.22 LR vs .17 HMR

How do .22 LR and .17 HMR compare?

The .22 Long Rifle fires a heavier, slower bullet — typically 36 to 40 grains at about 1,000 to 1,300 fps. The .17 HMR fires a light 17- or 20-grain bullet at roughly twice that speed, about 2,375 to 2,550 fps in published Hornady loads. That speed gives the .17 HMR about 1.8 to 2.5 times the muzzle energy of common .22 LR loads, while the two cartridges' bullet momentum is almost the same. The .22 LR has a SAAMI maximum pressure of 24,000 psi; the .17 HMR's maximum is about 26,000 psi.

Both cartridges' current observed prices are listed together on the .22 LR vs .17 HMR comparison page.

How do the two cartridges differ in construction?

The .22 LR uses a heeled bullet: the bullet's outer diameter matches the case's, and a narrower heel sits inside the case mouth. That design dates to the 19th century and is why many .22 LR bullets are lubricated lead exposed outside the case. The .17 HMR, introduced in 2002, is a .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire case necked down to hold a 0.172-inch jacketed bullet, typically with a polymer tip.

Both are rimfire cartridges: the priming compound sits inside the hollow rim, and the firing pin crushes the rim to ignite it. Neither can be reloaded, and both are sensitive to the rifle's chamber and ammunition consistency in the same way any rimfire is.

What do published loads show for velocity and energy?

Velocities are manufacturer-published. Energy is computed as bullet weight (gr) × velocity² ÷ 450,240; each result matches the manufacturer's published energy within about one ft-lb.

The 17-grain .17 HMR load's computed energy is 1.81 times the Mini-Mag's (246 ÷ 136) and 2.41 times the Standard Velocity load's (246 ÷ 102). The .17 HMR achieves it with less than half the bullet weight, by more than doubling the velocity — energy rises with velocity squared.

CCI publishes the Mini-Mag at 998 fps and 88 ft-lbs at 100 yards, and the Standard Velocity load at 908 fps and 73 ft-lbs. The Standard Velocity load is subsonic from the muzzle (below roughly 1,125 fps at sea level), which is why such loads are common for quiet shooting and suppressed rimfire use. For .17 HMR downrange figures, Hornady's published trajectory tables for each load are the reference; the higher starting velocity is the basis for the cartridge's flatter trajectory.

Rimfire velocities vary considerably with barrel length and individual rifle, and rifle and handgun velocities for the same .22 LR load differ.

How does recoil compare?

Recoil comes from the bullet and from the powder gas; powder charges are not published on boxes. The computed part is bullet momentum — bullet weight (gr) × velocity (fps) ÷ 225,218, in pound-seconds.

The bullet-momentum values are within about 15% of each other across all four loads, because momentum scales with velocity rather than velocity squared: the .17 HMR's bullet is less than half as heavy and a little more than twice as fast. The .17 HMR's larger case burns more powder, so the gas contribution adds somewhat more to its recoil, but in rifles of typical rimfire weight both cartridges produce very little recoil. The more noticeable practical differences are muzzle report and trajectory, not recoil.

What does bullet construction change?

Muzzle energy describes how much energy each bullet carries, not what it does on impact. Construction differs sharply between typical loads in the two cartridges.

• .22 LR factory loads are offered as solid lead or copper-plated lead round-nose bullets, as hollow points, and in specialty designs. Many common loads use soft lead bullets that deform on impact; solid round-nose loads tend to penetrate more and expand less than hollow points of similar weight.
• .17 HMR factory loads typically use jacketed bullets designed for varmints. Hornady describes the 17-grain V-MAX as a polymer-tipped varmint bullet, and the 20-grain XTP as a hollow point designed to expand. Varmint bullets are designed to expand or fragment quickly in small animals.

Those design differences matter more than the energy figures for many uses: a fast, fragmenting varmint bullet and a slow, solid lead bullet behave differently in game, on steel targets, and against backstops. Steel-target manufacturers publish minimum distances and approved calibers for their targets, and range rules often specify which cartridges are allowed.

Wind also affects the two cartridges differently. A light bullet loses velocity quickly, but the .17 HMR's much higher starting velocity reduces time of flight; manufacturers' published wind-drift tables for each specific load are the reference for comparing them at distance.

Which firearms are chambered for each?

.22 LR:

• Semi-automatic rifles such as the Ruger 10/22, plus bolt-action, lever-action, and pump-action rifles
• Semi-automatic pistols and revolvers in a wide range of sizes, including training versions of centerfire pistols
• Single-shot youth rifles

.17 HMR:

• Bolt-action rifles, such as the Savage 93R17, CZ 457, and Ruger American Rimfire in .17 HMR
• Lever-action rifles, including Henry's .17 HMR model
• Semi-automatic rifles designed for the cartridge, such as the Savage A17, which uses a delayed-blowback action
• A small number of revolvers

Some rifle families are offered in both cartridges, but the cartridges are never interchangeable in one barrel. Each chamber and barrel is marked for one cartridge.

What is each cartridge commonly used for?

.22 LR is commonly used for:

• Target shooting, plinking, and marksmanship instruction
• Small game such as squirrels and rabbits at short range
• Rimfire competition and handgun practice

.17 HMR is commonly used for:

• Varmint and small predator control at distances beyond typical .22 LR use
• Small game at distances where a flat trajectory is useful
• Rimfire target shooting at extended distances

Criteria a reader can apply:

1. Typical distance. The .17 HMR's higher velocity flattens trajectory; at short range the difference matters less.
2. Shooting volume. High-volume practice is a common reason shooters keep a .22 LR alongside a .17 HMR; compare observed cost per round on the hub pages.
3. Noise. Standard- and subsonic .22 LR loads are quieter than any .17 HMR load, which matters near neighbors and livestock.
4. Platform. Handgun selection in .17 HMR is narrow; .22 LR handguns are widely available.

How does cost compare?

This article quotes no prices. The .22 LR uses less brass, less powder, and simpler bullets, and is offered in large bulk packs; the .17 HMR uses a larger case and jacketed, often polymer-tipped bullets. Current observed cost per round is on the .22 LR ammo prices and .17 HMR ammo prices pages, and the observed trend on .22 LR price history and .17 HMR price history.

Related comparisons

• .22 LR plinking and target loads compared — Load characteristics for range use
• Subsonic vs supersonic — What the speed of sound changes
• What does grain mean? — Bullet weight basics

Related caliber pages

• .22 LR ammo prices — Current pricing across tracked retailers
• .22 LR price history — Observed trend over time
• .17 HMR ammo prices — Current pricing across tracked retailers
• .17 HMR price history — Observed trend over time

Sources

• SAAMI Cartridge & Chamber Drawings — Rimfire dimensions and maximum average pressure
• CCI Ammunition — Mini-Mag and Standard Velocity published muzzle and 100-yard velocity and energy
• Hornady — Varmint Express .17 HMR 17gr V-MAX (item 83170) and 20gr XTP (item 83172) published velocity and energy, and the cartridge's 2002 introduction
• Savage Arms — A17 delayed-blowback action designed for the .17 HMR