I'ld go for it and I have actually been thinking of buying the same caliber.  I have heard nothing but good about the round as long as you use it for what it was intended for. 

I have one and love it.  Not the best shooter in the wind but great gun tom play around with.  Costs a little more to shoot than a 22, but none the less alot of fun and really accurate.  I have a Savage model with a bull barrel.

A Marlin 17 hmr had a horrible trigger which I had my gunsmith correct as much as possible. Had a nice bull barrel on it. Had a lot of fun blasting jackrabbits with it out to 100-130 yards. It was a fun little gun but the wind can blow those little pills around if it's much above 10 mph. I wouldn't use one for coyotes but for squirrels and rabbits it's a blast

I shoot a .17 and it is a blast and cost alot more to shoot than a 22 but its worth it!

i had won one at a raffel and love it killed alot of ground hogs with it this year even all the way out at 200 yards love it and so do my children

Its a solid cartridge for prairie dogs and similar small game.  A tad light for coyotes though.

I love using my 17 for rabbits, foxes, and coyotes. I use the red tipped ones for rabbits because they come apart on impact and they blow a big hole. For foxes and coyotes i use the hollow points. I usually only shoot out to 100 yards at most. I have no problem in dropping them. But it's a blast for small game animals, go for it!