[LuniticFringeInc]

The 22 WRM in my opinion is a pretty nice little round and will work pretty good in a variety of situations. Its biggest advantage out of a rifle length barrel over the 22 rim fire is it can do what the rim fire does at more distant ranges. I also like the fact that it can be had in JHP, Polymer Tipped expanding ammo and FMJ. This to me makes it some what more flexible than 22 rim fire ammo. Unfortunately this is not with out a significant cost over rim fire ammo. Despite, its still a small game rifle just about anyway you slice it. Since I am a Bow Hunter, getting close to game is no problem and I would much rather choose to shoot the small deer we have here in Texas with the 22 WRM as opposed to the rim fire. While not optimal and definitely not my first choice in chamberings for this task, it would work well enough for the job at hand with good shot placement.

As for personal defense, its still quiet lacking as a reliable fight stopper against BG's. When you consider all of the flack the .223/5.56 gets in this regard, you can only imagine that a round with only 2/3 of the velocity and 2/3 of the bullet weight, performance would be much more marginal.

I have a Ruger Single Six Convertible that fires the 22 WRM. I also have a bolt action in 22 WRM. So I keep a couple of boxes in about 3-4 different loads around. Its not a bad choice for keeping meat on the table, but beyond that I think it has minimal merit.

 

[Peter]

Ummm that's why you stock up on ammo:thumb: As for "not giving up much", dude look at a ballistic chart.

Stocking up on ammo is often expensive...why stock up on a cartridge that has cost issues? If I'm going to stock up on a cartidge it's going to be one that gives me more bang (bangs?) for the the buck.

I can see setting back a few "just in case" boxes of .22 mag ammo if you have a .22 mag. What I have a hard time with, is the notion of stocking up on .22 mag ammo, when there are more cost effective cartridge/platforms avalable.

 

[MikeK]

Ummm that's why you stock up on ammo:thumb: As for "not giving up much", dude look at a ballistic chart.

I have. I like the .22 magnum. But it's just not enough of an improvement to impress me. It's still just a light .22 bullet moving at somewhat unimpressive velocities. And for the cost, I'd just assume move into centerfire territory. At least I can reload it.

A .22 Hornet will outperform it without much increase in ammo weight or bulk, and it's very cheap to reload for. But considering that's a hard round to "find" also, I would never consider it as a survival cartridge either.

Stocking ammo is great and something we should all do. But if you're forced away from your stockpile, or the only ammo you have is what you're carrying and you run out, being able to resupply is helpful also. .22 LR is a lot more abundant. And as far as stocking up goes, I can put away a LOT more .22LR for the same price, while still not giving up much in performance.

 

[MikeK]

If you're involved in that many firefights, you're probably going to get shot before you run out of ammo.

Especially if you're only armed with a rimfire of any kind. But my issues are cost and availability.

 

[Jida]

My only issue is its versatility.

You can't take very small game (rats/birds/etc.) with a .22mag very easily without destroying a lot of the meat. Then when you move up from small game to the small-medium game there is very little that the .22mag will take that the .22lr can't up to 50 yards. After 50 yards it has an advantage.

If I really wanted to take on slightly larger game then I am jumping up to .223, not .22mag.

 

[Nolan.Sackett]

It wouldn't be my first choice but I can see the advantages of having light weight ammo in a BO situation. A little more punch than the 22lr too.

 

[MikeK]

It wouldn't be my first choice but I can see the advantages of having light weight ammo in a BO situation. A little more punch than the 22lr too.

Exactly, "a little more", at the cost of much higher ammo prices and lack of availability. It's a great little round, but I don't see it in the role of survival gun where stockpiling and ammo availability are key issues.

 

[Jida]

If they came out with a 550 round milk carton of .22mag for say $50 bucks (9 cents a round, more than .22lr but not excessive) then it would be a much different argument.

 

[Peter]

If they came out with a 550 round milk carton of .22mag for say $50 bucks (9 cents a round, more than .22lr but not excessive) then it would be a much different argument.

Nine bucks a hundred would definitely make the cartridge more attractive.
Not to mention easier on the pocketbook for those who want stock up on it...besides it really isn't a bad cartridge...

 

[trouble]

That does not tell you much.

Unless you have an area that has a lot of coyotes/hares/very small deer/etc. (small medium game) then you won't have a real effective difference.

CCI 22lr 40gr Mini Mag
Muzzle = 1,235
50 Yards = 1,080
75 Yards = 1,035
100 Yards = 992

CCI 22mag 40gr Maxi Mag
Muzzle = 1,875
50 Yards = 1,574
75 Yards = 1,438
100 Yards = 1,319

There is no doubt that the .22mag shoots the same bullet faster however the speed that the bullet is travelling at by 50 yards is not enough to make it that much more effective on larger targets.

Are you serious?:xeye: 400+ FPS is not a difference that can be seen?? Do you know anything about bullet performance or ballistics?? Doesn't appear that way...
As for the rest of you, choose what you want but you stockpile ammo for other stuff and 22 mag isn't that much more expensive, sounds like some just want to argue.

 

[The Troubleshooter]

It's not bad .22 is everywhere. But get at least one heavier rifle (.308 or so) and a 12 gauge shotgun.

 

[Jida]

Trouble, indeed I do.

Anyone that simply looks as a higher number as 'must be better' does not have a lot of experience with the round.

Simply put, a 40gr bullet travelling at those speeds is not going to be much different in either the .22lr and the .22mag when it comes to medium/medium-large/large game.

 

[MikeK]

Are you serious?:xeye: 400+ FPS is not a difference that can be seen?? Do you know anything about bullet performance or ballistics?? Doesn't appear that way...
As for the rest of you, choose what you want but you stockpile ammo for other stuff and 22 mag isn't that much more expensive, sounds like some just want to argue.

Too much emphasis on paper numbers. That's a good difference in speed, but doesn't make a whole lot of difference on the types of game you can take. So other than a bit of a distance advantage, they're still pretty close in usefullness.

The same arguement could apply for switching to the .22 Hornet. Small, lightweight, better performance, with the benefits of more reliable centerfire priming, and the ability to reload the brass quite cheaply. But cost and availability for those who don't handload are again the limiting factors.

 

[younggun]

Depends on if you want to kill an animal or human quick or if you just want to injure them and folow them around.

 

[DigitalSherpa]

Slightly off topic but purely for fun in the field these both look like a blast.

KelTec:

American 180 (these were actually used by a number of prisons for quite some time. Prisoners supposedly lived in fear of the 180.)

YeeHaw!

 

[SeekHer]

The problem with any rimfire is that you're shooting a 40 gr bullet regardless of the velocity...Yes, there are 60 gr, but usually found in sub-sonic loadings.

What do you think will cause the most tissue/organ damage a .45 185 gr. J.H.P. at 1,150 fps/M.E. 543 ft. lbs) or a .224 40 gr at 1,875 fps/M.E. 312 ft. lbs?

The .22 WMR is just a faster .22 LR same as what they want out of the .17 HM2 and the .17 HMR and they all get slightly more killing range on small game--from 75/100 to 150 yds.

 

[hatchet jack]

Are you serious? 400+ FPS is not a difference that can be seen?? Do you know anything about bullet performance or ballistics?? Doesn't appear that way...
As for the rest of you, choose what you want but you stockpile ammo for other stuff and 22 mag isn't that much more expensive, sounds like some just want to argue.

An excellent answer. The 22 mag has more velocity and energy at 100 yards than the 22 has at the muzzle. And thats not a useable boost in power? If the 22 is a good 100 yard round then the 22 mag should provide the same performance at 200 yards. Twice the distance. And thats not a step up in performance?

As for the 22 mag not having that much more penetrating ability try shooting some 55 gallon steel drums. I have. To make air holes for a burn barrel. The 22 will not make it through both sides of the barrel all the time. The 22 mag will shoot through at least 2 barrels and maybe 3. I just didn't have a third barrel to test.

Yep it cost more. But so what? Unless you buy CCI you will get a real bullet with a real jacket. If cost is a factor try some of the Armscor 22 mag. It shoots the same velocity as the winchester 22 mag and can be had with a soft point, hollow point and FMJ bullets. Plus Sportsman Guide runs it on sale from time to time. I bought 3000 rounds for just under $6.00 per box with shipping a couple of years ago. Armscor loads the mag rounds for Fiocchi. Thats good ammo. Plus I have never had a split case or a misfire with Armscor ammo like I have had with the Winchester rounds. And the Armscor shoots the same groups to the same point of aim as the winchester ammo.

As for being hard to get when the SHTF why worry about it. The SHTF hasn't happened yet so why let a hypothetical scenario dictate what you shoot now? If you are that worried about ammo then just buy all you can afford now. Thats why I have 5500 rounds of 22 mag on hand and 30,000 22lr rounds stocked up. Why would you wait till the world goes to hell to start looking for ammo? Do it now. I learned my lesson back in the mid 90s with the first primer shortage. I never even felt the last ammo/primer/ powder/ componant shortage.

As you may have guessed. I really like the 22 mag. After shooting a 22 mag I can't hardly go back to shooting the 22lr the same day. It just feels so weak compared to the mag round.

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=313158

Here is link to the Armscor ammo at sportsman Guide.

 

[Observer]

If I were going to have to bug out with a rifle it may well be my Winchester 9422Magnum. I have killed more with this gun that every other gun I have ever owned. I would prefer to have a .308 caliber, but bugging out I could carry a LOT of ammo compared to a centerfire. I would also take my Single sixes in .22Magnum. The rifle shoots hard. Very much harder than a .22LR. No comparison. I would no be afraid to use the magnum in a battle situation should situation dictate. I have killed deer to 125 yards, small game as well. Only 2 deer ran off, the farthest 40 yards. This is an excellent round.
The other guy/guys would much rather be shot with a .22 than a .22 Magnum.

The key point is you could carry a mass amount of ammo...

 

[Jida]

You shot deer at 125 yards with a .22 magnum?

 

[Observer]

You shot deer at 125 yards with a .22 magnum?

Kills them deader than last years's hopes. Neck shoot them. You hit them and kill or or you would miss them. I have never missed one yet. Of course I do not shoot many deer running with anything. Generally I pass up those shots. The two deer that ran were Lung shot. I have had deer run farther lung shot with CF calibers.