Rifle Hunting · Comparison
.22LR vs .17 HMR vs .22 WMR for small game and varmints
Researched by James · Updated September 26, 2026 · Editorial policy
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Every velocity and energy figure below is copied directly from CCI's and Hornady's own published ballistics tables, linked in Sources, using each manufacturer's standard 100-yard test data. Cost-per-round figures come from one ammunition retailer's published comparison and change with the market. Full methodology & editorial policy →
Real numbers side by side
All three rimfires get compared constantly, and the honest answer is that they solve different problems. Here's what a mainstream factory load from each actually does, muzzle to 100 yards:
| Cartridge | Example load | Weight | Muzzle velocity | Muzzle energy | 100-yard velocity | 100-yard energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .22 LR | CCI Mini-Mag | 36 gr | 1,260 fps | 127 ft-lb | 1,003 fps | 80 ft-lb |
| .17 HMR | Hornady 17gr V-MAX | 17 gr | 2,550 fps | 245 ft-lb | 1,902 fps | 137 ft-lb |
| .22 WMR | CCI Maxi-Mag JHP | 40 gr | 1,875 fps | 312 ft-lb | 1,319 fps | 155 ft-lb |
Manufacturer-published figures from CCI's and Hornady's own ballistics tables; see Sources for each load's full data.
What's the real difference between them?
Bullet weight and velocity, and the two trade against each other differently in each round. .17 HMR gets its flat trajectory from a very light 17-grain bullet moving over twice as fast as a standard .22LR at the muzzle, but that light bullet sheds energy fast — by 100 yards it's carrying only slightly more energy than a .22LR has at the muzzle. .22 WMR takes the opposite approach: a heavier 40-grain bullet at a more moderate velocity, which is why it still holds 155 ft-lb at 100 yards, the most of the three at that distance. .22LR splits neither difference particularly well, but it doesn't need to — its job is cheap, quiet, close-range small game and plinking, not reach.
Which rimfire is best for squirrels and rabbits?
.22LR, for the vast majority of hunters. Inside 75 yards it puts more than enough energy on a rabbit or squirrel-sized animal with a head or vital shot, and the ammunition is cheap enough that you can actually practice until you're accurate, which matters more than the cartridge for small game. Its slower expansion also does less damage to meat than a fast, fragmenting .17 HMR bullet. Airgun hunters chasing the same animals use a very similar energy floor — see the airgun FPE chart for how a 9-12+ FPE PCP load compares to these rimfire numbers, and rabbit hunting with an airgun for the airgun-side version of this exact hunt.
Which rimfire shoots the flattest, and which hits hardest?
.17 HMR wins flatness by a wide margin — that 2,550 fps muzzle velocity buys a trajectory flat enough that most hunters don't need to think much about holdover inside 150 yards. .22 WMR wins raw power, carrying more energy than either of the other two at 100 yards specifically because it pairs a heavier bullet with real velocity instead of maximizing one or the other. Neither advantage is free: .17 HMR ammunition costs more and its bullet is more destructive on small-game meat, while .22 WMR rifles and ammunition cost more than .22LR without stretching your range nearly as far as .17 HMR does.
Can you hunt coyotes with .22 WMR or .17 HMR?
Only at close range, and even then it's a marginal choice most experienced predator hunters skip. .22 WMR's 155 ft-lb at 100 yards is real energy for a varmint, but it's well short of what a dedicated coyote round like .223 Remington delivers at the same distance — Hornady's 55gr V-MAX .223 load still carries roughly five times that energy at 100 yards. Treat .17 HMR and .22 WMR as tools for ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and other true varmints, not coyotes; see best coyote hunting calibers for the centerfire options actually built for that job.
Cost to shoot
.22LR is the clear budget winner: bulk ammunition commonly runs a nickel to about 13 cents a round. One ammunition retailer's published cost comparison put both .17 HMR and .22 WMR at roughly 32-34 cents a round when compared directly against each other — over double what .22LR costs per shot, and that gap compounds quickly for anyone doing high-volume pest control rather than occasional hunting. Prices for all three move with the ammunition market, so treat these as a snapshot rather than a promise.
Good fit
- .22LR for squirrels, rabbits, plinking, and anyone shooting on a budget
- .17 HMR for ground squirrels and varmints out to 150-200 yards where flat trajectory matters
- .22 WMR for hunters who want more punch than .22LR without stepping up to a centerfire rifle
Look elsewhere
- Any of the three for coyotes or anything larger — that's a centerfire rifle's job
- .17 HMR if you're hunting for the table and don't want fragmentation damage on the meat
- .22 WMR or .17 HMR as a first rimfire purchase if cost per round is the priority
Verdict
Buy .22LR first — it's cheap enough to actually practice with and handles the great majority of small-game and plinking use. Add .17 HMR if you specifically want flat, long-range varmint performance on ground squirrels and prairie dogs, or .22 WMR if a bit more knockdown power at moderate range matters more to you than trajectory. Neither upgrade replaces a centerfire rifle once you're after coyote-sized game or bigger.
For the airgun side of this same small-game-and-varmint question, see best airgun caliber for small game and the air rifle vs .22LR power comparison, which puts a slug-tuned PCP's roughly 80 FPE ceiling next to these same rimfire numbers.
FAQ
What's the real difference between .22LR, .17 HMR, and .22 WMR?
Bullet weight and speed. A .22LR round like CCI's Mini-Mag (36gr) leaves the muzzle at 1,260 fps with 127 ft-lb; .17 HMR (Hornady's 17gr V-MAX) leaves at 2,550 fps with 245 ft-lb; and .22 WMR (CCI's Maxi-Mag, 40gr) leaves at 1,875 fps with 312 ft-lb. .22 WMR hits hardest, .17 HMR shoots flattest, and .22LR costs the least.
Which rimfire is best for squirrels and rabbits?
.22LR, for most hunters. It's plenty for head or vital shots inside 75 yards, ammunition is cheap enough to practice a lot, and it does less meat damage on small game than the faster, more explosive .17 HMR. .22 WMR and .17 HMR are better matched to varmints and predators where more range or more energy matters.
Can you hunt coyotes with .22 WMR or .17 HMR?
Only at very close range, and it's a marginal choice either way — both are genuine varmint-class rounds, not predator rounds. CCI's Maxi-Mag .22 WMR still carries 155 ft-lb at 100 yards, some margin over a .22LR's 80 ft-lb at the same distance, but for a real coyote rifle, step up to a centerfire cartridge; see best coyote hunting calibers.
Which rimfire is cheapest to shoot?
.22LR, by a wide margin. Bulk .22LR commonly runs a nickel to about 13 cents a round, while one ammunition retailer's comparison put both .17 HMR and .22 WMR at roughly 32-34 cents a round — over double the cost per shot, which adds up fast for anyone shooting pests or plinking regularly.
Which rimfire shoots the flattest?
.17 HMR. Its light 17-grain bullet leaves the muzzle at 2,550 fps, more than double a standard-velocity .22LR's speed, which means far less bullet drop and far less time for wind to act on it out to 150-200 yards. The tradeoff is that same light, fast bullet sheds energy quickly — down to 137 ft-lb at 100 yards, not far off a .22LR's 127 ft-lb at the muzzle.
Is .17 HMR too destructive for small game meat?
Often, yes, at typical hunting ranges. Its fragmenting, high-velocity bullet is built for instant varmint kills, not for keeping a squirrel or rabbit's meat intact, and many small-game hunters find it hits harder than they want for anything they plan to eat. .22LR's slower, less violent expansion is the more common choice when meat matters.
Can a .22LR rifle also shoot .22 WMR or .17 HMR ammunition?
No. All three are different cartridges with different case dimensions and chamber specs, and none of them is interchangeable with either of the others — a .22LR chamber cannot safely fire .22 WMR or .17 HMR, and vice versa. Each requires its own dedicated rifle or a caliber-specific swap-barrel/cylinder.
What's a good beginner rimfire?
.22LR remains the standard first rimfire: the cheapest ammunition to practice with, the mildest report, and rifles and ammunition available everywhere. .17 HMR and .22 WMR are worth adding later once you know you want more range or more punch for varmints, not as a first purchase.
Sources
- CCI Ammunition — Mini-Mag 22 LR specifications and ballistics table (36gr, 1,260 fps)
- Hornady — 17 HMR 17 gr V-MAX Varmint Express ballistics table
- CCI Ammunition — Maxi-Mag 22 WMR specifications and ballistics table (40gr, 1,875 fps)
- Ammunition To Go — 17 HMR vs 22 WMR: rimfire caliber comparison and cost per round
