Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints 22 mag vs 204, the economics?

So back on topic...

worked up a nice accurate load for the light weight 204, that has more range, more accuracy, and is cheaper than factory 22 Mag ammo...

picked up a box of Mid South Varmint Nightmare 34 grain HPs for 500 bullets at $41.00 a box....10 to 12 grains of SR 4759...600 to 700 rounds per pound of powder...

remember this is making use of 204 light weight barrel, that was given to me....so loading it I am finding a use for it...using it for close range coyote calling where I hunt deer and wasting crows that show their ugly heads...

picking up 100 rounds of range brass in 204 Hornady didn't hurt either...

this is in response to not being able to find accurate 22 Mag ammo for the Marlin...

they can make accurate 17 HMR ammo, and 22 Mag is made in the same factory, so why can't they make accurate 22 Mag ammo also???

That's a very good question. And one I wondered about for 30 years while suffering though several 22 mags that did not shoot worth a crap(even several Aschutzes).

Then, in 2002, the 17HMR was unveiled and the point became moot for me.

Seafire, thanks to you that makes some very accurate and inexpensive shooting in my 204 as well. Cost/rd. at 8 cents/bullet, 4 cents/powder load (figuring 500 rds loaded at 14 grains for $20 per lb. of 4759, and 1.5 cents per primer (wolf 223) equals out to 13.5 cents/rd or $13.50/100.

That load is moving along at just under 3,000 fps and shoots consitently for me under .5 moa.

Actually, that not the TOTAL cost per round.

The amortized cost of the brass must be figured as well as the cost reloading equipment. Also the cost of the space to load it- even if you want to donate your time to the endeavor.

Also, WHERE are you getting decent jacketed .204 bullets for $8 per HUNDRED? Or primers for $1.50 cents per hundred to your door?

Midway Dogtown bullets are about as cheap as it gets and even they are almost $15.00 per hundred including shipping.

Seafire already covered the bullets. They are Midsouth 34g hollow points. They shoot very well, or at least 2 or 3 times better than factory 22 magnum and with a whole lot more power.

I doubt the brass will ever wear out shooting these mild loads. At least I haven't had any cases show any sign of wear and tear and they are well above 10 reloads now. I think they'll probably hold up to 40 or more especially if I anneal about every 5th firing. I reckon I could figure in the cost of the propane gas, but a bottle of gas is only a couple of bucks on sale and will last at least 2 or 3 years.

I already had the reloading equipment and have had it so long that any deduction for the reloading equipment would have long since been covered.

So, just to be sure I haven't shortchanged the cost, I'll call it $14/100. As Sgt. Joe Friday on Dragnet used to say, "Just the facts ma'm, just the facts."

Yes, I'm throwing in my time for free just like all of us are doing every time we post here.

I enjoy reloading too and back Seafire. Economically it may not be the same if you don't count it being a hobby. But isn't a hobby, such as golfing, something we do for personal satisfaction that costs out the ears, time and money. Also jim62 do you count the cost of going shooting, gas and time. Really this is just arguing that one hobby is better than another and if it continues this thread will go on forever. I shoot centerfire and rimfire and both are great, but proving a point, which never occurs in an internet arguement is just a waste of thread space. Let's get along and maybe find something different to do in the reloading room. T.S.

Then by your logic, the COST OF FACTORY LOADED AMMO should not even be COMPARED to handloads at ALL since this is ALL just a "hobby expense" ,right?

In that case, the very PREMISE of this thread is totally bogus.

No sir, I am just saying it should be figured in fairly. I know what you are saying and you are right if count time as money. But if you enjoy it, the time is not counted "in our case" and then makes it very close in price. I am sorry that I didn't take notice to the thread title, but still you are just waisting time arguing. I see your point, and will still continue to reload and enjoy the other point that was being made. Seafire if you would pm me some of your precious reduced loads for the .204 and 223 I would appreciate it. T.S.

Jack O'Conner said the same thing about the .22 magnum - that it was "useless" because you could be reloading a .22 Hornet (see how long ago this was?) for the price of rimfire ammo.

A friend at the range told me he was shooting his muzzleloader for less than my cost to shoot a .22 LR. When I pointed out that percussion caps cost more than bulk .22 ammo, he responded "not by the HOUR."

What a load of crap. You're either blind to the facts or just wanting an arguement. As already discusesd, time only counts if it would of been spent making money doing something else. Space only counts if it cost you money out of your pocket or if it would of been used to make money. Hate to tell you this but the corner of my bedroom or my kitchen table is worth exactly zip. Why don't you stop trying to come up with B.S. reasoning and accept the fact that you can produce better ammo for the same or less money. It's pretty dang simple. Figure my 9 yr old could pull it outta her butt, why can't you? It doesn't mean you can't continue to buy and use the .22M. You'd rather buy ammo, we get that. But to argue that there are not other options for better/cheaper is horse chit. Some things can't be disputed and the fact that you can reload better ammo for the same or less money is one of those. If you pro rate all the equipment I've bought at 10 years it would work out to less than $30 a year. $30 a year divided by 2000 rounds a year = a penny and a half a round. No matter how you want to use your fuzzy math I can reload Seafires reduced .204 loads for NO MORE THAN $15/100 and my handgun .32H&R loads for NO MORE THAN $12/100 and both will flat out smoke a .22m in the performance department.

CB

It not a load of crap. And you are an idiot for even arguing the point.

You can't even buy 100 .204 BULLETS for less than $15 including shipping costs. Like I said, WHO is selling 100 .204 bullets for only $8 SHIPPED?

WHO is selling Wolf small rifle primers for $1.50 per 100 SHIPPED? ?

By the time you pay for the cost of your brass, primers, powder you are WAY over what you can get 50 rounds of 17HMR or 22 mag ammo for by the brick.

LEARN TO ADD. The fact that anyone with your weak math skills is even reloading cartridges is scary.

Besides the fact nobody here is smart enough to even consider what a missed double charge of pistol powder would do to a .204 or other 22 centerfire rifle)Kaboom).

As to the 32 H&R round it is a short range HANDGUN ROUND. How many PDs Jackrabbits or Prairie dogs can YOU even HIT at 150 to 200 yards with your .32 mag loads ?

Heck ,even in a good scoped rifle drops so much past 100 yards it like lobbing rocks. Especially since the loads you quote most likley are shooting cast bullets

Yeah, I have owned several .32 H&Rs and anyone who would compare it as a RIFLE round to a .22 mag or 17HMR is a complete and utter moron.

Pull your head out of your arse, man.

Well Sir, when I buy components, I don't buy them 100 at the time. The Midsouth dogtowns are $41.19/500 as of today. Powder Valley has Wolf 223 primers for $15.50/1000 and 8 lbs of 4759 is $125 which really amounts to $15.63/lb. I buy in bulk and usually 3 or 4 of us will get up a fairly large order and split the shipping and hazmat a couple of times a year. We order all kinds of bullets/powders/primers at one time, and not just those for reduced power loads.

So I don't think the shipping amounts to any significant portion of the cost for these loads. Now I will agree that if I was just buying 100 bullets, 100 primers, and 1 lb. of powder and then paying shipping on those it would not be cost effective. I couldn't load them cheaper than I can buy 22 mag or 17 hmr, but I don't do it that way. I would also either have to pay shipping on those 22 mags or 17's as well or pay state tax on them too.

Like I said, "It's just the facts."

Think Seafire and DoubleUp have answered that one.



Even at local non bulk prices I can come close on .22M prices and beat .17hmr. $.14 for V-max, $.03 for Primer, couple pennies for powder and add a couple more for brass. That comes in at $.21 per round. Opps forgot, add another penny for my reloading equipment. Way over my ass. What do I get when I'm done? Something far better than any rimfire magnum has ever dreamed of being.


Just because you're not smart enough to work with safe paractices doesn't mean other aren't. You fail to realize that many published pistol loads use powder/load combo that don't even come close to 1/2 capacity and folks use these all the time. Same risk rifle or handgun. But on second thought, you're better off not trying.



The .32H&R loads were included for information and comparison only. You do realize that they make .22M handguns don't you? You do realize that I can load the .32M for about 60% of cost for of .22M don't you? You do realize the same principles apply don't you? Guess I'm excepting too much.

You're just a dumb ass that can't see his hand in front of his face. Probably good, you'd mistake it for a ham sandwich and bite yourself.

CB

Jim brings up an important point about potential of a double charge... this is one reason I recommend SR 4759 due to its bulky-ness....

not all reloaders pay enough attention to what they are doing...and anyone ( which includes all of us) can be guilty of not paying close enough attention or making a mistake...

therefore I just went out and loaded SR 4759 in a 204 case, to see what max load would be...22 grains of it were right at the brim...

therefore if anyone used a minimum load of 11 grains, and double charged it, they would see it, as it would be at the brim when they tried to seat the bullet...if one made their minimum charge at 11.5 grains, then a double charge would actually overflow the case...

as also pointed out by Jim, rimfire magnum accuracy become a mute point with the introduction of the 17 HMR.... sadly, I have tried rimfire ammo in 22 Mag, with V Max bullets on them.. even tho more accurate than regular 22 Mag ammo, the accuracy potential still did not overly impress me...I really think it is a QC issue... since Speer is the manufacturer of ALL American Rimfire Magnum ammo, regardless of what company's box it may come in...

So why not just use the 17 HMR instead? I admit to being disappointed with the lack of bullet weight...the 20 grain bullets, especially the FMJ seem to upgrade potential substantially basically by bullet design...

with these lighter 204 loads, I admit that due to not planning on high volume shooting, after testing the Varmint Grenade 26 gr HPs, I really like the potential with that bullet for this light 204 round...yeah, they are $18 a box locally, so 18 cents a round alone, they are pretty explosive... a local crow gave his life to prove that point...

don't know if anyone is anticipating to use the 17 Ackley Hornet due to be released by Hornady soon...but this low velocity 204 concept is along the same lines, but using a heavier bullet...

I also admit to not using a 22 Hornet, as I can load the old 223s to mimic their MVs... and do quite frequently...15 grains of SR 4759 with a 40 grain bullet...( usually Sierra 40 grain HP)

this will quickly increase barrel life by 5 to 600 % in theory...
annealing 223 brass every 4th time, neck sizing is all that is needed, and then I use a body die when the shoulder needs bumping back... the pressure is low enough, that the brass doesn't get worked very much at all...in fact, cases getting shot several times before even needing neck sizing is not overly unusual....something learned at the reload bench...

I'll have to try some of the Wolf primers.. right now I am using Winchester Small rifle... but these loads are light enough, in the 11 to 12 grain SR 4759, that if needed in a pinch, small pistol primers will actually work rather well in my experience...

another motivation for doing this is, IF the "S.H.T.Fan" in this country, and many of us have to enter survival mode, and stretch out our resources to provide for our families, I want to know exactly what these rounds can do....while conserving what components one might have...

in my youth, while living at Ft Bragg in 66 and 67, I learned from being around Green Berets, on exactly what food one could survive on, if they had to...also learned some more of that during my own military training..

one of the reasons that I tested the Barnes 26 grain HP, is that according to Barnes, it was developed with a military focus in mind...

not advocating the collapse of this country, but you never know what the future may bring the way the world is going, both in foreign lands and domestically...

so if one HAD to survive, I want to know what rounds are useful and what are a waste of time...please don't paint me as a nut, but only a fool is blind to what might potentially be around the corner...I have no trust to what the globalists and the liberal left has planned for us all if given the chance...

I certainly am not getting in on this conversation/debate as to which is cheaper or best, factory loads vs handloads. I am a handloader and have been for a long time. Most of my components I bought in bulk 30yrs. ago, so I load pretty cheap at this point in time.
Anyway, my question has to do with Seafire's quote:


Does that include Winchester Super X 22mag. ammo? I've been shooting that ammo for a longtime, since the 60's, and in my Sako it averages a 1/2" at 100yds. very, very consistantly. But I guess the question is, is it also made by Speer?

Well said Seafire. Not having to worry over a double charge is one of the most important reasons I've leaned toward 4759, but it shoots really accurate for me in both 204 and 223.

Certainly don't want to be an alarmist either, but I don't want to have my head stuck in the sand or someplace else with what is happening in this country. That's the reason I buy in bulk and try to keep my resources fairly substantial. Thanks again for your help and wisdom.

I just stumbled on some 22 mag rounds that just might answer the accurace problem unless its a worn out gun or scope mount problems. Hornady bullets with 30gr Vmax with 2200fps. I got one box to give them a try. $12.99 for a box of 50.

First ammo I tried...

would have two touching, then one 3 inches away, and the next 5 inches away on the opposite side..

went thru a box of 50 rounds with no success..

this Marlin has always liked the 40 grain FMJ or HPs since day one, when I bought it 30 years ago..

being a truck gun it has accounted for dispatching about a dozen deer that have been hit by cars and having broken shoulders etc...its not shot out by a long shot..

however generic 22 Mag ammo is hard to find locally... all this boutique stuff sells better..which may work well in newer firearms.. I have a newer 22 Mag heavy barrel Marlin that they all work just fine in..

scope mounts are solid and tight...

Winchester's 34 grain HP don't shoot overly well in it either..

however the 204 is doing fine..and weighs about the same as the 22 Mag rifle..

Winchester .22 magnum ammunition is made by Winchester.

NOT that I normally care for this 'gun writers' articles, here is an interesting article of his on comparison of the 22 Mag vs the 17 HMR....

The .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR), often referred to simply as the ".22 Magnum," has been the most powerful rimfire cartridge on the market since it was introduced back in 1959. And, in terms of muzzle energy, it still is.

But there is a new leader in rimfire velocity, the .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR). These two cartridges are based on the same case but use radically different bullets. Both were originally designed for use in rifles, and were quickly adapted to pistols. The single-action "convertible" revolver, supplied with two cylinders (.22 LR and .22 WMR or .17 M2 and .17 HMR), lets handgunners shoot two cartridges from the same pistol.

This comparison is a natural, as both cartridges are chambered in the same types of firearms and are used for small game hunting and short to medium range varmint shooting. For use in revolvers, the .22 WMR is probably the more versatile cartridge, as its heavier bullet hits harder at normal handgun ranges. But in the longer barrel of a rifle, the issue is in doubt. Which is the king of the rimfire rifle cartridges?

The .22 WMR
.22 WMR
Illustration courtesy of CCI.

Winchester (Olin) designed an entirely new and larger case when they introduced their .22 Magnum. Unlike the previous .22 Long Rifle, the Magnum is based on a longer (1.052") and fatter (.241" tapering to .240") case with a rim diameter of .291". And the bullet is a full .224" diameter, like modern centerfire .22 bullets. In form, the .22 WMR case remains a straight sided, rimfire type with a cartridge overall length (COL) of approximately 1.350". The maximum chamber pressure is around 25,600 psi.

The new bullet weighed 40 grains, the same as the .22 LR bullet, but it was a true jacketed bullet, available in jacketed hollow point (JHP) and full metal jacket (FMJ) forms. .22 WMR bullets are generally of flat point or round nose shape, although Remington offers a Pointed Soft Point bullet. The original catalog muzzle velocity (MV) from a rifle barrel was 2000 fps, or 1550 fps from a pistol barrel. RWS still advertises a 40 grain bullet at a MV of 2020 fps and ME of 360 ft. lbs.

The major U.S. manufacturers have since reduced the catalog velocity of the 40 grain bullet to 1910 fps (rifle) and 1480 fps (pistol). CCI, Federal, Remington, and Winchester all load ammunition with 40 grain bullets to this standard.

Over the years, practically every manufacturer who loads rimfire ammunition has adopted the .22 WMR and different loads have been introduced. In the U.S., CCI, Federal, Remington, RWS, Winchester, and probably others offer .22 WMR ammunition.

The original 40 grain bullet weight is still the most popular. But we now have higher velocity loads using lighter bullets, such as the CCI Maxi-Mag +V and Federal V-Shok offerings that advertise a 30 grain Speer TNT-HP bullet at a MV of 2200 fps from a rifle barrel. ATK CORP owns Federal, CCI, and Speer. In addition to their 40 grain JHP and PSP bullets, Remington loads a 33 grain V-Max boat-tail bullet at a MV of 2000 fps. And Winchester now offers a 34 grain JHP at a MV of 2120 fps.

And there are also .22 WMR loads using heavier bullets. Examples would be the Federal Game-Shok load that uses a 50 grain bullet at a MV of 1652 fps, and the Winchester 45 grain DynaPoint bullet at a MV of 1550 fps. These are rifle velocities.

The .17 HMR
.17 HMR
Illustration courtesy of CCI.

The .17 HMR was the result of a joint project involving Hornady, Marlin, and Ruger. It was introduced in 2002 and has become the most successful cartridge introduction since the .22 WMR. The initial sales of 17 HMR rifles were so strong that the demand for ammunition far outstripped supply for the first couple of years. Hornady was the first supplier of .17 HMR ammunition, but within two years CCI, Federal, and Remington all adopted the caliber.

The .17 HMR is based on the .22 WMR case necked down to accept .172" bullets. It is a bottleneck rimfire case about 1.060" long. The rim diameter remains .291". The chamber pressure and cartridge overall length are exactly the same as the .22 WMR, so any firearm that can be chambered for that cartridge can also be chambered for the .17 HMR. The success of the .17 HMR has been so overwhelming that most of them have been.

The original Hornady load drove a specially designed 17 grain V-Max bullet at a MV of 2550 fps and ME of 245 ft. lbs. This is a polymer-tipped, spire point, boat-tail bullet design. It is primarily a varmint bullet, designed to fragment in small animals and disintegrate if it hits a hard surface. In 2004 Hornady introduced a less destructive 20 grain XTP bullet at a MV of 2375 fps. This bullet is advertised as a controlled expansion, deeper penetrating bullet for small game and predator hunting.

Remington Premier brand .17 HMR ammunition also uses the Hornady V-Max bullet, with a gold plastic tip replacing Hornady's signature red plastic tip. Like the original Hornady load, the MV of the Remington Premier load is 2550 fps. And Federal loads the Hornady V-Max bullet, also at a MV of 2550 fps.

CCI and Federal introduced .17 HMR ammunition loaded with a 17 grain Speer TNT varmint bullet. This is a JHP spitzer bullet. Federal V-Shok ammunition claims a MV of 2550 fps, while the CCI version advertises a MV of 2500-2525 fps. In 2005, CCI announced a heavier 20 grain GamePoint controlled expansion bullet at a MV of 2375 fps.

Hornady's .17 HMR ammunition is loaded with great precision. It is intended to deliver 1 MOA or better groups at 100 yards. The other brands seem to have followed Hornady's lead in this matter. All of the .17 HMR ammunition that I have tested has proven to be very accurate.

The comparison

We will compare the .17 HMR and .22 WMR in terms of velocity, energy, trajectory, sectional density, bullet frontal area, killing power, and accuracy. But first we have to decide what loads to compare. One of the "hottest" current .22 WMR loads is the Federal Premium V-Shok using a 30 grain Speer TNT-JHP bullet (load #P765). And, of course, the "standard" .22 WMR load uses a JHP or FMJ bullet at a MV of 1910 fps and is available from most manufacturers.

In .17 HMR, the 17 grain Hornady V-Max bullet is loaded to identical ballistics in the Federal, Hornady and Remington brands. These remain the fastest, flattest shooting .17 HMR loads. Heavier bullets with better SD have appeared, the Hornady 20 grain XTP bullet being perhaps the best known of these. So those are the four loads I propose to compare, 17 and 20 grain bullets in .17 HMR and 30 and 40 grain bullets in .22 WMR.

Since rimfire cases are not reloadable, there is no reloading data. In some instances this seriously limits the ballistic and bullet information available, as we shall see. The figures that follow were taken from the Federal, Hornady, and Remington ammunition catalogs.

Velocity

Here are the velocity numbers in feet-per-second at the muzzle, 50 yards, 100 yards, 150 yards (when available), and 200 yards (when available):

.17 HMR, 17 grain V-Max = MV 2550 fps, 2380 fps at 50 yards, 1900 fps at 100 yards, 1620 fps at 150 yards, 1378 fps at 200 yards.
.17 HMR, 20 grain XTP = MV 2375 fps, 2051 fps at 50 yards, 1754 fps at 100 yards, 1492 at 150 yards, 1273 fps at 200 yards.
.22 WMR, 30 grain TNT = MV 2200 fps, 1720 fps at 50 yards, 1340 fps at 100 yards, 1080 fps at 150 yards.
.22 WMR, 40 grain JHP = MV 1910 fps, 1610 fps at 50 yards, 1350 fps at 100 yards.

From these numbers it becomes clear just how much faster the .17 HMR really is. At 100 yards the difference amounts to 550 fps between the highest velocity loads for each caliber! Clearly, the .17 HMR is the undisputed speed king.

Energy

Velocity is an important factor in calculating kinetic energy, but so is bullet weight. We have already seen that the .17 HMR is by far the faster cartridge, but the .22 WMR shoots a far heavier bullet. Energy is important because it powers bullet expansion and penetration, and is a major factor in killing power.

Here is the energy of our comparison loads, in foot-pounds at the muzzle, 50 yards, 100 yards, 150 yards (when available), and 200 yards (when available):

.17 HMR, 17 grain V-Max = ME 245 ft. lbs., 185 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 136 ft. lbs. at 100 yards, 99 ft. lbs. at 150 yards, 72 ft. lbs. at 200 yards.
.17 HMR, 20 grain XTP = ME 250 ft. lbs., 187 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 137 ft. lbs. at 100 yards, 99 ft. lbs. at 150 yards, 72 ft. lbs. at 200 yards.
.22 WMR, 30 grain TNT = ME 325 ft. lbs., 200 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 120 ft. lbs. at 100 yards, 80 ft. lbs. at 150 yards.
.22 WMR, 40 grain JHP = ME 324 ft. lbs., 230 ft. lbs. at 50 yards, 162 ft. lbs. at 100 yards.

Here we see a different story. The .22 WMR starts with about a 75 ft. lb. advantage in kinetic energy at the muzzle. At 50 yards the 40 grain .22 bullet is carrying about 45 more ft. lbs., and at 100 yards the 40 grain .22 bullet still has a 25 ft. lb. advantage over the .17 bullets. At 150 yards the .17 HMR has an energy advantage of about 20 ft. lbs. over the 30 grain .22 bullet, and we have no figures for the 40 grain bullet beyond 100 yards.

What we can conclude from this is that the 40 grain .22 WMR load is the most powerful cartridge out to at least 100 yards, and beyond that adequate data is lacking. I would guess that the 40 grain .22 WMR bullet retains its energy advantage out to at least its maximum point blank range of about 125 yards.

Note that the energy of the 30 grain .22 bullet falls behind the 40 grain .22 bullet by 50 yards, and behind both .17 HMR loads by 100 yards. Also note that there is no practical difference in energy between the 17 and 20 grain .17 HMR bullets at any range.

Trajectory

High velocity has a big effect on trajectory, as does the ballistic coefficient of the bullet. Since the .17 HMR has the advantage in both areas, we can expect it to be the flatter shooting cartridge, and it is. Here are some factory figures based on a 100 yard zero and a line of sight 1.5" over bore (a scoped rifle):

.17 HMR, 17 grain V-Max = +0.1" at 50 yards, 0 at 100 yards, -2.6" at 150 yards, -8.5" at 200 yards.
.17 HMR, 20 grain XTP = +0.6" at 50 yards, 0 at 100 yards, -4.1" at 150 yards, -13.1" at 200 yards.
.22 WMR, 30 grain TNT = +0.8" at 50 yards, 0 at 100 yards, -5.8" at 150 yards.

.22 WMR, 40 grain JHP = +0.9" at 50 yards, 0 at 100 yards, -5.7" at 150 yards.

As expected, the .17 HMR shoots considerably flatter than the .22 WMR. Perhaps not expected is that the original 17 grain HMR and 40 grain WMR bullets outperform the newer bullet options in each caliber. Perhaps the technicians that designed these cartridges knew what they were doing!

Another way to zero a rifle is to take advantage of its maximum point blank range (MPBR). In the case of a small game and varmint bullet, I like to limit the maximum rise of the bullet above the line of sight to 1.5" to avoid shooting over small targets. The distance at which the bullet falls 1.5" below the line of sight then becomes the MPBR. Here is some MPBR trajectory data for the top load in each caliber based on a bullet BC of .123 for.17 HMR and .100 for the .22 WMR:

.17 HMR, 17 grain = + 1.5" at 90 yards, 0 at 145 yards, - 1.5" at 165 yards.
.22 WMR, 40 grain = +1.5" at 65 yards, 0 at 107 yards, -1.5" at 123 yards.

The 17 grain .17 HMR load confers about 40 additional yards of range on the varmint and small game hunter. That is probably the most dramatic practical difference between the two cartridges.

Sectional density

Sectional density (SD) is a bullet's weight divided by the square of its diameter. It is important because a bullet of greater SD will penetrate deeper, all other factors being equal.

Of course, varmint bullets such as the .17 caliber, 17 grain V-Max bullet and .22 caliber, 30 grain TNT bullet are designed to fragment on impact, destroying the maximum amount of tissue in the very shallow bodies of small animals, rather than to penetrate deeply into larger animals. For these bullets and their intended game, SD can practically be ignored, since penetration is not an issue. I know from experience that the 40 grain JHP bullet that Winchester loads in their .22 WMR hunting loads also expands violently in animals as small as tree squirrels. This JHP bullet features a large exposed lead tip as well as a hollow point. It is not a controlled expansion bullet.

The 20 grain XTP bullet for the .17 HMR is a controlled expansion design, and this bullet has a SD of .097, which is extremely low. The FMJ version of the 40 grain .22 bullet does not expand at all and would undoubtedly give the deepest penetration of all the bullets compared here. It has a SD of .114, which while better than the 20 grain .17 HMR bullet, is still not impressive. Consider, for comparison, that a 90 grain .243 bullet, the lightest bullet in the smallest caliber normally chosen for deer hunting, has a SD of .217.

So, while the .22 WMR has an advantage in SD over the .17 HMR, it is clear that both cartridges were primarily designed for shooting small animals where penetration is not much of an issue.

Frontal area

Bullet frontal area (cross sectional area) is important because it is a factor in the diameter of the wound channel it makes. Of course, if a bullet fragments immediately after impact, its frontal area in the conventional sense ceases to exist. This is exactly what the 17 grain HMR and 30 grain WMR bullets are designed to do, and fragmentation is typical of varmint bullets in general.

Bullet frontal area is important when considering a controlled expansion or FMJ bullet intended to penetrate deeply. The frontal area of a .172" bullet is only 0.0232". The frontal area of a .224" bullet is 0.0394". The .22 is small, but the .17 is tiny! Advantage .22 WMR.

Killing power

Assuming a proper hit in the animal's vitals, killing power is determined by a complex of factors including (but not entirely limited to) the width and depth of the wound channel. This, in turn, is influenced by bullet energy, frontal area, sectional density, and expansion characteristics. In other words, it is a complicated matter that is still not entirely understood.

There have been many systems devised to compare the killing power of rifle cartridges, most of them by people with a pre-existing bias of one sort or another. The best and least biased of such systems of which I am aware is the Optimum Game Weight (OGW) formula devised by Edward A. Matunas and published in the Lyman 47th Reloading Handbook. Matunas tried to account for a variety of factors, not just caliber or kinetic energy or momentum, the major failing of most killing power formulas.

Like all such systems, OGW is not perfect. I find that it seems to be most reliable when dealing with mainstream centerfire rifle cartridges on the order of the .243 Winchester, .270 Winchester, .30-06, and .338 Win. Mag. Since we are dealing with much less powerful small bore cartridges in this comparison, I suggest that we view the following OGW information as a comparative tool, not as an absolute guide. That, in any case, is usually the best approach when dealing with killing power formulas.

The OGW figure estimates the optimum live weight of the animal for which the cartridge is best suited at any given range. Note that the OGW weight is not the biggest animal the cartridge will kill, merely the optimum size animal for that range. Also note that individual bullet performance is not a factor in calculating optimum game weight; it is assumed that the hunter will choose an appropriate bullet for the job at hand. And it is also assumed that the bullet will hit the heart/lung area of the animal; brain or spine shots would obviously result in much higher OGW numbers, but they are not considered. Here are our two best long range loads for OGW comparison:

.17 HMR, 17 grain = 7 pounds at muzzle, 5 pounds at 50 yards, 3 pounds at 100 yards, 2 pounds at 150 yards, 1 pound at 200 yards.

.22 WMR, 40 grain = 17 pounds at muzzle, 9 lbs. at 50 yards, 5 pounds at 100 yards, 3 pounds at 150 yards, 2 pounds at 200 yards.

The OGW figures indicate that the .22 WMR has superior potential killing power at all ranges. We could summarize by saying that the .22 WMR has about as much killing power at 100 yards as the .17 HMR does at 50 yards. Since its MPBR is limited to about 125 yards, the .22 WMR is probably the better choice for large varmints and small predators within the limit of its MPBR. Beyond the MPBR, accurate bullet placement becomes increasingly difficult as the range increases, and bullet placement is the most important factor in actual killing power.

Accuracy

Accuracy is not usually a factor in cartridge comparisons. Generally, two comparable rifle cartridges will deliver similar accuracy when loaded with equal care and fired in equally well-tuned rifles. The cartridge itself normally has little influence on the practical accuracy of hunting rifles.

But rimfire cartridges cannot be reloaded, so the quality control and manufacturing standards established by the ammo maker are of critical importance. I mention this simply because the standard of accuracy we have observed in the course of testing .17 HMR rifles and ammunition at Guns and Shooting Online is exceptionally high.

I know of no other rimfire hunting cartridge as accurate as the .17 HMR. We have consistently shot 1" or smaller 3-shot groups at 100 yards (sometimes much smaller) with off the shelf .17 HMR varmint rifles and ammunition loaded with Hornady 17 grain V-Max bullets. I'm talking about an average group size of less than 1 MOA. I find that to be extraordinary.

I have also owned and used enough .22 WMR rifles to know that they will seldom match that level of performance. I used to have a rather accurate Mossberg bolt action varmint rifle that would consistently shoot into about 1.5" at 100 yards if I did my part. That is as accurate as any .22 WMR rifle I have ever tested.

I am sure that the difference in accuracy observed between the two calibers is not due to the rifles, as many .22 WMR and .17 HMR rifles are actually the same models. I can only attribute the brilliant accuracy of the .17 HMR cartridge to the exceptionally high quality of factory loaded .17 HMR ammunition.

Of course, in one sense, the .22 WMR does not need to be as accurate as the .17 HMR. Remember that the .22 WMR has a MPBR of about 125 yards. If a given varmint has a 2" diameter vital area, a varmint rifle that shoots into 1.5 MOA is sufficiently accurate for its intended purpose within that MPBR.

A .17 HMR varmint rifle, on the other hand, with a MPBR of 165 yards, requires 1 MOA accuracy to stay in the vital area of the same size varmint at its maximum point blank range. In other words, due to its greater MPBR, a .17 HMR varmint rifle pretty much needs to shoot groups at 150 yards that are as small as those an acceptable .22 WMR varmint rifle shoots at 100 yards. The amazing thing is that they seem to do just that.

Summary and conclusion

The .17 HMR and .22 WMR are both useful varmint and small game cartridges. Ammunition and rifles for both are widely distributed and commonly available. Recoil and muzzle blast are low for both, particularly from a rifle. They are good cartridges for use in semi-populated areas.

.17 HMR ammunition is generally more expensive than .22 WMR ammunition, but the difference will not be an unbearable burden to most small game and varmint hunters. For inexpensive practice at the range, neither is in the price class of the .22 Long Rifle.

Used with proper ammunition, the .17 HMR has an advantage in velocity, trajectory, and accuracy. The .22 WMR has an advantage in energy, bullet frontal area, sectional density, and consequently killing power.

After researching and writing this article, I have reached a conclusion about these two cartridges. I would favor the .22 WMR for shooting small game and varmints within 100 yards, and the .17 HMR if shots often run much beyond that distance.