Pistol Ranch
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Anybody use a .22-250 for deer??
P/R.
P/R.
.22-250 For Deer
- Thread starter Pistol Ranch
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Grumulkin
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BADUNAME37
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I would if it were the special type bullet like the Barnes X Bullet or Federal Trophy Bonded.
ricehombre
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Have good luck with Hornady 60gr SP and RL-15.
interlock
Member
the .22-250 is used in the UK for deer shooting. the issue would be in bullet selection. if you chose a heavier bullet suitable for deer not a varminting bullet then you need to make sure your rifle has a twist rate that will stabalise it. if the rifles twist rate is for varminting it won't spin up a heavier rifle bullet... please don't use vmax 's etc the expansion is not right for deer.
Grumulkin
Member
I've use 2 different bullets for deer in my 22-250. One was a Remington factor load with 55 gr. soft nosed bullets as I recall. The other bullet, which I highly recommend, is the Speer 70 gr. Semi-Spitzer which stabilizes well in my 1:12 twist barrel.
Last I checked it was illegal to use anything smaller than .23 caliber for deer in Virginia. I'm sure it would kill em, but why bother when they offer better tools for the job. I have a 22-250 and it is a great "varmit" and paper target gun. I just don't think it would kill as humanely as other rifles I own. I've been criticized for killing 3 bull moose with a .270 but I guarantee these Moose didn't know the difference and none of them took another step after being hit. Saying that, if I hunted them today I'd probably go for a 7mm or 300 Win Mag. At the time, the .270 was the largest caliber rifle I owned. If this is your only rifle and it is legal in your state, then try loading the heaviest bullet that will shoot straight from your and give it a try.
Huckelberry75
Member
Absolutely. It is one of my favorite caliber for whitetail. Flat shooting and with the 55 gn Nosler BT, it is wicked. I roll my own, but my Ruger M77 really does well with the Federal factory loading using the Sierra 55gn BTHP gameking.
Sierra also offers a 63gn semi spritzer that a buddy uses exclusively for whitetail.
Just have to remember that you are using a smaller caliber, and that bullet placement is key. Of course when that placement is at the base of the ear for everything within 200yds, blood trails are more of a puddle than a trail.
Sierra also offers a 63gn semi spritzer that a buddy uses exclusively for whitetail.
Just have to remember that you are using a smaller caliber, and that bullet placement is key. Of course when that placement is at the base of the ear for everything within 200yds, blood trails are more of a puddle than a trail.
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
A little lite for deer; but I know a former Georgia game warden that killed off
many a deer with a .222 Remington~!
many a deer with a .222 Remington~!
GooseGestapo
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- Jan 6, 2003
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I was a co-worker to the individual the AlaDan mentioned.
I too doubted the .22cf's for deer until I used them.
My first experience with the .223 was unacceptable, but the reason was obvious. I used the Remington factory 50gr PHP which is a very explosive bullet on small varmints. It left very shallow surface wounds on the deer I shot with it.
Subsequently, I've used 55gr or heavier bullets in the .223 and later in the .22-250.
For personal reasons, I prefer the .22-250 to the .243. I've had quite a few bullet failures with the .243 and spent many hours trying to locate either deer I shot with it, or that others shot with it. (It was the darling cartridge of a number of deer poachers I delt with in my career, notably in the Remington M742 rifle). Many trophy class deer were hit and found hundred of yards away from where they were shot and lost by the poachers. Usually it was the circling vultures that resulted in locating the "evidence". Shot placement of course is equally important with the .243 as is the .22cf's....
I use primarily the 60gr Hornady Soft points. The 63gr Sierra is excellent, too but is a more expensive bullet and dosen't have the b.c. of the Hornady bullet. (bought a large quantity of the 60gr Hornady "blems", so still have a lot of the 60's on hand) My rifle has a 1/14" twist so dosen't do well with bullets heavier than 60gr, the Sierra 63gr semi-point being the exception. My .223 however satisfactorily stabilizes the 65gr Sierra Game King which I consider to be the best available deer bullet for the .22cf's.
Bonded, monolithic bullets, ect. just aren't the anwser to my thinking. If the bullet dosen't expand, it won't be any different than a FMJ. I've never recovered a 55gr or heavier soft-point from a deer anyhow...... I also never used or felt the need for the 60gr Nosler Partition, or any of the Barnes X, triple shocks, ect.
A well placed 55gr or heavier soft-point bullet from the .22-250 is a sure killer on our smaller whitetail deer. If I was hunting in the mid-west such as Kansas, Nebraska, ect or mule deer, I wouldn't use the .22cf's.
My next jump is to the .25's. My favorite being the .257Roberts. It has just killed everything I've pointed it at with no exceptions or alibi's.
I too doubted the .22cf's for deer until I used them.
My first experience with the .223 was unacceptable, but the reason was obvious. I used the Remington factory 50gr PHP which is a very explosive bullet on small varmints. It left very shallow surface wounds on the deer I shot with it.
Subsequently, I've used 55gr or heavier bullets in the .223 and later in the .22-250.
For personal reasons, I prefer the .22-250 to the .243. I've had quite a few bullet failures with the .243 and spent many hours trying to locate either deer I shot with it, or that others shot with it. (It was the darling cartridge of a number of deer poachers I delt with in my career, notably in the Remington M742 rifle). Many trophy class deer were hit and found hundred of yards away from where they were shot and lost by the poachers. Usually it was the circling vultures that resulted in locating the "evidence". Shot placement of course is equally important with the .243 as is the .22cf's....
I use primarily the 60gr Hornady Soft points. The 63gr Sierra is excellent, too but is a more expensive bullet and dosen't have the b.c. of the Hornady bullet. (bought a large quantity of the 60gr Hornady "blems", so still have a lot of the 60's on hand) My rifle has a 1/14" twist so dosen't do well with bullets heavier than 60gr, the Sierra 63gr semi-point being the exception. My .223 however satisfactorily stabilizes the 65gr Sierra Game King which I consider to be the best available deer bullet for the .22cf's.
Bonded, monolithic bullets, ect. just aren't the anwser to my thinking. If the bullet dosen't expand, it won't be any different than a FMJ. I've never recovered a 55gr or heavier soft-point from a deer anyhow...... I also never used or felt the need for the 60gr Nosler Partition, or any of the Barnes X, triple shocks, ect.
A well placed 55gr or heavier soft-point bullet from the .22-250 is a sure killer on our smaller whitetail deer. If I was hunting in the mid-west such as Kansas, Nebraska, ect or mule deer, I wouldn't use the .22cf's.
My next jump is to the .25's. My favorite being the .257Roberts. It has just killed everything I've pointed it at with no exceptions or alibi's.
BigN
Member
Absolutely. Neck shot causes them to drop like a stone...
the round is fine, I would look into bullet weight and barrel twist. a lot of them are working with an extremely slow twist for the bullet caliber. as far the .224 caliber bullets go they work well, but I only use the tsx out of a 556 chamber, and very heavy for caliber ones at that. no personal experience with light .224 bullets. however I was theoretically say if someone had good luck with a standard soft point bullet in any given weight class a tsx in that weight would do better(assuming you got good accuracy).
T.R.
Member
These two bullets have an outstanding reputation for producing wide wound channels and deep penetration:
- 64 grain Winchester
- 60 grain Nosler Partition
TR
- 64 grain Winchester
- 60 grain Nosler Partition
TR
35 Whelen
Member
Not a 22-250, but shot several with a 220 Swift handloaded with Sierra 55 gr. SBT's. Never lost one. At 3800-3900 fps, it's one flat shooting rig. Later I switched to the 60 gr. Nosler Partition, but they didn't kill them any deader and cost quite a bit more.
35W
35W
TexasPatriot.308
Member
I kill some really large hogs with mine all the time, even with body shots, then again I kill em with my .17hmr in light winds, the .22-250 will take any Texas game shy of exotics. it makes everyone a good shooter.
burninfuel
Member
Isn't the 224TTH developed for texas deer. Texas Trophy Hunters, 243 necked down to 70 g 224, same as 22-250 ????
Trad Archer
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- Dec 5, 2010
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- 274
I know a guy who shot a HUGE whitetail in North Dakota. I was there when it happened. He hit the deer square in the rib cage as we could see blood on the side of the animal. This was about a 100 yard shot. THE DEER WAS NEVER RECOVERED.
newfalguy101
Member
I dont and in my opinion it is too light to reliably take deer when a poor angle is encountered.
That being said, I know people who use them along with 223's year in and year out
That being said, I know people who use them along with 223's year in and year out
25cschaefer
Member
People here in MT shoot deer and antelope with them; I saw someone shoot a wite tail in the head with a 55gr V-Max, right behind the ear. It was very impressive, vaporized the inside of it and didn't exit.
gatorjames85
Member
Killed my first deer with one and it dropped it on the spot.
Guiding101
Member
I've had clients kill elk with a .22-250. As stated shot placement is key. In my experience elk have a will to live unmatched by any other animal I have seen. If the little gun worked on them, a deer should tip over just as easy. Take your time and put it in the boiler room. I myself like big holes in animals.
Kachok
Member
Nope. I refuse to use anything less then a well constructed 80gr+ .243 cal bullet on deer (boiler room shots). If anyone is concerned with recoil just use a 243 or a 6.5x55 any 6 year old can handle that level of kick, and they do MUCH more soft tissue damage then ANY 50-60gr .22 cal could ever hope to do. I do not like this recent trend of trying to use the smallest round you could hope to get a kill with. Can a .22 kill a deer......sure. Can a Ranger pull a 32' Proline.... sure but neither is a good idea IMHO.
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