17 HMR or 22 Mag

[Lefty Red]

Older gentleman at the range asks me which one for his next bum around/farm/tractor rifle. Says his shots are under 100 yards, and shooting a few times a month at the range. Says he likes the Savage rim fire rifles and will either get the new semiauto 17 or a bolt in either caliber.

Since I hunt on this gentleman's land and help him keep his deer population down, down want to give out bad advise. I have no experience with the 17 HMR, but did have a 17 Mach2 and it left a bad taste in my mouth. But I did put a Savage A17 in layaway! :) Just because I heard good things about it.

i suggested the 22 Mag, but told him I would check here for other opinions.

Jerry

[Travelor]

This will sound lame, but it depends on what is "targets" will be. I love my 17 HMR and read that they are more accurate than 22 Mag. But the bullets are LIGHT.

[Hogtamer]

500 rds of decent .22 mag ammo will cost as much as the rifle, if you can find it. NONE has been available in my part of the world for 18 - 24 months. Or the 'net for that matter.
http://www.gunbot.net/ammo/rimfire/22wmr/

[Lefty Red]

We have 22 magnum in Wal Mart, LGS, Rural King, Dick's, etc.......it was in stake when the rimfire scare a few years ago.

His targets or capable of being taken down by both, but some might be larger than a raccoon.

Jerry

[Lefty Red]

This will sound lame, but it depends on what is "targets" will be. I love my 17 HMR and read that they are more accurate than 22 Mag. But the bullets are LIGHT.

Ueah, he would be shooting 20grs that is for sure.

[Mgderf]

I would suggest the .22wmr as well, except for that whole availability thing.
The .22mag stuff is indeed hard to find, and expensive when you do.
On the other hand, a .17hmr will take a coyote with a proper;y placed shot, but I think the .22mag would be a better (more humane) choice. Maybe not. YMMV

As stated above, targets are what should guide the choice here.

Remember too, the .17hmr will have a harder time bucking wind, if that is an issue.

[Mica_Hiebert]

Depends on your availability, here lots of 17hmr in stock on shelves 22 mag non existant.

[Doc Highwall]

I would definitely go with the 17 HMR. When I had my Cooper 57M rifle made in 22Lr I talked with Melvin Cooper and he guaranteed the accuracy of all his guns except ones chambered in 22 Mag, because the ammo was not consistent enough. The 17 HMR has good accuracy and can kill out of proportion for it's size caliber. It would not be my first choice for hunting pigs but it will kill them. Check out this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR-HwPvoEOA

[Tackleberry41]

Shelves around here never ran out of 17hmr, I have not seen 22mag on the shelf at the LGS near me in months. last time they got some in I bought a 50rd box, just for the sake of having some. Getting ammo is going to be a big consideration.

[michael.birdsley]

The local LGS just got a whole section of .22wmr in. The most I have seen in 3 years. The CCI game points I bought for my Henry were 15.99 up about 3 dollars from 2012. Which is pretty cheap around these parts. I always see 17hmr on the shelfs.

[odfairfaxsub]

Buddy has a 17... Prob w his is copper fouling. Bad copper fouling

[Lefty Red]

17 or 22 mags from 26-30 cents a round and available around here.
So availability is not an issue.

[DerekP Houston]

17hmr much easier to find around here lately. I shot my dads 22wmr revolver, it was fun for its time. Now it just collects dust since I can reload 38 spec or 9mm cheaper and not worry about searching for components.

The savage BTVSS version 17hmr has been on my wishlist for awhile. No practical reason other than I enjoy the lighter recoil flat shooting rounds when I take my wife out for practice.

[Greg S]

As far as the quarry is concerned, if it can be dispatched humanely with the 17, I'd go that route if I was so inclined to go RF. This is due strictly to ammo availability for the past few years. Once 22 mag crept up over 10/50 I moved up to an Anschutz 17 series 22 Hornet. The mags are a limiting factor for seating on the lands and now brass is getting scarce but I can load 2 boxes with jullets cheaper than I can find a box of 22M @ 18-20.

Concerning the HM2, had a friend with a 1700 series Anschutz that was lights out. The only problem I saw with the 2 was sourcing a good quality stash of ammo.

[crowbuster]

I love them both. He should get one of each.

[SSGOldfart]

Well 22 mag is hard to get ammo too I would tell him to get a 22TCU or 22 hornet then you could reload for him,maybe make that deer hunting bound tighter:razz::-P:-P

[Mk42gunner]

I think the .17 will be more accurate in a bolt gun, no idea how it would fare from an auto.

I also think they will both kill reasonably well until you get to the upper limits, then I think the .22 WMR will do better.

Robert

[Plastikosmd]

22 wmr in a brno 611 is one of my favorite "around the farm" rifles

[LtFrankDrebbin]

I have owned and used 22magnums in the past. Currently I own and use a 17HMR on a regular basis.
As an all round farm gun I would recommend the 22magnum out of the two. 22magnum to me is more forgiving, as far as shot placement, bore condition and far better for smashing through brush.

[Edster]

This is the wifes Savage 17BTVSS. Both the wife and rifle are deadly. There is more than one Coyote that will no longer be crossing the property line to harass her goats. I vote 17HMR, we bought it and still today 22WMR was and is still non existent. It is a very accurate rifle.
162333

[Lefty Red]

Well 22 mag is hard to get ammo too I would tell him to get a 22TCU or 22 hornet then you could reload for him,maybe make that deer hunting bound tighter:razz::-P:-P

I have about 500 pieces of 22TCM due to being a brass *****! And the 22/17 Hornet looks good too! Might add that to the mix.

During the rimfire "shortage", I put up a box of 17 or 22 a payday til just recently. I have an ample supply so he dos too. And after sighting in, I doubt the rifle is shot more than 10-15 times a year. It will be a carried and out in the barn or in the cab of the tractor. He reminds me of my Dad, more of a hunter than a shooter.

Jerry

[Lefty Red]

17hmr much easier to find around here lately. I shot my dads 22wmr revolver, it was fun for its time. Now it just collects dust since I can reload 38 spec or 9mm cheaper and not worry about searching for components.

The savage BTVSS version 17hmr has been on my wishlist for awhile. No practical reason other than I enjoy the lighter recoil flat shooting rounds when I take my wife out for practice.

Same here, rimfire snare an after thought in my house these days. Really thinking of looking for a a Single Six in 32 H&R Mag to load 32 Shorts and Longs for squirrel hunting. But using oversized 9mm bullets in the 90/100 grain range and really liking them.

[Lefty Red]

I think the .17 will be more accurate in a bolt gun, no idea how it would fare from an auto.

I also think they will both kill reasonably well until you get to the upper limits, then I think the .22 WMR will do better.

Robert

Seems that the A17 from Savage is a pretty good rifle. I was waiting for the reports to come in before I for one. Still have the B Max in the back of my mind.

Jerry

[joatmon]

Both my 17HMR's are SUPER accurate ,never had that in 22mag but some have! Luck of the draw it would seem.
Aaron

[Mauser48]

17 hmr for sure. More accurate and easier and cheaper to find ammo. The 17 hmr is also about 500 fps faster than 22 mag. You can shoot flat out to 150. You can shoot even farther if you know how to read wind and know your elevation. People say shot placement is more forgiving with a 22 mag but that is really irrelevant. All the game you are going to shoot are squirrels and rabbits. The 17 hmr is very explosive so it is able to dump all its energy into the target. The 22 mag just mushrooms unless you get the vmax ammo so it cant dump all its energy in such a small target like a squirrel. If you are talking coyotes the 22 mag has the advantage. Personally, I wouldn't choose either for coyotes. I know people do it but you need perfect shot placement and a short shot. For me, if I want to use more than a 22lr than I use a 223. Its very accurate, reloadable, and cheap to load. Also, you cant shoot several hundred yards with it accurately. I think magnum rimfires are a little pointless when you have a 223 or something along those lines.

[Lefty Red]

Well, when the older gentleman doesn't want to "fiddle dick with" reloading or primer ammo it's the 22 or 17. We picked him up a nice used older H&R semi in 22 Mag this week. At the gunsmith now getting checked out and a look over.

Personall, I wouldn't use either on small game. Too much for so little.

Thanks for for the input gentlemen.

Jerry

[725]

From my experience, the .22 Mag is the best game getter of those choices. The .17HMR isn't anything to scoff at. I have both. I'd think the availability of ammo would be biggest decision maker in selecting which to get.

[jhalcott]

I've used both in bolt rifles and contenders . The 17hmr is generally more accurate with various ammunition. The 22 mag is rather picky with that ammo it will shoot best. The way I handle this question is "If you're gonna eat it, use the 17. If not use the 22mag!"

[Mauser48]

"If you're gonna eat it, use the 17. If not use the 22mag!"

More like the other way around. The .17 hmr fragments way more than the .22 mag. I dont like eating meat with pieces of jacket in it.

[leadman]

I have a Savage 17HMR that is very accurate but it struggles sometimes stopping those large Blacktail jack rabbits around here. This is with the 17gr bullet. Have tried the 20gr but they are not nearly as accurate in my gun.
The Savage 24 with 22 mag on top with the 50gr Federals stops the jacks much better. Even works stopping most coyotes with one shot.