The .22 LR will probably be your best bet...it's more rounded in it's application, use, and cost.

My guess is at a later date you may want to pick up a .17 HMR bolt gun for a little more fun.

I like the .22lr because of costs you can shoot all day with out emptying your wallet. Its also a good all around small game rifle. The.17HMR is great if you intend on shooting prarie dogs over 200 yards and the bonus to that is the prarie dog turns into a red mist. Just my opinion.

.22LR- everyone should have a .22

Ok maybe obsolite is not the right word. sorry about that,

IF the .17m2 does what they say in the articles on it

shoots flat to 100
cheaper ammo than the .17hmr
shoots out of guns chambered for .22lr with only a barrel change

It may make the HMR like the .22mag - good, just not as popular.

I'm thinking of the price down in the $3 per box with "plinking" bullets would make guys like me go for the m2 vs the HMR