[FrankenMauser]

I agree, and have a contradictory perspective:
If you reload, the .22 Hornet is the way to go...
Except when it isn't. ...Because it's really nice to have more power than .22 LR, but still be able to eject the brass and walk away.

One of the perks of the rimfire, at least from this reloader's perspective, is not worrying about the brass. Run that bolt, let the cases fly, and never give the brass a second thought*.

My brother has a Hornet and envies me when he sees me eject .22 WMR cases on the ground and walk away*. I envy him when I see him reload his brass.

You can also fit more .22 WMR in your pocket than .22 Hornet. For a 'walkabout' rifle, it's a consideration.

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A couple quick thoughts on .17 HMR:
Ammo is typically a little more expensive than .22 WMR.
The lighter bullets fly faster, but .22 WMR 'hits harder'.
Pointy bullets can hurt in a pocket.
.17 caliber bores can be a pain to clean.
All .17s have a reputation for copper fouling quickly.

I like the cartridge. It's not a bad choice. But it doesn't have enough of an advantage over .22 WMR in any way that matters to me; and it does have disadvantages that do matter to me (like copper fouling and cleaning). So, I'll probably never own one unless it's given to me. I'm happy with .22 WMR.

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The biggest factor for me would be the range at which I intended to take most shots. If you're talking 250+ yards, then .22 Hornet is the only viable option (to me).
If you're talking 25-150 yards most of the time, then it's .22 WMR for me (and .17 HMR for many other people).



*(Except when I don't. ...Because I'm dumb and have hopes of, one day, swaging 6mm bullets with the .22 WMR jackets I've been saving for 20 years. So I usually eject them into my hand and drop them in a pocket.
But I don't save them all. Generally, if they hit the ground, I leave them. And if I'm in a mood to shoot and keep moving, then I don't give a crap about the cases. Run the bolt and walk away...)