RE: .223 or 22-250 ????
22-250 is not a barrel eater per se, unless you are cranking it up and trying to make a 220 swift out of it. That said, a 22-250 is obviously flatter shooting round than the 223. It is also louder and has a sharper, though not excessive recoil. If noise isn't an issue, then go for the 22-250. The 223 is a little cheaper to shoot, but you can load the 22-250 down and get long life out of the barrel and the brass.