I am teetering between a .22lr and .22 mag rifle and cannot decide whether I want the extra expense of the .22mag or not.

is the .22mag just that much better?

confused in Indiana

Accuracy is about the same in my experience. .22 mag will hit a little harder, and shoot a little flatter than .22 LR. All dependent on what you plan to do with it? .22 LR is a lot cheaper to shoot. However, shooting little furry critters is more fun with a .22 mag.

Quoted: Accuracy is about the same in my experience. .22 mag will hit a little harder, and shoot a little flatter than .22 LR. All dependent on what you plan to do with it? .22 LR is a lot cheaper to shoot. However, shooting little furry critters is more fun with a .22 mag.

+1, .22Mag is much better on sm-med furries, but my Grandad claimed to bag more than a few deer with one.

well, I have a 10/22 that I love but I was wanting something that has substance for things a little bigger than squirrels.  Is the .22mag a better by than the 17hmr?  They seem to be a toss up, 150 yards vs. 100 yards and harder hitter.

the 22 mag loses almost fully half it's speed , out to 100 yds.
the 17hmr is going faster at 100 yds, than a 22mag is at the muzzle.
once the 22 mag gets to 100yds, it is down to 100 fpe, or less.
 If you are going to hit critters out to about 75 yds, the 22 mag has it over the others.
After that , the 17hmr takes over in every way.  Except ammo is cheaper than 17hmr.
the 22lr is MUCH, MUCH , cheaper than both.
 if you wait, any day now the 5mm mag will be coming out; if you are truly looking for
a hunting round, this is it.
It is so far superior to either of the 22 mag or 17, it is not even close.
It will still have almost 200 fpe at 200 yds, and yet it will have the trajectory,
and wind deflection of the 17 hmr.

check here;
http://www.varmintal.com/17hmr.htm

What gun will the ammo be chambered in?
What is the mission of the gun?

I have a 22LR/22WMR convertible Ruger SS Single-Six. For target shooting up to 50 yes there doesn't seem to be much difference.

When plinking at water jugs at 25 yds, the 22LR punch holes in the water jugs and the water leaks out. With a 22WMR the jug explodes.

When I fire a 22WMR derringer, it feels like a .38 derringer.
When I fire a 22WMR revolver, it feels like a .38 revolver.

The 22 WMR is a kick-a** cartridge in comparison to the 22 LR. It is much more expensive and makes a lot more noise.

If you are just hunting squirrels or plinking at the range, 22LR is good enough. If you find a revolver, bolt or lever action chambered for 22WMR, they will allow you to shoot 22LR most of the time.

However 22 WMR automatics (pistols or rifles) in my experience do not function reliably with 22LR ammo. I guess the 22LR doesn't provide enough gas/recoil to cycle the actions reliably??

If you answer the gun/mission questions, you should be able to figure out what you want. And if you can find a convertible, you may be able to enjoy the best of both worlds.

.22lr SHOULD NEVER be fired in a .22 WMR chamber. Headspace and case diameter differences yield greatly increased risk of ruptured cases, head separations, blown extractors, and personal injury.
Frog MD

Quoted: What gun will the ammo be chambered in? What is the mission of the gun? I have a 22LR/22WMR convertible Ruger SS Single-Six. For target shooting up to 50 yes there doesn't seem to be much difference. When plinking at water jugs at 25 yds, the 22LR punch holes in the water jugs and the water leaks out. With a 22WMR the jug explodes. When I fire a 22WMR derringer, it feels like a .38 derringer. When I fire a 22WMR revolver, it feels like a .38 revolver. The 22 WMR is a kick-a** cartridge in comparison to the 22 LR. It is much more expensive and makes a lot more noise. If you are just hunting squirrels or plinking at the range, 22LR is good enough. If you find a revolver, bolt or lever action chambered for 22WMR, they will allow you to shoot 22LR most of the time. However 22 WMR automatics (pistols or rifles) in my experience do not function reliably with 22LR ammo. I guess the 22LR doesn't provide enough gas/recoil to cycle the actions reliably?? If you answer the gun/mission questions, you should be able to figure out what you want. And if you can find a convertible, you may be able to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Why do you shoot 22lr in a 22mag rifle, maggies are larger around than long rifles, in some cases the cases will split, why do you think Ruger sends two cylinders with their convertable revolvers?

IMHO, 22mag is just that much better. Id hate to guess the number of whitetails thats been put in the skillet w/ the 22 mag.(Thousands of poachers cant be wrong)  Now if ur just shootin beer cans, u cant beat 22lr with the price of ammo. Just my .02.

If you don't have a .22lr, buy that first.

If you already have one, go for the mag. It will be much more expensive to shoot but carries a bit more punch. It is also better of windblown fields than the lr.

I have a 10/22 that I love to put hundreds thru at each range visit, Tech Sights.. fun toy.  I am wanting a little something more that does a little more.  I can spank steel at 110 yards at my range with the Tech Sights and I think .22 mag sounds fun n the sun.

Quoted: I have a 10/22 that I love to put hundreds thru at each range visit, Tech Sights.. fun toy.  I am wanting a little something more that does a little more.  I can spank steel at 110 yards at my range with the Tech Sights and I think .22 mag sounds fun n the sun.

The worst part about 'spanking steel' at that range with .22lr is hearing/seeing it when other people are on the firing line.

Quoted: IMHO, 22mag is just that much better. Id hate to guess the number of whitetails thats been put in the skillet w/ the 22 mag.(Thousands of poachers cant be wrong)  Now if ur just shootin beer cans, u cant beat 22lr with the price of ammo. Just my .02.

I know a lot of old timers that fed their families by "poaching" deer during the lean times. Most I know of used a .22 LR because it is quiet and does the job just fine. The way they tell it they would take a heart shot from cover and the deer would not even run when shot, it would just stand there and die. Others took headshots. I personally have dispatched several elk with a 10/22. I was not poaching, these were all either hung up in fences or hit by cars.

Screw the 22 mag. Get the 17HMR and don't look back!!!!


Or get a Ruger 10/22 magnum and a 17HMR conversion barrel.

Quoted: Quoted: I have a 10/22 that I love to put hundreds thru at each range visit, Tech Sights.. fun toy.  I am wanting a little something more that does a little more.  I can spank steel at 110 yards at my range with the Tech Sights and I think .22 mag sounds fun n the sun. The worst part about 'spanking steel' at that range with .22lr is hearing/seeing it when other people are on the firing line.

Get electronic earmuffs.

I got a pair of the wal-mart electronic muffs and they work great. I can hit an 8" late at 100 yds with my MkII offhand about one out of every 5 shots. You can really hear it. Plus, the muffs only dampen the actual muzzle blast, you still get to hear the sonic crack of supersonic rounds.

As far as shooting deer with a 22lr or even a 22mag I'm sure several people have done it.  However has anyone seen any proof that the deer dropped in it's tracks or was even recovered?

I've heard the stories too.  Obviously, the storyteller is not too concerned about getting caught otherwise they would keep there mouth shut.  However, where is the proof?  I'm sure several deer were injured and given a slow death for every one recovered.

Anyone ever actually shot a deer here?  What did you use?  22lr, arrow?  Only thing I seen drop a deer DRT was a 12 ga slug.

I've got no problem killin an animal, but a deer with a 22lr or even a 22mag?

Someone help me down  

Er, uh, an ...acquaintance has killed deer and several 70lb class feral pigs with high power .22 air rifles (29gr pellets at 900fps mv out to 40yd or so. Lights out.

A farmer friend doing crop protection has killed probably a pickup load of whitetails with a 10/22. they are most often shot in the part that glows in the spotlight. Lights out.

As far as really high power airguns ( 200ft/lbs) check out bigboreairguns.com.

For the record, in Texas, game animals cannot legally be taken with any airgun, even squirrels; nor deer with any rimfire. Hogs, rabbits, and exotics are legal 24/7/365 by any means- daylight, moonlight, spotlight, night vision, guns,archery, spears,baseball bats, hand grenades, machine guns, silencers,planes, trains or automobiles

height=8

Quoted: As far as shooting deer with a 22lr or even a 22mag I'm sure several people have done it.  However has anyone seen any proof that the deer dropped in it's tracks or was even recovered? I've heard the stories too.  Obviously, the storyteller is not too concerned about getting caught otherwise they would keep there mouth shut.  However, where is the proof?  I'm sure several deer were injured and given a slow death for every one recovered. Anyone ever actually shot a deer here?  What did you use?  22lr, arrow?  Only thing I seen drop a deer DRT was a 12 ga slug. I've got no problem killin an animal, but a deer with a 22lr or even a 22mag? Someone help me downhile So yes, a .22 can drop a deer in its tracks.  Not that I recommend it, for legal and humane reasons.

Different twist, I have two Ruger 10/22s, one .22LR,  the other .22Mag., both scoped, both very accurate.  .22 Mag ammo has gotten considerably, don't shoot that one much. In fact shoot Bushie M4 with Ceiner .22LR conversion mostly.

The AR lacks a hell of a lot being accurate as either Ruger but ARF.COM has grown on me like warts and I don't want to shoot anything else no matter hod good they are.

Different twist, I have two Ruger 10/22s, one .22LR,  the other .22Mag., both scoped, both very accurate.  .22 Mag ammo has gotten considerably, don't shoot that one much. In fact shoot Bushie M4 with Ceiner .22LR conversion mostly.

The AR lacks a hell of a lot being accurate as either Ruger but ARF.COM has grown on me like warts and I don't want to shoot anything else no matter how good they are.