Is rimfire magnum ammo really worth the extra cost?

[azmark]

I'm thinking of getting a rimfire rifle, and I'm wondering if the cost of .17 and .22 mag ammo is really worth it when there are high velocity Long Rifle rounds available for much less. 99 percent of my use would be plinking or shooting at the range. I might want to shoot a coyote (yes, it's legal to shoot them in AZ with .22lr), but that may or may not happen. Besides, I've got a shotgun anyway. I already have a 10/22, but I thought I might like a lever or bolt action so I could goof off with Colibris or CBs.

[Keith L]

Each round that you mention has its own use.  Small game hunting and general plinking is the nature of .22 LR.  It can also be quite a good target round in the hands of the proper shooter and with the right ammo and gun.  .22 Mag has more punch and is quite effective for larger small game at the 50-75 yard range.  .17 HMR shoots flat out to quite a bit longer range and is effective for small varmints out to about 125 yards.  You do pay extra for the extra power or range.  I know that each of these rounds are used by some for other things, but if you are interested in clean, humane kills keep the range down and the power up.  In my opinion no rimfire is enough for hunting coyote.  To reliably kill yotes use something that can get more power down range.

I have more .22 long rifles than any other chambering.  I think they are pure fun.

[chucky52]

.22 Mag is expensive by comparison to a lot of rounds. I think of .22 LR  as a 50 yard round and .22 Mag as 100 yard round; however, I sold my Magnum. If you're willing to reload you can substantially improve on the .22M  with a number or calibers: 22 Hornet, 25-20 come to mind. I'm sure there are others.  Both the Hornet and 25-20 substantially outperform the mag in both accuracy, performance and load price if you're willing to reload.

[azmark]

I'm familiar with .22 hornet and I had given it some serious thought, but it seems the rifles to shoot it aren't very common and those that do tend to be on the expensive side.  Not to mention that they require the addition of sights or a scope to boot.  The Handi is affordable and comes with sights, but they seem to need a lot of work to be accurate.  Maybe I've been reading too many internet posts

I hate to be ignorant, but I don't know if I've even heard of a 25-20.  Who makes rifles in that caliber?  Are they available new?

[Graybeard]

For plinking and range work no it's not but for uses like that coyote and if you have a problem with stray cats or critters to the size of coons and possums then you bet. The .22 Magnum is ideal for such use and stretches the range out a good deal on varmints of all sorts.

I'm not so sure on the .17 HRM I've tried guns made by Ruger, Marlin and Savage and gave up on all of them I bought a CZ but ended up selling it before I fired it so can't comment on it but the Ruger wasn't accurate enough to stretch the range with it and the other two were far worse and in both cases were pretty much impossible to sight in as they were made such that not even the Burris Signature rings with max offset inserts would get them on target.

I guess I have no use for a .17 HRM but the .22 Mag will always have a place with me. I've owned one since shortly after they were introduced back about '59 as I recall.

[Cottonwood]

I thought I would post this, as it shows a vast difference in shooting regular 22 LR ammo vs the hyped .17's, I wish I had one that included the .22 mag rounds and where they fall off at.

[azmark]

Got any advice on rifles?  I'd just as soon use iron sights, so "varmint models" and such don't really impress me.  I think the CZ 452 Lux is just beautiful, but at around $400 the price is kind of hard to swallow.  I see Marlin and Savage models below $200 that at least look like someone took a little care in making them.  Are there any 'best buys' out there or should I assume that the more I spend, the better the rifle will be?  That $200 difference between the rifles I mentioned sure would buy a lot of ammo.

[kyelkhunter3006]

It all depend on what you desire to accomplish with the gun.  I love the .22 magnum.  I've had one ever since I started shooting.  My first gun was a .22 Mag.  I can't imagine not having one.  As for cost, well, yeah, it costs more than a .22lr.  Maybe the same or less than the .17hmr.  I've pop a coyote or bobcat within reasonable range with a .22 mag and 40 or 50 grain bullets.  I don't think that I would with my .17.  For the people who love energy figures, out of a rifle barrel, the .22 mag has about the same muzzle energy as a .38 Special.  The cost doesn't bother me at all.   If you just want to burn ammo and shoot within 75-100 yds, then get a .22lr.  If you want to stretch the range and power, that's where the mag comes into play.  I've nailed pop cans at 200 yds with my .22 mag, and I don't do any better with my .17. 

Honestly, the only reason I keep the .17 is that it's trajectory is very similar to the loads I use in my .50 cal Knight ML out to 200 yds, and it's easier to shoot for longer periods of time than stout blackpowder loads.

[Graybeard]

For a .22 Magnum the Marlin is as good as it gets honestly. I had an 882 which is the stainless steel plastic stocked plain jane Marlin .22 Magnum. I foolishly let it go and sure missed it as it always put the original Winchester 40 grain HPs into less than an inch for five at 100 yards. So I bought another just like it but now they call it the 982 since they changed the trigger for a supposedly better one.

To be honest the trigger on my 882 was better than the one on the 982 not that it's really bad. It seems to be about as accurate as my old one was and still likes those Winchester 40 HPs just fine. For a .22 Magnum they are hard to beat.

My first one back about '59 or '60 was a Marlin also. It too loved those Winchester 40 HPs.

[azmark]

I just looked on the Marlin site, and the 982 doesn't come with sights.  I did like the looks of the 983, though, and I like the tube mag.  My Dad used to have an ancient Winchester bolt .22 with the tube mag, and it never gave any trouble that I'm aware of.  I wonder if Wally World sells the 983?  I also did a couple of quick checks for practice ammo, and it looks like you can get name brand 22M ammo for about $7 a box online. That seems pretty good to me.

[woodchukhntr]

I have had several .22 Mag's over the years, and now have a Mossberg 642K from the '60's (the one with the fold-down black plastic handgrip) that shoots 1/2" groups at 50 yd. with CCI 40 gr' HP's.  I also have a Ruger 77/17 that is my favorite light 'chuck rifle. Graybeard may have had problems with his, but mine has been great right from the start, with <1" groups at 100 yd. the rule with Hornady 17 gr. loads.  I've never shot anything larger than a woodchuck with it, but the 'chucks are killed with just 1 shot.  I haven't had one get away yet, which is more than I can say for anything else I've hunted with.

If you are going plinking with occasional hunting, stick with the .22 L.R. because of the low ammo cost.  I've used .22 for many years successfully on 'chucks, but 75 yd. is really stretching it.  Use a quality gun and try different ammo until you get one with good accuracyLimit your hunting shots to shotgun range and take only head shots, or use the shotgun.

[mag shooter]

It just depends on what your use will be .  For plinking , it's hard to beat the L R .  For hunting it's hard to beat the 22 mag ( I have no experience with the 17 hmr ) . I've had a 22 mag of some flavor for 35 years and can't ever see myself without one.  As for a rifle with sights , give a lever-action a look-see .

Plinking  ---- magmun ammo worth the cost .......... not for me

Hunting---- magnum ammo worth the cost............. ABSOLUTELY

[Graybeard]

If the 982 doesn't come with sights that's a major change as my 882 had them and so does my 982. I think you need to look again. But Maybe Marlin has chosen to totally revamp a rifle and leave it with the same model number. 

Wow my bad I just looked and they have totally dropped the gun I have from their line up. It just don't exist anymore at all. The new 982 is a heavy barrel varmint weight without sights. Mine is a standard taper barrel with sights. Bummer

[kyelkhunter3006]

I have to agree about the Marlin rifles.  I've had an 882, two 25MN's, an 883 and a newer 983.   All of them shot under an inch at 75 yds with a couple of different loads, and the new 983 would shoot under an about 5/8" for 5 shots at 100yds with with the CCI 30gr speer hollowpoints (I think that they were Speer).  It did an inch or so with the Winchester Supreme 34gr and the CCI 50gr Gold Dots.  I used to make some sweet shots with those 30gr loads out to 150 yds.

[LEO]

It once again is to me, the Department of Fish and Wildllife in my state changed the rules concerning legal calibers for small game hunting this year, you are no longer allowed to use centerfire cartridges to hunt small game.  Well what this meant to me is that I could no longer use my 223 with very light loads to shoot squirrels and rabbits and such with and still have the full power stuff available for other stuff (it so happened that my light loads shot to the same POI at 50 yards as my standard loads did at 200).  So on the days when I am woods wandering (as opposed to specifically hunting one thing) I'll carry my 22 magnum so I can shoot small game, fur bearers and varmints just as before just with a much shorter range limitation.  If I am just hunting squirrels or rabbits or just plinking, I use 22 LR but for woods wandering my 22 mag is back out of the safe.  If I am specifically hunting coyotes or varmints I will still use a centerfire.  So I guess it ultimately depends on what you are using it for and what the law allows where you are at.

[azmark]

As far as legality goes, AZ says that to take predatory and fur-bearing you only have to avoid the unlawful devices, methods, and ammo mentioned in the hunting and trapping regulations.  You can't use fully automatic weapons, no tracer or FMJ ammo designed for military use, shotguns larger than 10 Ga.  Semiauto centerfire rifles and shotguns are limited to 5-round mags.  Oh, and no poison projectiles.  the chart in the reg book specifically shows that .17 HMR and .22 Mag are legal for coyote. 

Just thought I'd add that in for giggles, or in case anyone was really curious.

[MSP Ret]

My primary coyote gun for Maine is my H&R/NEF Sportster in .22 Mag (a Handi to some). Do not discount getting a H&R/NEF "Sportster" (or Ultra) in .22 Mag AND a H&R/NEF "Sportster" in .22 LR for what you would pay for a single gun in either caliber by another maker. They shoot great right out of the box also, just clean them and read the FAQ's on the H&R site and you are off to the races. You might even start with either one and pick up a used barrel in the other caliber in the H&R classifieds. I have bought several (many) barrels there, rimfire, centerfire, and shotgun. I have not bought a used ML barrel yet but I believe it's just a matter of time....good luck....<><....

P.S. - I have not tried my .17 HMR on coyotes, YET, but I may this winter. My .17 HMR is also a H&R/NEF
Sportster and it is a real tack driver, easily one ragged hole at 50 yards and under an inch at 100 yards...

and in answer to your question, yes, for hunting coyotes and such, the .22 Mag is well worth it....

[bscman]

Chiming in late...

If 99% of your shooting is going to be plinking, I could not justify the extra price for magnun rounds. The cheapest magnum rimfires around here are the PMC's for 22mag at $5.99 per 50. That is CHEAP in the magnum rimfire world, but still $0.12 per round for fairly innaccurate "plinking" ammo.
For a 22lr, I can still buy boxes for 550rnds for $9.86 locally. That is about 1.8 cents per round...or 1/6th the price of the cheap 22mag ammo. You'll get a LOT more trigger time and have a lot more fun with the 22lr plinking. I spend a LOT of time plinking with my 22's in the 50-100yd range. At 100+ it can be a real chore to accurately hit your targets--but it's still a lot of fun....and learning the ballistics and how to counter for wind will teach you a LOT that will translate to the bigger stuff as well.

I have more rifles in 22lr than any other round--and I shoot about 10x as many rounds through them as all the others. It's a great way to practice and have fun.

That being said...I LOVE my .17HMR and .22MAG.
Much more accurate and much easier to shoot at 100+ yards. Much flatter shooting and and higher quality ammo makes target shooting and longer range shots easier. I have no problem paying $8-12 per box for either of these magnums because they peform very well at longer distances....they're also quite a bit more effective on small game. Those V-max and TNT bullets are great on small game, water jugs, pop cans, etc.

As some of the others have eluded to...I use my 22lr's for plinking, practice, and just general fun--but the .22mag is the one that finds its way out in the field with me. The ability to take longer shots and having premium bullets makes a HUGE difference when you're out chasing small game.
The HMR is fun, but is a bit more expensive and not as great on the larger small game IMHO.
If I had to choose only one mag, it'd be the .22mag.

In the end, even $8-10 per box of 50 is still cheaper than 98% of the factory centerfire stuff out there...so if you don't reload, but want accuracy to 100-150yds, the 17/22mag is still pretty cheap to shoot.