Who said the 17 hmr was better than a .22 mag? was"nt me. I just said it had to be a pefect set up.Oh yeah bullet weight does mean alot, but bullet placement is much more important than anything. Thats just mho, and I"ve killed more than my share of coyotes with a 204, shotgun, and one with a bow. I"d rather hit a dog in the shoulder with a small bullet , than in the ham with a heavy bullet.