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Is .22 worth it?


Ruster
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I use the 22rf because there is so much meat damage with the hmr, noise and cost of ammo in relation to the 22rf. In all the years that I have been using the 22rf I have only had a couple of ricochets and although it might sound a bit. The remnants of the bullet aren't going to go a long way because it is tumbling and loosing energy very rapidly. In comparison a 7.62x51 >> 308 tracer round out of a gpmg is very impressive at night when it ricochets off of the butts upwards. it goes a long long way.

Agree 100%.

 

Forgiveness asked for drifting this off topic-no pun intended ;-) it really needs another thread but .308 is a different animal altogether and at the risk of being chastised, requires greater care compared to .22 (lower energy). Faster bullets like .17hmr, .22-250 or .243 just disintegrate and therefore dissipate their energy pretty quick. .308 depending on load/weight/angle of impact etc may not, but carries waaaaay more wallop.

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People seem to worry greatly about 22rf ricochets which I have only ever had a couple of times in many years of use and thousands of rounds. But larger calibres don't even get mentioned and 22 centerfires don't always disintegrate. Again it depends on what the bullet hits and at what angle.

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Best reason for owning a .22LR (and I've just bought my second one!) is that we can upset the Americans by telling them how easy it is to buy ammunition here - I think I'm only allowed to have 1,000 rounds at a time but the fact I can go to my local RFD and buy them in that quantity rather than being limited to 100 at a time makes it all worthwhile :D :D

 

Deciding on whether it's better than my HMR? I have to get closer to the bunnies but it makes me less conspicuous noisewise (to the general public - the rabbits often don't know where the noise is coming from)

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I have HMR and have toyed with the thought of getting .22lr but I can't see the point.

 

the .22rf, which got me 30 rabbits last night, costing £2.70 in Winchester sub sonic, And no one knew I was about as there were no super sonic cracks going about which was good as I was next to a caravan park. I've never had much need to shoot rabbits at 100 yards plus either, the furthest last night would have been 50 yards maybe. So, as I get through around a 1000 .22 rounds a year and like the quiet, easy shooting nature of the .22 rf it is certainly worth it to me.

I also have .22 FAC air running about 30ftlb which does all of the above, zero at 38m and shoot pretty much dead on to 55m on rabbit head sized targets, nice and quiet, cheap to run, less concern with backstops, also I'm happy shooting it into tree canopies as the 16gn pellets very quickly lose energy.

 

Now if I didn't have either of these rifles then I might consider .22lr knowing that it would have limitations, but then again all guns have limitations which is why I own more than one!

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Hard ground can change that though...... times like now it's good but sometimes it's bad for ricochets

Hey let's end this myth all of them ricochet. Shooting on hard frozen ground with anything but an air rifle or shotgun is less than smart.

Hmr certainly does ricochet and shooting one to avoid ricochets is irresponsible

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Agree 100%.

 

Forgiveness asked for drifting this off topic-no pun intended ;-) it really needs another thread but .308 is a different animal altogether and at the risk of being chastised, requires greater care compared to .22 (lower energy). Faster bullets like .17hmr, .22-250 or .243 just disintegrate and therefore dissipate their energy pretty quick. .308 depending on load/weight/angle of impact etc may not, but carries waaaaay more wallop.

Incorrect it depends what they hit, what angle and what range

An unsafe shot is an unsafe shot you can't change that any great degree with a faster bullet

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I have got an hmr already and as far as I can see all the .22 would offer is silence and cheaper ammo.

 

I have no worries about needing a silent shot and the ammo price is not a problem anyway so am I missing any positives to having a .22 as well?

 

Just got it in my head I want a .22 the same make and model as my hmr to have a matching pair lol

 

In a word............... no.

 

I had the same thoughts myself, and picked up a 10/22 for using at night............. I kept it about 6 months and then got rid, the hmr is far more versatile. .22 isn't that silent, the shot might be quiet, but when it hits a rabbit, its far from quiet. Really didn't like the number of ricochets either with the .22

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I have HMR and have toyed with the thought of getting .22lr but I can't see the point.

 

I also have .22 FAC air running about 30ftlb which does all of the above, zero at 38m and shoot pretty much dead on to 55m on rabbit head sized targets, nice and quiet, cheap to run, less concern with backstops, also I'm happy shooting it into tree canopies as the 16gn pellets very quickly lose energy.

 

Now if I didn't have either of these rifles then I might consider .22lr knowing that it would have limitations, but then again all guns have limitations which is why I own more than one!

I had one of those, got fed up charging it and servicing it.
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In a word............... no.

 

I had the same thoughts myself, and picked up a 10/22 for using at night............. I kept it about 6 months and then got rid, the hmr is far more versatile. .22 isn't that silent, the shot might be quiet, but when it hits a rabbit, its far from quiet. Really didn't like the number of ricochets either with the .22

It saddens me to say it as I once fancied a tricked up version, but the 10/22 is a pile of **** to be honest, in my experience anyhow, ( and there's been a few ) without exception they have been inaccurate and besieged with feeding problems.

If you experience a 'number' of ricochets then you're possibly not hitting what you're shooting at, and the 10/22 may be the reason for this.

I've had a CZ .22lr for donkies years. It is the dogs doodahs. My mate has a .22lr he wont bring out because it has exceptional wood and a .17 HMR which he leaves at home because one shot with it scatters everything. It just isn't practical for lamping in both our opinions.

I'll agree the .22lr is 'far from quiet', but even compared to a solid hit on a rabbit it's still much quieter than the supersonic crack of the .17 HMR. I have no need for ear protection with my .22lr and no concerns about curtain twitchers either.

The .17 HMR has its uses, but within narrow margins; the .22lr has worldwide appeal second to none for good reason.

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Been out lamping with both and always ended up shooting more bunnies with the .22lr. As a vermin control tool it is 2nd to none. It kills cleanly at reasonable distance and you don't scare everything after one shot. Add in the fact ammo is so reasonably priced and there isn't any comparison.

Don't get me wrong I have no issues with the .17 however I always felt that you needed to headshot at distance unless you want ruined rabbits. It is handy if you see a fox but we always have the 243 or 22-250 out as well anyway.

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Not bothered much by the thump of 22 hitting scull! The quarry is dead right

 

Others in the area are as likely to run towards you as away which is what they will tend to do from muzzle crack

 

If you ain't bothered by muzzle crack at all why fit a moderator

 

More holes in that argument than a sandy bank in rabbit country

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