.17HMR vs .22LR?
- Thread starter paintgunner
- Start date
If you have money to blow, go with the 17.
Even a 22 with match ammo is pricey. But I'm a cheapskate. I buy. 223 @ 26 cents when most will buy it at 40+ cents a round.
I even won't buy CCI 22s because it's expensive! The best deal I've seen is 8.5 cents a round after tax.
I bought 10,000 of AE on sale for less than $400 last year.
Sad thing is my new gun doesn't like it.
Back on topic, what distance are you shooting and will there be wind? If it's going to be windy most days you shoot or are shooting long distances, I'd go with the 22. Just my 2cents worth.
Even a 22 with match ammo is pricey. But I'm a cheapskate. I buy. 223 @ 26 cents when most will buy it at 40+ cents a round.
I even won't buy CCI 22s because it's expensive! The best deal I've seen is 8.5 cents a round after tax.
I bought 10,000 of AE on sale for less than $400 last year.
Sad thing is my new gun doesn't like it.
Back on topic, what distance are you shooting and will there be wind? If it's going to be windy most days you shoot or are shooting long distances, I'd go with the 22. Just my 2cents worth.
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Worth getting in my opinion . super accurate . I shot metal targets with both .22 and .17 hmr . They were .22 "Allen spinner targets" .17 punched right through them. . Makes a distinctive "snap" sound when you nail a gopher . I have a target heavy barrel rifle . The wind was nothing one day and i nailed coins at 150 yards. Main disadvantage is price . $14-16 for box of 50 .
For target shooting i don't believe the 17 is worth the extra cost compared to 22. It's around 30 cents per round compared to 4 cents for .22. But, for hunting the 17 is absolutely worth the extra as it is super accurate and flat trajectory.
I chose .22lr after owning both.
.22lr has more versatility, i can buy .22lr from the nearly silent CB longs at 730~fps, to velocitors and stingers at 1400-1600fps.
Also my main use for rimfire is plinking and target shooting, so i can really play around with different ammo types and shoot a LOT for very little money. If my main use for rimfire was hunting, then i might get a .17 or .22 mag, but i doubt it. .17 seems like it would spoil too much meat.
And believe it or not, i've owned many .22's that were equally if not more accurate than my savage .17hmr.
.22lr has more versatility, i can buy .22lr from the nearly silent CB longs at 730~fps, to velocitors and stingers at 1400-1600fps.
Also my main use for rimfire is plinking and target shooting, so i can really play around with different ammo types and shoot a LOT for very little money. If my main use for rimfire was hunting, then i might get a .17 or .22 mag, but i doubt it. .17 seems like it would spoil too much meat.
And believe it or not, i've owned many .22's that were equally if not more accurate than my savage .17hmr.
hometownhero
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toon Town, Sk
22lr match ammo is almost the same price as hmr ammo is. Eley team is $10/50 here and hmr is $13.99-15.99/50. For that small difference I will take hmr accuracy is similar and hmr gets the job done farther out for me.
If you want to shoot targets out to 100 yards and more then I would say yes it is worth it. If I'm shooting anything around 50 yards I use the .22's...my .17 is so accurate at that range it kind of takes the fun out of it. I bought mine primarily for groundhog etc... because of it's longer range, accuracy and flat trajectory. Point and shoot out to 150 yards.
Canadian_Zuk
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Pickering, Ontario
I own both and shoot both, 22 at the range and HMR in the field. I never bring the HMR to the range any more, handloaded .223 is much cheaper and more satisfying. The 17HMR is a great small game round and the 22 is as cheap as it gets if you shoot a lot. Every single HMR I have handled has been a sub MOA gun, ALL of them, right from the cheapest NEF sportster up to a Sako Quad. The cartridge itself is inherently accurate.
Another option is the HM2, it is somewhere in the middle between 22 and HMR in terms of performance and ammo price.
Another option is the HM2, it is somewhere in the middle between 22 and HMR in terms of performance and ammo price.
I own both as a target shooter I would never consider buying a 17hmr, but I helped my brother move and he gave me one. I can shoot my .223 for less, but now that I have it I really enjoy shooting it.
I'd recommend you get a .22 first though.
I'd recommend you get a .22 first though.
Depends mainly on the volume of shooting and the distance to target:
Finally, you can't outshoot 22lr match ammo with 17HMR ammo at 50 yards and shorter range.
At 25 yards, good 22lr ammo with outshoot 17HMR ammo at on 1/3 of the cost.
Alex
- If you shoot large volumes of ammo, definitively buy a 22lr
- If you shoot most of the time over 50 yards, definitively buy a 17HMR
Finally, you can't outshoot 22lr match ammo with 17HMR ammo at 50 yards and shorter range.
At 25 yards, good 22lr ammo with outshoot 17HMR ammo at on 1/3 of the cost.
Alex
I agree with this 110%. Should also be said, there really isn't any comparison between .22lr and 17HMR, they really are different animals. 17HMR is incredibly accurate from a decent gun, but as much as I love shooting...I could never use one for target shooting. Like C_Zuk said~for the same money, you can shoot .223 reloads and get more desirable results anyway. I heard that a number of times before I bought my first .223 years ago and refused to believe it or rather, get my head around reloading. Wish I knew then what I know now. I think HMR has it's place, but even as a hunting round on anything bigger than a squirrel....22WMR is more interesting to me. Not laser-like accuracy, but WAY more punch. The PERFECT answer is to get one (or more) of each.
I've had 3 HMRs (all gone) a .22WMR, a 17M2, and numerous .22s. I wish I had my .22WMR back, but .22lr gets most of the attention, 17M2 a close runner-up. I only hunt with .223, and have ordered a .204 Ruger to compliment that. No future HMR plans for me. If I was in AB with gophers-o-plenty, I might be singing a very different tune.
another 'agree with' ZUK & 22lrguy...
I sold my .17hmr and went straight to .223 as it shoots to 300,400,500+ for not much more cost and is also a caliber that you can reload too.
I also have a pretty accurate .22 for bulk can plinking / target shooting in the 50- 100 range and .22 has such a large variety of rounds!! 1600fps stingers, 1000fps subsonics (my personal favorite), 700fps quites etc etc for pennies.
I sold my .17hmr and went straight to .223 as it shoots to 300,400,500+ for not much more cost and is also a caliber that you can reload too.
I also have a pretty accurate .22 for bulk can plinking / target shooting in the 50- 100 range and .22 has such a large variety of rounds!! 1600fps stingers, 1000fps subsonics (my personal favorite), 700fps quites etc etc for pennies.
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I've had 2 hmrs and both are gone. I won't buy another one. I kinda miss my 22 mag though. I've had many 22s and still have lots of them. I don't do much varminting so for me for hunting small game I use the 22. I have a 17m2 also and I prefer it over the HMR due to ammo costs and noise reduction.
I have both, after 300 rounds of 10/22, Im ready to HMR it up! Goes back and forth. For me its simple. lots of places around here you can get away with shooting the HMR. it's relatively quiet, shorter range, a .223 just won't work. That does not mean I don't need one though!! If I go gopher hunting the cost is not important, my hit percentage is always very high, the blood spray through the scope is a bonus, the loud "pop" it produces, its just lots of fun. For plain target shooting I would never think of taking it out, that would be .22 or .270 for me. Last year sighting in our rifles before the season, we had a cardboard deer cutout to shoot at, while the other guys were popping off rifle rounds @ 100, I made eyes and a happy face with the little HMR, was funny since nobody knew what I was doing until everybody walked up to the target.
