.17 vs .22 LR

[SmTx]

Depends on what you want. I own both .17m2 and .17hmr. I personally think the .17m2 is the perfect squirrel gun. The Hmr just tears them up if not headshots...both are accurate and ballistically outperform the .22, but I still have more fun shooting a .22. Its cheaper and I can shoot all day.

[morris]

You wont go wrong with the 17hmr. I dont even shot my 22 anymore; since the 17 is alot more fun, accuate and diffently more deadly then the 22.

[GWHunter]

17hmr all the way....more distance and knockdown power, and accurate too. I can put five shots inside a quarter at 100yds. The only complaint I would have, is that the wind can play a pretty big part on longer shots. Other than that, I love it.

[Johnny Dangerr]

The 17 has crosswind issues. It really drifts........

[oneforthewall]

The 17 has crosswind issues. It really drifts........

to the tune of 5+" @ 100yds with a crosswind that is barely noticeable!

[Woods&Water]

so how much will wind affect the .22?

[bmac]

light wind mayba 2" but it is better then 5". The accuarcy & quality of the bullet will affect it more.

[Bubbabowhunter]

The .17 compares more closely to a .22 magnum. I may be wrong but isn't the .17 HMR basically a necked down .22 mag?

But to answer your question, the .17 will outperform the .22 in every way. The .22 will be cheaper to shoot. That's all I got...

My thoughts exactly!

[coop2564]

The .17 is superior to .22lr in anyway u look at it except ammo price. You didn't specify if .17 HMR or .17 HM2 but either are better than .22LR. I'm getting .6" groups with my .17 HMR at 100 yds very few .22 mags will group that at that distance but the .22mag does have a little more energy and killing power than the .17 HMR in theory but in reality I think the .17 due to flatter trajectory is every bit as deadly for up to yote size game using the 20 gr gamepoints.

[Artos]

.17 HMR is a necked down .22 WMR (.22 magnum) - faster & lighter bullets than .22 mags.

.17 HM2 is a necked down .22 LR. - about twice the velocity and half the bullet weight of most .22LR loads.

Ammo costs more for both .17s, and crosswinds probably affect the smaller .17 bullets more than .22s, but they shoot a lot flatter.

Ammo cost is probably the only negative.

You will need to buy a .17 cal rod for cleaning too...



I know this doesn't apply to hunting applications for the o.p., but there are no .17 rimfires that can beat the .22lr in short range benchrest competition. I have a pile of quarters if anyone wants to bet 5 shot groups with their .17hmr's against an Anschutz .22 at 50yds

[Cajun Blake]

regarding 17 HMR rifles , Volquartsen makes one that shoots like a laser-beam , and in multiple configurations









cross section of a 17 gr pill





regarding the "barely noticeable" wind deflection , the quotes below are BS

My opinion of "barely noticeable" is < 5 mph winds and zero at 100 yds.

The 17 has crosswind issues. It really drifts........

to the tune of 5+" @ 100yds with a crosswind that is barely noticeable!

I eat , sleep, and breath 17 and 20 caliber rifles.

I had a full blown custom 17HMR rifle built in 2003 , just 1 year after this cartridge was released by Hornady. I even recv'd sample "test" bullets from Hornady for R & D .


view the chart below .... the 17 gr bullet only drifts 1.6" in a 5mph crosswind at 100 yds... just 3.3" at 100 yds in a 10 mph wind


also, check out the 17 HMR v. 22 LR comparison in bullet drop


IMO (from a hunting perspective) after having done extensive research in the field, and from the bench rest ... the 17 HMR is superior to the 22 LR with exception of KE

if your shooting competition bench rest at 50 yds , the 22 LR is slightly more accurate

.



Woods n water (or anyone else for that mater) , if you want some free advice on the 17 HMR, drop me a PM with your # and I'll call you on my nickle .

I've killed squirrels at 100 yds w/ head shots , and taken jack rabbits in West Texas at just under 250 yds. a crow at 150 yds is no problem if you have a stable rest.


carry on brothers

[Shane]

Would it too much of a highjack to ask Blake about how the 17HMR compares to .22WMR too?

[Artos]

Blake,

Those volz are wicked looking...who's ammo is competing on the heels of eley and lapua at 50??

Anyone tried to build a gun to actually compete?? I figured the speed of the17 (not the pill) was it's downfall at 50.

[Cajun Blake]

Would it too much of a highjack to ask Blake about how the 17HMR compares to .22WMR too?

shane, let me find some notes and post them up shortly

Blake,

Those volz are wicked looking...who's ammo is competing on the heels of eley and lapua at 50??

Anyone tried to build a gun to actually compete?? I figured the speed of the17 (not the pill) was it's downfall at 50.

Paul,

the Hornady 17 HMR 17 gr ammo (red box) is the most accurate in my Sako Finnfire , Lilja barrel , Jewell trigger rifle


Eley makes a blue box 17 HM2 ammo that very close in accuracy to the European 22 LR ammo. Since it's made by Eley , that's why it's so accurate.... quality control and tolerances are very precise.

there was some informal talk of a 17 HMR benchrest classification , but it never took off.

some Pistol & Rifle clubs have a 17 HMR accuracy competition but it's not sanctioned by ARA or NBRSA .... just for fun to get the kids interested in shooting.

in all honesty, the 17 HMR round is scary accurate in most any rifle configuration. I have witnessed $300 factory rifles shoot right with my $1500 Sako and other Anschutz sticks .

when the HMR was introduced in 2002 , the verdict was still out on accuracy. I built my custom rifle b/c I'm an accuracy freak.

Knowing what I know today, I'd tell someone on a budget to go buy a Marlin 917 rifle or a Savage M93 and be done with it. Most people shoot at 100 yds or less anyway and both rifles will shoot 1/2" 3-shot groups if the shooter does his part .

[MikeJ]

Knowing what I know today, I'd tell someone on a budget to go buy a Marlin 917 rifle or a Savage M93 and be done with it. Most people shoot at 100 yds or less anyway and both rifles will shoot 1/2" 3-shot groups if the shooter does his part .

What he said.

Here endeth the lesson.