17 vs 22 mag

[Wallace's]

Neither. you can shoot center fire rifles for cheaper than either right now! lol

.17HMR is at just about every LGS, --> 22 mag is like finding a bag full of money in a parking lot and when you do find it, it will take the bag-O-money to buy it.

.22lr is sssslllloooowwwwwwlllllyyyy coming back. I would just go with that for a small game/target rifle.

 

[GeauxLSU]

.22 mag. Because it's feeling lonely. .22 mag has been easier to find (for me) than .22lr but that of course isn't saying much.
How big is the 'small game' you intend to hunt? One shoots a bullet literally DOUBLE the weight of the other.

 

[toneloc]

.17 is overkill for small game it will absolutely destroy it. 22 mag will to extent but less. The .17 has so much power out of the muzzle then impact is severe. the 22 mag is used to kill those Gators on that Show......Can't say more than that. Ruger 10/22 with a bull barrel is the perfect small game target rifle. Fancy and nice wood stocks too. Or one with the hogue overmold. Not that the mag carts are bad just hell on game......

 

[2001SportTJ]

the 22 mag is used to kill those Gators on that Show

Actually most of them use .22LR for gators. R.J. and Jay Paul(the Native Americans) use a .17HMR.

 

[GeauxLSU]

The .17 has so much power out of the muzzle

.22mag has more muzzle energy. Depending on bullet, the .17 can catch up downrange pretty quick though.

 

[Gimli2]

GeauxLSU hit the nail on the head. Up to a 100 yards or so, 22 Mag. Over 100 yards, 17HMR.

 

[shootin4fun]

.17 wsm is impossible to find as well. Only 1 maker and it's tougher to find than anything else. 22LR 10/22 can't be beat.

 

[crankshaft]

Thanks all for the info, but ammo availability isn't a part of the equation. Ammo availability will come back and when it does I want the better one that fits the purpose. I'll agree that the Ruger 10-22 is probably the best but I'm wanting a bolt action. I'm leaning towards the Savage due to the longer barrel and acu-trigger.

 

[Richard Federation]

I am in a similar boat as well. I want to hunt hogs on some of my local WMA's but most of the time I am limited to a rimfire. I own a Ruger 10/22 and love it I just feel it is to small for hog. Crankshaft you can find 22l in a bolt action. I have a Ruger American in .308 and absolutely love it and now you can get it in rimfires. I also own a Savage 93r (the one in my avatar) a 17HMR. It is a very accurate rifle and according to many with proper shot placement is deadly on hogs. My problem with the Savage is cartridge feeding problems so I cant trust it. It is on the way back from Savage a second time and I will have it back on Monday but I am hesitant to use it because of past feeding problems. I have been looking at the new .17WSM but few companies are making one in that chamber and the reasonably priced one is a Savage and I hear they have been having problems with that gun so I am hesitant to go with Savage because of the problems they are having and the problems I am having with them. Also if more companies don't start offering rifles in the .17WSM cartridge I am afraid it will fall to the wayside. So I keep coming back to the .22WSM but I have not been paying much attention to ammo availability. I have seen it in my local shop several times just in the last few months so I don't think that will be a problem. So it looks like it may be my next gun purchase and if I do I think I will go with the Ruger.

 

[the_great_white]

from personal experience on squirrel hunting with the .17hmr, there wont be much squirrel left.....50 yard shot here