Author Topic: .22mag or .17hmr (Read 5425 times)

woodsdweller · « **on:** August 19, 2009, 02:11:53 AM »

looking to get my son a new gun for hid bday. he will be using it on small game. i know all about the .22mag i have one but never fooled w/.17hmr. the mag can do a bit of damage at times how about the .17hmr. he dose not want a 17machII.

also what is a good choice not looking to break the bank.

thanks

Ladobe · « **Reply #1 on:** August 19, 2009, 02:57:13 AM »

This comparison has only came up a few hundred (thousand) times since the 17HMR came out, so there is a ton of info and opinions in place already that can be easily found with a serach. Quite a bit is right here on GBO, but if you want a months worth of reading on the subject coverfing every aspect of the two rounds and all the firearms that shoot them go check out Rim Fire Central.

Have fun.

woodsdweller · « **Reply #2 on:** August 19, 2009, 04:04:53 AM »

thanks i should have done a search!!!

torpedoman · « **Reply #3 on:** August 19, 2009, 03:17:59 PM »

get a 22 mag and shoot the new light bullets, they now have a 30gr v max load

coyotejoe · « **Reply #4 on:** August 23, 2009, 04:44:30 AM »

I've owned a number of .22 mags since my first one in 1970. I find it a very useful rifle for everything from gophers to head shot deer. My current .22 mag is an old Winchester m-255 lever action and it sits in my shop with the tube loaded and ready to lever in a round for instant use. Three years ago I bought a .17 HMR. It's a beautiful little CZ full stock with a 6-18X scope. It is the most accurate rifle I own and puts the old Winchester to shame for groups but after shooting groups with every kind of ammo I could find I put it in the safe and there it sets. I occasionally take it out and admire its' beauty, wipe it down and return it to the safe. I just find no use for it. I wish I had gotten it in .22 WMR. I also have an AMT handgun in .22 WMR and it has become my most used handgun with the possible exception of my Super Comanche .410 pistol.

saltydog · « **Reply #5 on:** August 27, 2009, 03:12:04 AM »

This year the 22 MAG got the VMAX bullets which have made the past 22 mag vs 17 HMR comparisons outdated. The 22 MAG with the 30 grain Hornady Vmax is just what was needed to bring the mag into the new century and into the realm of 22 Hornet performance. I have a couple of nice Hornets but after I bought a Magnum Research 22 MAG it has moved them to the back of the safe. My recommendation is to go with the 17 HMR first for your son and then get a 22 MAG second for you to use when you go out with him. The performance range for small game is greater with the 17 HMR and the cost of ammo equal.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #6 on:** August 27, 2009, 03:17:55 AM »

big critters or windy day 22mag. wins
200 yard shots on windless day 17 wins . If i could only have one 22mag. as nothing beats cubic inches .
Ruger 7722mag or 7717mag either are great guns , save money with a Savage .

Qaz · « **Reply #7 on:** August 27, 2009, 08:19:58 AM »

Get the 17HMR for the boy and then you can try it and make up your own mind! The 17 is more accurate and will kill any thing the 22Mag will. Tomato - Too mato!

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #8 on:** August 27, 2009, 08:37:08 AM »

accy would depend on the gun . But if they were equal then in a breeze the 22mag. would win . killing is also dependent on shot placement but all else equal a 40 gr. bullet will be more dependable over a 17 gr bullet on critters over the size of a rabbit and maybe smaller ones also . I have both and can assure you the 17 is a good round but not the magic some believe just shoot a big fox with one or a yote . the 22mag is better for these things . on a windless day the 17 is good on small critters out past 22mag range . so it depends on where , when and how you hunt as to which is best it would seem . Again i use the 22mag most .

Old Fart · « **Reply #9 on:** August 27, 2009, 11:24:26 AM »

I'm not going to try and tell you which to buy for you kiddo.
But if anyone thinks the little 17hmr doesn't have any umph look below.

I was out plinking with 22lr and 17mach2 when I drug out the .17hmr.
You cal see the results for yourself.

Casull · « **Reply #10 on:** August 27, 2009, 11:50:54 AM »

Hmmm. Smaller bullet at higher velocity against non-magnum .22 lr. Big surprise there.

Davemuzz · « **Reply #11 on:** August 27, 2009, 02:11:58 PM »

22 mag with the new Hornady 30gr. V-max bullet. If you want a 17 caliber, get the 17 Fireball (centerfire). Now, that's a 17 bullet that will kill something bigger than a crow with one shot. 25gr. bullet @ 3700fps. Makes the HMR look like a sissy.

Dave

Old Fart · « **Reply #12 on:** September 03, 2009, 06:46:32 PM »

Well there's plenty of better options outside of rimfires.
I was just saying the hmr is pretty potent.

ctrout · « **Reply #13 on:** September 03, 2009, 07:10:01 PM »

Get a Ruger 77 in either caliber then get a Green Mountain barrel for the Ruger in the other caliber. Problem solved!

notnodak · « **Reply #14 on:** September 05, 2009, 08:21:41 AM »

Quote from: Old Fart on August 27, 2009, 11:24:26 AM

I'm not going to try and tell you which to buy for you kiddo.
But if anyone thinks the little 17hmr doesn't have any umph look below.

I was out plinking with 22lr and 17mach2 when I drug out the .17hmr.
You cal see the results for yourself.

I'm curious at what range was were the shots made at and what were the rounds used?

Old Fart · « **Reply #15 on:** September 10, 2009, 06:22:21 AM »

To close.
I didn't take the time to read the warning on the back of the trap.
My bad for sure.

If memory serves me correctly it was a little over 60 feet.
It was one of the 20gr, don't remember which.

slim rem 7 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 10, 2009, 08:15:15 AM »

if you want him to really have fun ..get him an 22 marlin 60...
gettim some winchester hv x 22 . [must be hv]...
then for hunting give him couple hundred velocitors...
put a 4-12 bushnell on it an you done bought you boy a gun with about as much knock dn power as you deer rifle.....but with scope forget the winchester hv...they don t hit precisely the same place as the velocitor..they will cap a deer ...heck they will take him down with heart lung shot but its not legal...

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #17 on:** September 10, 2009, 08:42:55 AM »

Get both.
I have a Marlin in each as well as a H&R in 22 mag. 917V(17HMR) and an older 882 (22 mag)
I use the 17HMR in areas where I worry about a Richochette.
that little 17grain bullet comes apart and then goes nowhere.
Other than that the two are almost identical.
The 22 hits a little harder when using similar designed bullets
the 17 flys a little flatter
the 22 mag gives you more bullet options from 30 grains to 50 grains and almost everything inbetween along with bullet styles.
the 17 has 3 bullets- the 17 with the ballistic tip or the 20 grain HP or 20 grain FMJ
I think a 25 grain soft point would ne neat for edible game as well as larger preditors like Coyote and Bobcat.
One of our favorite targets are baking potatoes. they explode with the fast 17 into a round white ball about 3.5 feet off the ground.

notnodak · « **Reply #18 on:** September 12, 2009, 06:06:12 AM »

I got a 10/22 20 years ago and 10 years ago I did a full custom job on it, you must have a 22lr and it should be the first. Then I bought a 17HM2 last year (getting the custom treatment now too) and racked up 4000 rnds of Eley ammo at 22LR prices(I call it my "Little Purple Pill"). Even now it's half the cost of HMr but olny a little loss in power. Now I'm going to get a 22mag and I'll have all the rimfire I'll ever need. Hornady's new 30gr ballistic tip solved that one for me. I might get a HMR but It'll probably just sit in the gun cabinet till I think I need it.

You could get a H&R 17 sportster and then send in for the LR and Magnum barrels. If it were me I'd go to Walmart and get a Marlin 17HMr (wood/blue) for $217 then check it top to bottom, add a Riflebasix trigger and a Cabela Tactical rimfire scope. All for less then $350. If you get a Savage then make sure you get wood or laminate for the stock. The synthetic is terrible and flexs like crazy on a bi-pod. Good guns though.

Just my 2cents, take it for what it is.

Davemuzz · « **Reply #19 on:** September 12, 2009, 11:48:01 AM »

I know I've stated this earlier....but I'm gonna say it again. If you want a 17 caliber...buy a 17 Fireball. Especially if you reload. If you don't reload....well, maybe not. But, reloading is easy 'n cheap and this rifle will send the Berger 25gr. down the range at 3700 fps (which far exceeds the HMR 20 gr @ 2400fps).

The Fireball report is a bit louder than the HMR, but not significant. And the killing power is much greater.

Ok. I'll shutup now.

(And nobody should post "thanks for shutin up Dave")

Dave

Keith L · « **Reply #20 on:** September 12, 2009, 01:38:38 PM »

Nothing wrong with the 17 fireball, but this is a RIMFIRE forum, so that one is a little off topic here...

ericcbeckett · « **Reply #21 on:** November 15, 2009, 04:20:24 PM »

Keep in mind that all 17 HMR manufacturers and gun makers just announced a recall of semi-automatic 17 HMRs.

DO NOT USE A 17 HMR Semi-automatic. Go to Remington or other websites for the details. If you want to return ammo or rifles they will give you credit.

Cottonwood · « **Reply #22 on:** November 15, 2009, 06:17:45 PM »

I had thought about the .17 HMR myself, and well later will send my Sportster off to H&R for the .17 HMR barrel. I found my little Sportster for a good price OTD $139.99 and took it out this last week, well I'm glad I made the right choice off the bat between the two calibers.

For now, pretty happy with the .22 WMR and the way it shoots, but now I got to try the new 30 gr V-Max or the Remington 33 gr AccuTip-V bullets. I do believe the Hornady 30 gr V Max is pushing at 2200 fps, which is much better.

dks7895 · « **Reply #23 on:** December 16, 2009, 10:20:49 AM »

I recently sold my Marlin 917V in .17HMR. I loved the gun, but it was not much better than my Ruger 10/22. I sold it and bought a Stevens 200 in .223 Rem. IMHO, if the .22LR is too small, the .223 Rem is far better than the .22WMR or .17HMR

Drilling Man · « **Reply #24 on:** December 16, 2009, 12:02:43 PM »

Make mine the 22 Win. Mag. please!

DM

gustmouse · « **Reply #25 on:** December 17, 2009, 12:46:01 PM »

I had an .17HMR for a few years it was accurate. But where I mostly hunt it's long range accuracy is wasted.
A 22 LR is better suited for me. Next time I’ll buy a 22 magnum since heavier bullets are available.

dwalk · « **Reply #26 on:** December 22, 2009, 12:35:23 PM »

i got 'em all...

i have the 17HMR heavy barrel on the NEF sportser...found it to be not very accurate and have put it aside for a while in favor of my voltquartzen barreled ruger 77/22mag conversion to .17HMR; it's the proverbial 'tack driver'.

i also have the .22 mag in the CZ452...wonderfully accurate..not 'tack driving' but highly accurate.

insofar as killing...they'll both do the job with proper shot placement but my personal preference for any shots over 75 yds go to the .22mag...over 150 go to the .22 hornet/ .223/22-250...

the bigger/farther out the game...the larger the caliber/cartridge.

bodab · « **Reply #27 on:** December 29, 2009, 02:59:57 PM »

I CANT talk much about the .22 mag but I DO have a CZ american in .17 and out of the box it almost shoots 1 hole 3 shot groups. Almost.

SM Bob · « **Reply #28 on:** December 31, 2009, 05:40:15 PM »

They are both excellent calibers. I have a H&R Sportster in 17HMR and a Marlin 982S in 22 Mag.
Both will shoot under 1" at 100 yards. On a windy day the 17HMR is definately at a disadvantage.
It gets out there quick though and it has a bit flatter thejectory. The 22 Mag hits pretty hard
with that 40gr bullet. Ammo prices for both calibers are pretty close. I would say get them both.

Robert

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #29 on:** January 06, 2010, 02:28:05 AM »

Quote from: Old Fart on August 27, 2009, 11:24:26 AM

I'm not going to try and tell you which to buy for you kiddo.
But if anyone thinks the little 17hmr doesn't have any umph look below.

I was out plinking with 22lr and 17mach2 when I drug out the .17hmr.
You cal see the results for yourself.

Might have also been the ammo that you were using that day?

Last time that I was out with the s-i-l he had some of the 20gr game points in the hmr and they were making impressive dents in a light stainless plate we had hanging at the 100yd range.