Blah blah... .223 sucks... blah blah
Then don't use it.
There.. The answer to your question. If you don't want to use it and want to use the .204 or the .22-250 then you have the capabilities to not use it. Use whatever you want. It is a free country. You seem to have some weird fascination about the .223 round... Did one abuse you as a child? Did a Mag full of .223 cut you off in traffic once?
Whew...
That one took a lot out of me. Now, if you want, you can ask me the following questions...
"What gun should I buy next?" (see Sig line)
"Should I buy a gun from Wal-mart?"
"What round for bear?"
"Coke or Pepsi?"
See.. There are THOUSANDS of people who use the .223 for varminting, myself included, and we are quite happy with it. But, then again, I have never had a .223 try and abduct me as a child either....