Around 2002 picked one up in Jensens Gun Shop, Tucson Arizona when I first heard about Ruger putting them out. Had them call me when the first one hit the shop, the rifles were just released from factory and ammunition wasn't available at the time. Dropped by two weeks later and stocked up when ammo hit the shelves.
The following winter season I decided to use the 17HMR exclusively for a month just to see how it would do on coyotes, fox and cats. I shot 28 coyotes, 2 gray fox and one bobcat that November. Out of the 28 coyotes, I had 4 runners, the rest pretty solid kills with the obligatory half dozen spinners, but a liver shot coyote will spin before falling over no matter what you smack it with. The get aways I had thought I made good hits, but obviously wasn't the case.
Always liked the HMR, but made my own mind up it wasn't as good of a coyote rifle as my bigger .17s. Fun little rifle for jackrabbits, grackles and gray fox but I never again used it for larger predators.
