i have the vangaurd varmit SUB MOA in .204 ruger. love the rifle to bits. shoots like a laser over unreal distances, but cant go much bigger than a fox. shot a dingo with it a week ago and if it wasnt a head shot i wouldnt have dropped it. so yeah i would go the .223 if your going to be hunting anything bigger than a fox, but anything under, go th .204ruger