riggins_83
New member
There's a good reason it's not legal in so many states for deer hunting... it's not really consistently sufficient for a quick drop. Rather use the 30-06 and have less chance of the deer feeling anything.
22-250 IS good for deer hunting!
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Tom Matiska
New member
Any round that can turn a few pounds of neck into purple jelly or penetrate past the ribs far enough to make some heart/lung soup will do the trick... as said before just don't do the quartering meat shot.
Countless thousands of hunters here in PA fall in love with their chuck rifles and use them with great success on bambi. It works not just because the round is good enough, but because hunters who just spent the summer blasting little critters in the head at hundreds of yards are more than good enough.
Countless thousands of hunters here in PA fall in love with their chuck rifles and use them with great success on bambi. It works not just because the round is good enough, but because hunters who just spent the summer blasting little critters in the head at hundreds of yards are more than good enough.
UniversalFrost
New member
ok, i read the OP's post and a few below that. didn't feel like reading the other 3 pages.
Here is my view point.
I am originally from up north (south dakota). they have minimum calibers and cartridges allowed for deer hunting. This is for a good reason. You try and take a big 225+ whitetail or even larger muley with a .22 caliber weapon and the only shots that you have available are head and neck shots and these are really iffy and un-ethical in my book and most of the G&F departments in the midwest.
me. the smallest caliber I would use on a deer up north is 6mm (my chambering would be .243).
Now, down here in AZ where I currently reside. I would not hesitate to drag out my .22-250 on the small coues deer ( smallest subspecies of whitetail and average under 100lbs alive).
smaller southern deer are the only deer I would shoot (in the vitals and not a neck or head shot) with a 22-250. I want to shoot a caliber and cartridge that has ample energy when it impacts the animal that it will power through bone and be able to deliver a clean pass through. Also want it to be wide enough to create a nice big wound channel (i know that this comes down to more of bullet design than bullet diameter, but for me bigger is better).
Now you will see me in the northern deer woods with a 30/06 or .243, but down south i would drag my 22-250 or .243 out.
Here is my view point.
I am originally from up north (south dakota). they have minimum calibers and cartridges allowed for deer hunting. This is for a good reason. You try and take a big 225+ whitetail or even larger muley with a .22 caliber weapon and the only shots that you have available are head and neck shots and these are really iffy and un-ethical in my book and most of the G&F departments in the midwest.
me. the smallest caliber I would use on a deer up north is 6mm (my chambering would be .243).
Now, down here in AZ where I currently reside. I would not hesitate to drag out my .22-250 on the small coues deer ( smallest subspecies of whitetail and average under 100lbs alive).
smaller southern deer are the only deer I would shoot (in the vitals and not a neck or head shot) with a 22-250. I want to shoot a caliber and cartridge that has ample energy when it impacts the animal that it will power through bone and be able to deliver a clean pass through. Also want it to be wide enough to create a nice big wound channel (i know that this comes down to more of bullet design than bullet diameter, but for me bigger is better).
Now you will see me in the northern deer woods with a 30/06 or .243, but down south i would drag my 22-250 or .243 out.
LanceOregon
Moderator
Flatbush Harry:
That is no where even remotely close to being an accurate or true statement. In all 4 states that I have hunted in ( California, Nevada, Oregon, and Idaho ), even the .223 Remington is perfectly legal to use for Deer hunting.
I personally would never hunt deer with anything less than my .243 Win But the fact is that even the .223 Remington can take Deer cleanly, as long as an appropriate bullet is used and the range is reasonable.
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LanceOregon
Moderator
Here in Western Oregon, where we have the generally smaller Blacktail Deer species, the .243 Winchester is extremely popular with hunters. And I know of a couple of guys who have taken Blacktail with their AR-15's using the .223 Remington at short range.
I've not heard of anyone in our area hunting deer with the .22-250, though.
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I've not heard of anyone in our area hunting deer with the .22-250, though.
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To illustrate one point a bit further...
I know of a couple of ol' boys that insist that anything bigger than a 22-250 for elk is just overkill. Not only that, but they use single shot "hand-rifles", to boot.
They take neck shots only, and they're very successful on deer, elk, and antelope. They're also about the biggest bunch of rough necks you'd ever find in a hunting camp.
But they got in a problem one year, because the elk were wise to 'em. Those 22-250 handguns weren't worth a darn at 500-700 yards, but they had to try.
I know one ol' boy that hunted with them using a .243, mostly because they gave him too hard of a time if he used a 7mm mag. The fella with the .243 got an elk that year, at pretty long range, and considered himself lucky...even though he's a crack shot with a rifle.
The point is, you have to honor the firearm and cartridge's limitations. A lot of folks don't know the limitations of the 22-250, and even those who do can try to push it too far (pun intended).
So, when someone comes on board and tries to tell everyone that the 22-250 bullets do the same thing as larger bullets, no matter the shot, then I'm going to disagree with them on that point.
The 22-250 is capable of taking deer, but as others have said, it's not considered a good deer rifle. If it works for you, then by all means use it. Recommending it to others as a "good deer rifle" is a half-truth though. It's an adequate cartidge in the right hands, but likely won't do as well in the hands of someone new to hunting; one who's succeptable to buck fever, and who might not place that bullet quite right.
For them, I'd recommend a 30-30, .243, or .308 as a "good deer cartridge", and those would be my minimum recommendations.
Daryl
I know of a couple of ol' boys that insist that anything bigger than a 22-250 for elk is just overkill. Not only that, but they use single shot "hand-rifles", to boot.
They take neck shots only, and they're very successful on deer, elk, and antelope. They're also about the biggest bunch of rough necks you'd ever find in a hunting camp.
But they got in a problem one year, because the elk were wise to 'em. Those 22-250 handguns weren't worth a darn at 500-700 yards, but they had to try.
I know one ol' boy that hunted with them using a .243, mostly because they gave him too hard of a time if he used a 7mm mag. The fella with the .243 got an elk that year, at pretty long range, and considered himself lucky...even though he's a crack shot with a rifle.
The point is, you have to honor the firearm and cartridge's limitations. A lot of folks don't know the limitations of the 22-250, and even those who do can try to push it too far (pun intended).
So, when someone comes on board and tries to tell everyone that the 22-250 bullets do the same thing as larger bullets, no matter the shot, then I'm going to disagree with them on that point.
The 22-250 is capable of taking deer, but as others have said, it's not considered a good deer rifle. If it works for you, then by all means use it. Recommending it to others as a "good deer rifle" is a half-truth though. It's an adequate cartidge in the right hands, but likely won't do as well in the hands of someone new to hunting; one who's succeptable to buck fever, and who might not place that bullet quite right.
For them, I'd recommend a 30-30, .243, or .308 as a "good deer cartridge", and those would be my minimum recommendations.
Daryl
treefarmernc
New member
Always, I could not agree more!
treefarmernc
New member
I have expressed throughout this thread what I believe the limitations are for the 22-250. I have mentioned the weight range of the deer that I believe it can handle, the yardage, the correct ammo, and the need to be accurate. If you disagree with those numbers, that is OK. Most people have their own ideas of what the limits is of any thing they shoot. What I have posted is what I believe is a rounded view of what I have experienced and from the experiences of those around me.
Well
I love my 22-250 it is by far my favorite rifle, but…
Lets look at all the things that CAN kill a deer..
Rocks
Spear
Knife
Stick
Car/Truck
Ninjas
I saw a video of an air rifle killing a hog… bet it would kill a deer just as well.
I killed a deer with a .22 short after I hit it with my truck.
All of these things can kill a deer the reason we don’t use them is there is a better tool for the job.
I love my 22-250 it is by far my favorite rifle, but…
Lets look at all the things that CAN kill a deer..
Rocks
Spear
Knife
Stick
Car/Truck
Ninjas
I saw a video of an air rifle killing a hog… bet it would kill a deer just as well.
I killed a deer with a .22 short after I hit it with my truck.
All of these things can kill a deer the reason we don’t use them is there is a better tool for the job.
You're talking in circles. If the lightweight bullet could penetrate bone and continue to the vitals, we wouldn't be discussing the bullet disintegrating on the shoulder with failure to PENETRATE. Maybe your definition of the shoulder is really the "shoulder area kill zone area", but my definition of the shoulder is the shoulder, complete with heavy bones, through which small caliber high velocity bullets don't usually pass. Without that penetration of real projectiles, there isn't any "energy" transmitted to the vitals.
When a bullet disintegrate on heavy bone, it doesn't disappear into thin air, it just tears up the shoulder meat without further penetration.
I've heard on other forums that .223 DPX is a bullet that might be capable of accomplishing such a feat---defeating bone and penetrating. I'd assume, handloaded into the .22-250, a DPX, or copper Barnes bullet of some sort might work out. Don't think it'll come apart.
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Dearhunter61
New member
treefarmernc,
I agree with you that the 22-250 will kill deer. Heck it will kill an elk. But so will a 22lr. I have killed a couple of deer with my 22-250 and it did the job well but I do not think it is the best cartridge for it. I do believe you made some good points but just as a .375 will take a deer it does not make it a great deer cartridge. I have hunted deer for years with my 7mag and just this past year dropped down to a 6.5x55 which I personally believe is a GREAT round for deer hunting. I believe you can be a little on the light side and the 22-250 is in my opinion. You point out that a bad shot is a bad shot. Agreed...but I do believe that larger cartridges will do more damage to the deer than smaller on average and that hopefully would allow the hunter a better chance to recover the wounded/killed animal.
Bottom line is that shot placement is critical no matter what you shoot and if a 22-250 allows you the chance to make a better shot and therefore a more humane kill then go for it.
I agree with you that the 22-250 will kill deer. Heck it will kill an elk. But so will a 22lr. I have killed a couple of deer with my 22-250 and it did the job well but I do not think it is the best cartridge for it. I do believe you made some good points but just as a .375 will take a deer it does not make it a great deer cartridge. I have hunted deer for years with my 7mag and just this past year dropped down to a 6.5x55 which I personally believe is a GREAT round for deer hunting. I believe you can be a little on the light side and the 22-250 is in my opinion. You point out that a bad shot is a bad shot. Agreed...but I do believe that larger cartridges will do more damage to the deer than smaller on average and that hopefully would allow the hunter a better chance to recover the wounded/killed animal.
Bottom line is that shot placement is critical no matter what you shoot and if a 22-250 allows you the chance to make a better shot and therefore a more humane kill then go for it.
"even the .223 Remington can take Deer cleanly"
the last deer i shot with a .222 rem was last september in the crop-damage red tag season, and it dropped where it stood, shot from arround 50yards with a 50 gr soft point in the head, not ideal caliber, but i eat the meat, and it does no damage in the head.
ken
the last deer i shot with a .222 rem was last september in the crop-damage red tag season, and it dropped where it stood, shot from arround 50yards with a 50 gr soft point in the head, not ideal caliber, but i eat the meat, and it does no damage in the head.
ken
LanceOregon
Moderator
Hey dude, in California, even a .22 Hornet can be used for Deer Hunting.
Idaho allows rimfire ammo for taking Cougars, even though they are generally considered to be big game.
So in Idaho, you can actually legally hunt Cougars with a .17 HM 2 rimfire ( which is the .22 LR necked down to 17 caliber ). Although I think that one would have to have really big balls, or perhaps be a bit stupid, to do that.
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we could talk all day and all night about the one fluke shot that small bore rifle can do on large game... I mean shoot an elephant through the eyeballs with a .22lr and it will probably die.
Does that mean hunt elephants with a .22lr, im guessing no. Yes small bore rifles can take down large game witht the perfect shot, and i respect hunters that wait for that perfect shot.
I also respect the animals i hunt to die a quick and humane death, so i think right caliber and bullet choice are essential.
Does that mean hunt elephants with a .22lr, im guessing no. Yes small bore rifles can take down large game witht the perfect shot, and i respect hunters that wait for that perfect shot.
I also respect the animals i hunt to die a quick and humane death, so i think right caliber and bullet choice are essential.
22-250 bad chioce for whitetail? You're kidding?
Yea I believe that you need at least a 155 Howitzer to kill whitetail. Bring enough GUN! BTW, when I was young and ignorant, I killed my share of whitetails with my 22-250. I was really lucky and they all died pretty much where I shot them. Dang I wish I had talked to more better educated people that could have shown the error of my ways. LOL
Yea I believe that you need at least a 155 Howitzer to kill whitetail. Bring enough GUN! BTW, when I was young and ignorant, I killed my share of whitetails with my 22-250. I was really lucky and they all died pretty much where I shot them. Dang I wish I had talked to more better educated people that could have shown the error of my ways. LOL
Art Eatman
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Poor ol' horse...
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