.22LR vs .22WMR

O

Ophiophage

New member
EE Expired
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi everyone, first-time poster looking for some advice on my first rimfire purchase. My PAL application's status has just started showing up on the CFC website, so I'm getting a bit more serious in my shopping around/planning. Basically, I'm planning mostly to just punch paper at the range, and both local ranges go out to 100 yards with one going to 200. I was thinking of something in .22LR at first, but after going out shooting with my cousin I was a little off-put by having a 8-10" holdover at the 100 yard line. If I went for .22WMR instead, would that make a lot of difference at 100-200 yard ranges? Most comparisons of the two that I could find online dealt more with their uses on varmints and not so much on the differences in effective range. The cost of ammo isn't that big an issue as I'm not going to be able to go shooting a whole lot, being a student, but I am a bit restricted in my budget for a gun(so far my eye's been on a Marlin 925M). Any other advice for a relative newbie is also appreciated.
 
Depending on the ammunition you could get another 50-100m over .22lr. IMO you should get a .223. Some models can be had new for very cheap. You could look around for used too and maybe get something neat. .22WMR ammo is expensive and doesn't offer too much over LR. Not that I don't love the round...
 
Ruger 10/22 are FUN!

Lots of bolts in .22LR.

Have you considered a Savage Model 93R17 .17 HMR? or similar rifle in that calibre?
 
I shoot a .22 LR out to 200 yards. with a millidot scope, it takes little to adjust for the further distances. No real miracles in the target shooting but well enough for the field critters.

I have tried the .22 mag. but saw no real difference in range qualities. If you are being serious about target shooting and/or field duties, I might suggest IMO that either a .222 or .223 would be the ticket. For closer target work at about 50 yards, it is cheaper to shoot .22 and many of the guns available in the EEs, are more than suffice for these duties. I shoot a 1940 Marlin or 1960s Lakefield for both duties to 100 yards. After that distance , either a .222 or .223 , though a longer barrelled .22 (24-27 inches) will certainly fit that bill also.
 
.22 LR all the way!

welcome to the forum!

If you are
1. just starting out,
2. want to shoot targets and are
3. on a limited budget for ammo,

the .22 LR is your best bet. Although it has less range, it's easier on the ears.

If the bullet drop really concerns you at 100 yds (I rarely shoot that range, too much walking to the target), get a scope with resettable turrets, so you can dial back and forth between different ranges.

If you get a bolt action, you will have a hard time burning thru $20 in a day of shooting (500 rounds), whereas the .22 mag will be past that at about 75 rounds.

In my opinion, the .22 mag comes into it's own for hunting beyond 100 yds.
Unless you have need of the extra power/range, don't go there.
 
In my opinion .22lr gets more interesting past 100yds. 200-300yds is a reasonable distance to shoot them.

Think of it as a scale model of a centerfire, about 1/3rd scale. At 300yds the drop and wind drift is very similar to a .308 at 900yds or nearly so.

Shoot at steel targets and you only have to walk to them twice.

Get a Savage Mk2 FV and a decent scope (used on the EE for both). If you only want to shoot past 100yds then get an Elite 3200 10x mildot, they don't focus so well upclose but they will take you to the limits of the round.

It's like driving a slow car fast, much more fun then driving a fast car slow:D

Cheers,
Grant
 
Start with the 22lr cheap and fun to shoot then get a 222 or 223 or a hornet center fire when u have the cash 22 mag ammo cost about the same as reloads for center fire and do not even come close in power or fun
 
Don't even think about centrefire if you don't have a purpose other then plinking. .22LR all the way! It will get you out more often as you won't be concerned about price/recoil/noise or various other concerns with bigger guns. The .22LR is made for fun, plinking and learning...it will convince you that shooting is a lifetime endeavour!
 
Starting out, .22lr is the way to go.
After a couple years(or months) you'll end up getting a .22mag and/or a .17hmr
.22lr is the way to start, and keep adding as you get some extra dough.
Variety is the spice of life.
 
I think the gun will cost roughly about the same $250-300. Marlin or Savage. But the ammo is very different...

Roughly what I pay,

22WMR $14.99 50 rounds (CCI)
17HMR $18.99 50 rounds -gone up 4 bucks recently! (FEDERAL vital shok)
22LR $19.99-29.99 500-525 rounds depending on brand. I have around 9 kinds.

The mag rimfire ammo also seems to be harder to find as of late, and in terms of CASH FLOW the 22LR is the cheapest to feed. I don't find any rimfire all that costly when compared to centerfire, and I don't reload centerfire. I keep about 300-500 rounds on hand of each mag rimfire but have 10x that in LR 3000-5000 rounds of 22LR all the time that says a lot to me about cost and finding product. Lots of different brands to try as well with the 22LR. If on a budget go with the 22LR.
I have shot all these rounds out to 150M for fun but for the most part I keep it all to 100M or less punching paper and hunting critters but that is just me.
I also agree with this statement lookout made, shooting is a lifetime endeavour!
 
I have a 22LR, 22 WMR and 17 HMR. The 22 LR can reach out to 100m but accurately is another issue. Most ammunition for 22LR doesn't get there supersonic so it is a pretty difficult affair to get tight groups. If you are going to spend a lot of time at the 100+ m line then I would recommend the 17 HMR. It is by far the most accurate rimfire I have shot at 100+ m. Ammunition is about 15.99/50 but it is money well spent. Matchgrade 22LR - the only worthwhile stuff is pretty close to this in price or even more unless you go to midgrade stuff (i.e. Lapua Master/Eley Black box Match) which is about 10 bucks/box. 22 WMR ammo is in around the 12/50 but the better stuff can be as much as 17HMR stuff (i.e. Winchester Supreme/Remington Vmax) so I would just avoid both and get the 17HMR. Don't let the guys here try to tell you that 22LR is the cheapest to feed - 22LR is the cheapest to get ammunition for but none of the low end stuff is reliable enough to group well at 100+ m. Just my 2 cents.

As for rifle choices in the lower end stuff like Savage and Marlin - they are both good. There really isn't a bad rifle in either line up.
 
Glock4ever said:
I have a 22LR, 22 WMR and 17 HMR. The 22 LR can reach out to 100m but accurately is another issue. Most ammunition for 22LR doesn't get there supersonic so it is a pretty difficult affair to get tight groups.
Click to expand...

Try using ammo that starts out subsonic and it will surprise you.
It's when rimfire goes subsonic that it starts to shoot like crap, a good subsonic 40gr will be just as accurate (MOA wise) at 200m as it was at 100m (wind depending).
 
lone-wolf said:
Starting out, .22lr is the way to go.
After a couple years(or months) you'll end up getting a .22mag and/or a .17hmr
.22lr is the way to start, and keep adding as you get some extra dough.
Variety is the spice of life.
Click to expand...

And a .22 is a great way to acquire examples of the calibre in all 5 (6?) "long-gun" action types...;)
 
Hey everyone, thanks for all the advice! After going over your guys' posts and some other reviews/articles online, I've settled on getting a .22 to start(especially seeing the cost and selection of .17HMR locally, sheesh). I don't think it'll be long before I "have" to go get something in .17 or .223 for longer-range shooting, but for now I've got my eyes on a Savage Mark II-FV. Not bottom-of-the-barrel cheap but not as expensive(compared to my income) as something nice like a CZ.
 
Grantmac said:
In my opinion .22lr gets more interesting past 100yds. 200-300yds is a reasonable distance to shoot them.

Think of it as a scale model of a centerfire, about 1/3rd scale. At 300yds the drop and wind drift is very similar to a .308 at 900yds or nearly so.
Click to expand...
:agree:

I've had more fun shooting .22lr at 100-300yds than any centerfire. You don't need match grade ammo for plinking. I use cheap Federal 510 40gr solids in my Cooey 60 and 64b and they'll hit eggs at 100yd with surprising regularity. With a good scope and the evening sun behind me, I can watch the bullet trace which is pretty cool when I'm chipping away at a 6" gong at 300yd.:) Never under-estimate the good ol' 22.
 
B said:
Depending on the ammunition you could get another 50-100m over .22lr. IMO you should get a .223. Some models can be had new for very cheap. You could look around for used too and maybe get something neat. .22WMR ammo is expensive and doesn't offer too much over LR. Not that I don't love the round...
Click to expand...




.22mag will take of everything up-to, and including, 'yotes.


I have one, yes, ammo is expensive, but it's my go-to gun for all my small game hunting (which seems to be the only kind of hunting I ever get around to doing.)
 
i never really saw the point of the .22 WMR.

the main advantage of the .22 LR is that it is dirt cheap to shoot, has a huge ammo selection (especially in a bolt action - which is what i would highly recommend for a first gun), and is quiet (with CBs in a long barrel the only noise i hear is the mechanical noise of the gun and the thwack of the bullet hitting the target).

none of these advantages exist in the .22 WMR. if i want more power than a .22 LR, such as for hunting yotes or larger varmints, ill step up to my .223.

you cant go wrong with a bolt action .22 as your first gun.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom