.22lr vs .17HMR...
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depends on how far you want to shoot and how much you want to pay for ammo.
I started my shooting career with a 17hmr but quickly went and got a 22lr as well. Lots of competitions don't allow 22mag and 17hmr, and I wanted to shoot competition.
Here's the lowdown:
1. The 17hmr is a good round out to about 150 yards, then the wind starts to knock is around quite a bit. The 22lr is good out to about 75 yards before it starts to see significant wind drift. Both can shoot considerably farther than those distances, but you will suffer a lot of drop and wind drift.
2. All the 17hmr ammo aside from Winchester is made by CCI. So Remington, Hornady, CCI, is all really CCI ammo. This is both good and bad. It means there are basically only 3 loads to experiment with in 17hmr, while in 22lr, there are MANY MANY different flavors of ammo at all different price points.
3. Both are accurate cartridges with the right rifle and ammo. You can get a good starter rifle in either caliber for a good price.
What would I do if I had to do it again? I would get a CZ455 with both the 17hmr and the 22lr barrels and have the best of both worlds.
I started my shooting career with a 17hmr but quickly went and got a 22lr as well. Lots of competitions don't allow 22mag and 17hmr, and I wanted to shoot competition.
Here's the lowdown:
1. The 17hmr is a good round out to about 150 yards, then the wind starts to knock is around quite a bit. The 22lr is good out to about 75 yards before it starts to see significant wind drift. Both can shoot considerably farther than those distances, but you will suffer a lot of drop and wind drift.
2. All the 17hmr ammo aside from Winchester is made by CCI. So Remington, Hornady, CCI, is all really CCI ammo. This is both good and bad. It means there are basically only 3 loads to experiment with in 17hmr, while in 22lr, there are MANY MANY different flavors of ammo at all different price points.
3. Both are accurate cartridges with the right rifle and ammo. You can get a good starter rifle in either caliber for a good price.
What would I do if I had to do it again? I would get a CZ455 with both the 17hmr and the 22lr barrels and have the best of both worlds.
Gtscotty
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I agree with the poster above, if you pick up a CZ 455, you can get both .17 and .22 barrels for it.
I use both .17 HMR and .22 LR, and it really comes down to your uses. I really like to shoot .17 on targets out to 200 yds, it's like a micro center fire... Very accurate and very fun. For hunting Squirrel or rabbits for the pot though, I'll take the .22 every time, in my experience the .17 is just too destructive for small critters you plan on eating.
I use both .17 HMR and .22 LR, and it really comes down to your uses. I really like to shoot .17 on targets out to 200 yds, it's like a micro center fire... Very accurate and very fun. For hunting Squirrel or rabbits for the pot though, I'll take the .22 every time, in my experience the .17 is just too destructive for small critters you plan on eating.
cat_IT_guy
Member
I like them both. .22 lr probably is more versatile, not to mention much cheaper to shoot. .17 is more accurate and flatter shooting, but more of a varmint round, as scotty mentioned - it tends to "blow up" game causing lots of meat destruction on body shots.
What tuj and d2wing said.
I bought an inexpensive .17hmr shortly after they came out just to see what all the fuss was about and it wasn't long at all before I wished I'd have bought a nicer one! They are downright fun to shoot and once dialed in with ammo, great shooters. That CZ 455 sounds like the ticket and would be what I'd do had I to do it again.
I bought an inexpensive .17hmr shortly after they came out just to see what all the fuss was about and it wasn't long at all before I wished I'd have bought a nicer one! They are downright fun to shoot and once dialed in with ammo, great shooters. That CZ 455 sounds like the ticket and would be what I'd do had I to do it again.
Before making up your mind I think you might want to look at the .22 Mag. I own all three of the calibers and put them to use as the situation calls for. However, when it comes to the .22 I grab the mag because it'll gives you alittle more ooomph without a extreme cost factor between the LR & the mag.
travisd
Member
Definitely the .17. Learn how to shoot it and take head shots if going for meat. Ammo is easier to find, they are more accurate and gives you a much longer range. Sold my .22 when people were panicking for them, and kept the 17. Does everything a .22 will do and more.
Vern Humphrey
Member
The first question is, what do you want to use the rifle for?
If you want fairly long range varmint capability, the .17 HMR is the obvious choice (out to around 150 yards, as has been mentioned.
If you want to hunt small game (squirrels, rabbits, etc.) then the .22 LR is best -- the high velocity .17 HMR is too destructive in my mind to be a good small game cartridge.
If you want a plinking rifle, then the .22 LR is best because its ammo is cheapest.
If you want fairly long range varmint capability, the .17 HMR is the obvious choice (out to around 150 yards, as has been mentioned.
If you want to hunt small game (squirrels, rabbits, etc.) then the .22 LR is best -- the high velocity .17 HMR is too destructive in my mind to be a good small game cartridge.
If you want a plinking rifle, then the .22 LR is best because its ammo is cheapest.
I have two .22 rifles, four .22 pistols, one 17 Mach 2, and two 17 HMRs. I shoot squirrels, rabbits, prairie dogs, crows, possums, skunks, raccoons, starlings, grackels, coyotes, pigeons, and paper targets. With lots of experience with all of my guns, all I can do in response to the OP's question is shrug my shoulders and say 'beats me'. Every time I go to the range or to the hunting field, I take whatever suits my mood at the time. I'm now looking for an older pump .22 because I always wanted one as a kid and now I can afford it. The only thing I know for sure is that I'll buy more guns as long as I am able and that the most important thing is to have fun. Merry Christmas!
There is also a big difference in noise, which might be important if you want to shoot on your own land. And for really quite you can shoot CB Shorts out of a 22lr and they sound not much louder than a baloon popping, particularly out of a long barrel 22lr, such as Marlin 39a and CZ Lux, both at 24" and the CZ Ultralux at 28.6". I own all three of these as well as 3 CZs in 22 WMR. As has been said above, it depends what you want to do with it.
9 fingers
9 fingers
MachIVshooter
Member
Those three words pretty much disqualify the HMR. It is far too destructive for small game hunting, producing results similar to the .22 Hornet, albeit without the range of the Hornet. Even its smaller sibling, the .17 HM2, is pretty nasty, easily turning cottontails inside-out at 50-75 yards.
.22 LR is a far better choice, or .22 mag with FMJ bullets if the ranges will routinely push 100+ yards.
RainDodger
Member
A .22 may be cheaper to shoot... when you can find ammo for it. Seems like I can always find .17HMR, but the only .22 stuff around is subsonic or something from somewhere I've never heard of.
bamajoey
Member
You can have all 3(.22 lr, .17, and .22 mag) with a CZ 455.
Radagast
Member
I have all three on the CZ452 platform. .22lr I have sighted in with CCI Quiet .22 for night time pest control at 25 yards. With high velocity ammo its good for 50
yards or so. The .22 magnum is a hundred yard gun & the .17 HMR is a 150 yard proposition. At close range the .17 is very destructive and will ruin meat. It is however a very accurate round, so head shots should not be a problem.
yards or so. The .22 magnum is a hundred yard gun & the .17 HMR is a 150 yard proposition. At close range the .17 is very destructive and will ruin meat. It is however a very accurate round, so head shots should not be a problem.
Lycidas Janwor
Member
I have a .22short/Long/LR rifle (Remington Model 41), a .22mag (Henry), a 17hmr (Marlin) and a 17 Hornet (Savage). I don't want to give any of them up, all do certain things wonderfully, all are very nice rifles and I particularly love my old model 41 with the 27" barrel.
I have a farm that gets all kinds of critters coming around. If I want to kill anything larger than a squirrel, I use the 17's. If I want to "hunt" for small game I use the .22lr. I can use the 22mag for both, but it's pretty loud.
If I'm going to kill any varmint, the 17hmr is a good round with good accuracy, and combined with my Marlin rifle and scope, it's extremely nice. The 17 Hornet is just a whole nother world of awsomeness. The Savage I got is their top of the line model with the thumb hole woodstock, I put a nice scope on it, it's like shooting a laser beam, zero recoil., this is the go-to rifle for coyotes, dillos, nasty large varmints (I don't even know what these things are, but they are about as big as a beaver but they look like huge ground hog??).
My Henry 22mag is just a fun rifle to have around, it's a lever action rifle and can be used for varmint killing, hunting and even home defense.
When the .22 craze was upon us, I could not find .22 ammo anywhere, but there always seemed to be some 17hmr ammo around. So, that's another consideration...
I have a farm that gets all kinds of critters coming around. If I want to kill anything larger than a squirrel, I use the 17's. If I want to "hunt" for small game I use the .22lr. I can use the 22mag for both, but it's pretty loud.
If I'm going to kill any varmint, the 17hmr is a good round with good accuracy, and combined with my Marlin rifle and scope, it's extremely nice. The 17 Hornet is just a whole nother world of awsomeness. The Savage I got is their top of the line model with the thumb hole woodstock, I put a nice scope on it, it's like shooting a laser beam, zero recoil., this is the go-to rifle for coyotes, dillos, nasty large varmints (I don't even know what these things are, but they are about as big as a beaver but they look like huge ground hog??).
My Henry 22mag is just a fun rifle to have around, it's a lever action rifle and can be used for varmint killing, hunting and even home defense.
When the .22 craze was upon us, I could not find .22 ammo anywhere, but there always seemed to be some 17hmr ammo around. So, that's another consideration...
Johnny Lightning
Member
My .17hmr is deadly on groundhogs out to 150yards. Great round but has its limitations. If I were going to keep the meat or pelt I would choose the .22lr or shotgun.
Johnny Lightning
Member
Also I live in pa where I can't shoot center fire rifles to hunt so the .17hmr is close to the most accurate rim fire that I'm allowed to use.
Swampman
Old Fart
For small game, .22 Long Rifle.
For maximum accuracy, .22 Long Rifle.
For maximum versatility, .22 Long Rifle.
For minimum cost, .22 Long Rifle.
For larger varmints, .17 HMR.
For longer range, .17 HMR.
For maximum accuracy, .22 Long Rifle.
For maximum versatility, .22 Long Rifle.
For minimum cost, .22 Long Rifle.
For larger varmints, .17 HMR.
For longer range, .17 HMR.
351 WINCHESTER
Member
17hmr ammo has always been available whereas 22lr has not. That is something to consider.
oldfortyfiveauto
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The 17 is pretty rough on squirrels, but great on varmints. The V-Max bullets pretty much eliminate ricochets. On calm days I've popped prairie dogs out to 300 yards.
travisd
Member
For maximum accuracy, .22 Long Rifle.
I've had accurate .22s, but they can't come close to touching my .17, especially at longer distance.
As a side note, I wonder how many here have hunted small game with one? My .17 is my go to squirrel and rabbit rifle. Doesn't waste any more meat than anything else I've tried.
I've had accurate .22s, but they can't come close to touching my .17, especially at longer distance.
As a side note, I wonder how many here have hunted small game with one? My .17 is my go to squirrel and rabbit rifle. Doesn't waste any more meat than anything else I've tried.
Fella's;
The .22 long rifle is not a long range cartridge, though you might be surprised at just how far it can get out there effectively. However, the cartridge is one of the most highly developed in history. With a history that eclipses anything else in production today I do believe. One of the driving forces behind that development has been accuracy, from NRA 50 foot indoor competition to the Olympics. Cartridge qua cartridge, .17HMR vs .22lr, there's no contest at all regardless of anecdotal evidence to the contrary. The lowly little .22 wins hands down. Look up the .22lr Scheutzen competitions of the 1800's, 200 yards offhand, all the way through current benchrest accuracy records.
900F
The .22 long rifle is not a long range cartridge, though you might be surprised at just how far it can get out there effectively. However, the cartridge is one of the most highly developed in history. With a history that eclipses anything else in production today I do believe. One of the driving forces behind that development has been accuracy, from NRA 50 foot indoor competition to the Olympics. Cartridge qua cartridge, .17HMR vs .22lr, there's no contest at all regardless of anecdotal evidence to the contrary. The lowly little .22 wins hands down. Look up the .22lr Scheutzen competitions of the 1800's, 200 yards offhand, all the way through current benchrest accuracy records.
900F
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