What's not being discussed here is the differences between the two. 22-250 is a great round, with a 400 yard+ range with fantastic accuracy. But even if you reload, it's still not cheap. The bullets cost as much as everything else and that's one whole bunch of powerder behind each and every one of them. The 223 has an effective varmint range of 250 yards or so, and not much beyond that. 223 is dirt cheap though, and really should be everyone's first rifle for 100 different reasons. If you reload, 223 makes the world your oyster, and is as easy on the wallet as it gets. Besides, with 223, you'll use it way more than any other unless your shooting specifically requires farther ranges. I also notice that whenever someone starts asking around about 22-250, the 220 Swift people always come out of the woodwork. Let's be honest - the difference between 22-250 and 22- swift are basically like splitting hairs with one exception - you'll find 223 and 22-250 ammo in nearly any country hardware store, but consider yourself very lucky if you see 220 swift on the shelf there, because it usually isn't. The 220 swift has made a nice comeback, but not enough to get the ammo into the mom & pop stores or get commercial manufacturers to chamber half as many rifles for it as they do for 22-250 or 223. Also, swift is slightly more expensive to reload than 22-250. In fairness, swift is no longer the barrel burner it's demonized as (this is now a very very old myth due to improper power combinations back in the 1930's), but the other downside to swift and even 22-250 is that the recoil is strong enough to where you don't get to watch your prey take the hit through the scope. Too much recoil. 223 lets you see all the action through the scope with very little recoil, which really gives your hunting a good dose of fun (especially with an AR-15 rifle, which has that brilliant recoil buffer spring/piston assembly in the stock - virtually eliminates all recoil). Start with 223 and move up from there. I own a Bushmaster Varminter (24" fluted) and absolutely love it. Consistent 1/4" groups at 100 yards with the right hand load. My next rifle is going to be a 22-250. Once I have the 22-250, I just can't see any reason that would ever propel me to buy a 220 swift.