Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Need advice on utility rifle for farm

Teehjaeh57:

This started out being short, but kept on growing, so please bear with me!

There is a big difference between the 17's and the .22LR. It all depends on what your target will be, and at what distance. The .22 has a vastly larger variety of ammunition available for it, anywhere from CB Caps (29 grain prijectile powered by just the primer compound and not strong enough for 99% of the hunting/pest control that you will see) up to the supersonic CCI Stingers (1400+ fps) that would be strong enought to take out a coyote at <50 Yds, to the 60 grain Aguila Sniper SubSonic rounds. IIRC, the 17 MachII is a CCI stinger case necked down to .17 and fitted with a 17 grain bullet. The other .17 rimfire that is available is the .17 HMR. That is a .22 magnum case fitted with a .17 caliber 17 or 20 grain bullet. In the noise department, the .22LR is the quietest, followed by the .17 MachII, then closely followed by the .17 HMR.

Aside from the cost of the rifle, which will be roughly $200-$300, you might need to look into a scope for it, and the cost of ammo.

You can use iron sights, but I've found out that I'm more accurate in the field with a scope. There are cheap scopes, and there are expensive scopes. (Tasco vs. Schmidt & Bender) You DO get what you pay for, but you don't need an expensive piece of glass, just something that you can use during low light conditions, something that is clear, and something that has an adjustable objective. Most scopes are set for a parallax distance of 100 Yds, and you'll rarely shoot at that distance.

An AO can also help you judge distance. My recommendation is something in the 3-9x40 range. Before you buy a scope (if you decide to go that route) go to a Cabelas, Bass Pro or a large gun shop and look thru a few scopes to see the difference between them. On a centerfire rifle, the general rule of thumb is to spend the same $$ or more on the scope as the rifle cost, but on a ranch "knock-about" rifle that isn't necessary. I would plan on spending $150.00 or so, but that's just me.

Ammo costs: This is another can of worms. .22lr is the least expensive, and most easily available. It also gives you the largest variety, and is the hardest to find really accurate ammo for your particular gun. Yes, guns are a fickle bunch, and each gun likes something a bit different if you are looking for accuracy. My 10/22 will shoot a 6" dia. group at 50 Yds with "X" ammo, and <1" dia. groups with "Y" ammo. So, if you want really good accuracy, you probably should buy a bunch of different .22 LR ammo, see what the gun likes and then stock up on that. .22Lr ammo can run from $2.89 to over $17.00/box of 50. You can cut some of these prices a bit if your gun likes the ammo that is available in bulk boxes of 500 or so rounds.

.17 MachII has the least amount of choices to pick from, IIRC, there are 3 manufacturers, and only one projectile weight. Prices run from $5.49 to $7.99/box of 50

.17 HMR has a slightly bigger variety to pick from, but unless you are counting the high target grade .22lr ammo, it is the most expensive, running from approx. $13 to $15/box of 50.

If you are new to shooting, the more accurate the gun is, and the flatter the trajectory is, the easier it will be to hit your target at unknown distances.

Here's my choices and why:

For volume shooting (you won't get good unless you shoot a lot) and distances < 50 Yds, I'd go with the .22lr. The ammo is cheap, it's the quietest of the bunch and if you go with a 10/22 you have your semi-auto and further down the road you can customize it any way you want. My box stock 10/22 shot almost just as well with the CCI Blazer ammo as it did with Eley Tenex. I thought I could do better, so I customized it with a Volksquarten trigger kit, titanium firing pin, Volksquarten carbon fiber tensioned barrel and a Fajen laminate thumbhole stock. I shrunk the group sized by 1/4" - 3/8". Was it worth it from a $$ vs. performance gain standpoint? No. But I had fun doing it!

For distances up to 100 Yds, I'd look into the .17 MachII, although it would be a little light for beaver unless you stick to head shots. I've found that it's more accurate than the .22lr, and it's easier to shoot accurately and has a flatter trajectory. I have a Kimber in Mach II (bolt action) that shoots great. There are conversion kits that will convert the 10/22 to Mach II as well. Of the 3 different cartridges, the Mach II has the smallest amount of guns chambered for it.

For distances up to 150 Yds and on calm days to 200 Yds, I'd go with the .17 HMR. It is the most accurate of the 3 rounds, and it shoots laser flat so you don't have to be as critical in your distance judging ability. It will have enough oomph to take coyotes out slightly past 100 Yds if the shooter does his part. For a rifle, I'd look at one of the Savage Accutrigger models. They are really accurate, and the trigger can be adjusted to your liking. IMO, the Marlin rifles in .17HMR are a very, very close 2nd pick. The Ruger 10/22 can also be converted to shoot this round.

There has been some talk that the .17 MachII will die out because it's more of a niche cartridge. The .22LR has been around for over 100 years, and it's consisently been the most produced and purchased cartridge for years. The .17HMR came out to compete against the .22 Magnum, and it's been giving it a run for it's money.

For the best bang for the buck, i'd hit the local stores to get a hands on feel/look at the different equipment,and the local prices, then browse e-bay for the scope (if you go that route) and GunBroker.com for the rifle to get a feel for the going prices (check "completed auctions"). By all means, stop at your local gun shops and talk to them after you've done your research. If possible, I'd shop with them. They are a dying bunch because they can't compete price wise with the big box stores. BUT, they work on guns, which is something that the big stores usually don't, and as a gun owner you'll need a gunsmith's services once in a while.

Enough already. Yeah, I do play with firearms once in a while.

For you gun nuts out there, anybody care to take a guess as to what this is?