WMR or HMR?

[ianm 2,594]

So, which is the better all rounder and one hundred and twenty yard fox killer?

Or is neither up to it and Hornet is the way forward?

Sausagedog should be the oracle on this! 

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

No expert but .22 Hornet then WMR then HMR.  Sausagedog will elaborate no doubt

[David.evans 5,323]

Sausage will go black powder

[walshie 2,804]

22 hornet all day long. 

I'm sure a certain member will be along shortly to offer advice on why the 458 Socom would be a better choice. 

[BenBhoy 4,706]

Whoa whoa ian are you considering a HMR for more than just knocking nails in & your rounders practice?? 

[David.evans 5,323]

I’ll never guess who that might be 

this is going to be interesting  

[ianm 2,594]

40 minutes ago, BenBhoy said:

Whoa whoa ian are you considering a HMR for more than just knocking nails in & your rounders practice?? 

Put that crack pipe down and step back! 

No it was a discussion we had yesterday whilst working up at the shoot.

[shovel leaner 7,648]

Chuck the pair in the skip and get a centrefire . Doesn’t matter then if it jogs son another 150 yards .

[Sausagedog 7,381]

In my humble experience there is nothing in it.

For years I had a biased  opinion but am very pleased with 20gn bullets verses the 17gn flimsy constructed rounds.

Going bigger starts to limit a possible multi role.  With the rimfires they will take a few rabbits and squirrels whilst out and about. With a centerfire and the ever increasing ammo costs one may find one is missing out on having some fun!

[ianm 2,594]

The conversation at the shoot went as follows:

Bloke with HMR: I regularly shoot fox out to one hundred and twenty yards.

Me: Bulls**t i have had one and i don't regard it as a fox round in the least.

Bloke with WMR: Well i can kill a fox with mine up to that distance if i need to.

ME: no idea about WMR as i have never owned one, but if i was in the market for a fox capable round that i could also use on rabbits, crows etc i would probably opt for .22 Hornet. 

Bloke with HMR: why not a .17 hornet?

Me: because i have had one and it is difficult to load for and .22 hornet isn't and reloads won't be much more expensive than ammunition for HMR or WMR. 

[Sausagedog 7,381]

25 minutes ago, ianm said:

The conversation at the shoot went as follows:

Bloke with HMR: I regularly shoot fox out to one hundred and twenty yards.

Me: Bulls**t i have had one and i don't regard it as a fox round in the least.

Bloke with WMR: Well i can kill a fox with mine up to that distance if i need to.

ME: no idea about WMR as i have never owned one, but if i was in the market for a fox capable round that i could also use on rabbits, crows etc i would probably opt for .22 Hornet. 

Bloke with HMR: why not a .17 hornet?

Me: because i have had one and it is difficult to load for and .22 hornet isn't and reloads won't be much more expensive than ammunition for HMR or WMR. 

Folk that use hmr seem to stick with the 17gn ammo. It's to flimsy and there must be loads of failures with it on fox. I use the 20gn. Its a tougher construction. I know it penetrates.

I care little if they run a distance. I know it has not just got a shallow wound!

The wmr works the same as that. A central shot has plenty of penetration to kill the fox even if he does run on after. It's not much different to a classic shot on a deer.

Hornet in .223-4" is awesome imo.  It can be loaded very cheaply. But spiralling  reloading costs and brass life when loaded hot cant compete.

I know someone may be able to load it cheap but the average guy won't!

I did because I experimented with non ordinary powders I got given or begged! Then there is the reloading gear and somewhere to do it and the time.

I wish Winchester would pull their finger out and make their new rimfire in 22. It should be close to a traditional  hornet loading without the hassle of loading.

Back to hmr....its safe. 20gn is safer than 40gn should it glance etc.

Like it or lump it there is more to a cartridge than just its performance. 

For me, being able to take a rabbit or other game for the pot. Slap a squirrel or drop a fox and snipe at crows the hmr does tick the boxes. 

 

Edited November 30, 2020 by Sausagedog

[Dervburner 2,548]

I paid £20/50 Remington’s .22 hornet last year. I don’t think they’ll be available again though, but that was hmr money. As for hmr versus .22 hornet for foxes, they aren’t in the same league. I only use hmr for corvids and squirrels really. If it was worth owt I’d probably sell it and replace it with another .22 rf for dedicated night shooting. But, as I’d get bugger all for it, I’ll keep it as it has a bit of a niche for me, although the hornet will do everything the hmr does and more. That’s my opinion anyway, and I’m sticking to it so there! Unless I change my mind...............

[Sausagedog 7,381]

I think it's a shame hornet rifles seem quite scarce at the moment and also think it's a shame some like cz  stick with 1-16" twist!

[Dervburner 2,548]

14 minutes ago, Sausagedog said:

I think it's a shame hornet rifles seem quite scarce at the moment and also think it's a shame some like cz  stick with 1-16" twist!

Yerr, I think they’ve fallen out of favour as most people seem to want more range, which is fine if you’re regularly shooting beyond 200 yards. I prefer to shoot .22 hornet rather than .223 personally if I’m going to be shooting at these ranges or less. That said, I’ve been thinking about a .204 for a while now. I’d still keep the hornet though.

[philpot 4,928]

As some of you may remember, I was keen on a .223 before the awful covid19 started but I let the idea drop when I really thought about it.  I confess that the .22 hornet has appeal but I am just avoiding centrefire round costs to be perfectly honest an of course I could reload but have no kit so I would need to start with an outlay on kit and supplies. I suppose it is the cost versus spare cash from the pension which at the moment is why I stick with my .22lr and wmr, being totally honest, these take care of 90% of my needs but without doubt if I had a nice little windfall, a .22 hornet would be on the cards.

Phil