17M2 whacks p/dog pups!

[georgeld]

Took the .223 and NEF 17 M2 out the other day to pop a few p/dog's.
Five out of six over 200yds, out to about 325 with the .223.  Just not many out, think they've been shot up a lot more than I know about.

Moved up the road a bit and found a mound just covered with pups at about 75-80 feet.

First one did a classical flip almost like a big gun does 'em. Amazed me after finding a wounded one half hour after it was shot thru the diaphram last yr.

The whole batch stretched about double length trying to see/figure out what caused the littermate to do flips and explode.  Nailed 7 out of 8, ranchers dau. came driving up before I got the last one.  Not a one of them ever got spooked enough to dive in the hole.  Wonder where momma was, only the pups were out.  They're not very big yet. Barely bigger than a ground squirrel.

I do believe this lil gun's gonna serve a purpose after all just for such cases as this, or closer shots, or among livestock where the noise needs to be held down.

George

[Slowhanddd]

Hey George.I think you'll find the M2 good on PD's out to about 125-150.Killed a few a little past that.I was amazed and so was a buddy shooting his 17 HMR and 223.Only had  2-3 make it back to the hole.They don't explode as they do with the 223 or 22-250,but for $40.00 a brick for shells,you can't beat it.Slow

[georgeld]

Don't know about that.  This is the first time I've been at all satisfied with it so far.
Gotta make upper chest, or head shots I learned the first time out.
Shot one thru the head and took half the head off, that's fine. but, another one came along
to check his buddy out and wouldn't stand up. So shot it thru the body broadside, about the diaphram, it rolled over. Figured that was good enough at 60yds.

Drove to the other end, half mile and worked back shooting about ten more.  When I got back to the first one, decided to walk out and see what kind of damage it was doing. Saw the head shot, and the one hit in the diapram was still laying there suffering very much alive yet.  To me, that's mighty sorry!!

When I shoot anything, my intentions are they're dead when hit. IF I can't rely on instant killing results I don't want it.  Since then, I've been very very careful to make head shots with it.

The NEF HMR I bought has been rechambered for .17x28mm.  Still haven't got it finished into shooting condition yet.  Extractor problems this time. Just mailed the m2 barrel to H&R to have one "machine fit" to it as Jennifer said was required as they won't mail this part out.  Took the good one out of the m2 and will get it to the gunsmith to fit in the conversion.  I tried to do it myself and filed too much off the tip so it won't contact the head of the case.

I'm looking for another HMR barrel as I've got a carton of ammo for it.  Costs too much to just set on the shelf.   The few times' I took it out, never saw anything living to shoot with it. So the hmr never drew blood.  Believe I've killed about 20 p/dogs with the m2 so far.  Half were those little pups the other day.

I'm intending to keep that down to less than 100yds just because it hasn't proved itself to me yet on killing power.  I don't want them to crawl in the hole and die later.  IF I didn't care, I'd use the LR.  IF it gets where I can't kill them instantly when hit, I'll shoot even the close one's with the .223.

I've been shooting p/dogs since the late 1950's, and been doing it every year since almost.  Quite a few thousand.  Every year I shoot over a thousand and have for at least 15 yrs at this rate.  I load .223's by the five gallon bucket full.  Buy bullets by the multi pounds, try to keep a 3# coffee can mostly full of bullets for it.

Like I said, I don't want anything to crawl anywhere when I shoot it.

George