I've been researching this myself and what I came up w/ was the .204. If you're planning on shooting a lot of rounds or you really want a gun that will last for future generations (who doesn't?) the barrel on a .204 won't wear fast as on the .22-250 due to the smaller amounts of powder used in the .204.Also I don't know how it does it but out to 400 yds. every thing I read said the .204 bucked the wind better than the .223 and the .22-250. Mind you these are things I have read and researched about, not actually experienced, but as many times as I read it I think theres prbly some validity there. Do you already have a deer rifle? If so the .204 is the way to go!