17hmr vs 22 / semi auto vs bolt
- Thread starter therealj
- Start date
- Location
- Barrie, Ontario
EDIT: just noticed the OP has already got a 10/22. Nice choice, I enjoy mine! I will leave my post below, because why not. lol.
Everyone has their opinion. Here is mine.
Technology helps a lot of things, but sometimes it lets us create items that are technically superior, but in practice may not be as usable as their predecessor.
The 17 has a better ballistic coefficient. Does that make it a better cartridge?
IMO its improved BC is not enough to make up for its smaller mass. On a windy day at 100m, which should be well inside the 17hmr wheelhouse, I will still put my money on a 22lr to print a better group.
Then there is the cost. Beyond any discussion of caliber, trigger control will be the defining characteristic of how good a shooter you are. You will likely be able to shoot 10x the 22 for the money. Practice practice practice.
Regarding the firearm, I am a big believe in bolt action. The safety during the learning phase is undeniably better with a bolt action. A bolt gun will cycle any ammo. A bolt gun will get you out of the rapid fire mindset, which can be fun, but not a training tool.
This leads me to 22lr bolt gun. Buy the best you can afford, as it will be around forever. Walnut and blued steel.
C
Everyone has their opinion. Here is mine.
Technology helps a lot of things, but sometimes it lets us create items that are technically superior, but in practice may not be as usable as their predecessor.
The 17 has a better ballistic coefficient. Does that make it a better cartridge?
IMO its improved BC is not enough to make up for its smaller mass. On a windy day at 100m, which should be well inside the 17hmr wheelhouse, I will still put my money on a 22lr to print a better group.
Then there is the cost. Beyond any discussion of caliber, trigger control will be the defining characteristic of how good a shooter you are. You will likely be able to shoot 10x the 22 for the money. Practice practice practice.
Regarding the firearm, I am a big believe in bolt action. The safety during the learning phase is undeniably better with a bolt action. A bolt gun will cycle any ammo. A bolt gun will get you out of the rapid fire mindset, which can be fun, but not a training tool.
This leads me to 22lr bolt gun. Buy the best you can afford, as it will be around forever. Walnut and blued steel.
C
Hey therealj~I have little doubt that a 10/22 will be a fun plinker...but will it come even remotely close to achieving these ^ goals? The honest answer~no. The 10/22 is probably the "accuracy" equivalent of the SKS you have lined-up. Both are fun guns, neither are all that accurate. In fact, in my experience shooting both...your 50 yard groups with the 10/22 may look very much like the 100 yard groups with the SKS! Not bad-mouthing the SKS...it gets it's imperfections honestly. Ruger has no excuse.
Anyhow...fun guns, I've owned a 10/22, and just bought my first SKS a few weeks ago after plinking with SKSs belonging to friends. Nothing not to like for the price.
Back to the question at hand~I think you'd be well-served by a good bolt action and no doubt (as others have said) there is merit in getting something like a CZ in 22LR. Might seem redundant now that you have a 10/22...but really, it's not. They're in entirely different leagues where accuracy/build quality are concerned. Even though I have a 17HMR, it's my least-used rifle. If I want to make that much noise, and spend that much on ammo, I'll use my heavy barrel .223. No recoil, great trigger, lots of reach, no wind issues, and lots of varmint knock-down power. My HMR is headed to Alberta soon for my gopher trip....and it may not come back. It shines in that roll, but only if the wind is cooperating. If not, it's a bummer to hear all those $.48 misses. I'd like to say it puts the "fear of God" in gophers to hear the little "thump" of a round hitting the dirt nearby...but normally...they'll give you a second chance.
10/22 is not a good purchase if you want to save $ .... (you'll see where I'm going) as there are metric f0cktons of upgrades available and you won't be able to resist the urge to mod it
joking aside, have them all !
.22 is for sure the most cost saving and fun inducing caliber you can have... the 10-22 can be upgraded to shoot pretty darn well to distances
unless you need to hunt at past 100 yards or like and want laser shooting rifle, I'd start with the .22
I'm waiting for my 17HMR in the mail myself but already have couple of .22s to burn through ammo without worrying about cost.
joking aside, have them all !
.22 is for sure the most cost saving and fun inducing caliber you can have... the 10-22 can be upgraded to shoot pretty darn well to distances
unless you need to hunt at past 100 yards or like and want laser shooting rifle, I'd start with the .22
I'm waiting for my 17HMR in the mail myself but already have couple of .22s to burn through ammo without worrying about cost.
