I have a Winchester Model-190 in .22 Long and Long Rifle. My Friend a .17hmr and me and him have often gone hunting together and bagged many a squirrel, The.17 has great distance with little drop and my .22 has more knockdown, yet I think that it would depend on how good a shot u are and the distance your shooting i like my .22 b/c i have a treestand, and all I have to do is put scent on and call mainly feral dogs in and pop them in the head and they drop like flys. (But i never shoot over 65 yards)