Why I’m Adding a .22 WMR Rifle - East Ridge Outdoors

Why I’m Adding a .22 WMR Rifle

I’ve been thinking about adding a more powerful rimfire rifle for a while.

Now that I’ve gotten back into shooting more frequently as the kids get older, it feels like the right time.

Right now, my setup covers both ends pretty well. I have a Tikka in .30-06 and a 7mm Rem Mag for big game and longer range shooting. On the other side, I’ve got a Henry lever action .22 LR that gets used a lot.

The .22 LR is a fun gun. I had a scope on it for a while, but most of the time it’s just used for close range plinking, so I prefer to keep it as an open sight rifle.

I’m usually running bulk ammo through it, which is fine for what it is, but it starts to become inconsistent past about 40 yards (and so does my aim on a small resetting target). I could stretch it to 50 yards by installing the scope and using better ammo, but I quickly got tired of switching between a scoped and unscoped setup to make that work.

For hunting, the .22 LR does what I need it to. It’s what I bring for squirrel, rabbit, and the occasional grouse when I’m out in the side-by-side or walking trails on the property.

The Gap

I’ve always noticed the gap between my rimfire and centerfire rifles, but shooting more often has made it obvious.

The .22 LR is great for short-range plinking and small game hunting. On the other end, jumping to a centerfire rifle is more power than I need for small game and much more expensive to shoot in volume.

I wanted something that sits in between:

  • more range than .22 LR
  • more consistent accuracy
  • a bit more power
  • still affordable enough to shoot regularly

There are two common calibers that check these boxes: .17 HMR and .22 WMR.

What I Want From It

This isn’t meant to replace anything I already have.

It’s filling a specific role:

  • Extend usable range beyond what I get from .22 LR
  • More reliable accuracy at 75–100 yards
  • Still practical for small game hunting
  • Lower cost per round compared to centerfire

For target shooting, 100 yards is a distance I’ll actually use. For hunting, I may not stretch it that far since I’m typically in the woods, but it’s nice to have the option.

Both .17 HMR and .22 WMR accomplish this. So why .22 WMR?

  • Heavier bullet — less wind drift
  • More capable on tougher small game — beavers and coyotes
  • Disadvantage in velocity and trajectory, but at 50–100 yards this won’t affect me much, and it’s a tradeoff I’m willing to make for the hunting use

One thing to note — the .22 WMR hits quite a bit harder than .22 LR, so it’s not ideal for my steel resetting target. I may look into getting a stronger one made, or just set up some posts and old field signs for paper targets.

Where It Fits

This will slot in between my current setups:

  • .22 LR → close range, high volume, simple
  • .22 WMR → mid-range, more precise, still practical
  • Centerfire → longer range and big game

That middle ground is what I’ve been missing.

What’s Next

Now that I’ve decided a .22 WMR rifle fits nicely into my current lineup, it’s time to figure out which one. That’s a whole different decision.

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