Praire dog shoot out 10-22 LR Vrs 17HMR

[Special T]

Well i got invited to go shooting prairie dog shooting near Burns OR. I've kind been wanting to buy a rim fire lately... the only 22LR is the over under i have. I was looking at the cheaper than dirt and they have A 18.5 in barrel with a tap-co stock on it for $235.. I have a scope with the quick detach rings SO i don't really need a scope... There are guys that are going with  3 AR's 2 17HMR and a pile of 22's My wife likes shooting a 22 and i like how cheep they are to shoot... I would like a 17, but not really sure what else I'd use it for... Magpies maybe? I'm just thinking how much more shooting i might do with the wife and kid with the 22LR 4-5c ea verses 20-25c ea.   Any thoughts?

[birdwacker]

I have a savage .17hmr and it's more accurate than I can shoot. There's one in the classifieds for 300.00

[MtnMuley]

Definately the 17HMR imo.  More devistation and effective at longer ranges.

[FC]

22 is great for shooting on the cheap! Depending on what you want for accuracy and what distances you like to shoot at I would get a bolt gun. I picked up a Savage MkII heavy barrel last year and I can tell you it's an amazingly accurate rifle, shooting it at less than 100 yards is boring, 150+ is fun as long as you are shooting at small targets. I keep thinking about getting myself a 17hmr but just haven't gotten around to it, every time I start looking I end up shooting that 22 and end up forgetting about the 17hmr.

[dscubame]

Definately the 17HMR imo.  More devistation and effective at longer ranges.

I have to agree but everyone should have a ruger 10-22 in their collection.  It just ain't right if you don't.  So for that very simple reason it has to be the 10-22.  Simple but true.

[chrisb]

Voting 10-22
Great guns and ammo is cheap and plentiful. I'm all for maximum fun for the least amount of coin.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I have to agree but everyone should have a ruger 10-22 in their collection.  It just ain't right if you don't.  So for that very simple reason it has to be the 10-22.  Simple but true.

Getting them with the 22rimfire will be more challenge. AND A WHOLE LOT CHEAPER!

On a side note, this is a good read.  http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_17HMR_22WMR.htm

A buddy of mine was shooting his H&R M-12 in 22LR, (Basically a Winchester model 52 with 27" bull barrel), at 200meters on Sunday. 6" groups with no wind flags set out.  I wouln't expect a stock carbine 10-22 to do that but you should be good inside 100yds on Praire Dogs if you practice follow up shots. Just leave the larger dogs to the guys with the 17's and 223's. You'll have plenty of fun with head shots on bigger dogs inside 75yds.

-Steve

[CAMPMEAT]

I've got a 17, Ruger 10-22 and a 22 mag. Trust me, buy a 22 mag rifle. It will out shoot the 17 by far, hands down, alot better than a 22lr. The 17 is kind of expensive to shoot, not by much though. I've shot coyotes and bobcats with my 22 mag and the 17. 22 dead, 17 ran away.

[huntandjeep]

10/22 there cheap to shoot. Hell buy a couple and convert one to .17hm2 thats what i did.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I've shot coyotes and bobcats with my 22 mag and the 17. 22 dead, 17 ran away.

And that's pretty much what this says:  http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_17HMR_22WMR.htm

Basically limit the weight of your target/prey to the correct distance/cartridge.

A 10-22 MAG (22WMR), with a Volquartsen trigger/hammer/spring kit and a bull barrel from just about any one of the makers would be sweet.

I was just contemplating the other day to ream my H&R M-12 to 22mag. It's a single shot, but would be more deadly than a 17.

-Steve

[thinkingman]

I've shot coyotes and bobcats with my 22 mag and the 17. 22 dead, 17 ran away.

And that's pretty much what this says:  http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_17HMR_22WMR.htm

Basically limit the weight of your target/prey to the correct distance/cartridge.

A 10-22 MAG (22WMR), with a Volquartsen trigger/hammer/spring kit and a bull barrel from just about any one of the makers would be sweet.

I was just contemplating the other day to ream my H&R M-12 to 22mag. It's a single shot, but would be more deadly than a 17.

-Steve

Nice idea but that would cost as much as an AR15.....10/22mags are priced like they're gold.
10/22 Target or one with an aftermarket barrel and trigger for cheap, accurate fun.
And buy a mag loader.

[Wanttohuntmore]

10/22, fun to shoot rapidly at the rats!  I have a 17 hmr as well, very accurate, and twice the range of the 22lr, but 5 times more expensive to shoot.  If I was going to Burns, I'd bring a 223 and a 22, and a 17hmr if I wanted a 3rd rifle.

[MikeWalking]

Voting 10-22
Great guns and ammo is cheap and plentiful. I'm all for maximum fun for the least amount of coin.

[Craig]

Shooting praire dogs with the 17 is fun. If there is wind it's a pain in the ass. I took my AR out one time but that got expensive pretty fast with all the misses.

[Jamieb]

The summer before last I bought a 22mag and 17hmr. One trip shooting sage rats and I sold the HMR. The 22 mag is a keeper.
I also always take a 10-22 for walking/shooting in the taller grass.