What is great about the 10/22 is it's after-the-sale product support. Millions have been sold and millions more will be sold. Ruger stands behind it's product; Location Snap Shots is the Canadian warranty station for Ruger. Virtually every gun shop will have magazines for the 10/22. Aftermarket parts - that can allow you, with some common tools, to make it into whatever you'd like it to be - are widely available (and will continue to be widely available for as long as we'll be alive).
Many other rimfire rifles may serve your need more adequately than does an out-of-the-box 10/22. What they might not offer, as does the 10/22, is the ability to buy whatever part you want, to easily change barrels and stocks and any other part to suit your taste, for that particular sport, or hunt - that day - and to change it back at will.
The 10/22 isn't perfect, and any number of rimfire rifles might do a given job better than a 10/22, but, if you choose something else, don't bother whining to us when the gun is out of production and you can't find a magazine.