I started out back in the middle 1970s with a Ruger 77 in .220 Swift with a 3-9 Bushnell. It shot like a laser, and I loaded it hot. Then I owned a Shilen DGA Light Varmint in the same chambering with a 10x Leupold on it, and that shot lights out, too. Nothing wrong with the Swift, but I left the hot rod behind and simply standardized on .223 Remington. My varmint rifle now is a Winchester 70 Stealth in a McMillan A5 stock. I guess I just concluded that for the ranges I was shooting, the .223 worked just fine, plus there was the Lake City brass available.
