Is the 22 mag worth the price of the ammo ?

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dgr416

Single-Sixer
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Jan 4, 2008
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Georgia
I have been a fan of 22 co stingers in my ruger 1022 from the day they came out . They are around $6.57 per 50 .They are about 1650 fps on average with the 32 grain bullet . They are not super accurate but they shoot around 1.25 inches at 50 yards out of my 1022 .
I just bought a Winchester model 275 pump 22 win mag .I wanted a ruger model 96 but missed that boat when they came out .The 22 win mag ammo is $11 for 50 for cci 40 grain hp.They run around 1800 fps out of my Winchester .Thats not that much faster than the stingers 6.Its not super accurate at all either around 2 inch groups at 50 yards .I have shot lots of animals with the stingers up to coyotes .I use the stingers in my pistols also .I have only shot a few rabbits with the 22 mag and it takes their heads off .I heard lots of trappers in Alaska where I lived loved 22 mag rifles for trapping .Theg said wolves and wolverines were super tough to kill .I am wondering for normal use is the 22 mag really worth it .The ammo is so high is the problem .I can reload 223 for less than the 22 mag .I just wondered if anyone else thought of this .If the 22 mag was a 1/2 inch shooter I would be first in line but my groups have be r. 4 inches at 100 yards not so great .
 

InjunBro

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Jun 13, 2010
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In my experience .22 mag. is the most versatile handgun round & the most underrated. It's flatter shooting & better penetrating than even .357 & nearly as versatile in a rifle. W/ solids it's good for small game w/out damaging meat or hides; w/ hollow points deadly on medium size game. Stingers are very good & bump up the velocity of a .22 lr. but don't come close in actual performance to a .22 MRF. I can't begin to tell how much small & midsize game I've taken w/ a .22MRF but I can honestly say everything I ever shot w/ it went down instantly. Centerfire rifles outperform @ longer ranges than 100 yards but you were asking about LR vs. MRF.
 

contender

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One factor you fail to mention in the OP,, is the weight of the bullet. The Stingers are a lighter bullet,,, and a HP. The .22 Mag is heavier in either the HP or the solids. As such, bullet performance into an animal is going to be different. My .17HMR is faster & more accurate than the .22 mag. At 100 yds,, very much so. But,, the performance of it,, due to the fact it weighs 17 grns vs a 40 grn bullet explains a lot.
ALL of them have their place & uses. It's the chosen use & performance expected that sets the perimeters as to the value of any caliber.

Yes,, many a game animal has been taken with ALL of the rimfires,, but there are circumstances involved,, as well as the chosen RF caliber & bullet design & weight that dictates the results.

I own guns in .22 short, .22 LR, .22 Mag, .17 Mach2, & .17 HMR. All have their place & are worth it to me. Performance rules over costs.
 

jstanfield103

Blackhawk
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I am not a hunter, I am a Target shooter / Plinker. So for me it makes no since. But a hunter it makes absolute since.
 

GunnyGene

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Nov 23, 2013
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Monroe County, MS
InjunBro said:
In my experience .22 mag. is the most versatile handgun round & the most underrated. It's flatter shooting & better penetrating than even .357 & nearly as versatile in a rifle. W/ solids it's good for small game w/out damaging meat or hides; w/ hollow points deadly on medium size game. Stingers are very good & bump up the velocity of a .22 lr. but don't come close in actual performance to a .22 MRF. I can't begin to tell how much small & midsize game I've taken w/ a .22MRF but I can honestly say everything I ever shot w/ it went down instantly. Centerfire rifles outperform @ longer ranges than 100 yards but you were asking about LR vs. MRF.

Have you tried the Hornady .22mag Critical Defense? 45 grns and hot. 1000fps from a snubby (advertised).

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rimfire/22-wmr-45-gr-ftx-critical-defense#!/

It's what I carry in my LCR.
 

FergusonTO35

Hunter
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Aug 26, 2010
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Boonesborough, KY
I like the .22 Magnum, however it doesn't do anything that my own centerfire reloads won't do for less cost. Now for someone who didn't reload, yes it would be very useful. Biggest problem is that most .22 Magnum loads here are quick expanding varmint bullets designed for rifle use. Quality 40 grain .22 LR would be better from a handgun.
 
Joined
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My experience has been that .22 magnum ammo has a lot fewer "duds" than .22LR.

.22 mag CCI shot loads have substantially more shot in them than their .22LR ones do, too, for folks who don't like rattlesnakes crawling around in their barn.
 
Joined
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Oregon City, Oregon
Depending on the need, the WMR is far superior in terminal performance than a LR.

Plinking at the gravel pit, the WMR is expensive. In the ground squirrel fields, it's incredible the extended usable range over a LR, with explosive results.

I have also discovered from a lot of experience, any given WMR rifle can be extremely ammo-finicky, and dismal performance can sometimes be corrected just by experimenting and finding the preferred ammo.

So, extended rimfire range with a high performance bullet, the extra cost is worth it to me.

I used to spend a lot of time in Central and Eastern Oregon, shooting sage rats (ground squirrels) for the ranchers. This was often done most effectively with a .22 center fire. One old guy used to ask me to stick to a rimfire while the Canada Geese were laying so as to not upset them with the added report of a center fire. So, I'd use a .22 WMR, and greatly extend the range over a .22 LR.
 

Dan in MI

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Kevin said:
Is 22 mag worth the price?

YES! I've found the 22 mag to be more accurate than 22 L.R. Not sure if it's the velocity or what.

What gun? A convertible will have a larger bore than a standard .22 LR. That may be your difference. Although I have owned some pretty darn accurate convertibles.
 

dgr416

Single-Sixer
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Jan 4, 2008
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Location
Georgia
I like the 22 mag I bought that winchester 22 win mag but you just can't shoot it like a regular 22 price wise .I did find some 22 mag in bulk I am going to try it .I got a case of the armscore 22 mag ammo .I wish I had bought the ruger model 96 for $250 a few years back .I have killed some coyotes with stingers from a rifle which did a good job .I tried it with my 22 pistol it took 6 shots running but I got him .I hope I can find a accurate load for this Winchester pump 22 mag 4 inch groups at 100 yards is not very good .I will try a few more loads before I give up on it .I habe friends that shoot wild hogs in the head with 22 mag .Its just not
As good as I thought accuracy wise .What size groups are y'all getting with what kinda ammo ?
 
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
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I have a Ruger American that will shoot five shots into a half inch at 50 yards with CCI Maxi Mag solids. Every rimfire seems to have likes and dislikes as far as what ammo will be most accurate. You just have to experiment to figure out what your rifle prefers.

My experience has been that bulk pack .22 ammo seldom proves to be the best choice for accuracy. And Armscor has not been particularly accurate in any of my 22 magnums. Maybe you'll have better luck with it.

Best to buy a box at a time of different types until you find a type that works well for you.
 
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