Thread: Varmint setup : flat shooting caliber vs varmint reticle / CDS dial

Righto, so I "think" I have a speedy 17 cal itch that needs to be scratched

Keen to hear your thoughts on the practicalities of a super fast / flat shooting caliber (17 WSM or 17 mach IV vs something more vanilla (223) with a varmint reticle or using something like CDS.

Looking at the numbers, even with a 20gr Vmax doing 4K and zeroed at 200yds, when you go past 250yds the drop becomes too big to simply point-and-shoot.

So if you are going to be dialing, just stick with bog-standard 223 ?

It would depend on when you want to start using a rangefinder.

Also on how accurately you can use the rangefinder on flat or curving ground.

To get the best out of a flat shooting calibre at shorter ranges you will want a very low mounted scope too.

It might depend on what you want that "calomine lotion" for targets hunting or pesties. The 223 brings to the table bigger projectiles that handle wind better but at the expence of bullet drop. That isnt all together a bad thing as gravitys a constant as opposed to wind which is well gusty.
The 223 magnum never really caught on, the 204 based on it did and now people are renecking 204s to 223 to get better speeds with heavier projectiles.
I had a,204 for a while it was neat making hares disappear but the ammunition cost and it being a bit fiddly to reload sent me back to the 223, with a good bdc scope dialling on these isnt really needed till you get out to around 350-400 meters at which point its a marginal call on it being considered humane on the bigger things like goats.

Biggest issue is wind with those small calibers, even a 5mph crosswind will push you 6 inches out at 250 yards from a 100 yard zero. Can be very frustrating and result in injured game.

I like dailing for pin point accuracy no matter what caliber, other than 22lr. Wind I hold for.

Horses for courses, depending on the type of country your shooting and also the style of shooting you want to do.
For me I could shoot out past 400 mtrs all day long here in central on rabbits but it isn't the type of shooting that I want to do anymore.
I am happy with a 17HMR out to 200 and that does the job.
I had a 223 and shot out to 450 mtrs on fluffy things but it doesn't float my boat anymore.

A mate has just brought and set up a new 17WSM to hit out to 300.
With the 223 I used a ballistic app and recticle , to lazy to dial .

I like the 17 cal and those little pills sure do the job on rabbits...just depends how you want to skin ( shoot ) the cat

I found the 17 Terminator with 25 Vmaxs going at 4400 a little under whelming to be fair.

Bloody awesome accurate rifle, put not as graphic as the 204 with 40 Vmaxs on game

The 22-Terminator with 53 Vmaxs to 88 ELDMs takes a lot of beating & if anything else pops up its in great danger

I have both the 17WSM and 223

Love the WSM I sold my 17HMR after getting it, that was like going back to vanilla from boysenberry ripple.

I've played with 40gr hornady in the 223 at 3800FPS very pink misty stuff if you can get it to shoot straight
Here's a couple of tables comparing the two with 5mph cross wind to help make up your mind
Sorry the pics are so huge I haven't figured out how to fix that yet

223


17WSM

Rune my .17HMR 17g out to 200m with 4-16 FFP, past there I play with the .204 40g again with 5-25 FFP, then finish off if a bit bigger with the .22-243 75g again 5-25 FFP

interesting comments so far, tx

intended for bunnies and magpies, nothing larger

@Bagheera, could you explain the curved vs flat comment for rangefinder ? do you mean TBR issues for slopes ?

from a "theory" point of view something like a 17 fireball pretty much looks like point and shoot out to 250 with a 200 zero (+1.3 at 150, -1.2 at 250)

Originally Posted by ebf

interesting comments so far, tx

intended for bunnies and magpies, nothing larger

@Bagheera, could you explain the curved vs flat comment for rangefinder ? do you mean TBR issues for slopes ?

from a "theory" point of view something like a 17 fireball pretty much looks like point and shoot out to 250 with a 200 zero (+1.3 at 150, -1.2 at 250)

Unless you are into reloading and fucking around with all that it involves a 17WSM does the same job in rimfire.

@ebf talk to @Happy - he's owned and shot all the 17 and 20 cals to the point where not even sparrows land on his property in case their entrails be turned to extrails...

just saying.. drop him a line.

I think I would be working back from the projectile to choose the caliber. For example, V-max 53gr has a BC of .295 or something close to that which deals with a lot of wind issues. A .222 or .223 with a twist of 1:10 or faster will work with those pills. The up and down (drop) is just half of the picture, it's the left and right (wind drift) that's harder to get on top of.

Originally Posted by ebf

Righto, so I "think" I have a speedy 17 cal itch that needs to be scratched

Keen to hear your thoughts on the practicalities of a super fast / flat shooting caliber (17 WSM or 17 mach IV vs something more vanilla (223) with a varmint reticle or using something like CDS.

Looking at the numbers, even with a 20gr Vmax doing 4K and zeroed at 200yds, when you go past 250yds the drop becomes too big to simply point-and-shoot.

So if you are going to be dialing, just stick with bog-standard 223 ?

.204!

It all comes down to the type of land/properties you shoot on.

I use 22lr, 17 hornet and 223.

If i want/need reach and power but the property is too small for safe use of the 223, then the 17 Hornet comes out (used a 17 HMR fot this prior to getting the hornet) The hornet is bloody awesome fun - check out my video I posted in the small game section a couple of days ago. Its the perfect cartridge for orchards and vineyards that are too small or too built up around to use anything larger.