new rimfire suggestions

lightweight · Post by **lightweight** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:00 am

Hi We are looking to get a new rimfire, tossing up between .22 mag or .17HMR, .22 seems to be winning at the moment as a bit cheaper to shoot and more ammor choices for not much difference in ballistics.

Just want to take rabbits and occasional foxes as our current .22LR is getting a bit battered and a bit of extra range would be nice. We like the current CZ either classic or varmint

Any suggestions would be appreciated

dave · Post by **dave** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:26 am

cz varmint in .17hmr, i dont think there is a better combination for the money to be honest! Ive got a .22 and .22mag and though they have there place and are cheap enough to run the would go rusty in the safe if i had a 17mhr!

Dr G · Post by **Dr G** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 3:26 pm

me and my regular shooting partner have been using 22mag for some time now and i have found it great for rabbits and foxes, that said i have just picked up my new CZ 452 varmint in the Hit More Rabbits variety so i will be looking forwards to seeing how it goes.

the bloke in the shop reckons it may be a bit light for foxes but from the comments i have seen in this forum i think he may be mistaken.

anyway it will be a couple of days before i get home and get to give it a go

if your still hummin' and harin' by then i will let you know

Easy Rollins · Post by **Easy Rollins** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 6:04 am

While I like the 17HMR...would be great on rabbits(no rabbits up here),they hate the wind.One puff and your group blows out,can be quite a pain.

lightweight · Post by **lightweight** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:54 pm

yeah i have read that about the wind, what about .17 mach2 what are the differneces between .17 hmr and .17 mach 2?

still leaning towards 22 mag at this point

Archfile · Post by **Archfile** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 4:17 pm

I've got a 17hmr CZ varmint, I'm thinking that you could go cheap and buy a savage or something, the 17hmr is the perfect small game chambering.

Nice flat trajectory and good impact on small game, accurate and the ammo will give you as good or better accuracy than premium WMR ammo, at a better price.

From the numbers, its clear that at range the WMR will impart more energy, HOWEVER at the ranges in question you have more difficulty making a good clean hit.. remember there is a lot of shit being talked about 17hmr performance, you will kill fox with ease (with a good shot - at appropriate range) but thats the limit for humane kills in my opinion.

The noise is not hugely more than the 22LR, you;ll still want hearing protection. despite the naysayers, i think that time will have the HMR all but wipe the WMR off the floor, there are few people choosing the WMR from what i hear.

I'd look at picking up a cheapy savage and dropping it into a better stock when you feel like it later, and that would set you back say $450 at a guess for the rifle (the 22LR thats been on order for me for as long as I can remember was $340)

Dr G · Post by **Dr G** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:36 pm

Have to agree with you Archfile, having now had a good shoot with both i prefer the 17HMR hands down to the WMR. Side by side (CZ Varmint 17HMR and Marlin Stainless Synthetic 22WMR) both rifles are accurate but the 17 was much easier to shoot out at 100m. In the sandhills up this way this is as far as you need to shoot.

As for foxes or cats we only saw one cat the other night and that fell victim to the 223 at about 80m, still yet to use the 17 for one of these.

sakoboy · Post by **sakoboy** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:30 am

..NAH!! Don't go cheap! Go the CZ Varmint 453. Best value for the money in town! I own a number of Brnos/CZ's and would not go 'down' in quality. One of my Brnos I have owned since 1969 or so and has had zillions of rounds thru it! Only now needs a recrown.

Calibre? Buy BOTH 22 LR and 17 HMR!! .. and buy a spare STEEL mag for your new CZ.

Post by **kjd** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 11:30 am

Actually at normal ranges the 17hmr has better wind doping characteristics then the 22lr or the 22mag.

ojr · Post by **ojr** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 11:23 pm

kjd wrote:Actually at normal ranges the 17hmr has better wind doping characteristics then the 22lr or the 22mag.

Yip I agree, and if the choice is between the .22 mag and the 17HMR I would choose the 17.
If you are useing the rifle strickly for rabbit/hare sized animals.
I have no Idea how big a fox is but having seen photos in the likes of sporting shooters mag, I would think within sensable ranges it would be fine.

jimbo · Post by **jimbo** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:45 pm

There is no comparison between the 17HMR and the 22 Mag when it comes to performance. The 17 will beat it hands down. As the range is limited to an effective 175 meters (humane distance), accuracy of the 17 is way in front of the 22 mag. Forget the Mach 2 - it's a waste of time. There was a comparison between the HMR and the Mach 2 in the Australian Shooter, which pretty much said it all.

Archfile · Post by **Archfile** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:17 pm

there is no debate that the 22mag will outperform the 17hmr at LONG range, however you have to score a hit at that range, and that is damn near impossible.

I'm suggesting that the 17hmr is the better round, but the 22mag is not completely beaten..

Post by **kjd** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:14 pm

Archfile wrote:there is no debate that the 22mag will outperform the 17hmr at LONG range, however you have to score a hit at that range, and that is damn near impossible.

I'm suggesting that the 17hmr is the better round, but the 22mag is not completely beaten..

Out perform? In what way? Only thing the 22mag does better then the 17hmr is provide a tad more energy!!! Its not as flat or as fast nor does it dope wind as good!

Knackers · Post by **Knackers** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:32 pm

I agree with all that is said about the .17HMR, including KJD's coment about the wind. I've got a CZ Varmit thats been bedded and had the trigger worked by Shane Clancy. These groups were shot over a two hour period, the wind does not affect the tiny bullets as much as you would think.
The bottom two targets were shot during a cross wind about 12 kmh, the top left is still and the one to the right was a bit of a breeze. the two far right targets are a .22LR. I have zeroed the vernier at .172" to show the centre to centre measurement.
Get a CZ

Sorry about the crappy picture but thats as close as I can get with this ordinary camera of mine.
[/img]

Archfile · Post by **Archfile** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:04 am

i did mean the downrange energy.. i love the 17hmr, wouldnt change mine for a 22mag, but the heavier bullet might be the ticket for foxes, there is some debate over the 17gr on foxes at range..

i'm tired and full of shit.. buy the HMR

-arch

AusVarmint