Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting what bullet to use for deer in 22/250

I would mention how many deer we have killed with a .17 Remington and 25 grain HP bullets but some here might have a slobberin duck fit if I did.

Careful. I''ve noticed over the years, that some here can get aroused if it's reported that deer aren't being slain with at least a 300 Weatherby.

WOW
What a tank!!!!!

I haven't shot a deer with my 22-250's but a 55grn VMAX out of a 22-250 on a Javelina boar (@237 yard head shot) is definitive and lethal.

You bring up an important point. In open country a 70 yard death dash isn't a huge deal. Here in the impenetrably thick southern woods a long death dash in fading light can mean a lost deer.

Thanks for posting that, Pat. I've been wondering about that bullet. I plan to try it on some hogs and deer. Beautiful buck, by the way.

I have an experience of one with a 22-250 and deer and that was my daughter's first deer with a 64 Bonded Solid Base, which in our instance broke the shoulder joint, took out several inches of scapula, penetrated the length of the deer, broke a bone in the opposite rear leg and left about a 1" exit hole. If it always performs like that, I would be willing to try it on an elk if legal.

Just saw where shooters pro shop has an over run of those 64 gr bonded.....

Back in high school and college I killed a number of deer and especially antelope with el cheapo wally world special 55 grain soft point .22-250 loads.

I'm an armpit shooter, not a shoulder breaker, but never had an instance where the critter took more than a few steps or at most a short death run before falling over dead.

In the never-ending debate about the suitability of centerfire .22s for deer, the opposing team never takes into account that we know the limitations, and are very picky about shot placement. The armpit+ .22-250= Quick Death.

The big mag crowd worries about bad angle shots, texas heart shots etc. You just don't take them with a little gun, and shouldn't with a big gun.

Shrap, where did you stick them wit a 55 BT, if i may ask?

Warning: Hornady bullet results may (will) not be extrapilated (comprable) to Federal or Remington (especially rem 50 gr hp's) though Fed Nosler Partitions are equal to Hornaday 60 gr Interlocks in big chitt lethality.*

* However, rem 50 gr HPs are equal in lethality if placed between the eyes of most any BGA.

B S, re doing the opposite of what RM says.

Head and neck shots are fine with respect to the BT in mind. Shoulder on a big muley, not necessarily a go.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/83...60-grain-interlock-spire-point-box-of-20

Sorry, but i saw a booner muley lost to a rem 50 hp to the ribs buy a grizzled old west Texas rancher who shot it off a dead solid rest broadside at 75 yards. The 36 in wide, tall, symetrical 5x5 humped up and nearly fell before recovering to get into the brush. Minimal blood and a dirt sky norther blowing in the next am and we never found him, even with a proven deer trailing/getting gsp.

Im figuring the bullet was stopped by a rib.

One of the strong advocates of the .22 cal. on deer once admitted thinking about this very thing.. Doubt he remembers, but the poor blood trail issue was the crux of the issue.. think this would have happened with a .270??
.22's are deadly, but as an old W. VA. mountaineer once told me with the . 22 centerfires, you loose one every so often.. This guy had not shot dozens of deer, or hundreds, but probably thousands..When he spoke, I listened..

I wasn't there and you obviously were, but I have a hard time believing the bullet was at fault, if that played out the way you say. If he humped up, you sure he didn't get gut shot?

I killed a 250 pound (ish) mule two years ago with my 204 ruger with roughly the same shot presentation. Solid broadside lung hit. He ran about 50 yards before piling up with lung blood coming out his mouth. That was WAY further than I had seen any .22-250 deer shot tight behind the shoulder go.

Me and my buddy has killed lots of deer here in PA we red tag hunt farms and we use 60sp 60gr hp and 55gr bthp gameking but head and neckshots are the norm.

For some reason, this picture shows up just about everywhere, and sometimes with a story I've never even heard myself, so I'll post it here again with a few details of what really happened...

I killed this 217 3/8", 7X6(195 2/8" final)in the great state of Idaho back in 1991. There is only so much to be said for "Lady Luck", and this buck was no exception. I was actually drawing down on another really good buck that was 30" wide, heavy, with deep forks, and probably in the 185" range, when this buck stepped out of the cover, at 125 yards. I saw them both in my 8X Leupold at the same time. The rut was on, and they were competing for the same doe. From a sitting position, with sling wrapped, I slipped the safety off, put the dot on his right front shoulder, and fired, without having time to think too much. When the bullet struck, he dropped, rolled twice and lodged himself on a small fir tree. Thank god for that little tree, or who knows if would have ever stopped rolling. I used my .220 swift. My load was the 55gr Hornady spire point, loaded to 3800fps. His right shoulder was broke, and the bullet was recovered under the hide on the other side, a perfect little mushroom, with no jacket separation. I still have it.

But you need to check in more often Pat, there is usually a few experts that will tell you the .22 center fires might be OK for deer....but not BIG deer.......

Ive killed close to hundred give or take with a 53 sierra.
22-250 and 22 cheetah. No giant mule deer. 90 to 150lb whitetail on depredation tags. Never had a problem