[chezboy]

what is better for gopher hunting .17HMR, .22 or .22 mag. is the price of .17hmr and .22 mag worth the higher price than a normal .22 cal round. I ask this because on a good day we will go through 300 rounds while shooting and doing this frequently would be reasonably more expensive using the .17HMR (50 rounds for 8.99) or .22 mag ( 50 rounds for 9.99) vs using a regular .22 cal ( 50 rounds for 2.69 ). prices are in candian. Would it really be worth the extra money for gopher shooting.

[Righteous]

depends on how close you can get with 22LR , the .17 would be a great choice and long range,

[chezboy]

the gophers are stupid around here. you can get within 5 feet of the hole and they will still pop up. but sometimes you have to take shots around 50 yards

[Catfish]

Any of the rounds you mentioned will work well, the gophers will not be able to tell the differance.

[tuck2]

When out shooting prairie dog pups I have use a Ruger 10-22 Target rifle with a Burris 6X target scope for shots out to about 65 yards. I glass bedded the action into a thumb hole stock and tuned up the trigger. I have four ea ten round magazines which I load befor going into the feild. My rifle likes the Winchester 22 LR 40 Gr HP PP ammo. For shots out to about 80 yards I use a 17 HM2 and out to about 150 yards I use a 17 HMR rifle. Where you limit you shots out to sixety yards the 22LR will do a good job for you , if you get ammo that will shoot 3/4 inch groups at fifety yards.

[Loco40]

I am a big 22 mag fan...Probably because I have a really nice one that shoots really well. I have killed a lot of thigs with that gun including several Coyotes, a bunch of Fox, Turkey and any woodchuck that I have ever seen in my back yard! It is a Browning A-Bolt. They do not make this in .22 Mag anymore. This gun shoots one hole at 50 yards and MOA at 100 yards with the right ammo. The Remington 33 gr V Max was my favorite but they do not make it any more...Now I use the CCI 30 grain V MAX Seems to be as good! A 17 HMR would be nice. I want one. Savage make a nice one that I see at Dick's on sale for $399.00.

[pioneer461]

I've used both. A .22lr will kill them, but a .17hmr will provide more entertainment value as the gophers fly through the air on impact.

[NateCJ5]

I just got a Ruger 96 in 22 Mag and a Savage 93 in 17HMR, infact I just rough sited them in today. So far to my surprise the Ruger seems to shoot better groupings than the Savage does even with shooting hollow points in the 22mag. I do have a feeling though that the Savage will come arround once I get it dialed in better. Now if you wana have real fun with them a 22-250 is the way to go for me. I got a custom built Mauser actioned 22-250 that I shoot 45 grain hollow points in. Turns a groundhawgs head into a sack of Jello.