thinking about buying a Henry lever action but can't make up my mind between a 22 or a 17 caliber. what do you think?

I bought a 17hmr about a month ago its a savage stainless bull barrel had welchers in tacoma mount a 24x50 scope on it I had layn around.haven't shot it yet but hope to make it to the range in a few weeks to sight it in,and then its on for groundhogs should be a lot of fun.Cost a bit more to shoot than a 22 but at 12 bucks for 50 rounds still not to bad I have found some rounds at gun shows for around 8 to 10 bucks a box.Hot little round necked down 22mag to 17cal they look like little missiles.The Henry is a pretty sweet looking rifle haven't herd any bad reports on them .should be fun either way you go.

I have a DU edition Henry in .22LR. Very smooth little gun, it shoots very well and is as accurate as I am. No slop in the lever mechanism at all. The wood on the gun is exceptional for your basic .22LR lever gun, and is better than the wood on any of my other firearms.

Henry makes the Varmint Express version in .17 HMR, This is a smoking little cartridge. I have a Marlin bolt gun in .17HMR and a stainless bull barrel. It shoots well out to 175 yards for me, and the first crow I took with one has a pretty nasty exit wound. Ask Hunter the next time you see him.

For ammo, R2 is spot on for prices, and considering it is rimfire ammo, mine shoots sub 1" groups at 100 yards. BSA makes a "Sweet 17" scope which has a bullet drop compensator based on yardage and a specfic zero. It works well and is reasonably priced.

I'd go with the .22Mag or .17 HMR, just plain more power and versatility. Ammo is more, but it does more than a .22LR. The .17 Hornady Mach 2 seems like a bit of a compromise unless all you plan to shoot is starlings and targets. If you want something faster than the .22LR with stingers, why not really take a step up?

If you would like to try either, let me know and we can meet up.

i have shot both. i have a ruger 10 22. will probably go with the 17. trying to decide between the VARMINT EXPRESS LEVER 17HMR or GOLDEN BOY LEVER 17HMR.
the varmint is for a scope which would probably be better with my old eyes. thanks for the imfo

I have a henry golden boy 22lr. I love this little gun, smooth action. Trigger had a little creep and wasnt as light as I like so I had Jim Henry (no affiliation) do a trigger job on it. Creep is gone and it breaks like glass at about 1.5lbs. Really a fun little plinker and very accurate.
Bret

i ended up going with the 22 mag. it was on sale for 50 less and it shoot a bullet that weighs twice as much and only 2 or 3 hundern foot pounds less