J white, I wouldn't buy into killing a deer with a 17 HMR either, I'm sure it could be done if you were close enough and got enough rounds in it, but that's not ethical. I think the 17 HMR is a fun rifle to shoot and works great for rabbits, cats, prairie dogs, etc. I think the 17 does a better job of knocking these animals down and give me a longer range. I know when I've shot rabbits or cats with a .22 long they jumped and flopped around whereas with the 17 HMR they didn't hardly move. In the end the both got the job done. THe 17 HMR ammo is gonna cost you more, as can the rifle itself and accessories. I think there is still some novelty about owning a 17 HMR. In most situations, however, I would say a person could just stick with the 10-22 and be just fine.