17HMR vs 22MAG - Lets end the debate

270yotekiller

New member
Any suggestions for an actual field test for the 2 calibers to see which one is in fact the better choice for coyotes? Personally i would think the 22mag is better simply for the fact that a heavier bullet will penetrate much better than a highly frangible bullet but lets do a ballistic comparison between the 2 calibers. I think most peoples opinions are highly biased and limited so i suggest a ballistic comparison between the 2, any suggestions?

-Penetration test
-accuracy test
-velocity test (and it effectiveness or lack thereof)

Lets end the debate if people want to use rimfires for their predator guns, personally i use a 22-250 with 50 grain blitzkings so i have no biased opinion on either rimfire caliber. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
You are one sick puppy.....end the debate on 17HMR vs 22 Mag, why that's just plum crazy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

(ps...was going to say plum un-American 'til I saw you was from Canada)
 
i'll end it...get the 22 mag. it is the obvious choice. the 17 hmr was not designed for yotes, but for groundhogs and prairie dogs and crows and the like. this debate will go on on, and on because of velocity fans.
the fact is if you have to shoot yotes with a rimfire use the 22 mag.
 
There is no question, nothing to debate. Common sense should convince almost anyone that the .22 mag. with it's heavier and stronger bullet would beat the Hummer in any penetration test through bone and meat.
 
I don't know about the ballistic comparison but I have shot varmints and predators with both of them. Go with BeaverWeb's recommendation. Use the 17 for varmints but pick up the 22mag when you go predator hunting.
 
The 22 mag is not good for anything but maybe to make a hummer out of it! The hummer for smaller varmints and a centerfire for the larger predators like yotes!
 
RICH CRONK...you got to remember, some folks don't have common sence....that's why some of the posts you read here talk about shooting propane bottles and such....
 
Ok, Sam, what about area where all you can use is a rimfire hunting yotes? which would you rather have, the HMR or a 22WMR loaded with fed. 50 gr HP's?

I don't own a hummer, I bought its lil bro, same bullet 400 fps slower and I'll tell you this, one small game it works awesome but as game weight goes beyond about 8 pounds your DRT factor disapearsunless you use head shots.
So how much bigger can you go with the same bullet 400 fps faster? will it penetrate deeper or make a bigger splash when it impacts?
the main bullet folks shoot weighs 17 grans of which 6 grains is a polymer tip. 11 grains of thin jacketed lead won't penetrate much.
But the same guys who swear by the HMR for yotes will immediately tell you that the 223 is highly unsuitable for deer. look at this
17 HMR
40 pound yote, 17 gr bullet= .35 gr per pound of game weight
223 rem
110 pound whitetail, 60 gr. nosler partition= .545 gr per pound of game weight
and this is a much tougher controlled expansion bullet that will definately penetrate the 6" it takes to get into the vitals.
RR
 
I use the 20gr HP when I'm hunting with my HMR. I will take any head shot that a coyote will give me out to 125yds. Thats the only shot I will take with it on something that size & thats the only ammo I carry when hunting. The 20gr XTP's are highly effective.


Now that I've angered some body,,& if they are still reading this post,, I am speaking in terms of "targets of opportunity" only. I carry a 204, a 357Marlin lever, or a 20ga with 3" copper plated 4's & a turkey choke.
 
If by chance my AR, 6mm, 22-250, and 1300 Win are in the shop at the same time and I have to choose I'll take a rock and a stick /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
But seriously I have killed a yote with a 17 it wasent pretty I was afraid I was gonna have to stab it to stop the yelping and spinning /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif If I had to choose I'd take a mag I guess. the 17 blew a hole clean through a metro phome book at 100 but I am still skeptical that is why mine got peddeled. JMHO
 
I will fuel the fire...

I have both guns, and I think the 17 was a better shooter, and I shot a stray dog out of my pasture a year ago, and it ran a good 40 yds before expiring, I would take the WMR over the hummer for anything racoon size or larger.
 
Plain and simple......you will NEVER end this debate! DSidn't someone (me) suggest a rimfire forum for this nonsense about a year ago?
 
"I use the 20gr HP when I'm hunting with my HMR. I will take any head shot that a coyote will give me out to 125yds. Thats the only shot I will take with it on something that size & thats the only ammo I carry when hunting. The 20gr XTP's are highly effective."
_______________

A headshot on a coyote with a Hummer? The surface blowup would make for a very unhappy and very bald coyote.
Lord I apologize for that right up there, and please be with the starving pygmy's--Amen
 
well you have to blame hornady, they were the ones who first hyped it up to gain sales, I remember when it first came out, I read more posts that matter of factly stated that it was the best rifle ever made for everything up and including smaller deer. then hornady saw the 17 v-max was a flop at that velocity so they made the 20 gr hp's, but they lost alot of the accuracy the v-max gave them, they then came out with the 20 gr game point. Which if it performs like I've read, all the time, is the only bullet that should have ever been loaded in the hmr. the v-max is to destructive for small game, not enough penetration for fox on up. so with the v-max, you have a .50 cents a pop pidgeon gun
RR
 
As long as there are gun writers making a nickle or two getting published, and magazines to peddle such articles, there will always be a debate between 17HMR and 22Mag, or 9mm vs .45 ACP, 5.56 vs 7.62, x gun vs y gun, or if the 1911 should be carried condition 1, 2, or 3.

Use what you know will reliably put the critter down. If you can neckshoot coyotes at 100 yards with a 17 HMR and consistently kill them, you're much better off with that rifle than shooting a 22 Mag that can't hit a pop can at 25 yards from a bench rest.
 
wow 15 replies in uder 4hrs, guess i should have steered away from this particular topic, i have read alot of posts where the 17HMR is adequate for coyotes, HA i barely consider the 22mag adequate but thats me. i usually pack coyotes with a 270 or my bro's 22-250 just thought i would poke at the cat some more.
 
The 20gr GamePoint in CCI & the 20grXTP Hornady are the same bullet. My Marlin shoots V-max into 3/4" at 100yds & the 20gr XTP's into 1" at 100yds consistently. Thats not hearsay. I shoot eggs at 100yds with both rds & the POI for the 20's is 1/2" lower.

And I knew somebody here would not finish reading my above post. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
22 mag hands down, and no the debate will never end. Someone brings up the 22 mag vs. 17hmr every day on rimfirecentral.com, just go have a look.
 
First off, I don't consider either one for predators with consistent kills as have seen them run off hit with much larger rounds! I do live where we have limited rimfire only areas on the WMA's of Ark. I still prefer a shotgun here! However, if using a rimfire only, I consider shot placement and distance the key. Also, a hunter knowing his ability and good judgement in taking the shot. In my experience, the .17 HMR is not a consistent one shot stopper for even PD's. Can say the same thing about the .22 mag as well.

I own several rifles in both calibers and have shot about everything with them over the years. The 17 HMR will be much better in the accuracy department due to bullet design. Rem's new 33gr V-Max load for the .22 mag is a step forward. At 50 yds, see no difference between the two as far as accuracy goes in a good rifle. 100 yds is where the .17 starts to shine. The 33gr Rem is close but still not as good.

I feel the 20gr HP is a much better round for the .17 if you choose to use it for predators as is the 40gr HP's for the .22 mag. As far as killing, I am sure you could kill an elephant with a .22 short but would not want to bet my life on it.

These type of debates will go on forever as it is opinion's and what hunters have experienced. Such is the case of my comments here. The .17 HMR is not a predator round in my opinion period! However, I don't hunt in rimfire only areas. As long as we keep the debates on here civil, there is no problem with discussions.
 


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