I wouldn't mind a nice 22 Hornet. I cut my teeth on a model 43 Winchester. It was my father's and I have passed that on to my middle son. Those early Hornets required a .223 not a .224 bullet. I blew a few of those thin cases in half before I realized that, but then I was ten years old when I started shooting and reloading it.
We didn't have enough money to shoot a lot in those days, but vaporizing gophers was so much more fun than using the old Marlin bolt action 22. We didn't have many brass on hand so in an old tied off pant leg I would carry bullets, primers, powder and a Lee loader oh and of course a hammer. At the top of the hill there was a Buffalo rub in the gopher pasture. I would rest the rifle on that, shoot a few gophers, then sit behind it and pound out another dozen rounds.
My grandson has CZ with a set trigger in 22 Hornet, and my nephew has the same rifle in 17 Hornet cut to 16 inches and threaded. A few years ago a fellow from Carrington was reaming to 17 K Hornet. I may have to pull the trigger on one of these while I'm still semi mobile.