For Les:

So the little .22 bullet shoots out of the insert, going through a barrel that is much wider? Does that affect the accuracy?

I'm guessing that without the rifling in the barrel, it's not as accurate as a dedicated .22 rifle. But I don't know for sure. What kind of difference in accuracy are we talking about? I'm also guessing that the bullet won't go so far off the intended trajectory that it'd hit the damage the inside of the barrel.

For Jacquie:

Other posters are persuading me of the merit of getting a single-shot rifle/shotgun for hunting. But I do want to note that for target shooting, you just might appreciate not having to manually reload every round.

Here's a suggestion: how about doing the hunter's ed and join the gun club before making the purchase? I'm sure there will be people at the club willing to let you shoot their guns. Maybe that will shape your purchasing decision.

The differences between guns can be minute. Most modern guns are reliable and accurate enough for hunting, recreation, and defense. But if you take some courses and get some experience with different guns, you may discover your own personal preferences.

Or you could just buy a whole bunch of them, like your 'Murican cousins down here!