I have one and love it (Marlin 917 with bull barrel). As I don't hunt, it's utility is significantly lower than 22LR, but I love having a rimfire rifle that can push out past 300 without dropping the scratch for ammo for a centerfire. It's definitely a "want", not a "need", but it's a very nice "want"
I'm currently using a BSA Sweet 17 for optics.