Have 22LR and 17HMR—Does 22 Mag bring anything to the table?

[4570Tom]

Hi All,
I have numerous scoped and non-scoped 22LR rifles, as well as a scoped 17HMR rifle. Wondering if a 22 Mag rimfire would give me anything those two don’t. Use would primarily be from a bench or plinking. My hunting is primarily deer or things that fly, with an occasional informal squirrel hunt. Wondering if 22 Mag would be less affected by wind than either of the two, and how it compares accuracy-wise. If no benefit over the other two, I would look to spend my gun dollars on something else. Thanks.

 

[Coyote3855]

I don't have a .22 Magnum long gun, but my .17 and .22 LR give me no reason to have one.

 

[dranrab]

I have several 22LR, several 22Mag, a 17 HMR and an HM2 and I enjoy them all. If your primary use is bench an plinking, a 22 magnum doesn't really give you anything. If you are hunting with it, you get at 100 what a 22 LR gives you at 50...roughly. You also get 30 grain poly tip bullets and 50 grain JHP. There are other bullet types that you get with the 22 magnum that you don't with the LR.

As far as accuracy goes, the 22LR and 17HMR are generally more accurate. With the 22 magnum, you'll probably have to experiment more to find a really accurate load, but assuming similar rifles, you'll probably get close to a 22LR unless competition level results are what you are looking for.

 

[stringnut]

Have all three. For Plinking and target the 22 mag is not going to do anything for you. 22 lr is more accurate , and a lot cheaper, for close range shooting. As distances get longer the 22 mag drifts a lot more in the wind than the 17 HMR. Bullet weight has little to do with wind drift. Ballistic coefficient is the important thing. Every 17 HMR bullet has less wind drift than the best 22 mag. The 17 HMR is generally more accurate. Between family and friends we have 7, or 8, 17 HMR around. All will do 1.25 inches or less at 100 yards. 22 mags, at least the ones I have owned, or shot, tend to be about 1.75 to 2 inches at 100 yards. Still minute of coyote, or, woodchuck. However, as the targets get smaller, it makes a difference.

Still love the 22 mag though. It definitely hits harder on large raccoons and coyotes. Just plain flattens woodchucks. However have never lost anything with the 17 HMR

 

[Dr T]

For you purposes probably not.

For mine, I find the 17 lacking.

Different applications, different requirements.

 

[CraigC]

If you're not hunting with it, I see no reason to own any of the rimfires other than .22LR.

 

[VoodooMountain]

I own 22lr and 22mag rifles. I love the 22 mag round and find it very fun to shoot but it really serves no purpose outside of niche hunting situations. Like rimfire coyote, certain pest control, or possibly squirrels.

22 mag also isn't going to inherently be more accurate at close range or beyond 100 yards.

 

[someguy2800]

17 HMR will be way more accurate and way better wind drift. I like plinking with 22 mag a lot. Feels like you are shooting a real rifle and doesn’t pit my steel plates like 17 HMR. A lot of fun to shoot. I have a revolver and a Stevens favorite in 22 mag and they are both favorites to plink with.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Well, during the pandemic ammo drought, .22 WMR was one cartridge you could still find ammo for around here.

 

[d2wing]

I like the .22 Mag for woodchucks and stuff. Probably no advantage over .17 HMR for your use. I know a guy that uses the .17 on coyotes.

 

[crestoncowboy]

No.

 

[Frulk]

I had a .22 mag long before the .17’s came out. Has always done what I needed it to do so didn’t feel the need to add yet another caliber. Bonus is I can find ammo for it pretty much anywhere.

In your case the situation is reversed. I agree with Creston above. Save your money.

 

[jmorris]

Not for me. I’d get another Hornet (either 22 or 17) before I picked up another .22 mag.

 

[doubleh]

Hi All,
I have numerous scoped and non-scoped 22LR rifles, as well as a scoped 17HMR rifle. Wondering if a 22 Mag rimfire would give me anything those two don’t. Use would primarily be from a bench or plinking. My hunting is primarily deer or things that fly, with an occasional informal squirrel hunt. Wondering if 22 Mag would be less affected by wind than either of the two, and how it compares accuracy-wise. If no benefit over the other two, I would look to spend my gun dollars on something else. Thanks.

From personal experience with all three and the uses you state I am going to say no. Move to the cost of 22 mag ammo for better 22 LR ammo and your accuracy will be as good or better than the 22 mag. The 17 wilI beat either for accuracy at longer distances. have hunted small game with all three. I haven't owned a 22 mag in many years as the other two calibers will do everything I need.

 

[3Crows]

Penetration.

 

[crestoncowboy]

From personal experience with all three and the uses you state I am going to say no. Move to the cost of 22 mag ammo for better 22 LR ammo and your accuracy will be as good or better than the 22 mag. The 17 wilI beat either for accuracy at longer distances. have hunted small game with all three. I haven't owned a 22 mag in many years as the other two calibers will do everything I need.

I used 22 mag for Groundhog and garden pest for years. For the cost though I'd have probably been better off with a good 22. Lr. Lol.

I haven't sold a one of mine. Just haven't used one in a rifle in 15 years since my first 17 hmr. A cz 452 American. I do use some 22 mag handguns just for fun. In all fairness nowdays I shoot 90% of the varmint with a 223 of some sort though. Bolt gun or white oak build. I do still use the 17 on things. The 17 is plenty capable on coyote and cats so long as your not stupid.




I don't believe I ever lost an animal with it. I did miss a crow once at just over 250.

The 17 mach 2 and the 22 magnum are just not worth much to me now.

 

[Riomouse911]

Maybe if coyotes out to 100 are on the menu, the Federal 50 gr JHP has a little bit of oomph on targets like those. Or if you have a single six or heritage convertible and want a companion rifle for the .22 WMR cylinder. (This was my excuse for buying a Henry lever .22 WMR.)

Outside of something rather specific like that, I agree with the others by saying not much would be gained other than the need to bring home a new type of ammo.

Stay safe.

 

[JEBruns]

I used 22 mag for Groundhog and garden pest for years. For the cost though I'd have probably been better off with a good 22. Lr. Lol.

I haven't sold a one of mine. Just haven't used one in a rifle in 15 years since my first 17 hmr.

Same. All my 22 rifles have been gathering dust since I bought a 17HMR several years ago. Harder hitting and more accurate than any 22 rimfire I've ever owned.

 

[MacAR]

I'll be the voice of dissention here. A few years ago, I bought a Savage 17hmr. It shot very, very well with 20gr CCI ammo, and I really liked it for a varmint gun. But I felt like the wind affected it quite a bit more than a 22 WMR. So I let it go, and went back to my 22 mag and have been happy with it. I didn't shoot either much over 100 yards, 125 being about the max. At that distance, I felt like the magnum with it's 40 grain bullet was better suited to my purposes. Several folks have stated the 22lr would be suitable with the right ammo, and I'd agree with that to a point; in my opinion, the LR looses a lot after 50-75 yards. The magnum is still doing pretty good at that distance and even further. Of course, the whole thing became moot when I bought my 222. It does just fine on critters out to 275 and is legal for larger game in Arkansas; the rimfires aren't.

Mac

 

[crestoncowboy]

I'll be the voice of dissention here. A few years ago, I bought a Savage 17hmr. It shot very, very well with 20gr CCI ammo, and I really liked it for a varmint gun. But I felt like the wind affected it quite a bit more than a 22 WMR. So I let it go, and went back to my 22 mag and have been happy with it. I didn't shoot either much over 100 yards, 125 being about the max. At that distance, I felt like the magnum with it's 40 grain bullet was better suited to my purposes. Several folks have stated the 22lr would be suitable with the right ammo, and I'd agree with that to a point; in my opinion, the LR looses a lot after 50-75 yards. The magnum is still doing pretty good at that distance and even further. Of course, the whole thing became moot when I bought my 222. It does just fine on critters out to 275 and is legal for larger game in Arkansas; the rimfires aren't.

Mac

I used the 22 mag to 125-150 on groundhog. I use the 17 farther but range isn't all that different. I've heard others have wind issues and I suppose I don't shoot in a hurricane or anything so maybe its a point. If its winder than 5-mph then ill probably not bother varmint hunting. In the mountains wind is odd anyway. May be coming over a mountain to the left at 25 yards but through a valley to the right at 75. Lol.

Luckily we have little wind except on ridges so it rarely matters.

I never could get the cz to shoot the HP 17 bullets. With the vmax or Winchester (also vmax...maybe same ammo idk) I cam shoot one hole at 100. When the cci hollow points came out I was all excited and bought a case. Mine shot over an inch at 100. Lol. Which is still as good as my 25MN or other 22 mags shoot.

I did the same with the Remington ballistic tip 22 magnum. I had them pre-ordered and got a case immediately. Was NOT impressed. Lol

 

[doubleh]

Maybe if coyotes out to 100 are on the menu, the Federal 50 gr JHP has a little bit of oomph on targets like those. Or if you have a single six or heritage convertible and want a companion rifle for the .22 WMR cylinder. (This was my excuse for buying a Henry lever .22 WMR.)

Outside of something rather specific like that, I agree with the others by saying not much would be gained other than the need to bring home a new type of ammo.

Stay safe.

I own four revolvers with mag cylinders but have never used one of them. I have no reason to shoot ammo that costs more than some 9mm that turns to mostly a very loud noise and fireball when the trigger is pulled. Not too many years ago I bought one of the RIA kinda like a 1911 pistols. This was absolutely the most ammo finicky handgun I have ever owned and I finally grew tired of messing with it. I lucked out with someone really wanting it and got rid of it. I have several boxes of 22 mag ammo that failed to work. Ammo was rather scarce at the time and I bought a couple of boxes at a time when I found some to experiment with. I need to let the grandkids shoot it up in one revolver or another, their choice.

In a much earlier time frame I bought a single six in 22 mag only as I was doing a lot of prairiedog hunting with a 22LR only single six. It gave me a little more distance but was no more effective on the dogs than a LRHP was. Hit one where you were supposed to it was DRT. A little off and it was a dog that crawled into it's hole with either. I didn't keep the mag for very long because of the muzzle blast and ammo cost that didn't seem to give much more in performance for what I was using it for. Later on I got into night hunting for jackrabbits and got a 22 mag rifle which allowed me to reach out and touch one quite a bit farther. Then the state decided night hunting for anything was taboo and I eventually sold the gun.

 

[MacAR]

I've heard others have wind issues and I suppose I don't shoot in a hurricane or anything so maybe its a point. If its winder than 5-mph then ill probably not bother varmint hunting.

In my case, I really wasn't "varmint hunting" but "varmint shooting" on the farm. Just have to take shots when I have an opportunity, so I feel like the 22 WMR does a better job bucking the wind in those situations.

Mac

 

[Riomouse911]

I own four revolvers with mag cylinders but have never used one of them. I have no reason to shoot ammo that costs more than some 9mm that turns to mostly a very loud noise and fireball when the trigger is pulled. Not too many years ago I bought one of the RIA kinda like a 1911 pistols. This was absolutely the most ammo finicky handgun I have ever owned and I finally grew tired of messing with it. I lucked out with someone really wanting it and got rid of it. I have several boxes of 22 mag ammo that failed to work. Ammo was rather scarce at the time and I bought a couple of boxes at a time when I found some to experiment with. I need to let the grandkids shoot it up in one revolver or another, their choice.

In a much earlier time frame I bought a single six in 22 mag only as I was doing a lot of prairiedog hunting with a 22LR only single six. It gave me a little more distance but was no more effective on the dogs than a LRHP was. Hit one where you were supposed to it was DRT. A little off and it was a dog that crawled into it's hole with either. I didn't keep the mag for very long because of the muzzle blast and ammo cost that didn't seem to give much more in performance for what I was using it for. Later on I got into night hunting for jackrabbits and got a 22 mag rifle which allowed me to reach out and touch one quite a bit farther. Then the state decided night hunting for anything was taboo and I eventually sold the gun.

To me, .22 WMR is something different to shoot. Along with several .22 LR revolvers, I have three dedicated .22 WMR revolvers and a 6.5” single six convertible that usually wears the WMR cylinder. (This because my 6.5” Bisley single six is a dedicated .22 LR.) I don't hunt with mine, they are merely range toys that I like to play with once in a while.

The rifles, a RAR in a Boyds laminated stock and a Henry rimfire, are the same; fun guns to shoot for the times I don’t want to get kicked by centerfires.

Stay safe.

 

[crestoncowboy]

To me, .22 WMR is something different to shoot. Along with several .22 LR revolvers, I have three dedicated .22 WMR revolvers and a 6.5” single six convertible that usually wears the WMR cylinder. (This because my 6.5” Bisley single six is a dedicated .22 LR.) I don't hunt with mine, they are merely range toys that I like to play with once in a while.

I shoot a lot of 22 mag handguns. Pmr-30 to Grendel to single six. Just got a new case of 22 mag earlier this year. I still use the handguns. Just no use for the rifles really

 

[nanook12]

I carry the PMR30 when out on the trails in the winter, Nordic skiing or snowmobile riding. I have both moose and wolves sharing the trail. I worry about the dog tangling with the wolves and the moose stomping on me! That 22mag pmr is LOUD!!!