.17HMR vs .22WMR

[stinnett1981]

I have several .22lr and wanting to buy another rimfire. I know the 17 is a flat shooting speed demon but the .22 has more power and weight behind it. 17HMR or .22WMR?

 

[rvn1968]

I have Ruger 77-17 and Savage 17 and I don't think either can beat my 22mag. Maybe after I get a rifle-basix for the Ruger....

 

[hogpatrol]

Everything you always wanted to know about the 17hmr.

http://www.varmintal.com/17hmr.htm

 

[fredhorace77]

I have both and use both...and i like them both...i tend to shoot the 17hmr more when im closer to houses just simply because it is so much of a smaller lighter bullet... but there are times when i grab the 22mag...another reason for me to shoot the 17hmr more is in my 2 particular guns the 17 is more accurate...my 17 is a marlin heavy barrel with laminate stock and the 22 mag is a pencil barreled plastic stock marlin..if it was the other way around id probly shoot the 22 mag more...most often my choice is made based on my accuracy and the amount of confidence i have with the gun..not that the 17 is more accurate than the 22mag...it just happens to be in my rifles

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

I have friends that have 17HMR's and I myself have two 22WMR's. Personally, I lean toward the 22WMR! Take and buy a heavy barreled Marlin bolt action chambered in 22WMR, put a Rifle Basix trigger on it, buy some CCI 30gr ballistic tip or hollow points, and go shoot lights out! The 17HMR's I have dealt with didn't shoot all that great. The ammunition fouled the barrel quickly and to the point where there was a loss of accuracy. Haven't experienced this with any of my 22WMR's yet. Also, with the 30gr. pills out now, you aren't giving up much velocity wise to the 17! Just my .02.

Mike

 

[sparky123321]

Had both. Sold the 17's. 17's felt like a pellet gun to me and the 22wmr felt like a real rifle. Just ordered a semi 22wmr rifle I liked it so much.

 

[fredhorace77]

Had both. Sold the 17's. 17's felt like a pellet gun to me and the 22wmr felt like a real rifle. Just ordered a semi 22wmr rifle I liked it so much.

what auto mag did you order i just sold one couple months ago...it was a magnum research

 

[sparky123321]

I might regret it, but I went with a Excel MR22.

 

[fredhorace77]

the magnum research i had was pretty good...i bought the carbon fiber barrel and it had the houge stock..i put a volquersten trigger group in it..if i had to do it over again i would just get the stainless bull barrel not the carbon fiber barrel and i would get the laminated stock instead of the houge and i would have went with a different trigger group...the volqerst. failed to fire 2 out of 5 rounds..i sent it back to them and they said that they redesigned the hammer and started using a new spring...1 month later when i got it back it was firing fine...so they fixed the problem..and it was free...minus the shipping it cost me to get it there

 

[hogpatrol]

This means WAR! I would never own a .22 mag. I have 6 17hmrs, CZs & Anschutzes. Unless you've shot the top end 17HMRs, comparisons of the lower end 17 stuff to a .22 mag are suspect. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Do we have ignition? ;D

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Hogpatrol, the only credit I will give the 17HMR is that it has outlived the 5mm Remington rimfire cartridge . However, the story of that cartridge not making it commercially is almost identical to that of the .244 Remingon! Centurion, in the past few years, has released ammunition for the 5mm Remington with a bullet that works "better" for the twist rate than the original ammo. You never know, maybe the 5mm Remington will make a comeback and be the 22WMR's little brother again instead of the 17HMR !

Mike

 

[hogpatrol]

Mike, Yeah, the 5mm was pretty cool and I'd probably own one if there was a better selection of ammo. Funny how this type of thread rears its ugly head every so often. Over on RFC,17 vs 22 arguments have been going on for YEARS. In the end, it's whatever floats your boat.

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

I was just harassing you a bit hogpatrol , no offense intended! You're right, whatever floats your boat! A good friend of mine just sold an old 5mm Remington at a gun show for somewhere between 400 and 500 dollars! It came with 5 boxes of that new Centurion ammo too. He has another one that he shoots from time to time and a mutual friend of ours has one too! He loves his 5mm Remington! Many a critter have met their demise to that rifle out of the window of his pickups over the years ! Take her easy!

Mike

 

[hogpatrol]

Most of my groundhog hunting is medium to lightly populated areas with a lot of horse (the very expensive type) farms so I prefer the .17 for the ricochet factor. Some of my hunting buddies in rural PA use the .22 mag for groundhogs and coyotes. They're at the other end of the spectrum. We always argue over which is best. Just don't get a crawlaway. ;D

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Its funny you mention that your friends shoot the 22WMR for coyotes. I shot a coyote with one of mine at 100yds. and it ran off yelping till I couldn't hear it yelp anymore. Put the crosshairs right behind its should and let it have it! That was the point when I got into centerfire rifles for the bigger critters like coyotes. Speaking of crawlaways, I shot a woodchuck on the run with my semiauto 22LR and I could hear the bullets hitting it but, never stopped it or slowed it down. I know the pig died but, I didn't get to see it :/!

Mike

 

[sparky123321]

I'll stick with the 22wmr for my rimfire action. I like the 25%(approx) greater muzzle energy. To each their own though.

Technical Information •Caliber: 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire
•Bullet Weight: 20 Grains
•Bullet Style: XTP Jacketed Hollow Point

Ballistics Information:
•Muzzle Velocity: 2375 fps
•Muzzle Energy: 250 ft. lbs.


Technical Information •Caliber: 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire(WMR)
•Bullet Weight: 30 Grains
•Bullet Style: V-Max

Ballistics Information:
•Muzzle Velocity: 2200 fps
•Muzzle Energy: 322 ft. lbs.

 

[CaptainMal]

Have both. The 22 mag is better up close (under 150 yards) for chucks and that occasional wild dog or yote. The 17, a Marlin hvy bbl with Rifle Basics, is way more fun and shoots tighter groups.

Why? Well it's fun is the wind. If it's windy that rifle is great practice. It's killed groundhogs to 250 yards but wounded a few also. It's killed prairie dogs to 200 yards with authority. It's a "hoot" to shoot and I get 2,560 fps with the 17 gr. V-Max bullet and MOA or less accuracy...when it's calm.

They both work well for what they are. I just kind of think that little 17 is "cool" to look at and "cooler" to shoot.

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

CaptainMal, I'm not disputing your claims to killing woodchucks at 250 yards with the 17HMR but, from what I've seen I don't think they would have the umph to get it done at that distance. Years ago some friends of mine and I were shooting a 17HMR at a target 200 yds away, in the snow, and we were finding the little 17gr. pills laying in the snow around the target! I was completely amazed that we were finding them and at that point I got the impression that those bullets didn't carry much steam at that distance to do any good. However, I watched my friend roll a coyote at 265 yds. with a 17HMR! It got up and ran away and was never to be seen again but, he rolled it. Couldn't beleive it!

Mike

 

[markr]

Neither cartridge is intended to shoot live game....of any size...at 250 yds. That is suce a disservice to the animal. But....some just gotta see if 25 ft lbs of ME is enough to do the job..

 

[tjtjwdad]

Neither cartridge is intended to shoot live game....of any size...at 250 yds. That is suce a disservice to the animal. But....some just gotta see if 25 ft lbs of ME is enough to do the job..

On a calm day, I've shot sage rats with a 17 HMR at that distance and they go down when hit but anything much bigger, I would agree with you.