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Ask any sportsman to name the first firearm he ever shot and the answer will likely be a small .22 caliber rifle. It has been the favored rimfire ammunition in this country for more than 100 years.

Developed by J. Stevens Arms and Tool Company in 1887, the .22 caliber bullet remains the most common rimfire cartridge sold today, with annual production estimated at 2 billion to 2.5 billion rounds.

But after 115 years, manufacturers have finally developed another rimfire caliber that could compete with the little .22. In 2002, Marlin and Ruger introduced a rifle chambered-in .17, and the weapon was an instant hit with shooters and hunters.

But the .22 isn't going away any time soon.

With light recoil, low cost and minimal noise, the .22 has been popular for teaching safe shooting skills to beginning hunters. The .22 LR (Long Rifle) in particular is best used to hunt squirrels, rabbits and other small game at distances of less than 100 yards. At distances of 75 yards and less, this cartridge is lethal for groundhog and fox, but for quick kills a hunter must make head shots only.

This is not to say the .22 shouldn't be taken seriously, as it is certainly powerful enough to kill even humans and must be handled with care.

Ammunition for the .22 is best purchased by the brick -- a container holding 10 boxes or 500 rounds -- and usually costs about $15.

One negative aspect when shooting the .22 is its likelihood to ricochet. With a relatively moderate velocity of 1,100 to 1,400 feet per second, the 40-grain lead projectile isn't destroyed when it strikes hard objects at a glancing angle.

The .17 HMR (Hornady Magnum Rimfire) in 17 grain, on the other hand, has a velocity that exceeds 2,250 fps, and the Hornady Varmint load for the .17 HMR promises a 17-grain V-Max bullet that reaches 2,550 fps. Hornady trajectory figures show that when zeroed at 100 yards, this bullet hits only 0.1 inch high at 50 yards and 2.6 inches low at 150 yards.

The .17 HMR is intended for hunting small game such as squirrels, rabbits, prairie dogs and groundhogs. For larger animals such as coyotes, head and chest shots are required for quick kills.

Reports from many hunters suggest that consistent one-shot kills on groundhogs at 150 yards are possible. However, hunters must take the wind into consideration when shooting the light .17 grain bullet. Shooters I've spoken with say a 10 mph crosswind will blow the 17 grain V-Max bullet 8 inches laterally at 150 yards.

Dick Gorney spends a lot of time working his hay fields each year and has taken many groundhogs with his Savage .17 rifle.

"I've shot as many as 100 groundhogs in my hay fields during one summer at ranges out to 150 yards," Gorney says. "It is the flattest-shooting, hardest-hitting little rifle I've ever shot. Without it, my hay fields would be in ruins because of all the holes dug by the groundhogs."

With twice the velocity of .22 ammunition, the .17 comes with a lot more noise and higher cost to the shooter (approximately $15 per 50 rounds). Recoil is still minimal and there is less chance of a ricochet when shooting the ultra-fast .17 cartridge. The light, polymer-tipped bullet often results in explosive action when striking objects at more than 2,500 fps.

There are several firearms manufacturers now making rifles in .17 caliber, and ammunition prices should remain affordable to hunters and shooters. It's unlikely however to expect the .17 to ever displace the beloved .22.

The cost difference in ammunition will likely keep many sportsmen holding on to their little .22 rifles. The only way to produce ammunition for about 3 cents per bullet is to sell 2 billion to 2.5 billion rounds per year. That's a lot of bullets.

Randy R. Mabe is an outdoorsman, N.C. Master Bowhunter and freelance outdoors writer who lives in Reidsville. Contact him at huntrmabe@aol.com