Thoughts on .22LR vs .22WMR?
- Thread starter trooper1954
- Start date
I would say it depends on what you want it for. For plinking or target shooting or small game, 22lr is way more economical than 22wmr. If you've already got a bunch of 22lr's and want something different, or want something for larger varmints (beaver, foxes or along those lines), 22wmr has a lot more umph than 22lr.
#1 on intended use. Back in about '68 I wanted mo power and went to a wmr, kinda choked on the price of ammo then already. Only had it a few years, cost too much to feed in the gopher pasture. Have stayed with 22lr ever since, just keep the shots within a reasonable range. There is a noticeable increase in performance for sure though.
There is no question the .22 mag has more juice than the .22lr. I recall reading somewhere that the former has more energy at 100 yards than the latter has at the muzzle. That stated, the .22 mag is louder, and as already noted, it costs more to shoot.[SUP]1[/SUP]
I have often thought that the .22 WMR is a solution looking for a problem. I am not sure there is any one niche that it fills particularly well. But that's just me! Someone else may have found THE perfect application for that cartridge. I consider it to be a .22 on steroids, and use it accordingly.
Having written all this, I would say the .22 WMR is a really fun gun to shoot. In fact, when I take my rimfire guns out for a range day, I find myself spending more trigger time on the .22 WMR, despite the fact that the ammo costs more.
1. As an aside, the judicious reloader can load .223 for around the same cost per shot, or possibly less, than .22 WMR. It hardly needs to be said that the .223 offers a LOT more in terms of range, accuracy, and bullet choice. That said, it also produces a lot more noise per shot.
I have often thought that the .22 WMR is a solution looking for a problem. I am not sure there is any one niche that it fills particularly well. But that's just me! Someone else may have found THE perfect application for that cartridge. I consider it to be a .22 on steroids, and use it accordingly.
Having written all this, I would say the .22 WMR is a really fun gun to shoot. In fact, when I take my rimfire guns out for a range day, I find myself spending more trigger time on the .22 WMR, despite the fact that the ammo costs more.
1. As an aside, the judicious reloader can load .223 for around the same cost per shot, or possibly less, than .22 WMR. It hardly needs to be said that the .223 offers a LOT more in terms of range, accuracy, and bullet choice. That said, it also produces a lot more noise per shot.
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- Location
- Iroquois Falls ON
The correct answer is, of coarse, that you need both 
Ok, joking aside, as already mentioned it does depend on your needs. .22 LR is well suited to plinking and small game like grouse and rabbits, also good for pest control like skunks and gophers. My experience is that if you need more power the .22 WMR is more accurate than the hot loads made for .22 LR. The jacketed hollow points of the .22 WMR are better suited to the higher velocities.
Ok, joking aside, as already mentioned it does depend on your needs. .22 LR is well suited to plinking and small game like grouse and rabbits, also good for pest control like skunks and gophers. My experience is that if you need more power the .22 WMR is more accurate than the hot loads made for .22 LR. The jacketed hollow points of the .22 WMR are better suited to the higher velocities.
I think true place for 22lr is target range with pre-set distances. Anything in the field is owned by 22WMR. And this is from simple fact, that trajectory of 22lr out to 100 yards is bigger than the size of a small game you will be shooting at. Ammo price difference is something of a cultural shock more than anything, once you are past that and accept new reality, 22WMR will be your best rimfire cartridge.
I just picked up a ruger in wmr. I already had a bunch of 22s and wanted something different.
I'm new to firearms and I was/am shocked at how much more powerful the magnum is.
It blasts through stuff that the 22lr only pecks at.
Basically, I'm planning on using mine as an occasional pinking gun.
Around here it about 12-15 bucks a box and it's much louder than the 22lr.
Dan
I'm new to firearms and I was/am shocked at how much more powerful the magnum is.
It blasts through stuff that the 22lr only pecks at.
Basically, I'm planning on using mine as an occasional pinking gun.
Around here it about 12-15 bucks a box and it's much louder than the 22lr.
Dan
Yea. I have both and the difference is a lot. Shooting gophers with the WMR at 100yds tosses them in the air 3 ft, where the 22LR won't even do that at 25yds. So now I take both rifles for gophers and shoot the WMR beyond 100 and LR for closer shots.
