22 Mag or 17HMR?

[1320 feet]

don't hunt anymore but the 17 hmr is by far more accurate. better range also

 

[dennishoddy]

Interesting info from Chuck Hawks.

Here is the energy of our comparison loads, in foot-pounds at the muzzle, 50 yards, 100 yards, 150 yards (when available), and 200 yards (when available):
•.17 HMR, 17 grain V-Max = ME 245 ft. lbs., 185 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 136 ft. lbs. at 100 yards, 99 ft. lbs. at 150 yards, 72 ft. lbs. at 200 yards.
•.17 HMR, 20 grain XTP = ME 250 ft. lbs., 187 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 137 ft. lbs. at 100 yards, 99 ft. lbs. at 150 yards, 72 ft. lbs. at 200 yards.
•.22 WMR, 30 grain TNT = ME 325 ft. lbs., 200 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 120 ft. lbs. at 100 yards, 80 ft. lbs. at 150 yards.
•.22 WMR, 40 grain JHP = ME 324 ft. lbs., 230 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 162 ft. lbs. at 100 yards.

Here we see a different story. The .22 WMR starts with about a 75 ft. lb. advantage in kinetic energy at the muzzle. At 50 yards the 40 grain .22 bullet is carrying about 45 more ft. lbs., and at 100 yards the 40 grain .22 bullet still has a 25 ft. lb. advantage over the .17 bullets. At 150 yards the .17 HMR has an energy advantage of about 20 ft. lbs. over the 30 grain .22 bullet, and we have no figures for the 40 grain bullet beyond 100 yards.

What we can conclude from this is that the 40 grain .22 WMR load is the most powerful cartridge out to at least 100 yards, and beyond that adequate data is lacking. I would guess that the 40 grain .22 WMR bullet retains its energy advantage out to at least its maximum point blank range of about 125 yards.

Note that the energy of the 30 grain .22 bullet falls behind the 40 grain .22 bullet by 50 yards, and behind both .17 HMR loads by 100 yards. Also note that there is no practical difference in energy between the 17 and 20 grain .17 HMR bullets at any range.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_17HMR_22WMR.htm

 

[Long Barrel 44]

I have owned several of both calibers and I am down to 3 of the 22 mag and 0 of the 17. Needless to say I love the 22 mag.

 

[Jango8753]

I was out with my 5 year old son scouting and generally playing around last month. I put my savage .22 on a Caldwell Fieldpod in the stand just in case we saw a (insert name of legal game/varmint).

I hit the slate call just to see if I could get a tom to gobble back. We had three bust out of the timber, head right at us. He said, daddy are you going to shoot one?! I explained all the rules we would be breaking including hunting before season and using the wrong gun. As they got within 10 yards, it was a little hard not head shooting the nice tom.

Is that the savage mkII sd? if so, thoughts please! looking for a bolt .22 to suppress

 

[Jango8753]

Also, I have a little experience between the 17, mag and .22 hornet. a friend has had all three and spent many hours, many rounds through them all. he ended on the hornet. center fire and he can load different for small critters, to harvesting bigger animals like deer with head shots. it being center fire you could load turkey rounds at a lower velocity, and or heavier bullet to mitigate damage to bird. i wouldn't go 17 hmr on something you want to eat, stuff or mount. Like everyone said its devastating to soft tissues.

Between your two choices id say 22 mag, stay with a small .22cal, look at 22 hornet loaded to the specific target.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Also, I have a little experience between the 17, mag and .22 hornet. a friend has had all three and spent many hours, many rounds through them all. he ended on the hornet. center fire and he can load different for small critters, to harvesting bigger animals like deer with head shots. it being center fire you could load turkey rounds at a lower velocity, and or heavier bullet to mitigate damage to bird. i wouldn't go 17 hmr on something you want to eat, stuff or mount. Like everyone said its devastating to soft tissues.

Between your two choices id say 22 mag, stay with a small .22cal, look at 22 hornet loaded to the specific target.

Since a centerfire .22 cartridge has been thrown into the mix, there's also the .22 TCM to consider:

[video=youtube_share;taNzJZJFDUE]http://youtu.be/taNzJZJFDUE[/video]

[video=youtube_share;ojZvkJ8BXRk]http://youtu.be/ojZvkJ8BXRk[/video]

[video=youtube_share;SEn2c4LFtEk]http://youtu.be/SEn2c4LFtEk[/video]

 

[ricman]

I would go with the 22 mag....myself