small caliber - kill zone?

[hoping4better]

I only have a .17HMR rifle and need to rid myself of some stray dogs that have attacked my chickens several times. Where would be the best place to aim my shot? I'll likely be shooting at 75 yards or less and I can place groups within about 2" at that range (I need some practice!!).

The dogs are probably between 40-100 lbs and the biggest is a long haired lab mix, the smallest are 6 month old pups from a mutt that's pretty muscular and built like a rottweiler, kinda.

I'd prefer the least painful, quickest kill possible, but the most humane kill is the one most likely to actually kill and I know the round I have available is a little undersized. SO, where should I try to place my shots. ( could probably pull off headshots if they are still for any length of time, but I'm not sure of the penetration and killing power through the skull of a dog this size at this range. At 10 yards there'd be no question, but not sure of 75 yards.

 

[no1hilbily]

low behind front shoulder will get both lungs and maybe heart

 

[The Driver]

Quote:
X2!

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
X2

 

[al6517]

X3 ............. as with most 4 legged critters it's the best spot.

 

[YYZ]

I don't blame you at all, but im sure you will practice shooting first unless your allready a good shot !

 

[hoping4better]

Thanks!!

As for practicing . . . I have been, a little; it's LITERALLY been 15 years since I've picked up a gun until about 2 weeks ago when I got this 17HMR. I practiced a couple times and consistently shot 5-10 rounds in 1 to 2" groupings at 25-50 yards. That's measuring the two rounds furthest apart. Not bad for not having shot in 15 years, but it won't hit rabbits at a hundred yards! So, I need practice (I used to put 22 rounds at fifty yards in under a quarter size, but usually in a dime), but to hit that zone at 50-75 yards, I won't have a problem. Fixing the trigger would help too . . . factory places it at 8lbs pull!

Anyway, thank you!!

 

[JoePa]

The .17 is too light - you can only wound the animal - what you need is a .243 is something close to that - I hunt coyotes and definitely a .17 or .22 or even .22 mag is too light - unless if you don't care about wounding an animal - if you can get closer a 12 gauge shotgun would be the ticket - we should always try to kill an animal and not just wound it - have you considered trapping the dogs - then shooting them - yes there is nothing worste than a pack of dogs running loose - they could be dangerous when in a pack - especially if there are little kids around -

 

[hoping4better]

The 17hmr (NOT the 17M2) is all I've got and all I've got access to. Don't mean to just wound, but I'd rather wound em than have a pack of stray dogs that are out to eat my chickens and get aggressive with me. Trapping is an option if my cousin can ever get out here with his live animal trap, otherwise, trappings illegal here as far as I know.

I've seen what the 17 can do, the bullet really skoots! I'm guessing at no more than 75 yards it should pierce well enough to kill if the shot hits the lungs. I wasn't sure about a head shot, but the lungs are a better bet anyway.

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[thekid]

Quote:
X4 just like shooting a deer