Re: .22lr vs .22 mag vs .223
I think the question is really 22LR vs 17HMR vs 223.
22LR has the cheapest available ammo and is the standard for rimfire. If you want to compete with rimfire, 17HMR is not allowed most places. 22LR wins up to 50 yards. Beyond that, its inherent accuracy starts to drop off. I shoot 22LR at 100 and now 200 yards BECAUSE it sucks so bad at these conditions. You have to learn to read win and deal with factors that are difficult to control.
17HMR outshines the 22LR at 100 yards to 300 yards. It will be pointed out that the ammo is much more expensive than bulk 22LR. However, if you shoot top of the line 22LR ammo, the price per box is comparable ($10.50 a box for Eley Match, $13.50 a box for Eley Tenex, $13 a box for 17HMR). There is no match grade ammo for 17HMR ammo. In fact, it is all made by the same manufacturer (CCI) at the same plant and branded by different companies. Usually you can find one of the brands on sale... buy that one. Also, the 17HMR rifles are very accurate out of the box... most of them sub-MOA at 100 yards. And they cost $300 or so a gun. If you pay $300 for a 22, don't expect to be getting the same type of accuracy that an out-of-the box 17 will have. Why the 17 over the 22WMR? The bullets are better (albeit, more expensive). If you need it for varmint hunting, you can get the hollow points. For target shooting / accuracy, you can get the V-Maxes. They shoot flatter and have more energy out to around 150 yards. After that, 22WMR's weight takes over and allows it to keep velocity. Still, for accuracy and for varminting, the 17HMR is pretty much superior. Otherwise, it would not have been invented.
The argument for .223 is that it is cheaper per round to reload than 17HMR. Because it is centerfire, you can get it more accurate, less finicky, and with a longer range than all of the above. If you don't reload, this option is kind of off the table. If you do reload, it is a viable option (assuming you can get reloading components these days).
To recap:
- 22LR: more competitions, most susceptible to wind (a good and bad thing). Cheapest ammo.
- 17HMR: superior to 22LR at 100 and beyond. Shoots flatter. Great for varmints. Expensive (but generally good) ammo.
- 22WMR: inferior to 22WMR in almost every way except for certain applications (larger varmints requiring heavier bullets at greater than 150 yards)
- 223: Superior to all of them, but is not a rimfire. Most expensive ammo off the shelf, cheaper than 17HMR to reload. Shoots flattest and farthest. Can be most accurate. Is not a rimfire.