i wanting a rimfire rifle with open sights...which one of the above would u guys recommend...either one i will buy in a Savage w/ Accutrigger...please advise.

Its a Ford/Chevy decision. I have a .17 a like it ok. There was a nice Ruger in the clssifieds if it didnt sell.

I have both calibers and like them a lot. The 22 mag has more power 100 yards and under, while the 17HMR has much better ballistics past 100 yards. You can go to the internet and type in 22WMR vs. 17HMR and there is a complete article with all the velocity and energy figures on this.

I've been wanting a rimfire rifle for a long time just for a woods gun.

If it's going to have open sights a .22 LR such as the Ruger 10/22 is the ticket.

I bought mine and use it with a peep sight, and it shoots every bit as accurately as when I shot my other .22 with the scope.

If you are limiting your range to 50 yards or less, and don't intend to use a scope, the .22 is the way to go.

Ammo is still relatively cheap even with the cost of ammo going up, and subsonic rounds make little noise to disturb the wildlife and neighbors.

The .22 lr is not enough for some animals. If .22lr had vmax bullets maybe but my 17 puts alot more hurt on the animals than a regular 22. I sold my 22 for a 17.

i currently use my Benelli 12ga. w/ #4 buckshot in brush, my Rem SPS 22-250 at night when calling from farmland, and need something with open sights for those daytime hunts in wooded areas...and ofcourse i always carry my glock as a sidearm...so for less than 100yd shots i think im going with a .22 mag w/ open/iron sights.

Take a look and see what the .17 hmr can do to some bunnies. The CCI TNT ammo leavs some crazy holes, close to the size of my fist.

http://www.shootingsquirrels.com

I HAVE BOTH AND THE 17 IS A LOT MORE ACCURATE... IF I HAD TO PICK ONE I'LL TAKE THE 17

Every thing I ever shot with my .22lr has died, even 4 hogs. Of course the hogs were close.

Where can I find more about a .17 HMR?

I've never owned a .22 mag so maybe I'm talking out my hat but I have a .17hmr and I haven't personally seen it be be much superior to the .22 mags I've shot. I can't say whether it's inherently more accurate than the .22 cause my guns usually shoot better than I do. My .17hmr is a Winchester 9417 lever action with a B&L Elite 3200 scope so it's not a problem with me seeing the "target". It just doesn't seem to have a lot of killing power unless you take head shots.

I've shot a few crows in the last few days around my tank while my minnows are spawning at the edge of the water. At 80 yards, I'm not too keen on shooting at a moving crows head so I take body shots. So far, it's never been much of a quick kill but I suspect it would be the same shooting the .22 mag. I shoot the polycarbonate tip Hornadys in it so I thought they'd have a bigger impact.

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i wanting a rimfire rifle with open sights.

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Then I would pick the 22 Mag. Where the 17 shines is 100+ and a scope is a plus. Theres some great loads out there for the 22Mag, don't sell it short!

I'm not real crazy about either after shooting both. We used CCI TNT in my dad's 17hmr on some coons last year up in a tree. We got good hits, good blood, but few instant drops. Some even after being shot two or three times.

I bought a Marlin 22 mag for Christmas (which is a jam-o-matic) and used it to dispatch a skunk I caught in a leg-hold trap under some brush. Again CCI TNT. I think I shot him twice before I got tired of waiting for him to die and just pulled out my 357 and ended it.

If I were to use it on predators, I would be real careful on the placement with either. (unless you just want it to go away and die somewhere else) I just bought a 22 Hornet and I'm hoping for the extra *umphf* to git'er dun!

There's some good research here.

www.varmintal.com

cci stingers in regular 22lr will do alot more damage at 100 yard and under than any .17 caliber! shoot some big coffee cans and see what happens!! the stingers will almost rip them apart!

I have both but would choose the 22 Mag for over fox size game and the .17HMR if smaller game was my quest. Bobcats and coyotes just need more bullet weight to be dropped reliably and where you can find them. I have seen to many hit with the .17HMR make it over the hill or into brush. A fox with a bad shot is gone with the .17 or .20 grain .17HMR bullet where a .30 or .40 grain 22 mag will have more punch in a case where bullet placement is a little off. JMHO

AMMUNITION BALLISTICS FOR: .17 HMR

BULLET VELOCITY (fps) ENERGY (ft-lbs) MIDRANGE
TRAJECTORY
CARTRIDGE MFG. (GR.) TYPE MUZZLE 100 YDS. MUZZLE 100 YDS. (IMPACT AT 100YDS)
.17 HMR .17 HMR (H) 17 V-Max 2550 1902 245 136 0.2
.17 HMR (S) 17 TNT 2550 NA NA NA NA


AMMUNITION BALLISTICS FOR: .22 WINCHESTER MAGNUM RIMFIRE LOADS

BULLET VELOCITY (fps) ENERGY (ft-lbs) MIDRANGE
TRAJECTORY
CARTRIDGE MFG. (GR.) TYPE MUZZLE 100 YDS. MUZZLE 100 YDS. (IMPACT AT 100YDS)
.22 WINCHESTER MAGNUM RIMFIRE LOADS .22 Win. Mag. RF (S) 30 JHP 2200 1375 322 127 0.7
.22 Win. Mag. RF (R) 33 PT 2000 1495 293 164 0.7
.22 Win. Mag. RF (W) 34 JHP 2120 1435 338 155 0.7
.22 Win. Mag. RF (RWS) 40 HP 2020 1430 360 180 0.8
.22 Win. Mag. RF (S) 40 JHP 1910 1330 324 160 1.0
.22 Win. Mag. RF (R) 40 PSP 1910 1340 324 159 1.0
.22 Win. Mag. RF (P) 40 JHP 1910 1533 324 208 1.1
.22 Win. Mag. RF (P) 40 JSP 1910 1533 324 208 1.1
.22 Win. Mag. RF (RWS) 40 HP 2020 1430 360 180 0.8
.22 Win. Mag. RF (S) 40 FMJ 1910 1326 324 156 1.0
.22 Win. Mag. RF (W) 45 HP 1550 1147 240 131 2.6
.22 Win. Mag. RF (C) 45 JHP 1300 1015 169 103 2.7
.22 Win. Mag. RF (F) 50 JHP 1650 1280 302 182 1.3
.22 Win. Mag. RF (C) 50 JHP 1525 1176 258 154 1.8
Pistol barrel lengths: Rimfire Magnum = 6.5-in.; .22 Short, Long and Long Rifle = 6-in. Velocity and energy measured at 50 yards