First rifle for new shooter - .17 WMR? 22 Mag?

[JohnBoy]

Hey all,

I have just joined the site having just recently obtained my licence, and so looking for some advice etc on my first rifle purchase.

As I am at the moment restricted to a Class A licence, I am looking to pick up my first rifle, and am looking for opinions and suggestions.

I have done some reading and am now a bit confused, as some I have read say to go the .17WMR, and some say grab a 22 Mag.

Any info you guys can share would be awesome. I have about 3 weeks until my PTA is processed, so have some time to scout around.

Cheers All
J

[bigrich]

all depends on what you want to do johnboy. one thing i will say is buy good qaulity rifles and scopes if you can afford it. your better of with a couple of good qaulity guns than lots of cheapies. cz are good value for money and accurate. i personally really like weihrauch rifles. they are a reasonably priced anschutz basically. if you want a cheap shooter that's accurate and good for bunnies get a 22lr and use eley ammo as it's very accurate.ya really don't want to be shooting at over 75 yards but. 17 are more accurate than 22 mag,and reach out to around 165 yards or so. but i prefer 22mag cause it shoots a heavier projectile which will buck the wind more and hit harder. there's lots of info online, try looking at articles and reviews by chuck hawks. i would probably recomend a second hand cz 452 as a starting rifle, and try eley "sport" (green label ) for ammo. a nico stirling mount master AO 3-9x40 scope is good value at around $100. that in my opinion would be a decent starter package. cheers

[bladeracer]

Hey all,

I have just joined the site having just recently obtained my licence, and so looking for some advice etc on my first rifle purchase.

As I am at the moment restricted to a Class A licence, I am looking to pick up my first rifle, and am looking for opinions and suggestions.

I have done some reading and am now a bit confused, as some I have read say to go the .17WMR, and some say grab a 22 Mag.

Any info you guys can share would be awesome. I have about 3 weeks until my PTA is processed, so have some time to scout around.

Cheers All
J

I'd go .22LR and buy a case of ammo. Then start buying centrefires.
.17HMR and .22WMR are too expensive to shoot enough for a first rifle.

[Daddybang]

Hey all,

I have just joined the site having just recently obtained my licence, and so looking for some advice etc on my first rifle purchase.

As I am at the moment restricted to a Class A licence, I am looking to pick up my first rifle, and am looking for opinions and suggestions.

I have done some reading and am now a bit confused, as some I have read say to go the .17WMR, and some say grab a 22 Mag.

Any info you guys can share would be awesome. I have about 3 weeks until my PTA is processed, so have some time to scout around.

Cheers All
J

I'd go .22LR and buy a case of ammo. Then start buying centrefires.
.17HMR and .22WMR are too expensive to shoot enough for a first rifle.

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However if ya choice is between .17 & .22 mag go the mag for the reasons explained by bigrich and

[Archie]

As with all of these things it depends on.
1/ what do you plan to do with it and
2/ how much do you want to spend?

Without knowing either of these things its a bit tricky to offer a view, but one thing I can safely say is you will never regret buying, and will always come back and find fun to use, a good quality 22lr. Quality ammo is ridiculously cheap, recoil is basically non-existent and minimal noise, all of which helps you focus on technique. Great for plinking, does the job on rabbits and sets you up with all the basics to progress further.

[YoungBuck]

As others have said, I'd recommend neither of those 2 calibres for a first rifle. My philosophy is all first rifles for new shooters should be a .22LR to learn with. And the ammo is super cheap so you can shoot a shed load without breaking the bank.
My picks would be - Ruger, Savage, CZ or Lithgow.
And don't buy the cheapest scope you can find, you don't need to buy super expensive but you will get what you pay for with a good quality scope. I learned this recently (though had been told!) when I bought my first Leupold scope, my previous 2 scopes were Nikko Stirling and there is a clear difference in the quality between them.

[Bent Arrow]

22 lr is the only sensible choice for a first rifle. Lots to pick from, catering from low budgets to high end.

[JohnBoy]

Thanks guys,

I should mention, that right now I am restricted to Class A only. Class B will come later.

Mainly looking for rabbits and foxes, and some targets when I am board.

I shoot clay mainly, but this is for use on my property and a mates property.

Why not the Mag over the LR? There is a Savage 22Mag package on offer down the local gun shop (I am in rural NSW), hence why I am asking.

Cheers and thanks for the advice.

John

[bigrich]

lots of votes for 22lr as a starter. yeh youngbuck leupold vx2's and vx3's live on most of my rifles. zeiss are in the same ballpark as vx2. i suppose johnboy buying a good qaulity scope you can always switch it over too other rifles as you progress.you only get what you pay for. i use a zeiss 4-12x42 on my 22 mag. if you are limited to cat A for a while and want to have a crack at cats and foxes and snipe at bunnys at 120 meters go 22 mag. BUT your looking at around $30 a box of 50 for it. 22lr is about $10 box of decent qaulity target ammo ( eley sport ) JMHO

[Bent Arrow]

Hi John. Ammo price is one of the biggest factors making the 22lr the better choice in this case. 22WMR is typically two to three times as expensive, with much less choice available. 22lr is plenty capable at sensible ranges for small game, and much quieter to shoot.if you've already got a shotgun (you said you shoot clays) you've already got a fox buster.

[YoungBuck]

Why not the Mag over the LR? There is a Savage 22Mag package on offer down the local gun shop (I am in rural NSW), hence why I am asking.

Price.
I own both, they are fun to shoot but the LR is so much cheaper - 16c per shot for a brick of 500 rounds, cheaper still if you bulk buy into the thousands. You will be looking in the area of 40c-55c per shot with the .22Mag.
Also with the LR you have the option of shooting subsonic rounds as well as super/hyper sonic, with the Magnum it's supersonic or nothing. Something to consider when shooting a group of bunnies.

[bigfellascott]

For foxes I'd probably go the 17hmr out of your choice, goes ok on foxes if shot in the right place and is fairly flat shooting into the deal which makes it easier to place shots more consistently.

[bigrich]

actually ya can get winchester 45 gr subs for 22 mag. daddybang put me onto them.i was shooting 12mm groups at 50 last weekend with them. suprised me. this is the problem johnboy , so much choice. have a good think about what you realistically want to do, and how much your gunna spend. i bought a cz 452 2e supermatch for $750 and with a $100 nico stirling scope and ammo i listed earlier ,have shot three shots touching at 50 with this combo. it's something i would be happy to own forever. if i was gunna hunt with a rimfire , 22 mag. ya just gotta decide if you want the extra punch for a bigger variety of game versus the cost of ammo. if ya definately gunna step up to centrefire later maybe just get a 22lr . decisions, decisions

[in2anity]

Wait, OP are you referring to 17hmr, or 17wsm? They are two very different beasts...

[Daddybang]

actually ya can get winchester 45 gr subs for 22 mag. daddybang put me onto them.i was shooting 12mm groups at 50 last weekend with them. suprised me. this is the problem johnboy , so much choice.

Beat me to it bigrich!!!
Good to hear they go alright for ya

[bigrich]

yeh daddybang, trajectory drops a bit , but very consistant. almost makes me wonder if i need 22lr anymore. actually ya can get shotshell for 22 mag , cci. not that i would shoot shotshell through my pride and joy.

[in2anity]

FWIW the 17cal is good for those wanting to shoot gramophone needles from what i understand the 17cal is useful for professional hunters who want to preserve their pelts - the 17 has a tiny entry hole and basically "tumbles" inside the animal often without exiting. This is due to the nature of the uber light projectile travelling at extreme speeds. A rimfire version of this was created to simplify and cheapen things and voila the 17hmr was born. Will it kill rabbits? Sure will, but it's a bit much gun for those suckers. In Australia the 17cal was popular among dog hunters because dog pelts used to be very valuable back before everything became "politically correct", back then you got $25 a pelt when a week's jackarooing wages was a little over $100.

These days the 17hmr has gone off the boil a bit, which pushes prices up, which makes the round even more unpopular and increases costs even further (market economy).

TLDR: 17cal is a comparatively expensive niche caliber which is more geared towards specialized shooting.

[bigrich]

hey in2anity, the 17 that interests me is 17 hornet. flatter shooting than 223 and mpbr out to near 250 yards. although i found a online review from a brit site we're their consistantly shooting at 300 ! rem 17 used to be the bees knees when i was a kid, that's for sure.

[bladeracer]

hey in2anity, the 17 that interests me is 17 hornet. flatter shooting than 223 and mpbr out to near 250 yards. although i found a online review from a brit site we're their consistantly shooting at 300 ! rem 17 used to be the bees knees when i was a kid, that's for sure.

Yep, if I ever decide I want a .17 it'll be the Hornet.

[in2anity]

hey in2anity, the 17 that interests me is 17 hornet. flatter shooting than 223 and mpbr out to near 250 yards. although i found a online review from a brit site we're their consistantly shooting at 300 ! rem 17 used to be the bees knees when i was a kid, that's for sure.

handloading will save you considerable money for the 17 hornet, factory is getting real pricy. and they are no good in windy conditions; when I was a kid I used one only at dawn when conditions were super still (and only on foxes). barrels are also susceptible to burn-out, significantly more so than even a 223. pretty nifty little gun though for varminting - if you do get one i encourage getting a tanning kit and try tan some skins!

[albat]

For foxes I'd probably go the 17hmr out of your choice, goes ok on foxes if shot in the right place and is fairly flat shooting into the deal which makes it easier to place shots more consistently.

I agree with the bf on this one the hummer is very accurate and very explosive i have taken stuff with this round that i probably should'nt have due to the ability to drop one in noggin out to 200 if need be

[bigrich]

get into tanning ? i'll make myself a heap of different daniel boone hats ! fox hat, cat hat , rabbit hat

[Stix]

Hi JohnBoy,
17mag or 22mag are the options you initially list, from these id go with the .22 Mag purely for heavier weight bullet..
However, if its your first rifle, one assumes you dont have a .22LR, and if thats the case i would choose this as my first rifle, for all the reasons stated above by the folk who suggested it.
So, my suggestion of order of preference is...
!)...22 LR
2)...22 Mag
Let us know what you get mate, and how it shoots...!

[Stix]

yeh daddybang, trajectory drops a bit , but very consistant. almost makes me wonder if i need 22lr anymore..

No you dont need 22lr anymore...!!!

Well then bigrich...there we have it...when are you sending me your Krico...???

Pretty soon by the sounds of it !!!

[BRNO_Bigot]

Hey all,

I have just joined the site having just recently obtained my licence, and so looking for some advice etc on my first rifle purchase.

As I am at the moment restricted to a Class A licence, I am looking to pick up my first rifle, and am looking for opinions and suggestions.

I have done some reading and am now a bit confused, as some I have read say to go the .17WMR, and some say grab a 22 Mag.

Any info you guys can share would be awesome. I have about 3 weeks until my PTA is processed, so have some time to scout around.

Cheers All
J

I'd go .22LR and buy a case of ammo. Then start buying centrefires.
.17HMR and .22WMR are too expensive to shoot enough for a first rifle.

Absolutely - get the basics down with the universal .22LR and then branch out.

[bigrich]

good on ya stix. that krico 22 on used guns down your way looks to be in better nick and is a fair bit cheaper than what i paid for mine

[Gamerancher]

.22LR is the only choice if you are even thinking about doing any range shooting, ( as in competition ),
because there 'aint no competitions that cater for the others.
(Actually you can use .22mag in lever-gun silhouette but I don't think that is what the O.P is looking at.)

For paddock work, the .22mag takes a lot of beating as a rimfire hunting round, but the ammo is pricey.
I've shot everything from rats to fallow deer with one. Many thousands of rabbits met their end due to that rifle. ( We had 'em bad! )
Actually wore the bolt out, I shot so many rounds through it. ( the spring wore through and started coming out the side of the bolt body - Marlin )
That was back in the early '80's and even then ammo was three times the price of .22LR.

[JohnBoy]

Thanks Guys for all your comments.

I am not too overly concerned about the cost of ammo - although, it is a factor - as I will probably end up with a few rifles. Once I sort out Class B, I will be heading for the 223.

I am not new to shooting - I have been shooting clay for years, etc.

I am not planning on doing copious amounts of shoot, so looking for an all rounder that can take down some pesky foxes, rabbits, ferrel cats and dogs etc.

[JohnBoy]

OH... Have just been looking at the 17wsm! BEAST!!

Does that fall under Class A licensing?

[Gamerancher]

Rimfire- so, yes.