Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Sell me on magnum rimfire

I’ve never owned a magnum rimfire but I’m super impressed with my new Bergara BMR and see that they also make them in .22 magnum and .17 HMR. Problem is I can’t think of a use for the magnums that the LR wouldn’t probably also work. Main quarry around here are squirrels, raccoons, and the occasional possum and skunk…I’ve yet to find the super accurate LR lacking. My reading seems to suggest folks think the magnums are to light for coyotes…what am I missing?

Just buy one, you probably won’t be able to explain it either but will be glad you did! 😂

They’re real niche is spot lighting deer. 😅

Game Warden School 101: Anyone with a .22 mag is a suspect.

Skip the magnum and get a Hornet.

For me, it was the extra punch over a std 22 LR cartridge and a flatter trajectory which gave me more reach. I live rurally, and it is convenient to grab a box of cartridges and go.

Do you really need someone to tell you to buy a new gun? Price of admission around here is to buy it, report on it, and then either talk about how great it is, or bad mouth it and send it down the road...

My buddy and I bought .22 Magnum Mossberg 640K Chucksters to start our varmint hunting mostly because any centerfire rifle was not legal in the central farm zones where we hunted. It was mostly just crows back in those days because chucks were protected and there weren’t many of those anyway. With the 40 grain solid ammo it did a good job on squirrels without wrecking them. Today I do have a Savage m24 DL in .22 Mag. over a 3” 20 gauge with a peep sight that I like for a rambling around gun. We don’t see that many coyotes here either and while it IS light for a coyote, that cartridge and the 3” 20 gauge with heavy shot would not be out of place as a calling combination or a turkey gun in a state where you can use a rifle. As a .22 with a heavier bullet, it wouldn’t be as affected by wind as much as a 17HMR.
I still have more .22 LR guns, but each has their place. I agree that for the little stuff a LR is more versital.

I’d be first in line to buy a BMR in the .22 Hornet but I suspect I won’t see the day. My money would probably be better spent suppressing the LR…

We have chickens so something to abruptly discourage a fox, coyote, or other predator makes sense. Not much expense to get into a Ruger American Rimfire. Thought about a Hornet or a .223 with Seafire Blue dot load. But have more than enough CFs to fret about saving/reloading brass/dies/etc. Also wanted something quieter. Got an American cerakote in WMR and put a fixed 6MQ on it. Like it fine. If I wanted something flatter than .22LR - but for smaller critters - think the 17 might be wise.

17 HMR is handy for safety. We have killed some coons and possums inside of barns/buildings with them.

No exits.

I have had a .22 mag most of my life. I like them a lot. That said, seems to me its about perfect for Racoons and fox. I have taken coyotes with them with no problem, but bigger would be better for that.

Coons, skunks, possums, armidillas, fox,coyotes, feral cats, hogs(easy on trap wire)kills em all dead inside a reasonable distance. 17hmr is pretty goot at this too and have used it a bunch but the 22mag is better in my opinion.

A .22 WMR is much more flexible than a .22 LR to me as I can 1. vary loads while using the same zero and get markedly different results. Solids, Hollowpoints and Game Loads work well forme.
-- Solids will penetrate a cedar fence post and similar items like cattle skulls. At the same time they work well on grouse and squirrels and will suffice on cottontails.
-- Hollowpoints give devastatingly quick kills on jacks, gray diggers, and marmots. They will work on badgers and coyotes but are not ideal. I start with these when wooods bumming.
-- Game Points do good work on Badgers and Coyotes without cutting them in half.

2. There are several other loads that work well in a .22 WMR but don't use the same zero as the Magnum velocity 40 grainers. They include:
-- Subsonics- nice close to houses and pleasant out of a handgun when you aren't wearing plugs.
_ Shotshells: I find them much more effective than the .22LR versions and useful for mice and pack rats near the wall tent.

_ The .22 WMR in a scoped rifle has worked well for me on targets of opportunity like the occasional coyote out to 125 yards or so. It is better at 100 yards.
In addition to rifles, I have ,22 WMRs in a 24D .22 WMR over 20 gauge with peep sights (favorite for forest grouse), a Cricket SS Single Shot(the same weight as a CF revolver but much more accurate) and two revolvers (where the round gives performance similar to a .22LR rifle).

.22 mag is decent on groundhogs out to 100 yds (prefer 75 and in though).
Better than .22lr HV or Hyper V.
Significant difference, in rifle.


If I wasn't gonna varmint hunt or shoot IHMSA Field Pistol I'd not run a .22 mag.

They make a good truck gun. They have better range than a typical 22. If you compare animals shot with LR or Magnum. unless it is a brain shot you will notice a big difference. I have a savage bolt action that was cheap and with it's favored ammo it shoots dime sized groups at 50 yards. Better than my CZ 452 LR shoots. It will kill anything you want killed if you shoot it in the right spot. It will plant most medium sized varmints with body hits.

^^^this is good info

Not a Mag but the HM2 is handy if around several other homes or buildings.

HMR just more of a good thing for safety.

If you don’t have one you need one.
Simple.

Yep

Purchased a Bergara BMR in.22 wmr last November with the intent to use it calling for fox. I've been out twice and no fox but shooting 3/4" groups at 100 yards means I'm keeping it. That was with the first and only ammo I've tried.