.17 hmr or .22lr

[shotgunny 39]

Hi lads

Im thinking about getting a rifle. Now i have little experience with any rifles but all i want the rifle for is rabbit control mainly and the odd fox.

Firstly what price am i looking at for each ?

Secondly what sort of price is ammo ?

 

Which one would ye recommend for me to buy ??

 

Atb

Myles

[zx10mike 137]

hi pal

you will allways get a different opinion on this.the 22lr you will pick up cheaper and the ammo is much cheaper.throwing a 40 grain subsonic at about 1250fps(i personally find they are bad for richocets.)

 

the .17hmr spits a 17 grn ballistick tip at 2550fps,bullets are more expensive but again in my humble opinion better accuracy at 100yds much flatter trajectory tho i am sure it will do the job the 17grn tip is not rated for fox i think they do a 20grn that is.i personally find it a safer round.

 

cant go wrong with either!

becouse the .17 shoots a copper bullet make sure the bore is good if buying second hand as some buggers have a poor cleaning regime.you can get faster copper bullets for the .22 but for the difference i would not bother.

 

 

big noise difference but the thud of a .22 hitting a rabbit is as bad as the crack of the .17hmr when it comes to scaring outher bunnys.

 

the 40grn .22 will be affected less by the wind!

[tonytreadwell 0]

hi pal

you will allways get a different opinion on this.the 22lr you will pick up cheaper and the ammo is much cheaper.throwing a 40 grain subsonic at about 1250fps(i personally find they are bad for richocets.)

 

the .17hmr spits a 17 grn ballistick tip at 2550fps,bullets are more expensive but again in my humble opinion better accuracy at 100yds much flatter trajectory tho i am sure it will do the job the 17grn tip is not rated for fox i think they do a 20grn that is.i personally find it a safer round.

 

cant go wrong with either!

becouse the .17 shoots a copper bullet make sure the bore is good if buying second hand as some buggers have a poor cleaning regime.you can get faster copper bullets for the .22 but for the difference i would not bother.

 

 

big noise difference but the thud of a .22 hitting a rabbit is as bad as the crack of the .17hmr when it comes to scaring outher bunnys.

 

the 40grn .22 will be affected less by the wind!

[tonytreadwell 0]

hi i hav both 17 and 22 im out four of the 7 days each week dads a gamekeeper you can hav more fun with the 22 make sure its bolt action as auto arnt as accurate useing subs they only come out at 1040 fps no noise shot 4 geese all sat next to each other if i was using the 17 would prob only got one or 2 ive got a sako 22 smoth as silk a cz 17 bit cheap if you ask me

[izatt 0]

As mike says everyone will have there own opinion

 

I prefer the .22lr although the .17HMR has a flatter trajectory, due to the light bullet any wind and the bullets are all over the place.

 

From a cost factor both the rifle and the bullets of the HMR are way more expensive than the .22 for a second hand HMR your talking atleast £300 for a .22 £100 and for the bullets i get 50 .22 subsonics for £3.75 for 50 .17HMR's is £15.50 so there is a hell of a price difference.

 

Since the .22 is subsonic the moderator is so much smaller and cheeper and the gun is so much quieter since there is no sonic crack, so you dont scare other bunnys in the fields.

 

So over all unless you are planning on using it at ranges over 100yards and only want to shoot when it there is no wind, and have plents money to throw away on bullets then i would always choose the 22.

 

If you are wanting something for foxes at a distance apply for a 243 then you can use it for deer aswell thats what i have done 243 for fox and deer and 22 for rabbits and close range foxes.

All the best

Edited April 20, 2011 by izatt

[archiekale 427]

hi Myles

i'm lucky i shoot both guns anschutz 22lr &17hmr

the 22lr is very accurate 60yards for night time lamping rabbits (windy dark nights )

the 17hmr is brilliant at long range daytime 50 yards = 150 yards very little wind ( don't go if its windy )

the ammo for the 22lr 7 1/2 p per bullet 500 = £37.50

the ammo for 17hmr 19p per bullet 500 = £95.00

the 22 does ricochet but if you have a backstop no probs the 22 bullet when ricocheted as no aerodynamics (miss shaped so wont go too far )but all ways make sure its safe to take the shot if it does ricocheted

the 17 hmr is briliant for long range early morning or sunset shots no wind

i would say for the best all rounder gun it as to be the 22lr cheap ammo hope this helps

[shotgunny 39]

Hi lads great replys with lots of info

one more question is what is max range of each rifle and by max range I mean good clean kills ?

Atb

 

myles

[Colster 1]

.22LR 60-80yards

 

.17HMR: 120-140yards

 

Yes, both will go further (my furthest is 124 with the .22 and 175 with the HMR) but as an "aim at it", confident shot they're the ranges I work to.

 

I love them both but if I could only have one, it would be LR. Cheaper to feed, quieter and will do everything the HMR will do except the >100yard stuff but I don't find that an issue with bunny, getting under 40yards to a bunny can be tricky but 60-80yards shouldn't be.

[izatt 0]

I have my 22 set for 50yrds and can shoot easily as close as 20 or far out as , i have had the sights set for 100yrds and you can shoot out to 120-130 but the drop is way to much to compensate accuratly at short range so find it better setting them at 50 and just getting a bit closer. For the HMR you get the extra bit or range out to 140yrds but any wind and again your screwed. There is the trajectory graph for the 22lr and 17HMR

[Deker 3,478]

A .22lr is probably the ideal sub sonic rabbit tool, if you want supersonic get the HMR.

 

This question comes round a lot, and many regions will not consider rimfire for fox, that is your first hurdle.

 

I have all my rimfires and centrefires fox conditioned, and they ALL get used for fox as the situation dictates.

 

Frankly, in the great scheme of things you need 2 rifles (at least) to cover the bases, anything will deal with a rabbit but a .22WMR or Hornet, or other low end .22 centrefire will probably come out favorite for the fox.

 

I do this professionally and have a good selection of tools to deal with situations. Most people don't, and in reality most people don't need the variety of tools I use.

 

Rabbits, easy with the .22lr or HMR, if you want Fox as well, consider the HMR/WMR/Hornet as a one gun solution, but really consider two rifles!

[cookey 1]

hi i hav both 17 and 22 im out four of the 7 days each week dads a gamekeeper you can hav more fun with the 22 make sure its bolt action as auto arnt as accurate useing subs they only come out at 1040 fps no noise shot 4 geese all sat next to each other if i was using the 17 would prob only got one or 2 ive got a sako 22 smoth as silk a cz 17 bit cheap if you ask me

 

go for a ruger 10 22 as for accuracy well i will add a pictur of mine at 50 yards 10 shot groupe 15mm

had a bold action and would far prefer a semy, and if god forbid u miss or wound with first shot well by the time u have actioned boalt well he gon with semmy bang bang bang and so on.

Thaty my opinon it up 2 u bud

[Deker 3,478]

60 yards .22lr Magtech 40g Subs

 

100 yard .17HMR Hornady 17g

 

 

I think the question is a bit wider than achievable groups!

 

 

Also a daft 3 shot group from the same session at 60 yards with the .22lr Magtech subs, this is unusual, they don't often get that good, but these things happen sometimes.

Edited April 23, 2011 by Deker