22LR or .17HMR

[Tomcat088]

Especially if the idea is mainly for plinking and maybe a little bit of hunting, definately go with a .22. You'll get in alot of great trigger time and experience, and it won't cost you an arm and a leg. .17's are a ton of fun, but for your applications, I don't think it would give you any edge, and it would cost you significantly more. Best of luck to you, and trust us please, go with the .22.

[sgt7546]

the cost savings alone on ammo makes the .22 a nice little gun to plink.

[PisnNapalm]

Originally Posted by ar15jules

like the others have said, unless you plan on "plinking" groundhogs and such, get the .22 I also have a Ruger 10/22, here is a good buy on one.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=89153513

Jules

I love that rifle. The wood is absolutely beautiful. It's a one of a kind.

[normanvin]

heres some of my 10/22's


I rebuilt this one

[IMG][/IMG]

my stainless version

[IMG][/IMG]

theres three more in my safe

[IMG][/IMG]

[lethal93ta]

you cant beat a .22 for plinking, I have a marlin model 60 and an old winchester single shot that was my grandfathers. you can shoot all day for under 20 bucks, I do plan on getting a .17 HMR for getting groundhogs and stuff around here but the price of the ammo keeps going up .22 is all ill soon be able to afford.

[glockguy68]

I stay with 22lr,I have a marlin 25,rem 597,and AR7,if u want to do some varmint hunting and u are looking for a good expansion,use stingers,the closer you can get to a 17 hmr with a 22lr...

[JoeWilliams]

My wife and I have nearly identical Savage rifles, same scopes, even. Only difference is that hers is .17 HMR and mine is .22LR.

If price were no object, we'd both have .17s, after shooting hers, especially if I were looking only for a target shooting and plinking gun. Both are equally pleasant to shoot, it's the difference in accuracy that gets me. It's more accurate at any range, and in our hands will shoot 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards with ease. I can only do that with the .22 out to about 50 yards. More impressive to me, is that Cathy has hers sighted at 100 yards, and can basically hold on target without having to worry about correcting for bullet drop anywhere from 25 yards to 100. The shot won't be more than 1/2 inch high or low at any point between those two ranges. It is a light bullet, but still not as heavily affected by wind as the .22 is. The ranges we shoot at don't go past 100 yards, so we don't have an practical experience as to how it shoots past that.

It is a bit much for squirrels and bunnies, a headshot only round. Out to 50 yards, I do like the .22 better. I know, there aren't a lot of long range shots on small game, but at some of the SGLs there are spots where we have the option if we want to set up and I take the closer shots, and Cathy can have a good clear shot on some critters further away. We haven't tried it on groundhogs yet, but we will be this spring.

Of course, cost is a factor. .17 HMR prices (unlike all other ammo it seems) seems to have come down, and we can find boxes of 50 for $10-$12, much better than the $16 we were paying when we first bought her gun, but it still can't hold a candle to the .22 for cheap shooting.

[Willtallica]

Even if you're absolutely anal about accuracy .17 HMRs with some wind speed deviate pretty far from their path. I'm never taking my .17 to the range again on a windy day, but on the other hand like that guy up there said they're sub MOA. I could hit .22 LR shells by every second shot so in any case a rifle the shoots the HMRs is a must get.

With my .22 I can get 10 inch groups without trying at 100 yards using probably what is the cheapest .22 lr you can find. It's not like unloading 50 rounds to find the proper amount of off setting is going to make you pissed at what it cost in bullets when you're using a .22. Go with the .22, and then buy a .17 HMR for the nicer days later.

[General Lee]

i had the same problem, didn't know what cal. to get, ended up getting a .22 and glad i did. bullets just seem to disappear very quickly now...shooting a .22 is almost like an addiction, plus it's only .02 cents a round