22 LR Vs 17 HM2, 17 HMR, 22 Mag...

[1858rem]

how loud is a 17HMR compared to 22mag or lr?

most round here coon hunt with 22 shorts to avoid gettin caught :cough: if they accidentally wander onto someone else's land.....so I've been told

 

[Gator 23]

1858rem really killed this thread! I wander why its hard to get permission to hunt on private land and game wardens have to bug the honest hunters so often?

Let's make a recommendation on .22 vs .17 report and help this guy poach and trespass.

 

[undeRGRound]

Old Thread Revival BUT:

I find lots of .17 HMR around, and not unreasonably priced.
Now it seems like a great choice, guns are under $200 and
ammo is reasonable in this Post-Sandy Hook World.

Comments???

 

[f100owner]

Old thread - resurrected. But I read through it.
I bought a .17 HMR Savage recently as an alternative to a .22LR gun. Not as a replacement. Fifty rounds of .17 HMR is about $15. Not cheap, but not too bad. I don't intend to shoot it like I do .22s, wasting away ammo. I intend to enjoy each shot and see how accurate I can get with what I have.
Plus, these days, the .17 HMR is still to be had at a lot of places. Still cheaper than shooting my 30-30, .243, .30-06 or my .35 Rem.
My Savage, heavy barrel, syn stock, accutrigger cost $250 at Bass Pro Shop, so that made it very appealing. that was $100 less than I paid for a 10/22 recently.

 

[Hokkmike]

I have a .22 WMR. I was at Gander Mountain looking at their cool assortment of spinning and flipping targets. I noted that on targets rated for .22 use there is a sticker with a disclaimer, "Not suitable for use with .22 magnum".

I had always wrongly assumed that .22 WMR was not THAT much different than a regular .22 LR. Guess I need to study up a little better.

 

[AK103K]

My dad had an old .22 bullet trap we used to use when shooting in the basement as kids. It was a little beat up, but seemed to stop .22's without issue.

A friend left his Ruger Single Six convertible with us when he went to Viet Nam. I was shooting it in the basement when I thought Id try out a couple of the .22mags, to see what they were like, since Id never shot one. Hey, its a .22 right?

The first round, went right through the steel plate, hit the cinderblock wall, and then proceeded to bounce around the basement.

Then I heard my mom yell, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!?!"

That was it for shooting in the basement.

 

[undeRGRound]

LMAO!
I gotta get it now! Sounds GREAT! more later...

 

[tuj]

17hmr will do this at 100 yards and still have plenty of energy. 22lr will not...





http://varmintal.com/17hmr.htm

 

[45ShooterRFB]

Do not believe the not enough gun/caliber crowd if they say it will not work. Small caliber bullets at low velocity are deadly as long as you put them in the right place to kill quickly. If you put the bullet in the right place, you can kill/stop even very large game with a .22LR out of a pistol with a 6-3/4" BBL. 'Yotes do not bleed much, enough to track, with heart / Lung shots in the micro calibers. Although they do not go far after a heart shot. So you better be able to watch them go, to have much chance of recovering the pelt IF you do not anchor then right away.

 

[HarcyPervin]

had to get one last shot in?

 

[chicharrones]

Since the thread started in 2008, the OP might have a different point of view by now.

 

[skoro]

22LR vs 22wmr

Yep, an old thread, but then I'm an old guy.

I look at it this way. Everyone should have a 22LR - rifle and handgun. It's a "must" and the ammo (when available) makes it the go to for plinking and just plain fun. Works pretty darn well on small game, too.

A 17/22 magnum is something to have in addition to the 22LR in my view. I have a couple of 22wmr rifles and they're a real hoot. The 22wmr has more velocity and energy at 100 yards than the 22LR has at the muzzle. That's quite a bit more mustard. I haven't hunted with either rifle, but they sure are fun at the range. Targets at 200 yards that are real tough to hit (figuring hold over is pretty inexact) with a 22LR are no sweat with the 22wmr.

As others have already mentioned, steel spinner targets designed for 22LR can be penetrated by 22wmr. I found that out myself first hand.

I have no experience with the 17s. From what others say, sounds like a fun round.

 

[undeRGRound]

NICE!!!

OK, Got me a bull barrel Savage model 93, good bit of ammo, but now I need an OPTIC. A friend suggested a BSA Sweet 17, but are there any other cheaper scopes that I should consider? I also picked up a used Mossberg 640T and a Marlin 795, all of these cover the small rimfire calibers rather nicely

I'd like a scope that I could use on at least 2 of these.

Glad to see this topic is rising again, like a Zombie!

 

[Cryogaijin]

None of the other calibers will set off tannerite.

 

[bracer]

I have 17 HM2, 17 HMR, 22 LR, and 22WMR rifles. I have tried different brands and bullet weights that are available for each of the rifles. Then gotten a brick (10 boxes of 50 ea ) or more of the most accurate ammo for each rifle. Depending what I m hunting and where, I ll use the rifle that best serves my needs. The internal, exterior, and terminal ballistics are quite different for each of the rim fire cartridges. I like all of them and will be getting a 17 WSM RF rifle should one be made that I like.

 

[javjacob]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_17HMR_22WMR.htm

interesting read on 22mag vs 17mag

 

[CaliCoastie]

I'm a 22mag guy, but find the graph humorous in that is comparing 17hmr(2) vs 22lr. people seem to like one our the other, rarely love both. my 22mag naw I'm not going to get dragged into a discussion/argument of one vs the other but i have my reasons that i(me) think are valid

 

[Bigdog57]

Owning some thirty or so rimfire rifles (mostly .22LR, two .22WMR, one .17HMR), I haven't been able to shoot much lately. My stock of all rimfire ammo is getting low. .22LR is proving to suddenly be made of 'Unobtanium'.
I have 'notify' requests with my favorite ammo suppliers. Twice I got a notification from MidwayUSA, but when I was able to get online, it was sold out.
Now I have my first 'smartphone' giving me online capability. I got another notification while at work for a 500-pack of .22WMR (CCI Maximag +V), so I was able to order it immediately. It worked and I made it under the wire. So it looks like I will be shooting my Marlin 25MN more in the coming months. Hopefully the .22LR will start coming in too.
Until then, I have gotten into the airgun side of things. .177 and .22 airguns are widely available with the same target and small game hunting abilities as .22LR, can be modified and improved (and who doesn't like modding their guns at times?) and the ammo is cheap and plentiful. Airguns aren't just for kids any more, and are a far cry from your old Red Ryder! Don't just bemoan the unavailbility of .22LR, go out and explore the other options.

 

[Dr T]

The 22 LR has been around a very, very long time for a reason.

It has probably put more food on the table than any other round.

You can still afford to shoot it enough to become proficient with any firearm on an instinctive level. At a minimum, it will cost you over twice as much to do this with any other round.

Right now, I own centerfire rifles in 223, 22-250, 243, 6 mm Remington, 6.5x55, 6.5 Creedmoor, 270, 7mm-08, 30-30, 308, 30-06,300 Weatherby Magnum, 7.62x39, 7.62x54, 303 British, 35 Whelan, 375 H&H, and 460 S&W.

I have two 22 WMR's and nine 22 LR. (Note, I have been collecting for over 40 years...)

I shoot the 22 LRs more than the rest of the lot combined.

I practice for big game shooting by shooting practical targets with the 22 LRs (this is fancy way that I plink at longer range targets). I also play "Kick the Can" with my brothers in a range that we have set up on the ranch where it is safe to do so. I have permanently disposed of more pests and varmints on the ranch with a 22.

It is far too easy to be seduced by performance on paper. The performance of most of the cartridges on my list is indistinguishable on the shots that matter. Bullet placement and performance are far more important than MV and ME in any but extreme circumstances. However, I have not been recently attacked by a Cape Buffalo (or a range bull with a really bad attitude) out on the ranch lately. Explosive bullet performance is colorful and impressive on varmints, but dead is, after all, dead. And it does tend to gross out my pre-teen great nieces, daughters, wife, etc. And I prefer my hamburger ground, not blood shot.

A 22 LR will make you a better hunter since you will have to learn how to stalk, be quite, and wait for the right shot.

There is much wisdom behind the selection of a 22 LR over the other cartridges. Use it to become highly proficient and safe while you take your time to think about what the next toy will be.

 

[ssyoumans]

Get a 22 WSM and the debate is over. Tons of power, super flat shooting, $16.99/50 at Bass Pro. My BP had 14 boxes on the shelf.

I don't own one yet, but I would like too of I had the opportunity to do more longer range (over 125 yards) hunting.

I use my 22LR most of the time because it is light and accurate enough to 60 yards, which is about as far as I am going to get a shot on in GA woods. The 17hmr is good for 60-150 yards, staying pretty flat. It does destroy small game though, so, better for Crows, varmints.

Recently picked up a Savage 22 Mag, lots of power, good range of bullets from 30gr VMax to 50gr JHP. Mine is not as accurate as my 17hmr, and it too will make a mess, but is very effective.

FYI: none of the Hypervocity ammo has ever lived up to the vocity hype out of my 16", 18", or even 22" barreled 22s.
Stingers: listed 1640, actual 1553
Velocitors: actual 1302
Aguilla super maximum - haven't run them out of a rifle, but out of the same mkii pistol, were slower than Stingers

My 17HMR and 22 Mag both beat the Hornady/CCI advertised velocities.

 

[chicharrones]

I've never tried a .17 caliber anything except for pellet guns. No real reason other than I didn't have a handgun to match the caliber and I already hate cleaning small bores.

Yet, I do like .22 WMR and .22LR, but only .22LR in standard or low velocity. My limited experience with the hyper velocity .22LR (like Stingers) is that they are not as accurate out of my rifles as regular .22LR.

On the other hand, my .22 WMR rifle shoots as accurate as anything else I own at 100 yards. Plus, no real elevation changes from 50 to 100 yards with the .22 WMR either.

The targets below are 5 shot groups from my sporter barreled Zastava with a cold barrel using Hornady 30-grain VMax. Like I mentioned, my .22 LR rifles can't even come close to this if using hyper velocity ammo and no clicks on the scope required.

So in the rare cases I want something to do what the .22 WMR can do, I do like it indeed. It's still cheaper than firing quality factory made centerfire ammo. I'm sure the .17 HMR makes a fine choice in this situation, I just didn't go down that path.

 

[aka108]

I love the 22rf for little varmits out to 75 yards. I won a 17 hmr and also a 22mag at several NRA events. I don't use them very often. The 17 is nice for plinking out to 150 yards and I've yet to figure out why the 22 mag exists. I can reload 50 223's for just a little more cost than the 17's or 22mags and it has far superior performance that either. Way superior. When I run out of 17 and 22 mag ammo both rifles will go on the market.

 

[chicharrones]

The 17 is nice for plinking out to 150 yards and I've yet to figure out why the 22 mag exists.

You know why.

The .22 WMR preceded the .17 HMR giving the .17 HMR a parent case to be developed from decades later. Then there are handguns. The .17 HMR hasn't been much of a sales success in handguns while the .22 Mag still slowly and surely sells.

If we go into .223 reloading cost comparisons, then what do we make of the new rimfire .17 WSM? Not everyone wishes to or has the time to give to reloading. For non-reloaders quality centerfire ammo costs aren't quite as close to magnum rimfire costs.

 

[Sav .250]

The 22LR has been around for ever. Longer than those mentioned. Put a lot of game on the ground. And as noted, ammo is almost dirt cheap.

That being said, Some just like newer stuff. If you already have a 22 why not consider one of those mentioned? Like they say, one cal does not fit all.

 

[javjacob]

I don't understand how someone could say they don't know why the 22mag exists? Its a great round. compared to the 17hmr the 22mag has more power as far as energy and bullet weight by a good margin. the 17hmr is a 22 mag but necked down to a .17 so its basically a 22mag with a smaller lighter bullet. with a smaller lighter bullet you get more speed but less energy. now there are 22mag in 30 grain that have the ballistic tip that aren't too far behind on speed and accuracy but you got almost twice the bullet size and weight. the 22mag is also cheaper. with 17hmr you only have 17grain and 20 grain to choose from but with 22mag you have a large selection. If you ask me there is no comparison... the 22mag is better.