I believe you can get a Ruger 10/22 chambered in .17HMR. Were it me, the difference in cost between the .17 and .223 isn't that much. I'd go with a .223. With the number of rounds you go through though, I'd say just stick with the .22. Them 10/22's can be dang accurate without much work.

 

^ I'm also pretty sure Ruger makes a 17 hmr thats identical to the 10/22, I think its' called the 10/17 actually. I have a buddy that shoots groundhogs with a 308, said it pretty much takes care of them. I've taken a shot at one with my .480 Ruger (400 gr. hollow point handload), but missed so I can't describe the possible carnage of that round.

 

Yes Ilove shooting my 10/22 and it is very accurate at close ranges but I would just love to make those shots consistently at 100 yards+

According to the last box of shells I bought, drop on .22LR is 5.6" from 50-100 yards.

(which is more than the size of a gopher, you go from on his head to entirely missing at that range)

So that's why something like an HMR with more range and a flatter trajectory is desirable.

However, ammo cost, if you are going to shoot this thing regularily is a concern.

Undecided what I should do

 

I love my .17hmr, but the ammo cost has me shooting the .22 more often. I pay around $11 for 50 rounds of .17 so for lots of shooting it's a little expensive for my taste, but if you need to get out there and waste a little critter it works great. Mine is a Ruger 96/17 which is the lever action version, looks alot like a 10-22 with a curved lever hanging off the bottom. If I were shooting that much volume I'd stick with a .22 and maybe get a .17 or .223 to tote along for those out there shots.

 

At what kind of range can you reliably pick gophers off with the HMR?

Considering decent optics and a pretty good shooter

 

.17 HMR rounds dont seem like any amount of wind over a long distance, they get pushed around easily. A .223 with a 4-12 power varmint scope would be my choice.

 

On a calm day with no wind I'd say 150-175 easy.. There are a couple if youtube vids that show 200 plus. Wind is the demise of the 17 HMR

 

I like my Barrett in .50 Cal for the little varmints it just leaves a red haze in the optics

 

"Tool",where are you finding .22's for .03 a round?

 

define drops like an SOB?? You can load up some 120gr ballistic tips with a 200yard zero and have around 5.5 inches of drop at 300 yards.

 

I miss spoke,

The last .22 ammo purchase (sunday mrning) 525 rounds of .22LR were $19.99 at Bass Pro Shops so that makes $0.038 a round.

That was for bulk Remington hollow points, seemed to work pretty well. Definitely some missfires but what do you expect for 3.8 cents I guess.

 

Wallyworld has Federal .22 in 550 packs for around $20. Love how they have to ask whether or not it is going in a handgun now, like it matters. Always want to say that I am smacking them with a hammer.

 

Nope, not kidding. Left nothing but a memory. A friend and I went looking for elk and got skunked. On the way out we hit prairie dog town to "relax".

 

Using a .45-70 for a Gopher seems perfectly logical to me........

Top using the BMG scare me though........

 

Another vote for .22-250, though the rounds aren't cheap. A CZ in .22-250 is on my short list.