.17HMR vs. .22WMR in a Revolver

Hornady 17 HMR 17 GR V-MAX

Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle.............100 yd...........200 yd
2550/245........1901/136........1378/72


Hornady 22 WMR 30 gr. V-MAX

Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle.............100 yd...........200 yd
2200/322........1421/134........1002/67

These are rifle numbers according to Hornady, so you would need to subtract a bit accordingly to your barrel length.

Noidster

Well, here's the important comparison to me:

--One is very VERY loud.

--The other is well, also very VERY loud.

That's all I need to know in order to know I don't want either. That may or may not help you [I'm not a fan of cylinder gap blast].

Well what I didn't put up there is that the wind can REALLY affect the 17HMR with it's tiny little bullets. Out here in Wyoming, I have several friends that shoot this caliber and love it, but on windy days, heavier bullets can be a nice thing. Now Hornady has introduced their 20-grainer in 17HMR and this helps a bit.

I myself, regardless of how my friends love their rifles in 17HMR, I will indeed be getting a pistol of some sort, in the 22WMR caliber for the new Hornady 30-grainer Vmax bullets.

Of course, this is a never ending love/lust/need/want story so I will prolly eventually end up with something in 17HMR as well.

Just my thoughts...

Noidster

The .17 may put up some impressive numbers but it just doesn't have enough bullet to be practical. So except for the numbers junkies I see no real reason for the cartridge.

The .17 may put up some impressive numbers but it just doesn't have enough bullet to be practical. So except for the numbers junkies I see no real reason for the cartridge.

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Welps, if you have had witnessed what these little bullets do to prairie dogs, rock chucks, ground hogs, badgers, jack rabbits and the like, you would understand a bit better I am sure. I have hit Jack rabbits twice times (same rabbit two bullets) with 22lr and they have tried to limp away, drug themselves away, run away, etc. but when you hit them with the 17HMR, they are done. Most 22lr bullets, especially on the cheap end of things just go right through them, the 17HMR and newer 22mags however, turn them inside out...literally at times.

Noidster

the 17HMR and newer 22mags however, turn them inside out...literally at times.

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Which is why they are not the best choice for use on game you want to eat since they ruin a lot of meat. Especially the 17.

I bought a new Taurus .17hmr Tracker when they first came out. It was very well made. I've got problems with my wrists ( double carpal tunnel surgery) and found it really difficult to clean due to the tiny bore and charging holes in the cylinder. I bought .17 hmr cleaning rods, patches, even a bore snake but the difficulty remained. The only problem with the revolver itself was that the DA trigger pull was a bit rough but a few minutes polishing took care of that. Finally sold it but only due to the wrist problem.

I've never shot a 17hmr or a .22mag at animals, but it would seem to me that the .22mag would make a more practical round, in both revolvers and rifles. Especially in a rifle, as the heavier bullet should perform better at longer range.

Which is why they are not the best choice for use on game you want to eat since they ruin a lot of meat. Especially the 17.

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Of course there are the exceptions. With it's laser-like flat accuracy, my bud Al was able to bring home quite a few Grouse last year shooting only his Savage 17hmr and simply beheading them with it, wasn't a smidgeon of pigeon lost....lol.

Noidster

aaai shoot a Ruger Single six hunter with a 2x scope in .17HMR . the .17 is about 2/3rd or less the loudness of a .22 mag which I have shot for years and still use for slaughtering live stock, which the .17 is no good for. The .17 blows up small things under 75 yards in a pistol and is my favorite truck gun on the ranch,