don't rule out the t/c contender g2. you can get a 22lr barrel and tehn later on get a 17hmr barrel, or just about anything else for that matter. downside is the price. i bought a t/c encore 5 years ago and a g2 contender last year. wish i had picked these up alot earlier in life, i would definitely have saved alot of money buying barrels rather than the whole gun. just my .02