Whats the diff.

[grousehunter]

Between the 17 and the 22 mag, can one be shot out of the other" I do'nt know the tech. specs and have'nt had time to look them up yet! but the way everybody is talking, it almost seems poss.!

[rangerruck]

you could probably shoot a 17 out of a 22 mag, but you would have no idea as to where that bullet is going, do you wanna take a guess?

[KN]

It would be like sending a 38 calber bullet down a 44 caliber bore!   KN

[jh45gun]

I am not trying to be a smart aleck here and I realize that some folks may not know any better but geez think about it any time you would shoot a caliber not made for the gun you will not get good results if not disasterous results. In other words do not do it. Yea in some very few cases a other cartridge can be used in a gun but them are not very common and are of at least the same caliber. Like a 44 special in a 44 mag or a 38 in a 357. To ask about shooting a smaller caliber in a larger one makes me wonder why you asked in the first place??? Do you really do not know or just posting to post to see how folks answer??? Just curious on that as common sense would tell you it will not work.

[darrell8937]

Not a diffigult question,, heck, you could spend the weekend comparing the two if you have a decent internet connection. lots of opinions out there. The 22 mag shoots a heavier and larger in diamenter bullet. Better for hunting.. 17 is faster and flatter.. great for nice groups at extended ranges. at the price of these guns you can eaisly have both. But to start,, I would chose the 22 mag.. ammo is availabel most anywhere. a good place to start.. and if you compare it to a 22 lr.. you are way off. Thee 22 mag is much more fun nad accurate. ammo is held to a more consistant quality that will spell out some good groups. much more $$ I have a marlin 883. not a exspensive gun but it is no fun shooting at anything less than 5o yards as the groubs just make a 45 caliber  hole. kinda boring but wow.. every now and then at this range one will drift a 1/4 inc due to my allergies.

[darrell8937]

P>S>> dont shoot any ammo out of a gun that is not designed for that cartridge. Period. Just because you can stuff it in the chamber and it goes , BANG, is not good enough.  Safety,, brings us home to our loved ones,  educate yourself befor using any firearm. hell,, even read the safety/oners manual for you new drill. It may seem stupid sometimes but can remind you of the obvious. and save you a injury."stepping down from the soap box now.

[grousehunter]

No I would never try to shoot anything out of a barrell it was'nt designed for! and NO In have not check this 17 out! But it seems that everything I read, it is based off of the 22 mag, only with the diff. bullet! That is why I asked the Q!

[jh45gun]

Lots of different calibers are based off the same case. For example using the 308 case there is the parent 308 then the 243 which is necking down the case same with the 7mm08. Same with the 260. These are all smaller than the 308 so no way even though the case started out the same the calibers are different. Same with the 17 based on the 22 mag case and the 17 based on the 22lr case. there are wildcats and factor ammo that started out a wild cat that is now factory ammo on just about every case ever made.

[Graybeard]

No I would never try to shoot anything out of a barrell it was'nt designed for! and NO In have not check this 17 out! But it seems that everything I read, it is based

off of the 22 mag, only with the diff. bullet! That is why I asked the Q![/quote]

Based on this clarification I'm going to assume that the original question wasn't so much one of can you use the .17 HRM in a .22 Mag rifle but what's the performance difference in them.

Assuming that to be the case the answer is not much. The heavier .22 mag bullets have a lot more penetration and I feel more killing power on larger critters you might shoot with them. Both are needlessly powerful and destructiive when used on small eatable game like squirrels and rabbits. Used on varmints you have no intention of eating I think both are pretty much equal in performance on ground squirrels and prairie dogs and the like. The .22 Mag is superior in my opinion on larger ones like coons, possums or ground hogs. It works OK on larger stuff like feral cats/dogs and coyotoes also. I'm not sure I'd want to try the .17 HMR on them.

The .17 does have a bit flatter trajectory but not really enough to matter on the animals you're likely to use it on. In the several guns I've owned in both chamberings the .22 magnum is more accurate in spite of all the hype I've read to the opposite.

[ruger22com]

Also remember that some guns can use 2 differant calibers....but they are not really differant.   .38 and .357 is a good example.

When .38's became popular many, many years ago the bullets caliber was measured by the DIAMETER OF THE SHELL.

Later on when the .357 was developed, the standard had changed to the DIAMETER OF THE BULLET.

that is why the .38 AND the .357 BOTH USE THE SAME BULLET (usually .358" in diameter).

DO NOT confused this with .17HMR or .17M2   those are NOT THE SAME ROUND and .17HMR and .22WMR are also NOT THE SAME and should not be shot from the same barrel.

A good rule of thumb...it the caliber is not printed on the rifle barrel, DO SHOOT IT.

[17 hummer]

well said ruger22com

[coyote trapper1928]

From a ballistics standpoint,  can a heavier pointed bulllet be put on the .17 HMR?  The heaviest now, is the 20 grain load.

[S.S.]

A heavier bullet would kind of defeat the purpose of the 17 HMR.
Super high velocity and very flat trajectory. The solution would be a more
heavily constructed bullet (thicker jacket) or a controlled expansion bullet.
Keep the same weight, just allow more penetration without exploding!