Forgive my ignorance but what is the difference between the .22LR and the 17HMR bullet? I have a Ruger 10/22 that I am not shooting much and doesn't shoot accurately out to 100 yards. I am hoping to trade it in for a 17HMR bolt action rifle. I enjoy plinking and want to shoot further with a small caliber weapon. Will the 17HMR shoot further and harder? I am hoping to go squirrel and rabbit hunting.
.22LR vs 17HMR
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the .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire uses a necked down .22 magnum case for ridiculous speed and a flat trajectory.
should be good out to 150 yards or so, but its more of a varmnt exploder round than a small game killer.
have you ever looked at some hypervelocity ammo for your .22LR? check out CCI Stingers or Aguila Super Maximums
should be good out to 150 yards or so, but its more of a varmnt exploder round than a small game killer.
have you ever looked at some hypervelocity ammo for your .22LR? check out CCI Stingers or Aguila Super Maximums
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If you want the squirrels or rabbits for meat, the .17 HMR will virtually vaporize them. I've hunted squirrel with .22 Magnum in 32 grain FMJ for years and they make holes no bigger than a .22LR and of course have a longer range.
Zeke/PA
Member
For strictly hunting and plinking stay with the .22 .
I have a Savage .17 HMR that I save for short range varmints and Squirrel hunting.
As someone else mentioned, the cost of the .17 HMR stuff makes it NOT a casual plinking round.
I have a Savage .17 HMR that I save for short range varmints and Squirrel hunting.
As someone else mentioned, the cost of the .17 HMR stuff makes it NOT a casual plinking round.
gbran
Member
The .22lr and .17hmr are not comparable. Apples/oranges.
The 17mach2 is a knecked down 22 Stinger..... it is more accurate and has a vastly flatter trajectory. It is also much cheaper than the 17hmr.
The 17hmr is a knecked down 22wmr...... it is faster, flatter, more expensive and more accurate than the 17hmr.
If you want more range, accuracy and a flatter trajectory than the .22lr, go with the 17m2.
If you want even more range, flatter trajectory, etc. and don't mind a much higher cost, go with the 17hmr, but beware, it will destroy meat.
The 17mach2 is a knecked down 22 Stinger..... it is more accurate and has a vastly flatter trajectory. It is also much cheaper than the 17hmr.
The 17hmr is a knecked down 22wmr...... it is faster, flatter, more expensive and more accurate than the 17hmr.
If you want more range, accuracy and a flatter trajectory than the .22lr, go with the 17m2.
If you want even more range, flatter trajectory, etc. and don't mind a much higher cost, go with the 17hmr, but beware, it will destroy meat.
Tentwing
Member
The 17 HMR is great little round.
Negatives..... About $13 after taxes for 50 rounds here in TN, also if you plan on using the squirrel or other small game go for the head shot cause it tends to explode small critters on impact.
Positives...... 2550 fps at the muzzle with 17 gr and 2375 fps with 20 gr bullets ( manufacturer specs ) I don't own a chrono.
Mine comes in the form of a Henry Lever action with a Nikon 3X9X 40 sitting on top. Set dead on at 100 yards it will hit almost a 1/4 inch high at 50 yards , but is nearly a full 2 inches low at 150 yards. If you need flatter shooting past 150 with a small caliber you might consider a Ruger 204, but It has a bigger price tag on ammo too.
As for the 17 HMR It is a fun round to hunt, and ridiculously flat shooting for the first 100 yards. It has become my primary Small critter rifle.
The 22lr is still my all time favorite round ( yep I know go ahead laugh I can handle it.
)
For $13.99 I can burn 525 rounds of Federal Blue box 36 grainers, or for $15.99 I can burn 555 rounds of Winchester plated 36 gr HP's. This allows my wife and I to spend a few hours together plinking for cheap.
Now if i can just get her to quit taking my rifles and get her own Iv'e lost a Marlin 795 , a Model 60 , a Ruger 10/22 sportster and my heart to that women already.. ( there are a few drawbacks to teaching your wife to love hunting and fishing )
Hope some of this helps.. Tentwing
Negatives..... About $13 after taxes for 50 rounds here in TN, also if you plan on using the squirrel or other small game go for the head shot cause it tends to explode small critters on impact.
Positives...... 2550 fps at the muzzle with 17 gr and 2375 fps with 20 gr bullets ( manufacturer specs ) I don't own a chrono.
Mine comes in the form of a Henry Lever action with a Nikon 3X9X 40 sitting on top. Set dead on at 100 yards it will hit almost a 1/4 inch high at 50 yards , but is nearly a full 2 inches low at 150 yards. If you need flatter shooting past 150 with a small caliber you might consider a Ruger 204, but It has a bigger price tag on ammo too.
As for the 17 HMR It is a fun round to hunt, and ridiculously flat shooting for the first 100 yards. It has become my primary Small critter rifle.
The 22lr is still my all time favorite round ( yep I know go ahead laugh I can handle it.
)For $13.99 I can burn 525 rounds of Federal Blue box 36 grainers, or for $15.99 I can burn 555 rounds of Winchester plated 36 gr HP's. This allows my wife and I to spend a few hours together plinking for cheap.
Now if i can just get her to quit taking my rifles and get her own
Iv'e lost a Marlin 795 , a Model 60 , a Ruger 10/22 sportster and my heart to that women already.. ( there are a few drawbacks to teaching your wife to love hunting and fishing )Hope some of this helps.. Tentwing
Accuracy with the .22lr at longer distances sits on two major issues. First, is finding the right load for the rifle. Rimfire rifles all have their own ammo of choice so it is important to try a bunch and pick the best. The second thing is the wind. At 100 yards, that .22lr is blowing around quite a bit even in a 1-2mph change of wind. If you aren't shooting with windflags it is going to be difficult to shoot near the potential of the rifle.
The .17s have a flatter trajectory and fight the wind a little better. I think this change in wind deflection is why so many people see better groups with the .17hmr. It isn't that the round is more accurate, but that without compensating for wind it will group tighter.
A quality .22lr has a ton of potential to shoot well. It does take a bit of skill to get that potential to shin.
The .17s have a flatter trajectory and fight the wind a little better. I think this change in wind deflection is why so many people see better groups with the .17hmr. It isn't that the round is more accurate, but that without compensating for wind it will group tighter.
A quality .22lr has a ton of potential to shoot well. It does take a bit of skill to get that potential to shin.
Maverick223
Member
I would absolutely keep a .22LR for general plinking and small game hunting. The .17HMR would be a nice addition due to the flat trajectory and excellent ammunition, if you intend to use it for varmints and target shooting (see the rimfire match sticky at the top of rifle country ), but as others have stated it tends to destroy meat and costs significantly more to shoot. FWIW, the Savage 93R17 is an excellent .17HMR available at an affordable price.
), but as others have stated it tends to destroy meat and costs significantly more to shoot. FWIW, the Savage 93R17 is an excellent .17HMR available at an affordable price.I've said this before, but my total infatuation with the .17 caliber ended the moment I tried shoving a cleaning rod down the barrel!
The .17 HMR is more powerful than a .22RF
The .17 HMR is more accurate at long range than a .22RF
The .17 ammuntion cost 10X as much as .22RF
and lastly,
The .17 HMR is a total, total b***h to clean!
Keep your .22!
The .17 HMR is more powerful than a .22RF
The .17 HMR is more accurate at long range than a .22RF
The .17 ammuntion cost 10X as much as .22RF
and lastly,
The .17 HMR is a total, total b***h to clean!
Keep your .22!
Flobert
Member
I was gonna say, barrel life/cleaning must be a much bigger problem with the .17 HMR, I bet it's noiser than a .22 also.
Maverick223
Member
+1, it'll cost a bit depending upon what you decide, but it is a worthwhile expense IMO. I would recommend a Tac. Sol. aluminum bbl or CF bbl in order to keep the weight reasonable while improving accuracy and stiffness (at least for sporting purposes).
Barrel life is reduced, but still good, cleaning is a PITA, but like other rimfire chamberings they needn't be cleaned terribly often.
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