RE: 22-250 for deer hunting
A rancher that I know used his 22-250 for everything for many years but the year before last he lost a huge trophy Mule deer Buck that he thought he hit pretty good. The next year he had a 270. Not that it can't happen with a 270 as well but he feels a bit better with the bigger gun.
The 223 is the minimum in our state. I feel just as good hunting with a 223 as a 243 but prefer the 6.5, 270, 300 Savage or 308.