.17 HMR Rifle? Almost!

Taurus .22 Win Mag

Note: I originally wrote this for my website years before the .17 Winchester Super Mag.

When the .17 HMR cartridge was introduced a few years ago it renewed my interest in rimfire cartridges. This new rimfire cartridge would fire a .17 grain bullet at 2550 fps. almost as fast as my .22 Hornet centerfire.

At that time I had a TC Contender Carbine with a .22 Hornet barrel. I seldom hunted with it, but took it along in the truck when going to the farm. I liked having a varmint rifle with me. It was accurate, easy to shoot, but I was getting bored with it, and with reloading the ammunition for it.

When I originally bought the Contender it was a 10" barreled handgun chambered for the .22 long rifle. Some years later I changed it into the carbine by buying the carbine stock, and a 21" .223 barrel.

Next I decided I needed the Hornet barrel for some reason. I also had a 21" barrel in .410 shotgun and a barrel chambered for the 7-30 Waters which took a few deer. I could have simply added a .17 HMR rifle barrel for the Contender, but I was ready for a change.

My new big idea was that I would buy a large tool box to carry everything I wanted to take when going to the farm. I could simply grab that toolbox and go. I thought about a .17 HMR handgun for the toolbox. But handguns are difficult to shoot well, so I quickly switched back to thinking about a .17 HMR rifle.

The short little Taurus M62 take-down carbine caught my eye. Loosen one screw on the frame and this little carbine is two pieces about as long as a long barreled handgun. The M62 Taurus was a copy an old Winchester pump but available in .22 long rifle, .22 mag. and .17 HMR rifle or carbine.

The .17 HMR rifle ammo is noted for accuracy, but I knew the M62 would not be a best choice to utilize that accuracy. It's a top ejection pump action, not an especially accurate rifle, not a great trigger, and it doesn't readily take a scope. But I simply wanted one... I also wanted to try the tang mounted peep sight option.

A reason for taking a gun to the farm was that I sometimes see a coyote, bobcat, skunk... "But!" I reasoned a tiny 17 grain bullet at 2550 fps. is not a great coyote round, actually no rimfire is a great coyote round in my opinion.

The fast and accurate .17 HMR ammo would blow up a blackbird, a ground squirrel, a crow... But after thinking about it the cartridge didn't seem like a great choice for bigger pest.

There was another choice in the M62; the .22 magnum. Actually the HMR is based on the same brass. I never remember being excited about the .22 mag. not even when it was new. But I thought I should consider it. I started comparing the ballistics of the .17 HMR and the .22 WMR.

I remembered long ago the then new the .22 magnum ammo pushed a 40 grain bullet at 2000 fps. Now the charts now say only 1875 fps. Not the first time I've noticed an older cartridge loose some zip :-) Why? To help sell new cartridges and guns, maybe.

Anyway, 1875 fps. is close to half way between a High Velocity 40 grain bullet in the .22 long rifle, and the 17 grain bullet at 2550 fps from the HMR.

There are several .22 mag. loads at 2200 fps. with a 30 grain bullet which is almost twice the weight of the 17 grain HMR. There is one load with a 50 grain bullet, and one bird shot load. Still, I believe the standard 40 grain load is likely to be the best for most uses.

I quickly realized the old .22 magnum would probably be a little better coyote load, and more versatile than a .17 HMR rifle. I bought a stainless steel M62 Taurus carbine in .22 mag.

I've never shot a coyote with it, but it was devastating on the few critters I did shoot. I never really tested the accuracy. I believe the standard 40 grain bullet .22 WMR load is a better choice than the .17 HMR for bigger pest up to about 100 yards. I wouldn't suggest using either at greater distance.

I tried the shot shells for the .22 magnum and even took a couple of blackbirds flying at close range with the shot loads. I really liked the M62 and the .22 mag, but I have to laugh at myself sometimes; I had a case of "I want a new gun" I didn't 'need' the gun...

If I wanted a more serious rifle for smaller pest and a little longer range I would choose an accurate bolt-action or single shot with a scope in .17 HMR. For small game I think the .17 Mach 2 could possibly even beat the king of rimfires the .22 long rifle. But, "as it is", I doubt that the Mach 2 cartridge will last long.

IMO a low cost load is needed in both the .17s for plinking, it could then "beat" the .22 long rifle. It could even be an alternative to a pellet rifle. If Hornady, CCI, Federal... would make a simple lead bullet version of the .17s at around 1200 fps. (Don't hold your breath waiting for it!)

Note: The new .17 Winchester Super Mag has now changed the rimfire "game". This cartridge shoots a slightly heavier 20 grain bullet at a reported 3000 fps. If this cartridge has the accuracy of the other .17 calibers, it will likely be the new choice for many varmint hunters.

This new .17 rimfire should be deadly at considerable range for any small pest and more capable on larger critters such as coyotes. I often wondered if the .17 HMR would stand the test of time, but I never expected it to be "gunned down" by an even faster rimfire round.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Rimfire Scopes

A compact one inch scope seems appropriate on this small youth rifle.

The rimfire scopes and air rifle scopes are not too different from the centerfire scopes used for deer... If you choose the wrong scope it won't matter how good the quality or the brand-name you won't have the best.

What is different when choosing a rimfire scope?

• Small game and pest offer a smaller target. 
• Often they are at shorter range. 
• Rimfire rifles have very little recoil.
• Some air rifles have reverse recoil.
• You could want parallax correction. 
• The guns can be smaller and lighter.

A smaller target may suggest more magnification, but I caution you only slightly more magnification. Excessive magnification leads to more magnified movement, less field of view, shorter depth of field, less bright optics, and/or bigger scopes with bigger objective lenses.

If one magnification was offered most would suggest 4x. The 4x works for big game, small game, and most other uses. Sometimes it's a little too much for close up moving shots. Less often we need more magnification when we can't stalk any closer.  For small game the ranges are shorter, but the target is smaller so it often works out about the same. My point is that 4x is simple and most often it works fine.

The .22 long rifle is still the most popular rimfire. Small game and pest are usually shot at 50 yards or less. A 2-7x30 or 3-9x30 variable of decent quality makes sense. For small running targets at close range the 2x could be slightly better. For longer shots with good light and a solid rest the 9x could be slightly better.

The hot .17s, Winchester .17 Super Mag and .17 HMR have extended the rimfire's range. They offer a higher velocity, flatter trajectory (less bullet drop), and sometimes better accuracy. For all around shooting of small game and varmints with the hot .17's a 3-9x30 or 40 would be my choice. For more specialized small pest (ground squirrels maybe) and varmints at the max range a 4x12x40 could be in order.

Air rifles are still generally less capable than a rimfire. BUT! Good air gunners often get into precision shooting. Many enjoy plinking at very small targets, insects... While more typical air gunners use a 4x30 or 2-7x30. If your into precision shooting with a fine accurate gun you could want a 3-9x40PA or even 4-12x40AO. (I'll explain the PA & AO later.)

Recoil is not a problem with a rimfire and you can sometimes watch the bullet strike the target. Any good quality scope will not be affected by the recoil of a rimfire. Some air rifles however can require a scope made specifically for them.

Spring piston air rifles have reverse recoil. Don't put a fine quality $1000.00 scope on a spring piston air rifle. Even if it's designed for elephant rifles it may not be able to take the recoil from the opposite direction.  You need a scope designed for these air rifles.

Tube size:  Most scopes have a one inch tube diameter, but a few inexpensive air gun or rimfire models have smaller 3/4 or 7/8 inch tubes.  They work, but not very well.  I wouldn't recommend these cheap small tube scopes.

Scopes labeling: 4x30, 2-7x30, 3-9x40PA, 4-12x50AO... The first number indicates how much the image is magnified; for example a 4x will make the image appear 4 times larger. A 2-7x variable (zoom) can magnify the image 2 times or a ring can be turned to vary the magnification up to 7 times on that scope.

The x30, x40, x50 is the diameter of the objective lens bell or front lens of the scope. That objective lens size should be about 5 times the maximum magnification power of the scope. If the objective lens is less than five times the maximum magnification, it will work fine in strong light, but appear dark at dawn or dusk.

There is no serious advantage to such a big scope in normal light or at the low and middle zoom settings on a scope. Such big scopes can't be mounted low, they can look awkward especially on a smaller rifle, and they can unbalance smaller, lighter rifles.

PA or AO Sometimes the x40 or x50 is followed by the letters PA (Parallax Adjustable), or AO (Adjustable Objective Lens) which do the same thing.

To demonstrate parallax point your finger at an object across the room, close one eye, and then the other. You lined up the object using your dominant eye, and when you close the other eye, it's not lined up. This is a simple but dramatic example of parallax.

Rimfire scopes are set to be free of parallax at a typical rimfire use range (50 yds. maybe). Centerfire scopes at a longer but typical centerfire use range (maybe 150 yards). Both are compromises, but work fine for most use. Many hunters don't even know about parallax.

AO scopes allow you to adjust or focus for more precision shooting at the range of each shot. I've owned a few and my opinion is, "Most shooters shouldn't loose any sleep over parallax or having a PA scope."

If you get to be a precision air rifle shooter you may want one, but I've set mine for 20 yards, then forgot and used it on that setting for much longer shots, some I made, some I missed, the same as with no PA. Now I most often set it at a compromise range for the hunt and I often forget about it.

What else is needed in rimfire scopes; I believe very little. I like crosshairs which taper or step from thicker to thinner toward the center. The thick part is easier to see quickly, and the eye goes naturally to the central or fine aiming point which doesn't cover or hide too much of a small target. Most scopes now come with something like what I just described.

$ Money: I do believe money can buy quality up to a point, after that it only buys some possible prestige in the owners mind.

I don't feel the rimfire (or other) scopes need lighted crosshairs, bullet drop computation, or other such things. They only clutter and add to the confusion and sometimes at a critical moment; again my opinion.

.22 Rimfire Shortage

There are many rimfire rounds but the standard .22 long rifle is sometimes hardest to find.

The .22 rimfire shortage is not a new thing, the store shelves have been empty for some time.  Is this because of some secret government plan to take our guns?  Is Obama behind this devious plot? Some people believe such radical rumors and there are plenty of rumors. That could be a part of the problem!

We're all more alike than we are different.  I found myself thinking, "I don't really need it, but the next time I find some reasonably priced rimfire ammo, I'd better stock up!"   I once went through a fair amount of rimfire ammo, but now I shoot a slingshot and bow more often.

Still, it has been troubling me to see so little rimfire ammunition available. The common .22 long rifle is the starting place for new shooters, the most popular small game round, the fun round, and the most popular practice round.

I've done a little research and this is what makes sense to me:

1. The ammunition companies say they can't keep up with the demand. They say the profit margins on the rimfire sales is low.  They don't want to raise the price too much and stifle shooting. They believe the ammunition supply will eventually catch up with the demand so they don't want to invest in more machinery.  
2. Many individuals have large supplies of ammo stored and if it becomes readily available they may not buy again for years. A part of the reason for higher demand is because many are buying and hoarding large amounts of rimfire ammo. The shortage is causing some hoarding. The somewhat popular fears of extremist groups is also a cause of ammo hoarding. Some people probably have tens of thousands of rounds.  
3. The above also makes sense to me because when I look in Walmart I see fair to good supplies of most other ammo types.  Centerfire rifle and shotgun shells are available, and even the less popular or more expensive rimfire rounds are sometimes there.  It's the more common and less expensive .22 long rifle rounds in short supply.

I'm sure I don't know as much about this as some people, but I believe the .22 rimfire shortage is only a temporary thing.  

Rimfire or Air

L-R .22 's WMR, LR, Super Colbri, Short, Pellet, & .177 Pellet

Not too many years ago a rimfire would have always been my first choice for most small game and pest hunting, but things have changed.

For many years the price of common .22 rimfire ammunition increased very slowly. When I was a boy 50 rounds of .22 long rifle ammo was about $.75 and when I was middle age I could still find it for under a dollar. Yes! Those days are long gone.

Cost is a factor for most of us, and it's not only cost, it's also the availability. Although I don't shoot guns much anymore it distresses me to see store shelves with little or no rimfire ammunition on them.

So what are the advantages of a rimfire over an air gun. Ah! Actually not much if we compare the ordinary .22 long rifle to the better .22 caliber air guns.

• Tradition - some simply can't wrap their head around using an air gun.
• Simplicity - with a rimfire you load and fire while an air gun may require more of you.
• Versatility - guns chambered for the long rifle offers a wide variety of power levels, different velocities, bullet configurations, and even shot loads.
• The heavier .22 long rifle bullet is a little less likely to be blown off target by the wind.
• Power - the .22 long rifle is considerably more powerful than most air guns.
• Range - the .22 long rifle can sometimes be used at longer range than air rifles.

Do air guns offer anything over rimfire. Ah! Considerably More Sometimes!

• Pellets cost less than rimfire ammo and may be easier to find.
• If you shoot enough the savings in shooting cost may eventually pay for the air gun.
• Air guns are generally quieter and this sometimes allows shooting in more places.
• Air guns are somewhat less dangerous so you may gain access to more places to shoot or hunt.
• The best air guns can kill small game and pest further than a typical hunter is able to hit them.
A well placed pellet from a reasonably powerful air gun is deadly on small game.
Animals don't get any more dead because a more powerful round was used.

Real world, bottom line, or whatever you want to call it. I've shot a considerable amount of small game and pest with rimfires and pellets. Basically any well placed shot from a reasonably powerful round or pellet stops a critter and a poorly placed shot seldom does.

If you don't mind blowing up the animal a higher velocity more explosive round like a .22 Stinger, .22 mag., or a hot .17 caliber allows for more sloppy shooting than any pellet rifle. The ordinary .22 long rifle, not so much.

The air gun shooter may need to understand more about shooting and the limitations of his tools. He needs to pay attention to the details. He may need to spend more for a better quality gun and scope combination. Remember it's the gun which provides the power with air; not the cartridge.

I most often use a slingshot today, but if I wanted a gun for squirrels, rabbits, and small pest it would be a gas ram or pre-charged .22 caliber air gun with a 3x9 air gun scope. If I wanted a rimfire to take pest out at the maximum range, it would be the .17 Winchester Super Magnum.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Progress Backwards!

This turkey was one of my proudest moments as a hunter.

I know the title of this post does not make sense.  But sometimes we more or less progress backwards.  Most of us try something, eventually we become proficient, and then we may grow bored.

As a hunter I first progressed to better tools, but as my skills improved I eventually moved to simpler more primitive tools.  I soon found more joy in an occasional success with the simpler tools than with the relative ease of hunting with sophisticated tools.

I'll bet you can relate to some part of my own very generalized Progress Backwards List. 

Progress:

1. Age 8 shooting birds, bugs, lizards... with a BB gun.
2. Age 12 shooting squirrels, rabbits, crows.... with a .22 rimfire.
3. Age 15 shooting quail with a 20 gauge...
4. Age 18 hunting (seldom shooting) whitetail and varmints with .243 
5. Age 23 married, education, work, work, work... not much hunting...
6. Age 35 more settled with kids... doing some hunting again.

Backwards:

1. Age 39 a fairly good whitetail hunter looking for more I try bow hunting.
2. Age 40 try hunting small game with the bow during whitetail season.
3. Age 41 frustrated with loosing/chasing small game arrows on whitetail hunts.
4. Age 43 love the close encounters challenge of the bow seldom take a rifle anymore.
5. Age 50 fairly settled in as a bowhunter never take the rifle anymore.
6. Age 55 "discover" the slingshot and luckily harvest two quail while whitetail hunting.
7. Age 56 I can't hit anything, but this slingshot is so simple and somewhat addictive.
8. Age 57 I can sometimes hit my target with my handy little wrist rocket.
9. Age 59 don't tell anyone but I'm having more fun with a slingshot than anything.
10. Age 60 now shooting a more traditional slingshot and leaving the wrist rocket at home.

That was a few years ago, but I keep loving shooting and hunting with a slingshot and bow.

My Cartridge Idea!

Mouse Pest

This post "My Cartridge Idea!" is connected to my previous post on the "Low Power Rimfires". I must tell you that the Aguila Super Colribri was sort of my idea. 

No! I didn't actually have anything to do with the cartridge, but something like 20 years before its introduction  I wrote (snail mail then) to Winchester, Remington, Federal, and CCI expressing the need for a very similar cartridge.

I'd become interested in the European spring air guns which were just beginning to catch on in the USA.  At that time I was also using CB rounds regularly for pest, but found that I often couldn't take a shot because they were too powerful. A miss with a CB could cause damage, shoot through, be to risky, or too dangerous.



I felt a .22 round with a bullet of only 15 grains pushed along at about 600 to 800 fps would be very useful.  The Super Colrbri is fairly close to those figures with a slightly heavier 20 grain bullet pushed at about 575 fps.

In my letters I explained why I thought such a low powered round was needed and that myself and many other shooters would be forced to use air guns otherwise.  I got no response or a form letter saying, "Thank you for your interest..."

Air guns have since become very popular. From the interest on the internet for several years now "my" Super Colrbri has also been fairly popular among some shooters.  This cartridge more or less allows you to turn your standard .22 rimfire into a quiet air rifle with no charging or pumping required.   Note: Legaly it's still a firearm!

Low Power Rimfires

.22 Super Colrbri & CB Short

When I say low power rimfires I'm talking about some which I consider useful or interesting and will work in the  common .22 long rifle firearms  Note: None of these rounds have enough power to make a semi-auto action cycle, and the shorter rounds are more likely to jam in other actions.  Also note that I almost always go for head shots even when using the full power Long Rifle.  Most of these rounds I've used extensively, some only a little, some not at all.

• Anguila Colrbri or Super Colrbri: are very interesting low power rimfire cartridges INTENDED FOR HANDGUNS ONLY.  But I've carefully fired almost a brick (500 rounds) of Super Colrbri through an 18 inch barreled single shot rifle with no problems.  (The greatest danger, as I see it, would be having one of these low power rounds get stuck in the longer barrel then following with a more powerful load.  That could potentially cause some serious injury to the shooter.)
• At less than 600 fps with a 20 grain bullet it's not very powerful.
• Fired from a longer barrel it is quieter than many air rifles or pistols. 
• The bullet's impact often makes more noise than the round's report. 
• It uses a longer case like the CB Long and it should feed fairly well in any manually operated action.
• It is more expensive and hard to find locally.
• It's not accurate, but still useful at very short range for plinking and some pest.
• I've shot two skunks with the Super Colrbri.  One skiunk, hit between the eyes at 15-20 yards simply dropped, the other was hit in the upper back just behind the head (he dropped his head as I shot) managed to get out of sight, but he was in bad shape.
• I haven't tried the regular Colrbri round, but feel sure that it would only work in a handgun for target practice.  I believe it fires the same bullet at only about 375 fps.

• CB Short or Long: for years before the Super Colrbri I shot a lot of CB's.  When I needed a quiet low powered round it was a CB Long most often. The CB's push a 29 grain bullet (almost 50% bigger and heavier) at a little over 700 fps. When comparing these two low powered rounds the CB's are:
• Considerably more capable of taking small critters at slightly longer range.
• Considerably more accurate at all useful ranges.
• Considerably louder in report from the same gun, the neighbors may hear this one.
• Still quiet enough outside that you may get another shot at the same or a second critter.
• Considerably more dangerous, more likely to shoot through something...
• I've used CB's to take most every critter I've taken with the long rifle rounds, head shots.
• Easier to find in a local store than the Super Colrbri.
• The CB Long is the same load but less likely to jam in a pump, lever, or bolt action.

• Short: I've always been attracted to this little round for some reason, maybe because I think it's cute.  But what the short can do is not cute, I believe this little round can do about 90% of what we use the long rifle cartridges for most often.  A squirrel, rabbit, or similar size pest shot in the head will not know the difference at common rimfire ranges. Shorts are available in several different configurations. Solid bullets and hollow points, standard velocity are a quieter than the high velocity... But seldom use the short:
• It is less available than the long rifle in many stores.
• It usually cost more than the long rifle.
• It is not that much quieter or safer than a long rifle round.
• It won't cycle easily through the action of many guns.

So what's the bottom line if you need a round with less power.  

• I choose the Super Colrbri or my slingshot in town or in a structure, especially for smaller  pest like mice, rats, snakes... because of the low noise, lack penetration power... Best at 15 yards or less.
• I choose CB's when I'm in a less populated area, outside, and especially where I need a little more range and accuracy.  CB's are fairly quiet outside and are very capable of taking rabbits, squirrels, and similar size pest with head shots. Best at 25 yards or less.
• Shorts, as much as I like them I can't see much advantage over the long rifle. They are a little quieter, maybe slightly safer...  Best 35 yards or less.

These low power rounds may allow you to do more shooting and even hunting in marginal situations. Test and learn their capabilities for yourself first.  They are very capable of doing harm to buildings, pets, people... and they could easily get you in trouble with the neighbors and the law.

What Is The Best Small Game Tool?

Three squirrels & Contender .22 handgun

What is the best small game tool?  Ah! Not to skirt the question, but it depends on who is asking, how they hunt, what they hunt, why they're hunting...

1. Shotgun for the Typical Hunter - For a typical, ordinary hunter, the shotgun is the best tool for making an easy clean kill on most small game.  But a shotgun makes a lot of noise which may limit your chances on nearby game for some time.
2. Air Rifle for the Expert - A top quality air rifle with a good scope and a knowledgeable hunter/shooter is probably the most deadly efficient overall tool for small game.  With the right gun an expert can silently make head shots and take more small game from one area.  But not all guns are that quiet or that accurate, and not all hunters/shooters are experts.
3. Rimfire for the Tradition - The traditional small game gun is the .22 rimfire. Many consider it more fun than the shotgun because a good shot requires more skill.  But the ordinary rimfire makes noise which may reduce the overall amount of game taken from an area.
4. Bow & Arrow for the Archer - Today we don't use archery equipment because it's efficient, we choose to use it because we love it and we relish the challenge.  But arrows can make some noise and really disturb an area when we go to retrieve them.
5. The Slingshot for Simplicity - While the slingshot could be viewed as the lest efficient tool in this list it can easily be the most accessible, lest expensive, and is very effective at times. The slingshot is as quiet as most air guns, as traditional as the rimfire, and similar but more challenging than the bow & arrow. 

I once went small game hunting often, but today I more often take an opportune shot while hunting deer or turkey. Even more often I have an opportunity to eliminate a pest in the yard...  A slingshot is most often available.  My iPhone is not my best camera either, but it's the easiest to have available and it gets used the most.

Simple Guns for Turkey

My little Remington 870 and Turkey

I'm a more serious deer hunter than turkey hunter, but I don't even hunt for trophy deer.  I'm always after a large mature animal, but I couldn't tell you how long this turkey's beard or spurs were; he's a good bird to my eyes.  He's probably a Rio Grande turkey, but I'm not really sure.

Most hunters will easily recognize my common 870 Remington Express pump. I've been a gun nut for more than fifty years, yet I seldom hunt with a gun anymore. More often a recurved bow is in my hand and a slingshot is in my pocket.  I like a hunting challenge more than a trophy challenge.   But with that said it had been a while since I took any game home, so I took the shotgun.

This shotgun shoots little yellow shells, it's a 20 gauge. When I lined up on the turkey I'd thought the maximum range for my gun, load, and choke was about 35 yards.   I only have IC and a Mod. Rem chokes since I consider full chokes a recipe to miss at anything less than maximum range.  A good hunter never wants to shoot anything at maximum range if he can help it.

Yes, I know many turkey hunters use extra full chokes and try to make head shots only.

A 20 gauge, modified choke, 3 inch Winchester #5 shot turkey loads is nothing special.  I'd hesitated to shoot because I thought he was about max range, but his body language said he was coming any closer and was ready to leave.  After the shot I walked out to the turkey and realized I'd underestimated the range.  I carefully stepped it off back to my seat; 43 long steps.

My point, if there is one... Turkey hunting doesn't require a special 3.5 inch 10 or 12 gauge turkey gun any more than you need a .300 magnum to hunt a whitetail. Use any reasonable shotgun you have and enjoy your hunting.

Oh Yea! I heard someone calling this bird late the day before from my camp.  Then I saw a couple of serious looking turkey hunters leave empty handed. The next morning I got lucky and had him an hour after sunup :-)

You can see my ambush point at the top of this picture.

I Don't Own a Weapon!

This was once a common sight.

I have firearms, I own or have owned; sporting rifles, small-bore rifles, air guns, shotguns, handguns, pistols, revolvers, bows, arrows, slingshots, knives… but I don’t own a weapon. If you attack me or my family I’ll use the above or anything handy, a baseball bat, a golf club, my wife’s fingernail file… as a weapon.

We started having more “gun trouble” in our country about the same time firearms lost their proper names and became ‘weapons’. No I’m not saying we have gun trouble because people started calling all firearms ‘weapons’.  I'm saying there has been a growing change in attitude with a parallel growth in ignorance about guns.

Many homes in our country once had a loaded gun standing in the corner by the door, over the fireplace, in window gun racks of unlocked pickups… Few people thought much about it, they were little different than any other tools. Occasionally there were accidents with kids or adults, but most of the guns simply sat there and sometimes rusted from neglect. Most people knew what a gun could do, what to use it for, and how to use it. 

My high school parking lot had so many guns in vehicles today they’d call Homeland Security. We seldom thought about them unless someone started talking about hunting or shooting. 

If someone showed a picture of a gun at school kids could tell you if it was good for birds, small game, or big game.  Today the same picture is of a ‘weapon’. The boys and girls eyes get big and some may say “it’ll do you man” or some negative comment.

Even sportsmen, hunters, shooters, gun makers, gun writers… have blurred the lines. I wonder is it because with a more urban society, more separated from nature, and yes, more crime; is it easier to sell 'weapons' than guns? 

I used an M-16 occasionally in the Air Force and it’s good for what it does, but it’s an ugly weapon, and weapons are designed for ugly purposes. Today’s gun stores have racks of similar ugly guns. They wouldn’t have them if people didn’t want them. As I said in the first paragraph if you mess with me or my family I’ll stop you in any way I can.  But! I worry when so many are interested in 'weapons'. 

There is little "working" difference in my deer rifle and a sniper rifle. Mine is a little better looking, but the real difference is the operator, the use, the intent... Mine is for sport, recreation... It kills to feed, to nourish... 

I look at fine sporting arms the way my wife looks at jewelry.  The best of them are above my pay grade. Both are made by craftsman-artist and neither brings to my mind any evil thoughts.  

Concealed Carry

My wife's .22 Beretta Pistol

Our state, Oklahoma, now has concealed carry permits.

My wife is not a shooter, doesn't know much about guns, but around 25 years ago she decided she needed a gun and she wanted a semi-automatic.  After thinking about it for a while I bought her the little Beretta .22

It has an easy to load/check tip up barrel. A double action so all she has to do is click off the safety and start pulling the trigger.  Simpler and safer than some such pistols. She has practiced with it maybe three times. :-(

Now she wants a 9 mm Glock and a permit to carry it. I have very mixed feelings; not about the firearm, but about the carry.

When I was a kid we had 'guns', rifles, shotguns, revolvers, pistols in our homes, cars, trucks, but now people call them 'weapons'. I grew up thinking a gun was a tool for hunting, but now many people only see it as a weapon for killing.

The gun didn't change that much, the people did. Back in 1965 my teenage friends and I had an arsenal of 'guns' out in the high school parking lot but I felt safe. Now some high schools have a weapon carrying security guard and I don't feel nearly as safe.

Do I want my wife and other good people walking around armed? I don't think so; good people are emotional, get mad, make mistakes... Could a weapon save her life? Could she, you, or I get in a situation where we'd give anything for a 'weapon'. Possibly, but I believe a weapon is more likely to get a good person injured or in trouble. What do you think?

The .17 Winchester Super Mag

This one, the .17 Winchester Super Mag, slipped up on me.  

A 20 grain bullet at 3000 feet per. second from a RIMFIRE! Winchester says it has 2.5 times the energy  of the .17 hmr down range, will shoot flatter, and have less wind drift. The .17 hmr will most likely die quickly.  The little .17 Mach 2 (potentially the best .17, even the best rimfire ever IMO) has been largely ignored or given little press coverage.

A more powerful rimfire for what? To kill little critters deader, or to use on bigger critters?  This round will probably kill a small pest animal about as far as you can hit with it, but for bigger animals like coyotes 100 maybe 150 yards I'd guess.  That's not too bad, but it's nothing like what a 22-250, .243… and many other center fires can do.

What's it good for? It's useful if you don't want to reload or pay centerfire ammunition prices. If you don't feel you need the range and power of a bigger centerfire.  If it proves to be as accurate as the other .17 rimfires it will be great for small varmints and pest.

Honestly! most will be bought for the same reason the .17 hmr sold at first; it's new, it's exciting, it's the most powerful rimfire…  Winchester has had a lot of very successful cartridges over the years, this could very well be another one.

BTW:  The .17 Mach 2 looks the most useful of any .17 in my opinion, but it is most likely dead, or on the death bed. It is probably an even better small game and pest round than "the king", the .22 long rifle.  It's flatter shooting, maybe safer, possibly more accurate, and about equal in power over all. But none of the .17s are as versatile as the old .22 long rifle. None offer any low cost, low noise, lead bullet, plinking loads. Such loads could make the .17s much more versatile and popular. Billions of rimfire rounds are used for plinking.