If you own a 22 lr and a 223 would you get a 22 magnum?

[22-rimfire]

There is a place for the 22 Mag even if you have a 223 or 204 Ruger. Noise is the primary reason for choosing it as well as legalities such as in AL and GA WMA's. In the WMA's, if you follow the law, you are not allowed to even have say slug shells on your person during small game season. And yes, sometimes the wardens actually check if they have a suspicion of illegal activity.

It also makes a very good SHTF rifle with many of the attributes of both the 22LR and 223 in terms of actual use.

Buy it! I love to spend other people's money.

With regard to turkey hunting... I am not necessarily knowledgable on TX laws, but it is often legal to hunt wild turkeys during the fall season with a rifle but illegal to use a rifle during spring turkey season.

 

[akhillbilly]

sure a 17 will kill anything if you do yer part, I dont trust that tiny chunk of lead,( on fox or yotes) and my 22 mag hasnt failed me yet. Im of the "if it aint broke-dont fix it" club. As for the 17 being "more" accurate? gun is only as good as the operator.... grouse & rabbits dont care what caliber removes there heads.

 

[ms6852]

I do not own a 223 caliber anything, but do own several 22lr to include a couple of ruger 10/22 customized by me that for the life of me I do not understand why so many readers in different forums state that 22 lrs are not accurate beyond 50 yds.

I am very consistent with rugers at 200 yards breaking clay targets all the time and even more deadly with my bolt rifles. I think it is as akhillbilly states, they are just as good as the operator.

I will definitely be purchasing a 22 magnum next over a 17 caliber simply due to economics. And I am convinced that the 22 magnum serves for a more human kill over the larger small type varmints.

 

[rajb123]

I own a 22WMR CZ rifle. I could not image why you would want to hunt hogs with this light rig. What WMR ammo is used - hollow point, FMJ or something else?

 

[45crittergitter]

I'd probly get a .17HMR instead of a .22WMRF.

 

[alsaqr]

Yeah, i would get a .22 magnum and a .22 Hornet.

 

[Evanb]

Oh HELL yes !!!!

I own several .22's and currently two .223 (I have had others as well) and I also own two .22 magnum rifles, one bolt and one semi-automatic. I bought the semi-auto, a Magnum Research off Gunbroker for about $650 a short while ago and shoot Hornady V-Max in it. Accuracy is excellent (quarter size groups of 5 at 75 yards) and they hit very hard! I am talking about golf ball size holes on prairie dogs out to 100 yards. Frankly, it is my favorate rimfire to shoot.

It isnt good for collecting small game for the table because it does too much damage to squirrel and rabbit. But if you want to kill something from the Coyote range and smaller, it is the ticket! .22 magnum has been the deer poachers rifle of choice for many years and this was long before the Hornady V-Max. It costs about half of what .223 cost to shoot and about twice what good .22 lr costs.

When you hear the zip of the round and the "THUCK" of the impact on the critter, you cant help but grin!

 

[Maple_City_Woodsman]

Yes, I would absolutely opt for the .22 magnum.

You do get a boost in effective range over a .22LR. You also have more bullet types at your disposal, such as jacketed soft points, and you will actually get expansion with your hollow points at various ranges - most .22LR hollow points do not expand, and those which can often will only do so at close ranges.

In my opinion the 22 mag represents a superior hunting round for small game at 100 yards, or on marginal targets, without the excessive damage of a 223.

There is also the wonderful benefit of minimal muzzle blast Vs. centerfires. Back before the railroads cracked down on such things, I would walk the tracks with my .22mag bolt gun and shoot pests like ground squirrels, woodchucks, coyotes, or just shoot the bottles the conductors toss from their trains. Because of the berms on each side of railroad cuts, the report of my .22mag would not reach the homes of the rural and semi-rural residents who populated the areas around the tracks - sometimes only a hundred yards away from the cut.

I would have never gotten away with that shooting a .223 in most of those areas, yet I was often presented with shots on pests or game crossing the cut at 100 yards or beyond, thanks to the gentle curves and strait lines of the railroad.

Lest you think my story is an isolated and specialized case, consider the ever-expanding human populations. Hunting and field shooting will only become more marginalized and close range in the future.

 

[bang_bang]

I have all 3...

That said, I would rather have the 22lr and 22 Mag over a 223 any day. That's saying a lot because I would never part ways with my AR. I actually spent the evening shooting 10/22's with my friend, seeing who could group better at 50 yds. He won, but that's beside the point.

Seriously though, the 22lr is underrated in it's power. If I can't do it with a 22lr, I shouldn't need to be doing it with a .270 Win.

 

[2ndtimer]

I have several .22 lr rifles and handguns, also a pair of bolt action .223's which can be loaded to duplicate .22 Magnum ballistics and noise. So when I buy my "tweener", it will be a nice .17 HMR bolt action, probably a Savage with accutrigger. Similar ammo cost to the .22 Mag, better accuracy and performance on small varmints, greater range, less recoil. If I want to shoot bigger varmints than the .17HMR can handle, the .223's are waiting in the wings. Or even the .243 Win if the range is long or the wind is blowing.

 

[deacon8]

As an answer to the initial question: I already have all three and would still buy another .22 mag. In other words, yes, I would buy one. Hope that answers the question.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Get a 22 mag in a bolt like the ones offered by Savage or Marlin. They shoot 1 inch groups at 120 yards and can fill the gap between your current calibers.