223 wins hands down for what you're looking to do. Once I picked up a 223 with a varmint contour barrel it became my #1 range rifle. I will eventually rebarrel it with a fast twist tube but I just don't get to shoot long often enough and figure I might as well burn out the factory tube first with the couple thousand bulk 55gr sp's I have on hand.
The real question is how do you hunt? If spot and stock I'd go lighter with a 6X, if from a stand or blind with longer shooting lanes go chunk and 10X.
