First Rifle - what is recoomended to apply for?

[Emmsy]

in looking to get my first rifle after ive moved house.

always shot previously with a .22 rimfire on rabbits.

never seen or shot a HMR but everybody seems to rave about them.

what would be best to apply for as a first rifle?

pros and cons for each please...

[wildfowler.250]

.22 is quieter than hmr and ammo is cheaper but its more prone to ricochets than the hmr.

.17 gives you more range and packs a fair punch on rabbits but the result is more meat damage, (stick with front end shots and your fine).

Probably more pro's and cons for both but that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

[JohnGalway]

.22lr is cheaper to feed ammo, it's quieter to fire than HMR but the bullet impact makes more noise than the HMR bullet does, it's a lot more likely to ricochet, it's trajectory drops a lot but is very useable with practice.

 

HMR is more of a point and shoot calibre meaning it's bullet trajectory is a lot flatter shooting than .22lr, it's more expensive to shoot, it's noisier to fire than the .22lr, it does not have anywhere near as many ricochets (they do happen but rarely), causes a lot of damage to quarry at times.

 

I've headshot three out of four rabbits at 60 yards with the HMR, the last one I let go because it was young. They did not run like they would have with the .22lr. I assume that was because the .22lr bullet impact would have been right in their little group, where as with the HMR the noise was coming from "over there somewhere" and perhaps that isn't as threatening.

 

I think two things are important here. If you shoot a lot of rabbits, can you justify the HMR ammo cost? If you need to be really quiet as in not disturbing stock then maybe the .22lr is the one for you.

 

The problem is that they're both excellent calibres which will do mostly the same jobs

[tweedledee]

i reccomend 22 for the first and then buy a hmr to accompany it. 2 totally different calibres with their own attributes.

[al4x]

I'd go the opposite and say for a first rifle the hmr is far easier and safer to use. Ok you have used a .22 before but what puts me off them is the ricochets just too many for my liking, I hate having a backstop and wondering if the bullet will bounce over it :unsure:

[njc110381]

I'm in Gloucester. If you want first hand experience of a HMR before you decide, PM me and we can sort something out :unsure:

[bullet boy]

I sold my 17HMR and stuck with my Ruger 10/22,i favoured the .22 cal for rabbits-hope that answer helps you in any way.

[ace32]

hiya bud,put down for both on your application,i put in for 2x .22,1 x .17,1x223,and 1 fac air.i got the lot,though did dump the 223,to save ******* about with northumbria,still got to go out with them but thats just the way they are,you dont have to buy all the guns on your fac,but saves you having to keep sending it in,to have a gun added,plus you got 5 years to make up your mind,might be a bit more learned up here in co durham the flo,s,and actually understand shooting,and rifles,hope this helps,atb,ian

[codling99]

i put in for .22,all my land his hilly ,plenty of backstops,and all my shooting is on lamp,so noise was a factor for me,17 hmr just no good for my land ,brill if you day shoot at distance,but not needed if you shoot at 40/50 yds on lamp,22 cheaper and quieter so better for me.if in doubt ask for both explaining you want one for night and one for day shooting at distance,and if you find you dont need one later ,sell it and have it taken off ticket

[WeihrauchPower]

I had to read your post twice then JohnG!

 

"I've headshot three out of four rabbits at 60 yards with the HMR, the last one I let go because it was young. They did not run like they would have with the .22lr."

 

For a minute i thought you meant they run away after being shot with the .22lr. lol