Thread: 22LR or 17HMR, your thoughts?

I'm keen on getting a rimfire to get the odd bunny with. I'm used to PCPs, never owned a "proper" rifle.
So I was wondering what "most" of the distances are people are shooting bunnies? I'm guessing a huge quantity of bunnies are shot in NZ inside 50m?
PCP will do it, but the rifles are so damned cheap (compared to a PCP that is) that I might just shout myself one.

Important to me, is the ability to use subsonic ammo in the .22, the quieter the better. But have read that a .22 rimfire is only accurate to about 70 metres with subsonic?

Whereas I like the power of the 17HMR, more chance in my mind of killing bunny instantly, no suffering. But, not that keen in a rifle that will shoot a projectile well over a kilometre, all though it would hit ground way before then.
The dead bunnies will either be hawk food or eel food so no matter what they look like, meaning if a HMR makes a mess of bunny, no problem.

What do you guys use? Have heard the Gun City Air Arms .22s are crap, and the Rossi .22s are better? I don't need a flash rifle so one of these would do.
Out of interest, how quiet can you make a 17HMR?


Cheers all

Hmr's are not as prone to ricochet as 22's. Trade off is, 22 is way quieter using subs.

Interestingly - old .22 rimfire packets carry a warning on the inner flap that says " Dangerous within a mile and a half " so your suggestion of 1000 metres is well off.

On a cost-alone basis the .22 rimfire is a way better bet for the sort of casual usage you suggest - there are many very good second hand rifles out there , ammo is available ( and economical) everywhere , and you can shoot hyper-velocity , normal LR , standard velocity , shorts , subs out of the same rifle , whatever suits your purposes.

I use a 17 Mach 2 at present but ammo is 25 bucks a box ........ only using it because I have a lot of ammo available , and it suits my purposes currently.

Both will kill rabbits easily. 22LR can be made quiet, 17HMR cannot. It's not the calibres per se, rather the difference between subsonic and supersonic. No suppressor will remove the boom associated with a supersonic round, but they do reduce the noice associated with the bullet leaving the muzzle. 22LR does ricochet quite badly. 22LR is accurate to 75 metres in my hands, but with practice, a good rifle and an understanding of bullet drop, 100 metres is quite realistic.

A .17HMR cannot be made as quiet as a .22. It does piss all over it in every other way.

If you have a reasonably powerful PCP then I'd suggest the 17HMR. The PCP will be nice and quiet and cover all bases to 70M or so, the 17 will double your effective range to 140+M. A couple of the local pest destruction guys here don't use 22LR much these days, it's either the PCP or 17HMR.

I concur with Tentman

You will shoot the 22 way more due to price difference in the ammo.

Originally Posted by The bomb

You will shoot the 22 way more due to price difference in the ammo.

But you'll learn to be accurate with a 17HMR

Originally Posted by Maca49

But you'll learn to be accurate with a 17HMR

This, I got my 22 accurate out to 100m. But was finding that it was no longer instant death.

I picked up a Rossi 17hmr from GC for $349 new. 2 weekends ago my 14 year old son headshot a bunny at 180m. My 22s hardly come out now.

Yeah .. from the posts here .. easy to figure out the gun to go with

I have the 5 shot bolt action and the 10 shot semi auto bull barrell..17Hmr…absolutely spot on except for the nasty “crack” that round makes when fired… great killing power for small game …. And even Bigger

Recently talked to a mate of mine in Alaska… seems the “natives” (Inuit/Athibaskin).. use the 17hmr on caribou(headshots)with no issues at all….its a very potent round!!

Tentman is spot on. PCP for closer stuff or anything near houses/horses etc and for everyday cheap running then HMR out to 200m or slightly bigger animals. I have a DPT over barrel centrefire suppressor on my 17hmr and it's just the sonic crack that you hear, which I find is really disorienting for the animals as they can't figure out direction, it doesn't matter how quiet you think your 22LR is running subs the prey you are shooting at will hear it and be able to tell the direction.

I share my DPT 22 can with my 17hmr, it's the mag setup so it quietens it right down.

I dont own a 17....my 223 does that job..... cant see that changing any time soon.

Personal bias declaration: I hate air rifles and I hate .17 anything!
The 22LR has been the go to caliber for rabbiting for over 100 years, I see no point in changing what clearly is tried, proven and works.
Distance - Effective Range: 22LR 10m - 200m (.17 The same). Subsonic 22LR, my longest one shot kill is 164m with Winchester 42grn HP at 1065 fps. Best Supersonic 22LR one shot kill 192m Browning BPR 40grn HP.
Projectile Weights: 22LR 28grn, 38grn, 40grn, 42grn, 45grn and I think I missed one or two. HP or solid (Last time I checked .17 only came in three bullet weights? Check)
Velocity: 22LR Subsonic to supersonic lots of options from 700fps to 2000 (roughly). (.17 supersonic only, you can't effectively mitigate the sonic CRACK! You can reduce it, but you can never get them silent!)
COST! COST! COST! Retail gun shops LOVE selling .17 because they know they have then you locked into buying the most expensive rimfire ammunition in the world! Which is good for their sales figures and profit margin, but hard on your Bank Account. The pricing structure is, from cheapest to most expensive; 22LR - 22 Magnum - .17HMR. Basically .17 is DOUBLE the price of 22LR. Do the maths on 5000 rounds and you pack your pants!
Suppressors: Buy quality, buy DPT modular system.
WHAT RIFLE: Weihrauch HW60J (new Model HW66 CH comes factory threaded) should be about $800 - $1000 on TradeMe or $1200 to $1400 retail. Reloaders Supplies Auckland got me the best price on my last on in 22 Hornet. You will buy this rifle, never change it, and pass it on to your grandchildren. Quality German engineering.
SCOPE: Get a good quality scope with magnification range of 3 0r 4 to 14 or 16x. Maximum front lens diameter 40 - 44mm (You don't need 50mm and 26x for rabbits)

Hugh Shields
Controlled Rabbit Culling
Wellington
Mobile: 021 9888 41