22-250 For Deer
Would be interested from those who have used a 22-250 for Deer. Good, Bad or other??? Thanks!!!
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I know someone is going to climb all over you for asking.[^]
I have never done it myself, but I know some who have used it on does. They said the bullet explodes like a bomb and makes a good mess.(with a well placed shot) No penitration.
Never would advise to use a 22-250 for deer, but it's America, your are free to make most of your own choices.[;)]0 -
Go with the Barnes TSX bullet. It's all copper and won't blow up on the surface and not penetrate. Black Hills and Double Tap sell factory loaded 22-250's, loaded with this bullet. 0 -
I have shot 3 or 4 whitetails with one and had every deer drop within a few feet.
Having said that -- the longest shot of those was probably 70 yards, and I would not recommend going much more than that. With that little bullet, placement is everything.0 -
Michibay,
All the commercial rifle manufactures I am familiar with use a
slow twist (1 in 14) barrel for their 22-250 rifles. These rifles are designed for the primary purpose of varmit shooting where a medium range flat shooting gun is desirable. (the 22-250 & 220 swift perform much the same)
These slow twist rifles usually will not stabelize the heavy, longer bullets needed for penetration on a deer sized animal.
If a custom rifle is planned & a faster twist barrel were used to accomodate the 70 to 80 grain bullets? - but why limit yourself when so many better calibers are avalible such as the .264/6.5mm bore guns.
Jim ( my $.02 )0 -
My little brother had a 670 Win. in 22-250 that he hunted Deer with . I loaded it with Sierra 63 Gr. semi points . Worked well for a sub cal rifle ! Not something I'd recommend though ! 0 -
RufeSnow has it right. With a good bullet, it's fine, and I wouldn't limit it to 70 yards, either. With typical Varminter bullets, though, it's criminal.
Certainly light years better than the legal minimum in Maine, which happens to be the 22 RFM. Now THAT"S OBSCENE!0 -
Well, todays world is a bit of a different color, than yesteryear. The advancements in bullet design make even the subtle 22 Hornet, a deer cartridge, where allowed by law.
The difference being with the Barnes TSX bullets in 0.224" diameter from 45 grains for the slower 1 in 14 twist, up to 70 grains for the 1 in 7 twist. Nosler also makes a 60 grain Partition bullet that works well.
Federal loads both for the 22-250,the 50 grain TSX(P22250Q), and the 60 grain partition(P22250G). They are deer cartridges all day long. However, that said, they are cartridges for properly placed shots in the vitals or central nervous system(like any other cartridge, up to and including a 500 Whiz BANG!, should be). I would shy away from them for deer being pushed, or driven.
I have taken deer cleanly with centerfire cartridges from 17CCM, up to 45-70...all of them, one, well placed shot. You don't need a 12 gauge, or a 30-06 to kill a deer, if you do your part.
RCrosby,
I have personally killed several deer with a 22WMR. If I could have all my shots on stationary deer out to 125 yards, and it were legal here, I would have but one deer gun, and that is what it would be. I have not seen deer go down any faster with anything else I have used. They were all precisely placed shots, and it is not a cartridge to be using on a running deer.
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Michibay,
We cover this every year about this time as hunters try to get ready for deer season. The same worn out, uninformed opinions usually try to rule the day but fail when countered by credible truths.
This cartridge will work just fine no matter what the ill-informed or inexperienced naysayers write. BUT, there are some big qualifiers that have to be fulfilled before you just run out and start shooting.
The twist rate in factory rifles is 1:14" so bullet choice is critical. As rufe-snow brilliantly points out, the Barnes TSX bullets weighing 50 grains will be fully stabilized in a 1:14" twist barrel. So will the Sierra 63 gr. Semi-Spitzer as written by oneoldsap. If you have a custom, faster twist barrel then the selection will be more broad.
You have to be able to be accurate under any type of field conditions not just a concrete bench on a nice day with no wind. Practice is a must, lots of practice, especially with deer anatomy targets. Because...
You should limit your shots to the heart, neck and brain. If you can't hit these areas precisely, each and every time, don't shoot. These areas will be certain to put the deer down quickly and humanely no matter what the doubters want you to believe. You don't need a wound channel if you rupture the heart, break the neck or take out the brain. How do I know? I've proven it on a dozen occasions at least. Depredation hunting will leave no doubt after using this cartridge with proper loads.
The reality is also that far too many deer are injured by hunters using cartridges of larger calibers every year. This range includes everything from the .243 Win. up through the heaviest of hitters, the .45-70. The argument of using a larger diameter bullet to guarantee a killing shot is fallacious. A poorly placed shot with any caliber cartridge can result in a wounded animal.
Best.0 -
I fully agree with nononsense. 0
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