22LR or 22 Mag Ruger American

[BP Hunter]

I have nearly made up my mind to get the new Ruger American rimfire. I just can't decide to get either the 22LR of the mag. It will be used just for plinking, target shooting and just plain fun. Maybe use it for rabbit hunting if it were to be a prepper weapon for dispatching small game. Anyway, any reason one would be beter than the other?

 

[1KPerDay]

For your purposes... .22LR IMO.

.22 mag is very pricey for what it is.

 

[On An Island]

I'll go the other direction: in my area, 22WMR is easier to find than 22LR. That, plus the 22WMR is a bit more capable round made it an easy choice for me.

 

[mdauben]

Eventually supply is going to catch up with demand and .22LR will be the best choice. The .22 mag would only be my choice for a dedicated rifle for larger small game/pests up to maybe coyote size. For targets, plinking or smaller small game like squirrels and rabbits its not necessary.

 

[Robert101]

Easy choice for me: 22 LR

 

[rcmodel]

The .22 WRM is a little too destructive for small game hunting.

Get the .22LR if eating what you shoot enters into your plans.

rc

 

[303tom]

Easy choice .22 LR................

 

[Reloadron]

Anyway, any reason one would be better than the other?

Beats the heck out of me. I figure it this way. Pushing a 40 grain bullet at 100 yards down range the 22 WMR delivers about the same velocity a 22 LR does at the muzzle.

It will be used just for plinking, target shooting and just plain fun. Maybe use it for rabbit hunting if it were to be a prepper weapon for dispatching small game.

The merit to the 22 WMR is that overall it is a more powerful cartridge. Hands down I would choose it over a 22 LR. The downside is for everyday plinking it does in fact cost more to plink.

Since I haven't a clue what the length of your purse strings are all I can tell you is to choose what works for you.

<EDIT> Thinking a little more into this. While far from inexpensive a 22 LR does offer up more choices in match type target ammunition like the offerings from Eley if that trips your trigger. </EDIT>

Ron

 

[Picher]

I have several .22LR rifles and handguns, but only one .22 WMR rifle, a CZ455 that, after some tweaking, shoots 1" groups at 100 yards with CCI and Rem. 30 grain V-Max type tips. I don't do much plinking with it, except for a few steel targets at 100 yards or so.

Yesterday, I shot another woodchuck with it at about 20 yards and it opened him up pretty well, more like a .223 at 100 yards. It's a light rifle that is my favorite walk-about rifle for varmints. It should take down Eastern Coyotes under 100 yards and woodchucks beyond that.

I can carry a hundred rounds in my pockets and not be inconvenienced, not that I shoot that many when walking around, but sometimes I take a couple different types, one of my best and some others to plink with that aren't as accurate as the good stuff.

 

[Deer_Freak]

It depends on how far you want to shoot targets. The 22 wmr drops about 1" at 100 yards. The 22 LR drops 6" at 100 yards. It costs about the same to shoot a 22 wmr as a 9mm FMJ.

 

[Geno]

I like to fire my rimfire rifles a lot! So, for me, a .22LR makes sense. In the end, you should purchase what serves your purposes best.

Geno

 

[22-rimfire]

22LR since it is typically more accurate and less expensive to shoot. If I had a number of good 22 rifles already, I might go with 22 Mag for this one. This 22 rimfire shortage will come to an end. I wouldn't use that as justification for choosing either caliber over the other.

 

[Onmilo]

I have been seeing way more .22 Mag on store shelves than .22 LR
Problem is the stuff now averages $!6 a box of 50, for non reloadable cartridges.
.22 Hornets were prices at $50-$60 a BOX OF 50 but at least you can reload these,,if you can find components.

 

[ECVMatt]

I love the .22 Mag, but I think if I were you I would go with the LR.

For just plinking and having fun it is really hard to beat the LR. If you were specifically going to hunt with it, then I would favor the Mag.

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

I already have a 10/22 for .22LR plinking and such, so I'd be VERY interested in the .22mag. I hadn't looked into these new rifles yet, but assumed they wouldn't come in .22mag. Now I'm drooling!

My 10/22 is a trainer for my battle rifles, and the .22mag American would be like a trainer for my long-range rifles, and for small game.