# 22 Mag/22 LR/ 17 HMR



## MooreMoney08 (Jul 29, 2006)

Im looking for just a general good small game caliber.I really doubt ill be shooting much more than squirrels. Is the extra money u pay for the 22 mag worth it? or should I go flip side on the 17 hmr? im counting my pennies fellas keep that in mind


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

The .22 LR is by far the cheapest, both gun and ammo wise. The .22 mag is really over kill for squirrels and ammo is anywhere from 5-15 dollars a box depending on who you buy from and what kind/brand it is. The .17 HMR is honestly too powerful for a squirrel but it has a very flat trajectory and both the TNT and V-MAX loadings are very effective squirrel loads. It is the most expensive of the 3 mentioned, both in guns and ammo. I own rifles in all 3 calibeers, and when squirrel hunting the gun I reach for the most is the .17 HMR, if the leaves are still on and the shots are close I reach for a .22 LR, I haven't shot my .22 mag in over 2 years, actually I loned it to my cousing 2 years ago and haven't seen it since, nor have I really come accross a situation where I would have rather had it over a .17. Before the .17 came out I hunted squirrels almost exclusively with a .22 LR, only in the very late season when the shots were nearing 100 yards would I break out the mag.

If you want a plinking/popcan killing gun, I would say go with a semi auto .22.

If you are also interensted in hunting varmint class animals with the same rifle such as coyotes, I would reccommend the .22 mag.

If you are going to be really serious with your squirrel hunting and want a dedicated squirrel rig, then by all means get the .17. Your're not going to shoot enough in the fielld to go broke anyway, the higher cost of .17 ammo isn't that bad if all you do is hunt. My best advice here however is to not get a semi auto .17, they eat ammo!

:sniper:


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

.22 magnum all the way!!! but rem 7400 gave you good advice!!


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## Crackshot (Aug 8, 2006)

The Savage .17 with accutrigger is less than $200 even with a heavy barrel.{on sale} This is an awesome tack driving rifle. I own 2 with consecutive serial numbers. With a good rest you can shoot a squirrel in the head at 100yrds. all day. Put you a Sweet 17 inexpensive BSA 6-18 on it and you will be ready to roll. If the opportunity to shoot prarie dogs or other small varmits comes along you are in great shape! I kill crows at 200 plus all the time. You will love the trigger and on most 22's the triggers are horrible.


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

Crackshot said:


> . You will love the trigger and on most 22's the triggers are horrible.


You got that right, after that post I am tempted to get one of these myself!!


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## Crackshot (Aug 8, 2006)

With the exception of harvesting meat for the freezer, if I had to limit myself to only one rifle, my Savage .17 would be the one. I recently enjoyed my first prarie dog shoot in W. Tx. Now, I lay no claim to being a super target shot, however my brother was spotting for me and pointed out a mound with 5 dogs the rangefinder said was 230 yrds away. With the Sweet 17 scope, I simply dialed in the distance and killed 'em all. Man, what a rush. This little tack driver is so much fun to shoot. The only drawback is the wind and even that makes it more fun. I learned more about Kentucky windage on this trip than I had learned in my entire lifetime of shooting. Even with my 60 year old eyes, I was shooting .4 at 100 yards out of the box and when I went to Remington ammo, I tightned that up substantually. This baby is my truck gun and I "don't leave home without it!"


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## clampdaddy (Aug 9, 2006)

I was a sceptic at first and would turn right past any page in a gun mag that had anything to do with the 17 HMR but eventually I bought one just to see what all the fuss was about and it turned out to be a great little rifle. So great infact that my buddies renamed my rifle "the 17 HIV" because it was pretty much a certain death sentance to any furry thing that it made contact with! 
I do still love my 22mag and believe it to be a better choice if there's a good chance of running into a coyote or other small game.
By the way, I highly recomend the heavy barreled Savage and the Burris B-Plex. Sight it in at 100yds. and raise up one tick mark for every 50yds. after that for the 17gr. bullet.

WHAT SAY THE BRETHEREN!?!?!?!?


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

Stop stop talking about the .17 HMR I was saving up for a .223. I just cant keep flip flopping like this!!!


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## Crackshot (Aug 8, 2006)

Hey B224
If you are wavering on the .17 this ought to do it for you.
I have a friend who has a pond of several acres that is simply overrun with turtles. They are eating up his fish. He made the mistake of asking me to get rid of them. I drive my jeep up on the dam, {in the shade,ha! } install my homemade window rest, and commence firing. Anything out to 100 yards that pops it's head up is dead meat! The first time I tried this I felt comfortable I had killed a passel of 'em but couldn't tell for sure. Went back the next day and the bank was literally covered with bloated and washed up turtles, with their heads shot off. Hell, I felt kinda bad about it till he reminded me it was to help controll his fishing pond. The pond is deep in the woods so I don't have to worry about skip off. Any that happened to crawl up on brush tops, I turned into "pink mist." Talk about a "killing craze" coming over a man....


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

Damn you crackshot!!  Maybe a .17 HMR in the savage rifle is just too good a deal to pass up!


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## Crackshot (Aug 8, 2006)

Hey Bore224,
I figured that would lite your fire. In our part of the country Bass Pro is having a sale....go get you one...you won't be sorry.
I got a shooting range where I live and I been outside trying to test out what ammo is best for my Thompson Benchmark.About tpo get disguested. Damn, I hate to pay big $ for 22 rounds. Either me or the rifle is not shootin' as good as it was....probably me! Guess you have those days when you can't hit the side of a barn. ha!


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## Sin man (Jul 25, 2006)

ive got a ruger 10/22 marlin modle 60 22 a savage 22mag and a savage 17hmr. my favorite is the 17hmr unless you were going to shoot coyotes but other than that they will kill any small animal out to 200+ yards.


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## Cleankill47 (Jan 19, 2006)

Hey, what happened to the .22 LR? So what if I can't shoot my squirrels from 100 yards, I still get them...

MooreMoney08, If you just want a squirrel gun, you can get a good Savage Mark II G in .22LR with a wood stock for about $180, or if you want to move up a little on the ladder, my Henry .22 lever action (model H001) has never failed me, the action's smooth as silk, and it's got a sweet little trigger. It'll run you about $200-$240 though, I paid $240 for mine, and haven't regretted it.

Good luck.

:sniper:


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## Crackshot (Aug 8, 2006)

Hey, I agree the 22 has it's place in rabbit and squirrel hunting. I just tried some Wolf target 22 in my Thompson Benchmark with awesome results. And that's with a trigger feels like it has a half inch of creep. Got one ordered from Jard that I'm hoping will make this Thompson the true tack driver it is capable of being. I pretty much like hollow points for hunting but this Wolf ammo is tight enough to go strictly for head shots. The trajectory of the 22 is something however I got to work on. I don't have to sweat it with the .17. Of course ammo is twice as expensive for the .17 but who cares with regard to hunting. Target shooting is a diferent matter. Judging the yardage is critical with a 22. With these gray squirrels I shoot, you don't have all day to use a range finder, etc. as they haul a$$ mighty fast. I have a Simmons 8-32 {I know that's a little much} mill dot on the 22 and it certainly comes into play after 50 yards. Basically I think it's to each his own with caliber selection.


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## HERSHEY_VOLS_22 (Sep 5, 2006)

.22 lr
It is perfect for squirrels, and is cheap. You can get a good .22lr bolt action for 150$


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## Crackshot (Aug 8, 2006)

By the way, I ordered a Jard trigger for my Thompson Benchmark, for $150, spent $35 to have a certified gunsmith install it. Well, it double fired and then it wouldn't cock. I took it back and they worked on it 4 hrs and couldn't fix it. I have left repeated emails and voice mails with Jard and have not had a response now in 6 days. I want them to install the damn trigger, since they make it and I'm willing, of course, to pay for it. I'm wondering if they are stalling on the 30 day time for a money back gurantee. The bad thing is, shooting the rifle single shot, at 50 yards, it will one hole. I want the trigger, I just want them to fix it and give a little customer service. 
Has anyone else had a problem with Jard? And does any know of a co. that makes a custom trigger for a Thompson Bench 22 semi auto?


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## Albertahunter (Oct 25, 2005)

i would say is get the 17 hm2 for squirrels becuase it is cheaper to shoot than the hmr and wont blow them up as bad.


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## Crackshot (Aug 8, 2006)

Still no response from Jard Triggers about the defective trigger they sold me. Has anyone else had problems with this company. I am highly ******, as I paid $150 for this trigger and can't even get a return call advising me of what I need to do. I plan to go on every gun forum I can find and inform the public of this situation if I don't get satisfaction so...folks at Jard, be advised, you have one mad customer that's going to cause you some grief if you fail to do the right thing.


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