.22lr or .17hmr for 1st rimfire bolt?

D

DealHunter

New member
I have a friend who's looking to get his 1st rimfire bolt action rifle (bolt action only, so no 10-22s, .22 ARs, levers, etc) and I've been letting him shoot my stuff to get a feel for what he likes.

I think he's leaning towards the Marlin XT series (synth stock w. bull barrel) or the new Ruger American Rimfires (around that price point). It'd be for use at indoor ranges (paper punching only, no hunting) from 5-100 yards (100 yards is a definite max range).

I already have a fair collection in all of the rimfire calibers and so just shoot whatever I find at the stores/online that week (so I don't deplete my stocks), but for someone getting their 1st rimfire, would you suggest .22lr or .17hmr? He's also not sure if it's worth having iron sights or not (the Rugers come with them by default, the Marlin heavy barrels don't).

Usually the answer is ".22 for a 1st rifle" but right now, .22lr is harder to find and "good" .22lr can be around the same price for 50 rounds as .17hmr. Also, in my experience, "average" .17hmr ammo is just as accurate as match grade .22lr (for a normal skill set).

Any thoughts?
 
I was with a fella on a prairie dog shoot. He used a .17 Mach II. Super zapper to 100 yards, easily; okay to 200 for clean kills. (Yeah, drift and holdover...)

Anyhow, I brought that up so you could compare prices. :) And, it's rather quiet, maybe more suitable for indoor ranges.
 
I would stick with the 22. The availability is improving on good, economical ammo, and should continue to improve. The $10+ per 50 rounds of 17 HMR is in my opinion far above the price of "good" 22 rimfire, and more in line with match quality ammo.
I do have a Savage 93 in 17 HMR. It is very accurate, and a joy to shoot. But I think for a first time, range paper puncher, the good old 22 would be the best choice.
 
First reaction was/is the.22.lr hands down and the .17hmr is a horrid choice. My opinion hasn't varied much. But Art brought up that dang .17M2. Me likes that idea. Cheaper ammo than target .22lr and HMR, decent availability even today and perhaps the best rimfire for inherent accuracy.

Third choice behind .22.lr and the M2 would be a quality air rifle. Di your research and you'll see they can be every it as accurate as a powder burner, they are downright cheap to feed and seem the perfect fit for indoor paper punching.
 
I was with a fella on a prairie dog shoot. He used a .17 Mach II
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Hehe, I started a thread asking about the Mach II a while ago and it was a "lively" discussion (http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=535727) ;)

Unfortunately the 2 rifles he's leaning towards don't come in that caliber currently (but for myself, I might wind up getting a Mach II barrel for my Quad at some point...).

An air gun might work but wouldn't a very good 50-100 yard air gun be a tad expensive (and I think he's set on a bolt gun)?
 
It takes a lot more patience and skill to be accurate with an airgun much past 35 yards, than with a rimfire.
Not that the airguns aren't accurate, it's just harder to be accurate with such a light projectile and slow speed.
The lower priced ones are spring powered, and have more recoil than rimfires, to add to the frustration.
But the challenge of longer range shooting with one can really sharpen one's skills.
I have two and use them a lot, more than the rimfires, usually at 10 to 20 yard targets, depending on the size.
Very handy for home practice.
The precharged airguns that don't require cocking the action, and don't have the recoil, are really impressive at longer distances, but do get pricey.
 
The .22 will definitely get used more. Ammunition is far more affordable. The .17 may be a second rifle later on but for a first, no. Everyone needs a .22, it is just the American way. ;)
 
Paper targets and plinking don't really call for the expense of the jacketed, plastic tipped bullets loaded in the HMR and Mach II. I recommend the .22, especially given the variety of ammo available. (I have good fun indoors with my .22s, the Aguila Super Colibri gallery ammo, and a cardboard box stuffed with old Cabela's catalogs.)
 
Around here it is still far easier to get .17HMR in fact I can go buy Hornady Ammo cans full of the stuff with no restrictions on quantity. I still can't get .22 LR unless I'm there waiting in line for the doors to be opened at the local Sportsman's Warehouse the day the deliver truck shows up. I did manage to get some at the grand opening of the new Bass Pro in COS, picked up 1200 rounds or .22 LR. However, none of the stuff works in my daughters Sig which is what I'm having troubles feeding. Good news it shoots just fine in my Anschutz 164!!:D:D

I'd say go look at what is most easily found on the shelves for ammunition. I have no problems buying .22 shorts or subsonic .22 LR and even picked up 500 rounds of .22 long the other day, but that isn't the same performance level as .22 LR. If .17 HMR is the most prevalent ammunition available that is what I'd buy for now and pick up a .22 S,L,LR bolt action in the future. IMO you can't have too many rimfires in the safe.
 
FWIW: For the time being the 17 cal HMR is especially popular these days. It has only one draw back. I believe Hornady is the sole/only manufacture of the cartridge. So I would go with the 22-LR because of that issue alone.

Lots of different manufactures domestic and foreign make 22-LR shells. I think the 22-Rim Fire dates back to 1887 and has been perhaps the most popular rim fired cartridge of all time. Unlike one other rim fire fiasco so many hailed as the most advanced of its kind. Remington's 5-MM. Yup another sole manufacture at the time of its ammo also. Those like me that bought a Remington Model 591 or 592 are not likely to forget what may happen when a single/ lone manufacture of a cartridge decides at their whim to stop making ammo for a rifle they themselves designed & marketed. I have no ambition to buy a 17 anything. Not for the time being anyways. How's that saying go: Burn me once shame on you. Burn me twice shame on me. This fellow TFL member has no intentions of being burnt twice when it comes to a 17 caliber weapon purchase. I hope I'm wrong concerning the 17 cal. But I have had one negative experience that give me good cause to be wary.
 
Sure Shot Mc Gee said:
FWIW: For the time being the 17 cal HMR is especially popular these days. It has only one draw back. I believe Hornady is the sole/only manufacture of the cartridge. So I would go with the 22-LR because of that issue alone.
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I don't know where you get these ideas, Hornady isn't the only one making the ammunition for the .17 HMR. Remington, Winchester, CCI and Federal all manufacture .17 HMR ammunition. Just like the .204 Ruger as the HMR gained popularity more manufacturers started producing the ammunition. A simple online search at a place like Midway would have shown this to you.
 
Manufacturers and brands

A growing number of companies offer .17 HMR ammunition. It is true that CCI actually loads all of the .17 HMR ammunition for the CCI, Federal, Hornady, and Remington brands
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Not sure this is still current information, but It was the case three years ago.
 
I could see CCI and Federal being one in the same since both are owned now by ATK. Winchester as well makes all their own rimfire cartridges. The only one I'm not sure of is Hornady, but they state all ammunition is made in house. Remington has been making rimfire ammunition for years as well.

What I do suspect is that many of the primed cases are made in the same factory.
 
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17HMRs can be a little fussy with ammo. You'll need to shoot a bunch of it to find what's best. Hmm - I guess that's a good thing!:D
 
From 17HMR.com
Iv'e posted this several times before.I'm sure it will come up again.

This is the reply I got from C.C.I.

Thank you for you'r query Bob, CCI, Federal, Winchester, Remington and Hornady all loaded here at CCI in Lewiston, Idaho with a V-max bullet are identical, with the exception of tip color. Manufactured on the same equip, to the same ballistic specs, using the same components other than color of the tip of the bullets. Obviously the shellcase 'head stamp' and packaging would be different on the various products.

Linda Olin
CCI/Speer Technical Services
2299 Snake River Ave.
Lewiston, ID 83501
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But It doesn't really matter as far as the OP. A 22 rimfire would still be the best choice for a first time paper puncher rifle.
 
My vote

I have the savage with accutrigger in 17hmr. I like having a better performing rifle than the ole 22. I would always suggest 17hmr. More options on what you can use the rifle for.
 
22!

I fully expect the 17 rim firess to go WAY up in the price for the ammo soon.

The 22s are being offered to us all now days at rip-off prices but that has to change one way or the other.

2 things can happen.
#1 the price will come down. (I doubt it will ever be cheap again however)

#2 the Libs will get their way and all ammo will go out of sight, to a point no one can buy it reasonably or perhaps not at all.

If that happens none of the other details matter anyway.
 
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