Firearms

[olstyn]

when I killed a deer with a .17 HMR.

I wouldn't be too proud of that kill. Shooting a deer with a round that small is inhumane at best, and in many jurisdictions, illegal. I'm sure it's tons of fun to shoot, and great for squirrels, etc, but it's a wholly inappropriate choice for large game.

[olstyn]

While we are on the topic does anyone else reload their own? I've done .30-30, .223, .45acp, and .40. I run a Dillon 550B. Gearing up for a run of 9mm.

I do .380 ACP and 9mm on a Hornady Lock-n-Load AP. I considered going with a Dillon, as they have a great reputation for quality and customer support, but in the end, I couldn't justify the price difference. (As a 5-station auto-indexing press, the Hornady is functionally equivalent to the Dillon 650, but its price is pretty close to the 550B.)

I just wish I was one of those people who have a big stash of components; I'm good for a while on projectiles and primers, but powder is getting low, and to call retail availability in my area "spotty" would be generous...

[Neal]

I wouldn't be too proud of that kill. Shooting a deer with a round that small is inhumane at best, and in many jurisdictions, illegal. I'm sure it's tons of fun to shoot, and great for squirrels, etc, but it's a wholly inappropriate choice for large game.

Are you sure it's inhumane? I mean because I would think with your apparent knowledge that you've done all the tests. Also I know my laws, but thanks for throwing that out there. It can take out large game fine enough, when the shot is properly placed you'd be surprised at what it can do. Now yea people assume it's inhumane because it's a rimfire, but when the round first came out it wasn't illegal to use it. It wasn't until after people misplaced shots and had issues with not killing animals was it considered illegal.

At that rate, a regular 22 can be lethal if the shot is properly placed. While I wouldn't normally shoot with that caliber, I've seen what it can do, especially the Hornday V-max. Again, it wasn't my first choice but at the time it was all that was available.

I could argue lots of things are inhumane, but that doesn't make it so. If you shoot a deer with a .270 and it runs off because you missed the shot or something else happened, that's inhumane because the deer can still live depending on where you hit it. The issue you run into is people don't know how to properly shoot and they don't know how to track something if it runs off.

[olstyn]

Are you sure it's inhumane? I mean because I would think with your apparent knowledge that you've done all the tests.

Perhaps I should have said that the chance of it being inhumane is very high rather than that it's absolutely inhumane. That said, you're essentially picking linguistic nits in order to try to deflect the fact that I called you out on an inappropriate action after you declared yourself to be proud of it.

Also I know my laws, but thanks for throwing that out there.

Glad to hear that what you did was not illegal in your area. It *is* illegal in many places, however, so I felt it pertinent to mention in case you had put yourself in a compromising position by posting about it on a public forum or in case there were others reading about it who were not aware of the potential legal concerns should they attempt to duplicate your actions.

It can take out large game fine enough, when the shot is properly placed you'd be surprised at what it can do. Now yea people assume it's inhumane because it's a rimfire, but when the round first came out it wasn't illegal to use it. It wasn't until after people misplaced shots and had issues with not killing animals was it considered illegal.

At that rate, a regular 22 can be lethal if the shot is properly placed. While I wouldn't normally shoot with that caliber, I've seen what it can do, especially the Hornday V-max. Again, it wasn't my first choice but at the time it was all that was available.

I could argue lots of things are inhumane, but that doesn't make it so. If you shoot a deer with a .270 and it runs off because you missed the shot or something else happened, that's inhumane because the deer can still live depending on where you hit it. The issue you run into is people don't know how to properly shoot and they don't know how to track something if it runs off.

I never said you couldn't achieve a lethal shot with it. Just about any gun can be lethal with perfect shot placement. The reason that I say it's likely to be inhumane is that your margin for error is MUCH smaller with a 20-grain .17 caliber projectile than with a larger round like a .270 or a .308. Wind drift can be an issue with a bullet of that size, leading to less certainty in shot placement. Tiny bullets at high velocities are also a significant fragmentation risk, which leads to concerns about low penetration. I'm not saying it can't be done, but rather that it's a very poor idea, and that even in a scenario where it's legal to use, *I* personally wouldn't be willing to take the chance.

[BrandiR]

I have a Taurus .45 and a Sig 9mm. I carry the 9mm and the .45 is for home. I also have a large knife in the pocket of my driver's side door and a can of pepper spray between my seat and the door.

I'm a hitchhiker's-with-bad-intentions worst nightmare!

[DooLittle]

I have a Taurus .45 and a Sig 9mm. I carry the 9mm and the .45 is for home. I also have a large knife in the pocket of my driver's side door and a can of pepper spray between my seat and the door.

I'm a hitchhiker's-with-bad-intentions worst nightmare!

Lol. Me too. I also have pepper spray, on my keys. A knife I carry, and 2 more in my purse.

[MarkS]

If I were ever attacked, I'd just cry until they felt sorry for me and left me alone.

[Slim]

Due to recent events in my life, I'm down to one firearm. My Rock River .45 ACP Government Model. It's an outstanding little weapon, and with the help of a great gunsmith, I've tricked it out to be very similar to the one I carried during my last couple of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. It's got just the right amount of go fast goodies to be useful on a bad day, but not so gimmicked up that it looks like a USPSA race gun. It is both my carry weapon, and the one that occupies a space under my side of the bed at night.

[Expensive hobby]

That's why I like my IDPA SSP gun lol. Nice and simple, and trained to use it in real life situations.


I like my Dubstep to go Wop Wop Wop Wop

[Shadera]

I might have a couple lying around here. Used to hunt, but haven't lately. Way too much work to do around here. Which reminds me, I need to get off my butt and toss my hat in the ring for an elk tag this next fall.

Favorite is my Beretta M9, because it's basically the same weapon that I trained with and carried in the army. Fell in love with it, and own a couple different versions just because I can. I liked the M16 as well, but purchased an M4 from Bushmaster because of the smaller size and ease of finding cool toys to snap onto it. It's not really about the rifle's looks, but more about it just being something I am uber comfortable with, and that's what I gravitate towards. (Anyone who has been in the military can agree with how well you get to know those rifles inside and out!)