Anyone Exchanged Their .17Hmr For A .22 Magnum???

[jam1e 12]

Hi folks,

I'm after a few members opinions on the CZ 452 hmr.

I'm considering part-chopping my CZ 452 HMR for a .22 magnum, and wondered is anyone else out there has done the same and what their conclusions were?

I'm finding my .22lr subs more accurate at 100 yards than my HMR. I zeroed both at 50 yards, and the holdover is 4.5 milldots on the .22lr, yet it still gives a tighter group at that distance than the hmr. Around 1 to 1.5 inches.

I may be wrong (with my fading memory), but i'm sure my hmr, (when they were first released) would give me 1" groups all day long at 100 yards, despite a breeze moving my p.o.i. Now i'm achieving an average of a 2"! group. Both are CZ 452 silhouettes with synthetic stocks. I've free floated both barrels, with a small amount of channel sanding. And both use the same scope, and identical "Rimfire Magic" trigger kits.

I've cleaned both barrels with the same bore cleaner. Checked all my fixings were tight. Changed supplier of the hmr red tips to blue tips.(Not that the colour makes any odds in my opinion) I've even added a 2nd bipod stud further back on the hmr to eliminate any possible problems with flexing in the stock. I've also shot off a bag and bipod.

I'm at a loss as to what it could be. Hence the thought of going with a .22 magnum. At least i can more than double the weight of the bullet so it's less influenced by wind.

Any "constructive" opinions appreciated.

Cheers. Jamie

Edited May 13, 2013 by jam1e

[pothunter 33]

had same bother and cleaned bore with m pro 7 on a patch over night then patched it out, you then have to shoot a bit to get it back on. back on as good as new busting rabbits at near 200yards on lamp so not much wrong.

[pothunter 33]

by the way i went from .22mag after years to a 17 hmr and would not go back for no money

[rimmer 33]

If you can group 22 subs like that at 100yrds well done thats good shooting.

You need to weigh up the pros and cons.

The wmr suffers more in the wind than the hmr but has more energy but sheds that energy quicker than both wmr and lr at 200 yrds the lr has more energy than the hmr, the hmr shoots flatter than the wmr.

As for cost well hmr is cheaper about half the price from what i remember.

[jam1e 12]

Thanks for the replies folks. I can't take all the credit for the .22lr group at 100 yards. That was with the comfort of being "bench-rested" at my local club.

[jam1e 12]

by the way i went from .22mag after years to a 17 hmr and would not go back for no money

Pothunter, Were v-max .22 mags available when you had your .22 mag, and did you try them for accuracy? Just to point out i haven't, it's just out of curiosity...

When i cleaned the bores on both my .22 and .17hmr i used "Forrest" "Milfoam" and left the foam to soak for an hour.

If 1" to 1.5" groups are good at 100 yards with subs then surely, with my hmr, i should be getting at least 1" groups at 100 yards bench-rested...

I'll try cleaning again with the foam, but leave it overnight and see how that does.

Just to add, after soaking i use a pull-thru snake and not a rod with patches. Could that be the issue?

Cheers

Jamie

[pothunter 33]

i got the first box of remington v max in northern ireland, and yes they where sub 1" groups and the best stoppers in .22mag, but they still drop off a lot. have heard good and bad reports on the foam but i will stick with the m pro as i was told it was very good and it was i always run the snake through after shooting any way and only use the m pro and patches when gun goes off and i think its about 600 or 700 rounds my best group off the roof of van with a bag you could cover 5 shots with 5pence but you know yourself days you will be better than others and if your 1" or 3/4" theres not much wrong. by the way my grandfather used to set his .22lr with 1 shot he had a carpenters vice with wooden jaws and a bit of rag tightened round the rifle the vice was on a VERY heavy bench he fired 1 shot went down range and marked the hole with a dab of paint went back and adjusted cross haires on to the dab of paint with out moving gun. Gun was on the money!

[andyf 144]

Hi

I had a 16" carbine CZ 'American' for a couple of years, mine was pretty good (1"@100) and I didn't clean it all the time, only if

it 'wandered' & that was typically after 50 or so rounds.

If I had any problems it was 'duff' primer rings or no main powder charge on 'bad' ammo.

As for the 22 WMR I wouldn't bother if I were you, my mate has an 'oldish' but tidy CZ WMR the ammo is very expensive

and for what it's worth I can't see any advantage over a standard HV Rimfire.

If you really want a bit 'more' maybe it's time for a .223 or 22.250 you'll need to become a reloader though. (And you thought

17HMR was a bit dear).

[pothunter 33]

.22mag ammo is about same price as 17hmr

[GEOFF.223 83]

my mate sung praises about his wmr until i took my hmr out with him for target/bunny bashing after seeing 3 shoots in a circle from drawing around a 1p he traded his in and ordered a lovely ruger m77 laminated stock

[magyarman 0]

22 wmr ammo is the same price as 17 hmr. You can also go semi-auto with the 22.

I use the 33 gr VMax's in my Rem 597 and accuracy is absolutely spot on with no worries about a lack of killing power for Charlie - the bullet goes in and the fox comes out.

Only real advantage I find with the 17 is not having to use holdover as much - horses for courses really

[jam1e 12]

Thanks for the replies fellas, much appreciated.

A .22 wmr semi-auto does sounds oodles of fun! (albeit, a tad expensive..)

However, i'd like at least a 1" group if it were a semi-auto. But would that be possible??

 

As stated on here, and from my own enquiries, the .22 wmr ammo seems around the same price as the hmr.

 

Pothunter, your grandad's zeroing technique was obviously just the job! Fair play to him!!

 

Andyf, I see your point and thanks for the response. However, i already own a centre fire rifle and do my own reloading for that. It's very theraputic. And a hobby in itself ! Does that sound as sad to other people as it does to me!??

 

Anyhow, i'm going to keep plodding on for now, trying to sort out the accuracy issue with the hmr. I'll change my brand of bore cleaner to start with.... I'm trying to find out if my cleaning procedure is to blame. Is soaking the bore in my "Forrest" "Milfoam" for an hour, then running the bore snake for the barrel enough??

Should i be using patches and a rod instead???

[b53hunt 15]

try rod with brush and patches works well for me atb

[andyf 144]

Hi

I know 17HMR ammo is the 'same' price as 22WRM, what I'm saying is 22WRM is NOT a quantum leap from 'decent' 22HV,

but Centrefire .223/22.250 is BIG TIME.

So stay with the '17 or go Centrefire.

AndyF

[Furittus 35]

Just back in with HMR, shot 3 bunnies from - 110 yds, all head shot, son shot one last time out at 123 yds, head shot, Federal 17 grain, SAK mod, CZ 452 American, I can honestly say I never have had a problem with this rimfire, the best bunnie stopper I have ever seen, and I wouldn't even dream of changing it .