.17 HMR for Deer?

[Tomcat088]

I think that the .243 is a much better choice, as others have said, although deer can be taken with the .223 but you MUST choose the correct bullet. With the .243 and .223, there are lots of varmint bullets, and you do not want to be shooting those at thin skinned animals. Dude, even if the .17 HMR has great ballistics, it's just not ethical to hunt deer with. It wouldn't get even close to the penetration that you need, it's not really ethical to hunt deer with a .22, and the same goes for the .17 HMR.

I don't exactly get where people think that the .243 isn't quite enough for a deer. A .243 will smoke a deer as long as you put it in the vitals, same as any cartridges that are larger than it. I took 2 deer with a .243 this year, both were headshots, but my father hit one through the heart, and it was definitely not surviving. It's plenty of cartridge for deer.

[ar15jules]

If as someone else posted, "Lots of practice"...means being able to hit a deer in the vitals, I think this should go for any caliber. I know people who take really piss poor shots at deer because they have fast shooting heavy 30 calibers. Poor ethics, poor hunting, and poor shooters. I have seen many deer shot with a .243. A shot placed in the vitals turns the heart into literal jelly at any practical deer hunting distance in PA. If your kid can't place a vital shot, they shouldn't be in the woods hunting. That goes for any adult hunter as well as far as I am concerned.
Jules

[Tomcat088]

Yeah, I might have misunderstood that, thanks for pointing that out to me Jules. Yes, I agree with Jules, if your kid can hit the vitals consistently, in field conditions (cold bore), and in shooting positions or rests (not a bench); then heck yeah, they're ready. I too have seen too many badly placed shots on deer because someone was shooting a 7mm mag, or .300 winmag. I love my .300 winmag and now my .300 WSM, but I still gotta put the bullet in the right place.

[rtrageser]

I've killed a lot of deer with a 243, and so has my dad. I've never shot one that got away with that or any other gun. Like Jules said, if you hit em where you should, they drop. I've had just as many drop in their trakcs with my 243 as any other gun I've used, including 06 and my 300 win mag.

[fingers80002]

If you go with .243. make sure they don't hit a quarter.
Make a vitals shot.

[S&W 10mm]

totally agree with everybody else .243 all the way and the single shot that the one guy was talking about is perfect cause u put 1 or two more bullets in your pocket and your set plus your only gonna get to pull off one shot most likely anyways so if your kids can shoot its all good

[Buckmark.35]

Anything .243 and up is really preference when it comes to deer.

I'd go with the .30-30 or .35 Rem. I started on the .35 and aside from it being pretty loud, it's heavy enough to lessen the perceived recoil. If your kids are small though it may make sense for a lighter .243. The .243 will easily kill deer, but will be a stretch that I wouldn't be willing to take as it pertains to other big game. If you think there is the off chance that your kids want to hunt bear, then you might want to think about a heavier caliber.

If not, then it's totally up to you.

Edit: To the original point, the .17HMR, as others have stated, is rimfire and therefore illegal for big game. I use one that my grandpa won in a gun raffle for small game though. It definitely does the job on rabbits and squirrels.

[Delcoadvocate]

If the kids are 12, they are plenty old enough for a gun with a bigger bang than a .17.

Most of my family members used either a .410 with slugs, or the 30-30. But your options are greater now with the availability of "Managed Recoil" loads from many calibers such as .260, 270, .280 and others.

The 30-30 is a fantastic universal cartidge and can be had cheap for both gun and ammo. It's a cartridge that can be used for the rest of their lives so the money won't be wasted after the first few years.

I have used a .270 since I was 14, but started out with the 30-30 at age 12and recently acquired a 30-30 to add to the arsenal. Always liked that lever action 30-30.

[shermdo]

Can you, and is it legal, to take deer with a .17 HMR? My kids need to go pick out a couple rifles with their Christmas money and they want to hunt! I was originally gonna get them .22 bolt actions, but I'm starting to think .17 HMR or maybe a .223 bolt action would be better so they have more flexibility for taking game but with a bang they can manage. One will be 12 next season ant the other can hunt with me under the mentor program so I need a couple guns that won't scare the crap outta them like my 7mm rem mag would! LOL

I would select a youth sized .243 if it were me. I just don't believe in hunting large game with a .22 caliber rifle and in some states it is even illegal. A .243 is a nice round and the recoil is very manageable. You could also pick up a used but serviceable .22LR bolt action or Ruger 10/22 for the kids to get in a lot of range time for a manageable cost for ammo.

I think that it is great that you are getting your kids involved the right way in firearms and hunting. Good luck to you.