I know they may seem old fashioned to younger shooters, but the little Henry lever action is one sweet shooting .22 with a smooth action. It will feed shorts, longs, or long rifles and is surprisingly accurate. Mine shoots as well as my Ruger 10/22 with the right ammo. It won't match a heavy barreled 10/22 or 77/22, but for such a light easy handling rifle, it is plenty accurate for small game. As I mentioned before, I wouldn't worry about getting a high powered rifle until you have a 22 and become good with it. The .22 is a most versatile caliber and much easier on the ears and the budget than a .223 or other centerfire rifle. And you can get a very fine .22 for less than a .22 conversion kit for an AR-15 or other .223 semi-auto. Later on, a good centerfire might be a useful thing to have, but I consider a .22 a basic necessity in any household.