.22LR vs .22 Mag

I have a Marlin 25MN and a Rem 597mag and both are well regarded here.
2 -2.5" groups average ( sandbagged) at 150yd with the Marlin being the more accurate.
Thats not bad for these 54yr old eyes . I'm sure a young-gun can tighten those groups up .
I really got into the .22mag for hunting jackrabbit and coyote .
They've got too much punch for cottontail sized critters , IMPO , so bunnie hunts are usually with the .22lr.
Available at pretty well any ammo store I've been into and there's also a good variety of ammo types/makers .
For plinking /target shooting the .22mag is a blast and a great bang for the buck.
 
Why have a .22 mag when you can buy .22lr stingers and velocitors? They come within a couple hundred fps of the .22 mag and I doubt that small game could tell the difference between a .22mag and a velocitor out to 100m. The .22mag will give you a little extra range, but is it worth an extra 50m of hunting range to give up the versatility that a .22lr offers?

.22lr can shoot ammo from 30gr @ 730ish fps, to 40gr @ 1400+fps, or 32gr @ 1600+ fps

.22mag is 5-10X the cost, and offers loads from 1800fps (10$+ per 50), to 2000- 2200fps (hornady $$$ expensive hunting fodder)

You give up a lot of versatility for a little extra range, at a much greater cost.
I mentally consider the .22mag the smallest centerfire round despite it being a rimfire. Not really a "first gun" to spend hours at the range with mastering the fundamentals of true marksmanship. That's the role the .22lr was born to play, and it doubles very nicely as a small game round.

But for foxes and yotes, the .22lr can but ethically should not be used for hunting, it's just too weak... Even .22mag is marginal past 75m IMHO, unless you're a deadeye shot. That's .223 or .22-250 work.
 
L0veM0nKeY said:
Get Both :)
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if only i could, i would.

any recommendations for a .22mag? The one my friend is selling is a Ruger 10/22 Magnum- but I'd prefer having a bolt for a first rifle.

I'm still torn between both calibers though- if I can find a decent place to shoot a few times a month, close to where I live, I'd go with the .22WMR, but if I have to travel anymore than 20km, then I'll have to go .22LR for its economical price.
 
"...is a Ruger 10/22 Magnum..." Almost an instant collector's piece. Ruger quit making 'em. Rumour has it that it was discontinued due to operational issues and cracking bolts. I've only seen that on one site though.
The ammo is readily available any place. About twice as expensive as .22 LR ammo. The .22 Mag is a 150 yard cartridge vs the 100 or so for a LR.
 
djmay71 said:
he's asking $200, and its clearly been abused by installing/removing scopes because the mounted rails are scratched up
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The 10/22 mag was only produced for a short while I believe and are somewhat rare so $200 is a good deal.

How many mags does he have?

Hopefully someone else who know more about the 10/22 mags will chip in some more info...

As for a first gun a .22lr is a better choice but if you buy your buddys for $200 and decide you want to sell it later it should hold it's value and be an easy sale at $200 and you might even make some money....
 
I went to ask him how many mags he has, and he told me a collector offered him $180 for it, so he sold it :(

Oh well, depending on where I end up shooting, I might end up having to shoot .22LR
 
You can not go wrong with a 22LR. It will serve you well in all that you want to do. The 22mag is a nice round but gets a little pricey for plinking.
 
I love both cartridges. Don't find any use for .17s. For my nickel if you want to punch holes in paper or tin cans at 50 meters or less (or if you want to participate in the fun sport of rimfire metallic silhouette shooting) or if you have to shoot at a range that limits its use to .22LR get a good .22LR. If you want to punch anything else get a .22WMR. Or if you are like many get one of each over time and you have all your bases covered. If I had to cut down to two firearms my 2 rimfires would be the last to go and I don't know if the .22LR would be my final choice to retain. I doubt it.
 
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