.22LR vs .22 WMR?

[CoalCrackerAl]

I have rifles in 22lr mag and 17. I shoot the lr the most. When i want to reach out i take the 17 along. Im leaning towards a 17 hmr upper for an AR add on.

 

[Remington1911]

It is considerably more powerful. It is also considerably more expensive to shoot. Most small critters that one may shoot with a 22 LR to eat (like a squirrel) will sustain considerable damage with a 22 mag. IMO, the 22 mag is at its best for pests like bobcats, coons, foxes, etc.

I agree, and I think that the 17 would do the trick for the "pests" in that size range, might toss in coyote as well depending on range. Anything in that well 22LR is just not enough group. Sure there are all kinds of centerfire choices that would do the trick, we are not talking about that, only rimfire. I don't know how a 17 would be on an animal that size, never done it. That itty bitty bullet in my mind would cause a bit of question. I think I would rather the good ole 22mag....again likely why I don't have one. Why bother I have 22mag and it will do everything the 17 will do.

Both being rimfire puts them in a different group. Not really plinking like 22LR, but not reloadable like everything else. The costs put it in a different group.

All that said there is just something special about the ole' 22mag. Not sure what it is, perhaps that little extra power, but I do like it.

 

[mavracer]

I've had both .22 WMR and .17 HMR and very much preferred the HMR. It was somewhat flatter shooting and expanded much better than the WMR, making it more effective on smaller varmints, yet held its own against larger ones like woodchucks, which are quite tough for their size. After getting an HMR barrel for my Tikka(?), I got rid of the WMR barrel.

I'm kinda the opposite dad bought a 17 HMR Savage when it first came out and I've had a old Marlin 22 mag since 1985. Since I found Remington 33gr accutip ammo the difference in the field is minimal. So that when I wanted to get one with a threaded barrel to suppress I opted to just get another 22 mag.

 

[Varminterror]

Compare a good 22 mag to a 22LR with both in the same rifle and the WMR will outshoot the 22LR at 100 yards so bad it's not funny.

Definitely not my experience with these cartridges either. I've had nearly identical rifles in 22LR, 22WMR, and 17HMR in a few different combinations from Marlin, Ruger, and Savage over the years, and it's pretty universal that 22WMR ammo sucks compared to what is available for either of these others. It might be true that the worst 22LR ammo shoots worse at 100yrds than the worst 22WMR ammo, but in terms of the peak performance from either, LR is much more predictable.

 

[Gun-Reck]

Have a convertible Ruger Super Single-Six, but have never used the cylinder.

Maybe as a one-gun survive tool, but otherwise, an expensive eater like that will be the .357 Mag.

 

[chicharrones]

Some of us just like it, we're not trying to make it earn an empty spot.

Indeed.

 

[I6turbo]

I like the 22 WMR a lot. It is what the .22 LR High Velocity round ought to be, just a really nice little round that is still fun like a .22 LR, a serious step up in power, feels good touching off a round, without getting into the more "intense" category of centerfire such as .223.

The available ammo is NOT as consistently accurate as a good .22 LR gun with mid-grade or better target ammo that the particular gun likes, but two of my three CZ rifles shoot the 30-grain V-Max loads to allllllmost MOA at 100 yards (one has a somewhat poor factory bed, and won't shoot with the other two, and I haven't yet fixed it). "Almost MOA" is actually pretty accurate for most purposes, but it's not going to win many target shootouts against true MOA/Sub-MOA guns and quality ammo.

The other thing for me, as some have noted, is that a satisfying outing with a .22 WMR somehow ends up consuming a lot fewer rounds than is often the case with a .22 LR. And of course that's especially true if you are shooting WMR in a bolt action vs. LR in a semi-auto.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

.22 WMR rifle over a .22 LR rifle with high velocity ammo.

_ .22 WMR ammo is noticeably more powerful than .22 LR HV.
_ My experience has been fewer dud cartridge primers with .22 WMR.
_ .22 WMR ammo seems to take rough handling of the ammo better than .22 LR

 

[earlthegoat2]

I’m not going to speak of any theoretical differences and advantages as they have been hashed out quite well already.

2 things though and they are both anecdotes:

1. I have shot untold numbers of feral hogs with rimfires over the years and can say the 22 WMR outshines the LR, the HMR, and the WSM when it comes to killing capability using headshots within 50 yds. This was both fair chase and emptying hog traps so I have a lot of experience with this one animal.

I don’t do much hog shooting anymore so…

2. I only own one rimfire rifle now and it is a 22 WMR. I own a few LR handguns.

This doesn’t prove or disprove anything it only shows what I prefer and why.

 

[someguy2800]

feels good touching off a round, without getting into the more "intense" category of centerfire such as .223.

That right there is really the only reason I have a 22 mag, it feels like you are shooting a real rifle. When I grab something to go plink steel plates and I don't want to have to reload for it, my stevens crackshot in 22 mag is usually what I grab. If I take a 22 lr rifle I typically take 100 or 200 rounds, whereas I will only take 50 for the 22 mag, but somehow I get about the same satisfaction from both.

 

[doubleh]

Back in my younger years I was a dedicated jackrabbit and prairiedog hunter. I rigged up a 22 WMR rifle with a 3 x 9 scope and it allowed me to make clean kills at much longer distances than with the 22 LR HP. At what was "I might get him" with 22 LR it was "DRT" with 22 mag. Back then about all the ammo choices were Remington and Winchester and some seldom found Peters 22 LR. For some reason the 22 rimfire ammo available then was much more dependable than today's Remington and Winchester offerings and dud rounds were seldom found. Today I just walk on by any rimfire ammo made by Winchester and am not exactly thrilled with Remington's either. Same deal for Federal now but since it wasn't around in my younger years I can't compare it. CCI seems the most dependable of the lower priced stuff available in 22 LR today but I am getting more duds with it than the past. I have 4 22 WMR capable revolvers now but don't really see a need to put the WMR cylinder in any of them.

I can buy CCI 22 LR for $10 per hundred, 22 WMR for $19-20 per fifty. Shooting 9mm FMJ is cheaper than the WMR at $17 per fifty.

 

[Dr T]

2) Many folks don’t pursue applications for which that extra power can be effectively realized

I thinik that this pretty much sums it up. In a land of heavy brush, 7 foot rattle snakes, and bigger varmints at longer range one tends to trust the better bullet construction and higher velocity of the 22 WMR over the 22 LR and the greater bullet mass less-frangible bullet construction over the 17 HMR. In an area with no brush, open fields, and near population I might prefer the 17. But that is not my application.

 

[Tentwing]

About 30 years ago I was sitting at the base of a big Oak tree with my oldest son . He was in possession of my Marlin 39a 22lr, and I was carrying 22mag just to back him up on his squirrel hunt. He had taken a few , but nothing for the past hour or so……and we were hanging out at the base of that tree. He was practicing his “trying to remain quiet in the woods” technique, and I was trying not to nod off . When the dry leaves further down in the hollow began to rustle, and it was much too loud to be a limb rat.
I began looking towards the sound when a nice feral sow (140 lbs) caught my eye . Since she interrupted my squirrel hunt I thought “ why not” ……… A CCI 40 grain solid point from my 22 mag hit her just below her ear hole. No tracking, no squealing, no nothing…… she was done right there. Before that day I never really considered a 22 mag for something the size of a feral pig. After all I was on a squirrel hunt. Since then I have taken many hawgs and yotes with the ole 22 mag. ( shot placement is king) . Before that day I must confess that I had underestimated the 22 mag. I had mostly thought of it as “plinking/ fun round… I now consider it a hunting round.
Your mileage may vary ……… Tentwing

 

[nettlle]

Compared to the 22 LR the 22 Mag is going to win that contest hands down every time. Compared to a .222/.223 it's not going to fair so well. Since I own rifles in both .22 and .223 the need for me to purchase a 22 mag has never been there. I did own a Ruger 22LR/22 Mag convertible. I saw no advantage to the 22 mag option in the Ruger.

 

[Riomouse911]

I have a couple of WMR rifles (A Henry lever and Ruger American Rimfire) and a batch of .22 LR rifles. The WMR does ting steel a bit harder than the LR does, but for me the overall accuracy trophy is in the LR’s basket.

Stay safe.

 

[Condor]

.22 WMR is my choice. I like the cartridge because I like the rifle…after I moved back to the area and had finally finished building my house, this was my reward…a Marlin 25MN I bought from a friend who was getting a Henry lever action. He asked me to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse. In 2005 I offered $150 all in for the rifle, scope, and rings…I think we both walked away happy.

It is accurate enough for me, and yes, the ammunition is more expensive than .22lr, but I don’t shoot large volumes of ammunition through it. It has taken out a few garden pests without issue, and is fun to take small game hunting.

 

[TTv2]

I bought my first and likely only .22 Mag rifle a couple months ago, it's a combo with a .410 barrel. Didn't sound or recoil any harder than hyper velocity .22 LR, but it's faster, will shoot flatter, and the bullet is jacketed, so the accuracy should be better and it will hit harder further out.

After that, there's no benefit. It could be used against medium game more effectively at under 50 yards, but that's for extreme survival, not whitetail season.

I haven't been too hip to the .22 Mag for a long time, in a handgun it's not a cheap or powerful as 9mm, not so much less recoil vs .32, not as reliable as centerfire, heavy triggers in double action revolvers, while in a rifle it's got more potential, but not terribly more vs .22 LR or .223 for general use.

I got mine because I have revolvers with .22 Mag spare cylinders, it's break action that folds in half and I can get adapters to shoot .22 LR for it, and the .410 was nice as I have the Judge. Not going to scope it cuz that doesn't work for .410, so this will be a close range utility gun.

So, for that very specific, niche use, ai found .22 Mag to be a good choice, but in a repeater? I don't see why I would choose .22 Mag over a .357

 

[chicharrones]

I bought my first and likely only .22 Mag rifle a couple months ago, it's a combo with a .410 barrel. Didn't sound or recoil any harder than hyper velocity .22 LR, but it's faster, will shoot flatter, and the bullet is jacketed, so the accuracy should be better and it will hit harder further out.

After that, there's no benefit. It could be used against medium game more effectively at under 50 yards, but that's for extreme survival, not whitetail season.

I haven't been too hip to the .22 Mag for a long time, in a handgun it's not a cheap or powerful as 9mm, not so much less recoil vs .32, not as reliable as centerfire, heavy triggers in double action revolvers, while in a rifle it's got more potential, but not terribly more vs .22 LR or .223 for general use.

I got mine because I have revolvers with .22 Mag spare cylinders, it's break action that folds in half and I can get adapters to shoot .22 LR for it, and the .410 was nice as I have the Judge. Not going to scope it cuz that doesn't work for .410, so this will be a close range utility gun.

So, for that very specific, niche use, ai found .22 Mag to be a good choice, but in a repeater? I don't see why I would choose .22 Mag over a .357.

I've got one of each in repeating carbine form. I like them both for different reasons.

My particular .22 WMR bolt gun is a much more precise shooter than my .357 lever gun. Which makes that bolt gun and that cartridge well suited for small targets that my .357 would have a difficult time hitting. Of course, the .357 hits larger targets much harder than .22 WMR. So, it comes down to what you want to do with a gun that day.

Plus, striker fired bolt guns tend to hit rimfire primers consistently hard, in my experience.

 

[chicharrones]

I can buy CCI 22 LR for $10 per hundred, 22 WMR for $19-20 per fifty. Shooting 9mm FMJ is cheaper than the WMR at $17 per fifty.

It's interesting when .22 WMR cost gets compared to 9mm, because that would only seem to matter in autoloading handguns or PCCs. Of which, the only reason I can think of picking the .22 WMR would be for lower recoil in an autoloading handgun or carbine.

Even then, I see 9mm FMJ mostly as practice or plinking cartridge which really aligns 9mm more to .22 LR than .22 WMR (in my usage).

 

[mavracer]

Even then, I see 9mm FMJ mostly as practice or plinking cartridge which really aligns 9mm more to .22 LR than .22 WMR (in my usage).

Me too. I've often thought that a 9mm pcc would be good for plinking and practice then I think better cause 22 LR works for that. For my usage 22 Mag is a hunting round for game in the 50-100# ish range.

I bought my first and likely only .22 Mag rifle a couple months ago, it's a combo with a .410 barrel.

I love my 22 Mag/20G combo for woods walking, it ain't like I'll go broke feeding a single shot.

 

[doubleh]

115 grain FMJ is definitely plinking ammo IMO. I have never been able to get very good accuracy with any brand I have shot. It's steel ringing ammo at fairly close range for my bunch. I had an autoloading handgun in 22 mag. Very, vey picky about what ammo would make it work. Accuracy wasn't that great either. It had very little recoil but the muzzle blast and fire ball was spectacular. It was loud wearing the same ear protection that I use with 9mm that is effective even in short barreled guns. Under a tin roof made it worse. I could live with the noise but just wore out trying to find the one ammo that didn't cause problems and got rid of it.

Just how much more oomph the magnum has over 22 LR in a handgun is easily seen when shooting the same steel swinging target.

 

[someguy2800]

It's interesting when .22 WMR cost gets compared to 9mm, because that would only seem to matter in autoloading handguns or PCCs. Of which, the only reason I can think of picking the .22 WMR would be for lower recoil in an autoloading handgun or carbine.

Even then, I see 9mm FMJ mostly as practice or plinking cartridge which really aligns 9mm more to .22 LR than .22 WMR (in my usage).

I think 38 special is a valid comparison since both are available in revolvers, single shots, and lever action rifles. I have made that comparison in my own mind. It is kind of hard to justify a 22 magnum revolver when you can get a 38 special for similar cost and with pretty similar ammo cost as well.

 

[21H40]

If it weren't for the PMR I probably wouldn't have a 22 WMR. Personally, I would love a lightweight bolt-action 9mm for the jobs I use 22 WMR for, but I haven't seen one.

 

[SDGlock23]

I've always been intrigued by the 22Mag, only recently bought one. Well two, the Super Wrangler was the first and for a rifle I bought the Ruger American 18" stainless. It's not nearly as cheap to shoot, so for bulk shooting the 22LR is the way to go clearly, but if you want more power without stepping up to a .223, the 22Mag does extend the range of a 22LR by about 100yds, as it's more powerful at 100yds than a 22LR at the muzzle. Also the 22Mag uses actual 224" bullets and the bullets offered in 22Mag are much better than what you find in the 22LR, it's a rimfire with quality bullets. For pest control up to coyotes, the 22Mag offers more.

 

[Maneiak]

The 22mag has the same power at 100 yards, as a 22lr has at the muzzle...need I say more