Growing up I always thought the .22 mag was more a pistol cartidge, but most all of us had semi auto .22 LR rifles, with the exceptions of my friends Win model 70 and my Win 52B bolt actions. The only .22 mags I recall seeing were pistols with interchancable cylinders, and no one ever bothered to bring them along with everyone shooting the .22 LR rifle arms.
Having said all that, it wasn't till the .17 HMR came around till the .22 mag came onto my radar as a practicable rifle cartidge; I mean lets face it, .223 in a Mini 14 ranch rifle, or a 22-250 is a much more suited cartridge for anything over what a .22 LR won't take down.
Personally, I just made the jump to a .270 Win bolt action rifle because the cartridge is versatile enough to cover varmints to big game; by that time we (the gang) had moved into reloading and the arsenal between us pretty much covered the gammit. And with all, and between all of us, not a one .22 mag rifle would have been considered.
Now today, would I consider a .22 mag rifle? No, but I might consider the .17 HMR if I was stuck to, or desired to, shoot at a rifle range. The .22 mag won't do anything a .22 LR can do out to 100 yards, and it won't do a better job than .17 HMR will do between 100-200 yards.
The heavier round of .22 mag does have more energy at yardages out to about 150 yards, but that is all it has over the other two offerings (.22 LR & .17 HMR). Out in the field, there are far more potent cartridges for any practicable usage above what a .22 LR won't do out to 100 yards.
You can not beat the ammo made for rimfire firearms chambered in .22 LR; just a fact of life. Putting yourself into a box between 100 to 200 yards, and only out to 150 yards with the .22 mag, makes little sense in a rimfire. At some point in my life I may find something that presuades me to feel otherwise, but this is my thoughts on the matter.
There is, however, a new following for both the .22 mag and .17 HMR cartridges today; and that could be a cool thing in some circles. If it was the new fad within the group of folks I has hanging out with, I could see spending some cash on getting into the game. I will say this though, they would have to beat my 52B hands down before I gave in.
I will share one last thought on the cartridges (.22 mag & .17 HMR); for punching paper at those limited yardages where they play, going to center fire cartridges can get you into the big leagues as far as cash goes.
Best of luck to you on what you come around to; I would probably do a Savage as a enter level into a world I had resevations about.
