Thread: 22LR or 17HMR, your thoughts?

I'm keen on getting a rimfire to get the odd bunny with. I'm used to PCPs, never owned a "proper" rifle.
So I was wondering what "most" of the distances are people are shooting bunnies? I'm guessing a huge quantity of bunnies are shot in NZ inside 50m?
PCP will do it, but the rifles are so damned cheap (compared to a PCP that is) that I might just shout myself one.

Important to me, is the ability to use subsonic ammo in the .22, the quieter the better. But have read that a .22 rimfire is only accurate to about 70 metres with subsonic?

Whereas I like the power of the 17HMR, more chance in my mind of killing bunny instantly, no suffering. But, not that keen in a rifle that will shoot a projectile well over a kilometre, all though it would hit ground way before then.
The dead bunnies will either be hawk food or eel food so no matter what they look like, meaning if a HMR makes a mess of bunny, no problem.

What do you guys use? Have heard the Gun City Air Arms .22s are crap, and the Rossi .22s are better? I don't need a flash rifle so one of these would do.
Out of interest, how quiet can you make a 17HMR?


Cheers all