from. I was just waiting for him to drop. He got in that rocky ravine that was perfect snake country and didn't get down in the rocks too much looking for him. I couldn't believe it. I have had a few other runners that caused me to go back to my favorite girl, my 22-250. No runners with her. However, I really like my CZ 17 Remington. It is the most accurate rifle I own. Easily a 1/2 inches. And a good shot will make it a 1/4 inches. But I am gunshy about using it now and with the fur prices no good I am using my 22-250 and 6mm creedmoor.
 
The 17rem is the best I've seen for fur. I hunted coyotes with one for years.
Agree … having 2 17Rems, I've used them on many a Fox, Coyote and even a few Bobcats with outstanding performance. One shoots like a benchrest rifle and the other holds them about .75". I realize it's a 250yd caliber but I did make a kill on a coyote that wouldn't close the distance closer than approx 400yd. Love the caliber but don't shoot them much anymore. Enjoy!
 
I just thought I'd share this load for the .17 Remington shooter out there, it performed fantastic in my M700 BDL .17 Rem for many years. Yes, I kept the barrel very clean and never heated it up on the range or in the field shooting paper and rocks.
I might add that when it came to the powder, I pulled the bullets on a couple of factory-loaded cartridges to determine the factory powder weight and powder composition, the weight was {22.8gr} and its makeup matched Vihtavuori N135 to a tee.

So, pulled my Vihtavuori reloading manual "first edition" off the bookshelf, and looked up .17 Remington, lo and behold; there it was on page 69 the same weight with N-135 and the same velocity as the Remington factory which I had already chronograph with my Oehler 35p Chronograph, at 4040 fps with a very small SD that I don't recall at this time.
I put together a few loads using all of the Remington components and head for the range, bingo! Same velocity of 4040 fps and it shot in the same hole as the Remington factory load, with nearly identical SDs. Side note: the .17 Remington factory was remarkably accurate ammo, as were my hand-loads.

The Load:
Remington 700 BDL .17 Remington 24"
Case: Remington
Primer: Remington small rifle 7 ½ BR
Powder: VV-N135 (22.8Grs)
Bullet: Remington 25gr HP you can sub Hornady 25gr HP
Velocity: 4040 fps out of a 24" inch factory barrel.
Accuracy: sub .5 MOA all day long.

Note: I've found this load to be a very safe load with no pressure issues, I'm pretty sure Remington is using VV-N135 in their loads.

Cheers

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Nothing beats a good 17 for putting up fur. I don't have a fraction of the number of kills Iyotehunter has, but I've shot several with the 17 Tac driving 30gr Golds. It just flat folds them up inside of 250yds. Almost magical. These were mostly TX yotes shot out of a shooting chair in the dark with thermal, it's nice and quiet also, got a triple on one memorable stand, saw a yote actually trip over a jack rabbit, while he was coming to our rabbit squeals. I'll never forget it, laughed til I almost cried, lol
 
I have shot crows and ground hogs with my 17 Remington. At a very short-range. Like 35yd. To 75yd. With never an Exit hole. 1 day in a heavy snowstorm I shot a Coyote outback at about 50 yd and blue hole through him 2-1/2 in diameter. Shot him behind the rib cage quartering to me and came out his right hip? I thought I would not have an exit. Wanted to do a full body mount. I reload and love the 17 rem. Shoot it in a contender pistol and 700 rem rifle. I Molly coat all bullets after breaking them in. When prairie dog hunting I shoot about a 100 rounds through the rifle before cleaning and I've never had it Foul. I size my shells to my chamber and shoot fairly high pressure. Shoots under 1" at 200 yd. Never checked headspace on my gun but a buddy of mine tried to put some of my shells in his CZ gun and he could not close the bolt. If I drop pressure and speed my group will open up to1-1/2" at 200 yd. So I shoot hot.
 
I just thought I'd share this load for the .17 Remington shooter out there, it performed fantastic in my M700 BDL .17 Rem for many years. Yes, I kept the barrel very clean and never heated it up on the range or in the field shooting paper and rocks.
I might add that when it came to the powder, I pulled the bullets on a couple of factory-loaded cartridges to determine the factory powder weight and powder composition, the weight was {22.8gr} and its makeup matched Vihtavuori N135 to a tee.

So, pulled my Vihtavuori reloading manual "first edition" off the bookshelf, and looked up .17 Remington, lo and behold; there it was on page 69 the same weight with N-135 and the same velocity as the Remington factory which I had already chronograph with my Oehler 35p Chronograph, at 4040 fps with a very small SD that I don't recall at this time.
I put together a few loads using all of the Remington components and head for the range, bingo! Same velocity of 4040 fps and it shot in the same hole as the Remington factory load, with nearly identical SDs. Side note: the .17 Remington factory was remarkably accurate ammo, as were my hand-loads.

The Load:
Remington 700 BDL .17 Remington 24"
Case: Remington
Primer: Remington small rifle 7 ½ BR
Powder: VV-N135 (22.8Grs)
Bullet: Remington 25gr HP you can sub Hornady 25gr HP
Velocity: 4040 fps out of a 24" inch factory barrel.
Accuracy: sub .5 MOA all day long.

Note: I've found this load to be a very safe load with no pressure issues, I'm pretty sure Remington is using VV-N135 in their loads.

Cheers

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Vihtavuori N135 is the powder I use also, great powder.
 
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