[Riposte1]

I have a 10-22 converted to this caliber. Oddly enough my "adventures" with the .17M2 involve Chickens (not shooting them, but saving them).

While I have a range in the back yard, I have neighbors to my North and South - dont ask me why I picked a place where the range has to point West :-(. So a light caliber rifle that does not richochet is a definite plus at times.

One evening near sundown my wife heard one of the hens alarmed and I happened to grab the .17 as I ran out the door. Rounding the corner I saw movement (white hen floundering) and when I put the scope on it there was a reddish brown mound which I assumed to be a fox, which had it down. I shot the critter and heard the impact and it instantly let the hen go. It then started off (I had hit it dead center in the spine - fore to aft) but its back legs didn't work.

The range was about 75 yards and as it moved away, fairly quicky for a critter than had no use of its rear legs, I shot it again, heard the hit but it kept going. I shot it twice more and it finally slowed and lay down. When I went up to it it was still trying to move but couldnt - I shot it with a .45 that I always have and that put a rather dramatic end to the episode.

The next one came when I arrived home after sundown and saw a flashlight in the little house my wife had commandeered for her chickens. I knew something was up so I came by and sure enough there was a racoon up in the rafters stalking the hens that were scared to death but not moving.

The only shot was in the genereal direction of the neighbors house so I went for the .17 again and set up where if I missed the bullet would go upward. Remembering the fox I decided to shoot this critter 3 times as fast as I could.

Now this is a very small concrete block building (the eaves are wood however). At the shots everything came unglued! The chickens flew (hitting me in the head and knocking off my hat), the coon charged causing me to move off the line of attack reflexively and getting tangled up in a bunch of boxes. When the coon hit the floor - fully active - it decided to retreat to a cluttered corner instead of climb my leg. Since all the chickens were out I shut the door and decided to let him cool off.

Next moring, to my surprise, I opened the door and there was a 'possumm resting against it! He must have been in the building unoticed the night before. I let him pass and he ambled off disgusted. After searching a bit I found the coon, stiff as a board. 3 tiny holes in and right behind the shoulder - no exits.

Have not shot any squirrels with it. Hope it does not tear up much meat because that is probably the niche for this cartridge.

Sorry to go so long.
Riposte

PS: I know converting the 10/22 to .17 HM2 is risky to the gun, it is an experiment and I am not recommending it (at first this gun was a .17 Aguila but that did not work out well).

PPS: did a trigger job on a friends 1911 with a .17 Kimber Conversion - it was extremely accurate for a handgun at 100 yards. Interesting gun.