help choosing a caliber for my new target rifle

[crookedshooter]

Here is my dilemma i want a new rifle with a little more range than my 22lr probably 150yard range maybe out to 200 , and noise is an issue where i shoot so the quieter the rifle the better . The calibers that have been suggested to me by the local gun sop are either 22 magnum, 17hmr or a 223 using reduced power loads.

I don't know much about any of these calibers never shot any of them they told me that a 223 with reduced loads as as quiet as a 22magnum and i can hand load i load for my pistols all the time .The ammo for the 22mag and 17hmr seem to cost about the same. Low noise is a little more important than accuracy to me. So what caliber would you choose ?

And i am open to other calibers i may not have listed

[ironhiide]

I'd recommend 17HMR, the ammo and the rifle is easy to acquire, plus it shoots like a centerfire out to 150-200yards.

[guimus]

Depending on what you're shooting at, I'd agree with the hmr. I love my 77/22 magnum, and it's a tack driver at 100 yards, but it starts dropping like a brick after about 125. It also goes trans-sonic around 150 yards, which can do not-so-good things to your precision. I think that all of the 17hmr loadings will stay supersonic out of a rifle past 200 yards and shoot much flatter than the 22's.

[hybridatsun350]

The .17HMR is an awesome little cartridge. That would be the caliber I'd use if I was building a designated, rimfire target rifle. The caliber is unique in that ALL of the loadings I've ever seen for it are very accurate.

[primers]

Have you considered the 17hm2? can be accurate too 150yds only loosing a little less than 1 and a quarter inch over the 17hmr with the 17gr pill....easily convert a 10/22 to a 10/17 with barrel and bolt/spring upgrades...and lets you customize your rifle too your hearts...or wallets.. content..also rounds are much cheaper...out too 200 yards then i would consider the hmr round...You may want too run some search engines on the old and reliable 25-20...or 32-20 rounds...I used to carry an old model 53 win in 32-20 for coyote control when i farmed in Colorado a few lifetimes ago...it allways seemed to do the job...and brass lasts forever it seems...Good luck on whatever you decide

[crookedshooter]

i had considered the 17hm2 but the ammo is not very available locally, but everyplace has 22mag and hmr