17 HMR Marlin Mod 917V Bolt Action

17 HMR

My Marlin 17 HMR is somewhat like my two 22 LRs, I use it mainly for ground squirrels.  I have 7 mags to try and keep filled, on a ground squirrel field that can become difficult.  I have shot as many as 700 rounds a day through it, loading 7 mags, shooting them, loading 7 mags, shooting them, and so on.  After a few hours it nice to shoot some 22 LR’s to give my fingers a break.  It’s kind’a a good thing, my 17 HMR gets to cool down a little.

I’ve been on a few trips to Oregon and last year Nevada with my 17 HMR and two 22 LR’s shooting ground squirrels.  In both places the real good thing is most of your shoots are less than 60 yards.  If you wanted you could shoot longer shots but with so many squirrels, WHY?  Driving around a 100 acre alfalfa field with thousands of squirrels going back and forth to the field close enough to shoot from my truck window with my 22 pistol, why waste ammo?