My opinion, fwiw. The .22mag can definately handle larger game, but if I had that need I would probably get a .22 hornet. Anyone who hunts small game with a rifle NEEDS a .17hmr. Yes it does quite a bit of damage to squirrels, but I don't eat the heads or ribs anyway. It's just awesome to be able to snipe at squirrels out to 150+ yards away. A lot of guys will balk at the cost of ammo, but it's not fair to compare the .17 with a .22LR. The .17hmr performs more like a centerfire that you can't reload, and they're no more expensive than buying a box of .38 special or 9mm rounds.