.17HMR vs .22WMR

[hogpatrol]

Getting to be a religious argument. or How many animals are shot at the muzzle? Just curious, what kind of groups are you guys getting at 100 and 150 yds. with the .22 magnum?

Taken from a chuckhawks article:

Here is the energy of our comparison loads, in foot-pounds at the muzzle, 50 yards, 100 yards, 150 yards (when available), and 200 yards (when available):

.17 HMR, 17 grain V-Max = ME 245 ft. lbs., 185 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 136 ft. lbs. at 100 yards, 99 ft. lbs. at 150 yards, 72 ft. lbs. at 200 yards.
.17 HMR, 20 grain XTP = ME 250 ft. lbs., 187 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 137 ft. lbs. at 100 yards, 99 ft. lbs. at 150 yards, 72 ft. lbs. at 200 yards.
.22 WMR, 30 grain TNT = ME 325 ft. lbs., 200 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 120 ft. lbs. at 100 yards, 80 ft. lbs. at 150 yards.
.22 WMR, 40 grain JHP = ME 324 ft. lbs., 230 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 162 ft. lbs. at 100 yards.

As an aside, my longest DRT groundhog (a pup) was at a 192 yds. (flat ground). with a 17 vmax

 

[tuck2]

I have used a Kimber Mdl 82 of O 22 WMR and a Cooper 57M LVT 17 HMR for shooting prairie dogs. For shooting small varmints the 17 HMR is the way to go. For yots in the 30 pound plus I would only take close shots with ethier of the cartridges. There are no ground hogs in the area I live so I dont know which one to use. When going yote hunting I use a 22-250 or 220 Swift and leave the rimfire rifles at home.

 

[hogpatrol]

Where I hunt groundhogs, rimfires are the only calibers legal (SE PA). If centerfires were legal, I'd be using them on anything over a 100 yds. The .17s are a hoot definitely and the youngsters love shooting them when they can hit quarters at a 100 yds.

 

[CaptainMal]

On page 161 of the July 2005 edition of Varmint Hunter starts an article I wrote about using the 17HMR for groundhogs. My guess is it's available through the Varmint Hunter website.

In the article I detailed, with pictures, the killing of groundhogs with the 17HMR at longer ranges. I used to live near Apollo, Pa. and hunted on my own property there and neighboring farms. Shot many, many and had mixed success. Discuss that and feel it's not a good killer at reasonable range with body shots. Head shots, done right, are different.

As for some "humanaterian" kill - that's not in my mind. A dead hog is a dead hog or a dead prairie dog or a dead deer or whatever. Wounded many kinds of animals over the decades. Especially lost deer with the bow. Lost some with high-power rifles also. It's a reality we hunters live with.

You want to kill a hog? Use my 375 H&H but don't hit it in the foot or the ear or the tail etc.

 

[markr]

On page 161 of the July 2005 edition of Varmint Hunter starts an article I wrote about using the 17HMR for groundhogs. My guess is it's available through the Varmint Hunter website.

In the article I detailed, with pictures, the killing of groundhogs with the 17HMR at longer ranges. I used to live near Apollo, Pa. and hunted on my own property there and neighboring farms. Shot many, many and had mixed success. Discuss that and feel it's not a good killer at reasonable range with body shots. Head shots, done right, are different.

As for some "humanaterian" kill - that's not in my mind. A dead hog is a dead hog or a dead prairie dog or a dead deer or whatever. Wounded many kinds of animals over the decades. Especially lost deer with the bow. Lost some with high-power rifles also. It's a reality we hunters live with.

You want to kill a hog? Use my 375 H&H but don't hit it in the foot or the ear or the tail etc.

It is one thing.....to have an unfortunate slow kill or wounded escape, Quite another to intentionally hunt with sub adequate calibers or at ranges where the cartridge is totally insufficient for a quick kill. Obviously, your mileage varies from mine!

 

[hogpatrol]

Forum Boss, If this is too far off track, please delete it. Hog

I've hunted rats in barns and in urban areas with pellet guns and BB guns. Would they be considered "inadequate"? With them, I never worried too much about a "humanitarian kill". That term to me is an oxymoron anyway. Besides, when was the last time you saw a lion, hawk or other predator make a "quick" kill? Hell, there's a video floating around with a pack of lions eating a screaming, kicking baby elephant alive. I agree with CaptainMal, a dead hog is a dead hog, now or later. Grow soybeans and you'll change your mind about letting one go because he's "too far".

 

[markr]

Forum Boss, If this is too far off track, please delete it. Hog

I've hunted rats in barns and in urban areas with pellet guns and BB guns. Would they be considered "inadequate"? With them, I never worried too much about a "humanitarian kill". That term to me is an oxymoron anyway. Besides, when was the last time you saw a lion, hawk or other predator make a "quick" kill? Hell, there's a video floating around with a pack of lions eating a screaming, kicking baby elephant alive. I agree with CaptainMal, a dead hog is a dead hog, now or later. Grow soybeans and you'll change your mind about letting one go because he's "too far".

You can justiy this any way you like... "is a taser set on stun inhumane to a Klingon" ?
If wounded is good enough for you, that doesn't bother me at all. We all know which camp you sit in though!

 

[Jay Christopherson]

To continue to derail this thread...

It's called "hunting ethics". If you can't be bothered to be concerned about making a humane kill, using the right tool for the job and taking the effort to make a clean shot, regardless of your chosen weapon, then I have zero respect for you as a hunter.

I'm not a lion, or tiger, or whatever the heck you want to use to justify it. I like to consider myself a higher predator which means I bother to actually put effort into making a clean kill on the animal I'm hunting.

My apologies to the OP for taking his perfectly reasonable post so far off the track, but careless hunting steams me up.

 

[quartermaster]

I'm partial to the 17HMR, only because the heavy barreled Savage that I have will shoot 1/2" groups at 100 yds. I have a Browning medallian in the 22WMR. I have tried all types of ammo and the best I could get out of it was 1 1/2" - 2"groups. I only shoot paper with them. For varmints, the amount of energy that the WMR puts out has to be superior to the HMR, but the heads in the HMR are probably better than the .22s. Personally I prefer the .204 for my varmint shooting
The 17HMR and 22WMR are both lots of fun.

QM

 

[danlnga]

I bought my first 22 WMR in the 70's. It is a Browning pump and a fine shooter. Of course you have to have a Ruger Single Six with both the 22LR & 22WMR cylinder. Got it right after the Browning. I then located a Ruger 10/22 in 22 WMR. It is OK. Then I found a Ruger 96 lever gun in 22WMR a couple of years ago. It had belonged to John Wooters in Texas & was brand new (unfired). It is without a doubt, the hardest shooting, most accurate little rifle I have ever put my hands on. I use it here in Georgia on coyotes out to 100 yards. Over 100, I go to my 243. You can hit a coyote, with a good rest as I am 73 now, in the head out to the 100 yard mark the great majority of the time using either the CCI or Remington 30 gr polymer tipped speedsters. He doesn't go anywhere.

I have never shot a 17...............don't need to.............................. Dan

 

[onelastshot]

I took the time and did a little research and reading before buying my 1st 17. Time and again Anchutz and CZ were at the top. I was able to purchase a CZ that was in new condition and fired very little. The previous owner expected too much in terms of killing capacity and traded it for a center fire.

In terms of accuracy, the CZ is wonderful. I've never had a 22 or 22WMR group as well. Out to 100 yards I've used it for everything from squirrels to Coyotes. Any shots over 100 yards and I switch to the 223 or 6mmAI. When using either a 22WRM or 17, accuracy is everything and the slightest error can and will leave cripples. With that in mind, My choice is the 17. I guess you'd have to say I sit in Jaychris' camp. Taking accurate shots for humane kills is essential. In 35 years of deer hunting I've only lost one. Not because I'm a marksman, I don't shoot beyond my ability. Ethics is a priority.