I have kinda been sittin back and watching this thread go on but can't take it anymore. The 17hmr has a lot more pep than what some of you guys think. I agree it is no way an ideal coyote round but it is deadly on several other critters well above the size of crows and squirrels. I have shot quite a few beavers in my day with my .22 lr cci stinger hollow points but i snagged a 17hmr last year. Well that .22 sits in my closet now. This baby is a beaver killin machine, i am serious it is the talk of all my buddies i hunt with. They let me take first crack just so we can skin out the beaver to see what the damage is. It is astonishing how a little bullet can turn a beaver skull into soup with only a needle hole in the hide. I have also used a 22mag on beavers a few time in the past and did not notice near the amount of damage as i did with the 17hmr, however that is most likely due to bullet selection. Beavers ain't exactly small animals your lookin at 50-60 pounds on the big girls but as soon as they swim out they are dead in the water with one round. I absoultey love my gun and its the best money i ever spent. The accuracy is phenomenal, i have been making all head shots on them while they were swimming with only 2 misses in over 50 attempts. I never had that kind of performance in my 22 shootin days. I have some pics back home that i will post up in a week or so when i am home. I have a skinned out beaver carcass that fell victim to the 17hmr, you can view the damage and then make your decision if its still a squirrel gun.