Thanks guys, mac and wolfie yeah I don't think FMJ is legal for hunting here unfortunately. ADC yeah, they are pretty dang accurate, when I have used it for squirrels I only take headshots but the head is like literally gone and makes for tough skinning too cuz usually it messes up the whole front half unless it's perfect broadside top of the head shot.

There's a FMJ load my buddy LOVES for his. There harder to get so he gets a case of them at a time

Not much wasted, there is very little meat on the shoulders anyway. We only save the back half.....jk

I'd try the ones I suggested and if you don't like the results you could always switch to a .22lr it's the best squirrel rifle caliber out there you know.

Are there any loads you can get that don't completely terminate small game? I've seen the CCI game point or whatever, the ones that say for use on small game, but are they any better than the regular Hornady V-max? Thanks

I have used about everything out of mine. The 20 gr load ACD suggested is a good one. I do use the FMJ for squirrels. It does a great job with them. It’s accurate enough for just head shots. I have used the 20 gr on some fall turkey and a couple fox’s. They were about dead as they could get. The FMJ are CCI.

YES! they are better, only shoot the 20 gr., they will exit a rib shot coyote, and tolerable on rib shot squirrels. Have taken a few adult gobblers with them as well and a handful of deer on crop damage permits

Try some hollow points. They don't open up much on squirrel heads and there will be most of its head still on there.

I tried to collect some prairie dogs for a guy for a skin collection the best bullet was the FMJ copper plated rounds the rest just blew things up. The 17 HMR is not the killing machine I hoped it would be.