.17 HMR vs .22 Mag for gophers

heavenIsAlie

heavenIsAlie

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alright, im a bc boy how has recently moved to alberta. having never shot gophers before i anticipate spending alot of time doing so this summer with my friends out here. plan is a done out 10/22 for inside 75 yards and a CZ 452 varmint in either .17 or .22 mag for the longer stuff

my question is, which is going to serve me better?

(before someone says buy a .223, i dont reload and do not have room at my current place for the gear to, even though i wish i did)
 
If SOLEY for gophers/paper, I'd go .17HMR.

If you're going to be shooting coyotes and other small game - .22 Mag.

Don't count out .22LR at 75 yards though - I make routine gopher kills at 150 yards with my 10/22. It still has more than enough power. Dialing in the wind at anything above that gets tricky.
 
either/or - just pick one, it'll work.

Or, better yet, don't bother.


The difference between a 22lr and one of the magnum rimfires is tiny in comparison between any rimfire and any centerfire, and the cost of the magnum rimfire is almost as much as white-box 223. It's certainly cheaper to reload a 223
 
I have a wicked 10/22, but also have a .17hmr, used to have a .22mag. I find the 17 more accurate at medium to long ranges than the 22mag. But, shoot my 10/22 at 100yds and beyond. (17 out to 300 so far) Just look for a good deal and go from there.
 
I went with a .17hmr after a fair bit of research, I can't make a claim to its greatness tho because i have not taken it out yet. Update next week then:)
 
I have shot gophers with both and for the hard hitting splat effect I'd give it to the .22 Magnum.

I kept my magnum and got rid of the .17.
 
Bull's-Eye said:
I have shot gophers with both and for the hard hitting splat effect I'd give it to the .22 Magnum.

I kept my magnum and got rid of the .17.
Click to expand...

Me too; though I find I use my Hornet MUCH more often even so, and it's actually cheaper to shoot as I reload for it
 
Maybe that's a good idea. Winchester white box ammo isn't that much more expensive than HMR - you can get 40 223's for about the price of 50 HMR's, and factory FMJ is closer in price still
 
As it has already been said, for gophers, don't limit yourself to 75 yards and under with a .22cal rifle. Get a good scope and you would be amazed at how far away you an nail them.
 
The hmr is a good third gopher gun.

22 first a semi is pretty much required (make sure to get a gopher call too)

223 second, 1. reloading does not need to take up lots of space, for year I fint my reloading gear in a box not much bigger than a milk crate. 2. cheap decent 223 ammo is around but FMJ's have no buissiness being in a gopher feild though. 3. You will want to go coyote hunting and niether of the rim mags are not what you would call ideal for coyotes.

third the 17 hmr
Then between the rim mags I like the hmr, flatter shooting and in general more accurate, it only really gets fun at 150, any closer and it's too easy.
 
is the cheap soft nose ammo frangible enough for use in a field? i would never use FMJ because no backstop and wasnt sure is the soft nose would have the same problem of not fragmenting enough and ricoceting somewhere i dont want it to.
 
I thing anything under 55 grains should be good. The whitebox ammo and PMC that my buddy shot(I shoot 204) before he started handloading worked great, plenty fragile enough to be safe.

Untill you stretch it out some, richocets are not much (if any) of a problem.
 
.375 H&H Magnum.. Aghem, i mean.. i'd go with the .22 mag. a little bit of added range and versatility dont really hurt, and the ammo cost is comparable to .17 hmr.
 
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