17hmr and ruger 10/22 shooters....HELP!!!

[joker80p]

 have a savage 93r17 pre accutrigger with sporter barrel, 2 clips and 110 rounds of ammo. Right now topped with a sightron si 3-9x40 and the gun has less than 50 rounds through it. Anyway. I dont do very much long range, i mostly use it for squirrel hunting so i was thinking of trading it toward something new like a ruger 10/22 because i've always wanted them and i've found even stock models too be comfortable, light and very accurate. I was also thinking i might want to build a custom 10/22 eventually. Well i found someone willing to trade me a brand new ruger 10/22 with 2 stocks. So what do you think? I had one person tell me that i was crazy for getting rid of my 17 and for trading for a 10/22 that was only good for plinking. I am sure some 10/22 guys could tell me different.


I figure one stock could be sold depending on what they are if not both toward a nicer one. maybe even toward parts

i would like to hear from both sides 17hmr shooters and 10/22 shooters

[LaOtto222]

I own both. I have a custom Ruger 77/17 and a custom Ruger 10/22. To me they are two different tools. If you are going to use it just for bushy tails, then the 10/22 is the way to go. I use the 17 HMR for situations where I do not want ricochets. Believe it or not I bought it for mostly ground squirrel control and did not want bullets going off in different directions. A 22 rim fire would do the job on the critters, but it will bounce of the ground and go in different directions. I can not tell you what you want. If it was me, I would have both (I do), but that decision is up to you. My philosophy is - If it is a trade you are happy with, then it is a good trade. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[Oldtimer]

Having owned both rifles, I would keep the one and buy the other.  I had a plain vanilla 93 in 17HMR and it shot fantastically well.  It is a trifle expensive for squirrel hunting, but will do the job.  The trigger could use some help, but there are both aftermarket triggers and cheap fixes online that only take a little bit of time.  The 10-22 often needs trigger work, too, and the easy way is to get an upgrade kit that drops in.  It is a tie when it comes to the trigger, both will need work to  be right, with the slightest advantage to the 93, as the trigger can be improved with only an investment of a little time.  

I have killed a lot of squirrels with a .22, and a few groundhogs as well.  The range is limited compared to the .17, but the same is true comparing the .22 LR to the .22 Magnum.  If hunting is on the card, then the 10-22 has an advantage in terms of cost, the .17HRM in terms of absolute accuracy and range.  Further, .22 ammo is much more versatile, and you can choose a load to match conditions, as opposed to the few choices with the .17 (basically 17 or 20 grain, hollow point, polymer tip, or FMJ).

For plinking, the .22 has it all over the .17 when it comes to cost.  If the splat factor is considered, then the top dog is the .17, as it will make things go pop much better than the LR, unless you use Stingers, et al.  The .22 never comes up to the .17 for splat, though a box of the defunct Winchester Xpediters compared to the .20 grain HMR would be mighty close.

If I had to choose only one over the other for squirrel hunting, I would sell the .17 and get a new 93 with Accutrigger in .22LR.  I have never seen an advantage of a semi-automatic over a bolt action when squirrel hunting.  The extra accuracy of the Accutrigger setup over the Ruger would be worth the difference.  You should not have any trouble selling your 93.  I think it took me about ten minutes to sell mine, and I  was not even thinking about selling it, only talking to a friend about getting a 93 with an Accutrigger.

By the time you buy the Ruger and the aftermarket trigger, you will be in the same price range as an Accutrigger Savage. On the Ruger side, it is good for a lot more than just plinking.  There are all sorts of aftermarket parts and services.  You can sink well over $1,000 in a Ruger doing the work yourself.  If you want a rifle that will absolutely suit you in the end, then the Ruger is the way to go.  If you want an accurate rifle out of the box and will be satisfied with that , then the 93 is a grand choice.
Good luck!

[bilmac]

People credit the 10-22 with accuracy, but I have on that is factory and one with a bull barrel and a $65 trigger job and really don't consider them especially straight shooters. Best groups are around .75 at 50. That was with the expensive 50 rd boxed Rem gold bullet HP. Most groups run a little over an inch. I haven't tried really high dollar target ammo, I won't be useing it in an auto for hunting anyhow.

That said I love my 10-22s. They get way more bullets run through them than any other gun I own.