The 17 HMR avereages about $ 0.16 per round. 223 Rem is running about $0.20 a round so not a whole lot of difference in price. You are really comparing apples to oranges though. I can see if you don't shoot small varmints or squirrel hunt the 223 would give you more, but the 17 HMR does far less meat damage on small game.