You should be ok making that switch unless it was a low budget fixed power scope make specifically for low recoil firearms.
No.
.223 inches.
The .22 Long Rifle is a rimfire, whereas the .223 Remington is a centerfire cartridge. The .223 uses a longer 'spitzer' projectile vs. the rounded projectile of the .22 LR. The .223 tends to be a heavier projectile, and has a much higher velocity than the .22 LR.
Naturally.
Not without modification. Some 5.56x45 and .223 Remington rifles have a device available for them which allows them to fire .22 Long Rifle rounds... typically, the device replaces the bolt carrier group.
In general, no. The .22 LR is a straight sided rimfire cartridge 1 inch long. The .223 is a bottlenecked centerfire cartridge almost 3 inches long. Totally different. The 22 LR CAN be shot in a .223 by the use of a special adapter.
It depends on what you mean. Strictly speaking, a .223 cartridge has a .22 caliber bullet, but when people say .22, they are usually referring to .22 Short, Long Rifle, or Magnum cartridge, which is different than .223.
Yes.
Send it back to the maker.
Your Winchester model 25 rifle will take any size scope that you see fit to use as long as the rifle is drilled and tapped for scope use.If your rifle comes with a 3/8in.milled receiver rail then you must use that size scope ring bases.I recommend that a good 4X power scope is all that is needed for the effective range of .22cal rimfire ammo.
.22, .223, 30/30, 30/06 or any other one you can use and hit with.
Both do what they are supposed to within their range limitations.