WMR v HMR

[skollybrennan 0]

well lads just wondering what do ye consider the most versatile calibre the HMR or WMR.I do some bunny bashing with my dads 22lr and want to upgrade power without oblitering a rabbit at 90 yards.The main reason i want to upgrade is i go lamping regularly with me uncles and grandad and im the 3 inch magnum lad with the semi-auto mouth watering waiting for the fields to get smaller and the shots quicker. they have their 220 swifts and 223's but i dont want to go to the expence of a centrefire as i dont have the cash in college

i know these arent ideal foxing calibres but i can get foxes within 50 yards or so they're not shy round here because of overcrowding i think( i hope) their seems to be quit a few lurking in the day.

could ye please recommend a brand aswell and price comparisons much appreciated :

Edited September 4, 2008 by skollybrennan

[woz 260]

well lads just wondering what do ye consider the most versatile calibre.I do some bunny bashing with my dads 22lr and want to upgrade power without oblitering a rabbit at 90 yards.The main reason i want to upgrade is i go lamping regularly with me uncles and grandad and im the 3 inch magnum lad with the semi-auto mouth watering waiting for the fields to get smaller and the shots quicker. they have their 220 swifts and 223's but i dont want to go to the expence of a centrefire as i dont have the cash in college

i know these arent ideal foxing calibres but i can get foxes within 50 yards or so they're not shy round here because of overcrowding i think( i hope) their seems to be quit a few lurking in the day.

could ye please recommend a brand aswell and price comparisons much appreciated :

 

 

mack2 £6 for 50 good out to 120 yards don t mash the meat up to much

17 hmr £11 for 50 the daddy of rim fires...good out to 200 plus...need to do head shots if you want the meat,dont listen to the mupppits if they say there bad in the wind they still shoot wellk out to 100 yards in the middle of winter when the winds blowing.....as much as i hate to say it if your on a budget go for a 22lr and practice...will drop stuff with teeth and do rabbits out to 100 yards as long as you know your hold over,,,£3.50 for 50

[skollybrennan 0]

Im not on that tight of a budget! but i want to upgrade because i have all the access to a 22lr as i want (me dad as one)i have practised and want to upgrade a little bit .but you are of the opinion that a .17 hmr is a better choice than a Wmr thanks anyway for the reply

Edited September 4, 2008 by skollybrennan

[Toma413 1]

Im not on that tight of a budget! but i want to upgrade because i have all the access to a 22lr as i want (me dad as one)i have practised and want to upgrade a little bit .but you are of the opinion that a .17 hmr is a better choice than a Hmr thanks anyway for the reply

 

Not really sure how much your thinking of spending but iv got a .17hmr sako quad synthetic and i love it.Super accurate,light weight,no worries about scratching wooden stock + if you did fancy going back to 22lr,you just change the barrel,the rifle costs roughly £500.The HMR will make a mess of rabbits so only head shots if selling or eating them.Iv shot a fair few foxes with it,some out to 150yards so dont belive some of these people who say its only good on foxes within 50-70 yrds.hope iv been some help to you.

[Deker 3,478]

Im not on that tight of a budget! but i want to upgrade because i have all the access to a 22lr as i want (me dad as one)i have practised and want to upgrade a little bit .but you are of the opinion that a .17 hmr is a better choice than a Hmr thanks anyway for the reply

 

 

If you are taking the .22LR out of the equation and if you want it for rabbits get the HMR...if you are thinking of fox as well get the WMR or a .223.

 

The debate has raged forever about 1 gun for rabbit and fox and to be honest I don't think there is one really.

 

The likes of Wolf or Barnaul ammo for the .223 is CHEAPER than HMR.

 

My choice for your needs...a .22LR and a .223..but if you insist on just one the WMR!

[jamie g 17]

Im not on that tight of a budget! but i want to upgrade because i have all the access to a 22lr as i want (me dad as one)i have practised and want to upgrade a little bit .but you are of the opinion that a .17 hmr is a better choice than a Hmr thanks anyway for the reply

 

Not really sure how much your thinking of spending but iv got a .17hmr sako quad synthetic and i love it.Super accurate,light weight,no worries about scratching wooden stock + if you did fancy going back to 22lr,you just change the barrel,the rifle costs roughly £500.The HMR will make a mess of rabbits so only head shots if selling or eating them.Iv shot a fair few foxes with it,some out to 150yards so dont belive some of these people who say its only good on foxes within 50-70 yrds.hope iv been some help to you.

 

i no a hmr would kill a fox if you aim the shot right at 150 yards ! but i wouldnt go round shooting foxes at that range with one !

 

as there isnt much room for error you would be better off getting centrefire at least you have the body to aim at which is alot more mass then a head at that range.

 

the hmr bullet is only small and if it didnt hit the right spot in the body at that range the fox wil get away injured.

 

i would think twice again before taking them on at that range with a hmr mate. because before long you mite not get the clean shot like you have been getting.

 

and a fox could get away injuried.

[bumble 2]

I`ll reply from my experience of owning .223 and HMR:

 

HMR is and excellent cartridge. On a still day acurate shots to 200yds are possible, and even if its windy its fine to 100+yds, its like anything else, you get to know your equipment. I use a windmeter and drop/deflection card.

Ammo can be expensive, but bought in bulk its cheaper. I hold 600 buy 500, and there are better deals on 500, its just having the readies at the time. 20gn XTP`s are cheaper, normally working out to 9.50 a box. They are also good for fox as they hold their mass on impact, driving deeper like a mini deer cartridge.

If you want the meat:headshots, although chest shot rabbits are not a disaster, as the back legs are where the meat is. XTP`s cause less damage to rabbit carcasses.

HMR is not a dedicated fox cartridge, but for use while rabbiting to shoot an opportune fox out to about 100yds its effective. Thousands of foxes are shot with .22lr, and on other forums, on polls, what cartridge has acounted for more foxes, it always comes out as .22. Mention that you`ve shot a fox with .22 and nobody says a thing. Say the same of HMR and you get all sorts of criticism. Use it within its limitations.

HMR is superb crow medicine, for laying in a hedge bottom and shooting them out in fields where they think they`re safe.

I have a cz. Value for money rifle and pinpoint acurate.

 

I reload my .223. This keeps the costs down to about 35p a round. Buying readymades is expensive. Plenty of new and secondhand rifles about, often cheaply. Everythings relative though: you will pay far more for things like moderators and mounts than for a rimfire.

I have headshot rabbits and the carcasse has been ok, but its a rarity.

I took advantage of the offer on HOWAS:rifle,wildcat mod,mounts,scope. I went for an upgrade on the scope but the Howa is very good value for money.

Cheers Andy.

[Mr_Logic 5]

In your situation I'd get .22 WMR. You get 125 yards on foxy no problems, 150 if you can hit him right. HMR is great for rabbits but much over 100 yards has relatively little energy, and because the bullet is light there is just no wound damage. 22 Mag is better.

 

However, if you can reload, then get 223 and be done. 35p is fine for a bunny rabbit IMHO, and the poke is there for foxes (and indeed the smaller deer). You can get factory stuff (American Eagle) for 50-odd pence each, if you can find them.

[skollybrennan 0]

i think basically what everyone is trying to say im better of with 2 guns and as i have access to a 22lr i should go for a 223 and be done with it any recommendations on make model.

thanks everyone for replying not many lads here fire rimmys only shot guns and centres i needed a bit of advice cheers

i can get 223 ammo for 49 cents a pop remington umc load 9.90 for 20 its fairly affordable its only 2 pints of beer!!!!

Edited September 4, 2008 by skollybrennan

[morgan the moon 0]

well lads just wondering what do ye consider the most versatile calibre the HMR or WMR.I do some bunny bashing with my dads 22lr and want to upgrade power without oblitering a rabbit at 90 yards.The main reason i want to upgrade is i go lamping regularly with me uncles and grandad and im the 3 inch magnum lad with the semi-auto mouth watering waiting for the fields to get smaller and the shots quicker. they have their 220 swifts and 223's but i dont want to go to the expence of a centrefire as i dont have the cash in college

i know these arent ideal foxing calibres but i can get foxes within 50 yards or so they're not shy round here because of overcrowding i think( i hope) their seems to be quit a few lurking in the day.

could ye please recommend a brand aswell and price comparisons much appreciated :

I have a .22 hornet with 35V max bullets a leathal combination. A mess on the rabbits if not head shot. First step on the ladder of centre fire.

Another calibre to think about.

[Mr_Logic 5]

Nah, Hornet is a theoretical calibre unless you reload. if you reload, it's cheap and works well. If not, you can't get ammo and what little you do find is very expensive and often crap. 223 is a much more versatile calibre because the ammo is readily available and has variety.

[Toma413 1]

Im not on that tight of a budget! but i want to upgrade because i have all the access to a 22lr as i want (me dad as one)i have practised and want to upgrade a little bit .but you are of the opinion that a .17 hmr is a better choice than a Hmr thanks anyway for the reply

 

Not really sure how much your thinking of spending but iv got a .17hmr sako quad synthetic and i love it.Super accurate,light weight,no worries about scratching wooden stock + if you did fancy going back to 22lr,you just change the barrel,the rifle costs roughly £500.The HMR will make a mess of rabbits so only head shots if selling or eating them.Iv shot a fair few foxes with it,some out to 150yards so dont belive some of these people who say its only good on foxes within 50-70 yrds.hope iv been some help to you.

 

i no a hmr would kill a fox if you aim the shot right at 150 yards ! but i wouldnt go round shooting foxes at that range with one !

 

as there isnt much room for error you would be better off getting centrefire at least you have the body to aim at which is alot more mass then a head at that range.

 

the hmr bullet is only small and if it didnt hit the right spot in the body at that range the fox wil get away injured.

 

i would think twice again before taking them on at that range with a hmr mate. because before long you mite not get the clean shot like you have been getting.

 

and a fox could get away injuried.

[Mr_Logic 5]

Recommendations for a 223 ... Well, most people make a good one!

 

I have currently -

 

Remington SPS Tactical

CZ527 Synthetic

 

Both 223, both shoot well. Remington for range work, CZ for field work. CZ was cheap but prices are going up

 

Howas are good, Tikkas are good (watch the balance with a moderator though).

 

Any of those 4 will be OK. Steyr are OK but expensive, Browning are very good but very rare.

 

RWS very good, but again pretty rare at the moment.

 

Easiest thing, go to your local gunshop and have a look. Since they're all pretty good, anything will do.

 

Choices will depend on your required feature set - detachable mag, weaver scope bases etc. SInce that's personal preference it's difficult to advise.

[Deker 3,478]

Recommendations for a 223 ... Well, most people make a good one!

 

I have currently -

 

Remington SPS Tactical

CZ527 Synthetic

 

Both 223, both shoot well. Remington for range work, CZ for field work. CZ was cheap but prices are going up

 

Howas are good, Tikkas are good (watch the balance with a moderator though).

 

Any of those 4 will be OK. Steyr are OK but expensive, Browning are very good but very rare.

 

RWS very good, but again pretty rare at the moment.

 

Easiest thing, go to your local gunshop and have a look. Since they're all pretty good, anything will do.

 

Choices will depend on your required feature set - detachable mag, weaver scope bases etc. SInce that's personal preference it's difficult to advise.

 

 

 

...Savage ('nuff said)

Sako..good, especially if your pockets are deep

Ruger...not everyones cup of tea but solid and reliable

Winchester...back in town..worth a look

and Uncle Tom Cobbly and all....

[jamie g 17]

yes all the above rifles are good and accuracy will be top stuff with all of them.

 

savage are top of the list in accuracy in most of the reviews i have seen from out of the box. they can be pretty heavy if you get the varmint barrel one.

 

my winchester is a a lovely rifle to shoot. smooth bolt, trigger is good with a tweak of the screws, safety is good on it to if you use one that is. its only downfall is i would perfer a rifle with a mag not push feed.

 

i think it would be more easy at night when getting ready to shot foxes. you keep the mag in the pocket and put it in the rifle when ready.

 

with push feed it can be abit fiddly. but i guess you dont have a mag to lose

 

again remmy rifles loads of aftermarket stuff.

tikka rifles have nice triggers and bolts and great accuracy to.

 

i guess its best to go to shop and feel which suites you best