A 223 bolt gun is accurate and will handle all the cheap ammo regardless of whether it's 5.56 or 223.
That's reason enough to buy a CHEAP, LIGHT one. Nice walk around plinker.
If you're a serious varmint hunter, a 22-250 is a far better choice and you can always load it down if noise is an issue.
I bought a 223 Compass, had it whacked to 16", threaded and suppressed. With regular loads it was still loud and with subsonics a 22 LR. While it worked, it made no sense and was heavy. It's gone.
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