Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 22-250 for Antelope?

I’ve read many articles about hunting antelope and it seems the preferred cartridge is 25-06, 243, 270 or similar. I’ve read many articles on how flat shooting the 22-250 is also. Is the 22-250 not a good cartridge for Antelope?

It'll do fine. Proper bullet selection.

-Jake

A 223 is just fine... a 22.250 is just more of a good thing...

any good 50 grain, 55 or 60 grain Soft Point will do just fine...they'll work just fine on deer also.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


THIS



Shot many antelope with a .223, a .22-250 just extends the range at which you can be comfortable.

A 62 TTSX or 62 Grain Bear claw would be good if twist is fast enough. I’ve shot 200 lb pigs at 225 yards in the shoulders with both. They busted up the shoulders and kept going. The big green feeder is 225 away

It would be ludicrous to think the 22-250 wouldn't work on an antelope. At any sane hunting distance. They are pretty dang thin skinned animals. Put a good bullet into the boiler room and they are done. "Good" can mean 55gr Hornady sp interlock too. Don't over think this. My buddy kills deer all the time with that bullet. I personally would run my 62gr TTSX load because I have a bunch of those bullets, and it shoots well enough. It's not the best shooting bullet in my rifle, but I'd trust it out to 500 yards.


Yes, it's flat shooting. Yes they have great bullets that would work great on big deer and even antelope. Definitely accurate enough, if you have your rifle and load set up right.

Thanks for the input. I figured as much.

Shot many deer with one with bullets from 55 to 80 grains out to 400. So....heck yea it will.

Bamagun01: Indeed the 22-250 Remington is death on Antelope - if the bullet is carefully placed in the heart/lung area.
I've done it and seen several more do it.
BUT... there are better choices in my experience.
If you are planning on a single Hunt for Antelope with a 22-250 you already have then be patient and aim for the heart/lungs and enjoy some fine/different game meat!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My 22-250 did well on antelope several times. I was using 60 gr. Nosler Partitians.

As others mentioned, bullet selection is key. This is a 22/250 “varmint bullet”, fired into a guy’s foot, at point blank range (He carried the gun in the house, and decided to check whether the safety was on, by pulling the trigger with the muzzle pointed down, unfortunately at his foot. The safety was NOT “on”, and the gun WAS loaded, obviously…)

The sole of this man’s foot didn’t have a mark. No penetration, whatsoever. The xray showed several hundred particles of lead.

I doubt that foot is salvageable

Have seen my son use the Hornady 55gr sp kill too many deer to not believe it would be fine for antelope.

GreggH

I killed a few back in high school with a .22-250 and el cheapo Winchester 55 grain soft points (whatever they were.....JSPs or PSPs???) in the old orange and white boxes. No issues at all out to a few hundred yards and I doubt that bullet would be considered 'proper' on this board.

Too much meat damage IMHO.

The bullet vaporized one of the metatarsals (a bone about the same diameter as one of the bones in your finger), and the bullet “vaporized”, as well. As mentioned, didn’t even penetrate through the bottom of the foot (not much more than an inch).

holy .. dumdasses never learn in anyway but the hard way

This. In Wyoming you need at least a 60 grain bullet. Just FYI.

60 grain Partitions and 64 grain PowerPoints work fine on Nebraska whitetail does in the 120 lbs. range, so I'd expect them to do equally well on like size antelope.

When Joe Biden went hunting with Dick Cheney....

What could go wrong??

When I lived in Georgia, I whacked a doe in the back of the neck at about 50 yards or so with a 22-250 using 55 gr factory lead bullet. I've never seen anything die that quick before. I swear I saw the soul leave that does body. That was years ago but remember it like it was 5 minutes ago.

22-250 is one of my favorite calibers. Experimenting with 22 Creedmoor now.

Unreal.....

Will a .22-250 kill an antelope?

Yes, if used the right bullet and put it in the right spot.
I've had several friends that shot their deer and antelope every year with their .22-250s, and also black bears, elk, and a few buffalo.

Have I killed antelope with my .22-250?
Yes, several, along with several deer.
Also, the only big game animal that I ever shot and lost, I shot with my .22-250.

Would I ever shoot another antelope or deer with my .22-250?
Probably not.

Would I reccommend a .22-250 to someone else for hunting antelope, or deer?
NO!

22-250 AI 88 ELD-M 350+ yds and DRT

Exit

Proof that the 50gr v max is probably not the best bullet to use on a deer or antelope.. Just sayin. It always boils down to what bullet you use, and where you put it.

Well you proved a 22-250 can put holes in paper and you know what an antelope looks like.

I think bullet construction is key with any .22 you would use for big game, antelope included.

This is probably the best analysis of what a 22-250 is good for, and a 223 would rate below that.

I agree with this 100% and yet there are dozens that would argue the validity of hunting big game with a 22-250.

The thought and use of these cartridges for hunting is widespread and not without some merit, but I will stick with Kurt on his assessment…

Speedgoats and 22-250 is a match made in heaven.

Assuming you're smart enough to pair your bullet to your game.

To paraphrase Phil Shoemaker, if a person has trouble killing an antelope with a 22-250, they're unwittingly commenting on their marksmanship skills.

22-250 is plenty to kill a speed goat, but the Colorado DOW doesn't think so, so it's a no go here. Minimum of 6mm required.

Dumbassess......

I don't think it's ideal. Also, many 22-250s have 1:14 twist. They won't shoot any suitable bullets. I think it's an expert's gun rather than a all- around good choice. Far better options if you are getting it to intentionally hunt antelope.

Why not just use a 6.5 Creed and have peace of mind knowing you have the right caliber?

6.5 Creed checks a lot of boxes, both East and out West.

For chrissake, the 22-250 has been working great on antelope for damn near 60 years in factory garb, and around 30 years previously as a wildcat. Factory 55 grain soft points are perfectly fine on light boned pronghorn in factory rifles. The new crop of faster twist rifles offer more of a good thing.
It would be interesting to know how many tons of antelope have been killed by ranchers with their truck gun 22-250s.

Of course it never hurts to hear from the experts, which isn’t true of most of the Campfire…



“You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel

For antelope and deer, I'd recommend .270. I personally use .308 and .30-06 for all my hunting needs but they tend to be overkill for where I'm at.

I’ve killed many dozens of deer with 22-250 55gr hornady sp. 60gr hornady sp and sierra 1365’s. Absolutely it will work on antelope. Absolutely would NOT recommend a vmax. My one and only time antelope hunting I took my trusty 22-250….. unfortunately I bumped the scope and missed my goat. Ran back to the truck and borrowed my buddies 30/06 but I am absolutely sure the 60gr hornady sp I was shooting would have worked perfectly. The 06 worked fine too.

I gotta go with Shrapnel, Bob Hagel and Varmintguy on this. And yes, I did kill a white tail with a 22-250. Is the best cartridge for white tail and for pronghorn a 22-250? No! Would I recommend using a 22-250 on pronghorn - nope. The 22-50 will work very well most of the time.

The smallest cartridge I’d recommend are the 243 & 6mm. (243, 243AI, 6mm C, 6mm R).

I’ve killed more than a few pronghorn with a 6mm Remington. I’ve found the old 7x57 is a reliable cartridge too.

The cartridges I think are best are the 25-06, 270, & 280.

I’ve also used the 280AI, 308, & 30-06 on pronghorn.

No matter what cartridge, picking the right bullet is important. Being absolutely careful where to place the bullet is also important, but sometimes the darn animals will not stand sideways allowing the perfect shot. Having the right combination of equipment used is comforting. Having a minimalist cartridge can be/is worrisome.

Totally agree. I've seen and shot myself a truck load of deer sized game with 55 grainers. Seen lots of big bucks drilled with a 223 or 250 from the feed truck gun. I dang near wore out an sps stainless in my truck on coyotes and deer for a few years with 55 grain remingtons green and yellow box. Rebarreled it to an 8 twist shilen and it didn't really kill any better. Kinda liked the velocity I guess.

22-250 with a good bullet is plenty for any speed goat.




P

Bugger, I am glad to see someone still has common sense about rifles and hunting!

^^^

Back in the mid 1950's when my dad was in the business of flying groceries and mail to snowed-in ranches in Eastern Montana, upon his arrival the ritual (which thankfully remains the same today) was to sit down in the kitchen and have a cup of coffee. Dad said generally there was an enormous mule deer rack or two stuck to the wall. When he asked what they were shot with, he said nine times out of ten the answer was "220 Swift." Today it would more likely be "22-250."

Until this year, my friend Dober had a string of 48 1-shot kills on deer, elk and antelope with the 22-250. The 49th (an antelope) required an extra shot after it turned at the shot.

It's usually those with no experience with a round that make the most negative noise about it...

I really like the 60 gr Hornady spire point. It works even in a 14 twist.

I know of a guy who shot and killed a grizzly bear with a 9mm pistol. Everyone should be as good as that guy.
Come to think of it, I’ve never heard from anyone who used a 9mm on grizzlies and it didn’t work extremely well.

No need for the hyperbole.

Even when antelope “will not stand sideways” a halfway decent bullet will generally penetrate to vitals, as pronghorn are light boned.

We’re talking about an animal that weighs 125 lbs and is generally shot during good light conditions in open country.

A 22-250 is perfectly adequate.

Mostly, those who don’t use a 223 or 22-250 use a primitive form of syllogism to determine what the smallest cartridge is “adequate”. Unsurprisingly, the same people often take a top down approach to choosing an all around cartridge and praise the sort-sided merits of a 340 wby.

I wouldn't hesitate to actually have a 22-250 as a dedicated antelope gun. Doesn't even have to be a fast twist. A factory 14" rem 700 would do just fin and a 14 power scope. Toss a 55 grain hornady soft point with some varget in the case and you'd be good out to 400 if the wind held up.

Make mine a 55 grain Gameking with 4064 or RL-15.

That 60 gr Hornady was pushed by 34.3 gr of IMR 3031. It absolutely pulverized the thoracic cavity of one yearling mule deer buck. He died just like the many I killed with the same shot from a 30-06 with 165 gr ballistic tip. A 70 yd death dash and he fell over.

That was the only big game I killed with the cartridge. The rest ranged from ground squirrels, to rock chucks and skunks, to coyotes.

Exactly. I have substituted 4064 for varget before. 36 grains man. My varget load is 34.5!

You know, I've had 3 22-250s and every one of them has shot 34 to 34.5 grains of varget with a 55 in a 1/2 inch.

Anyone who discounts a ‘250 as the “ultimate” antelope rifle, hasn’t done much killin.

Not the ultimate, but will work great.
If I were to get a rifle as a dedicated antelope gun it would be a rem 700 in 26 Nosler. I'd go shilen no.3 at 26", no brake. Run a 140 vld.
I had a 240 weatherby for a while and it was a smoker but had a 10 twist. I shot 90s in it. Chasing antelope is probably my favorite thing to do on all of hunting, but often times I found myself on some sort of vantage point, whether it be a hill, truck bed, or in one instance I crawled on top of a load out chute to see the country side. I like to watch them more than chase them. Get a feel for where they are heading. Helps out alot when you can see a water tank, food, and cover from one spot and if need be launch a 6 or 700 yard bomb on one. I've had several opportunities to where a 3030 with irons would work, but those antelope move all the time, and sometimes it's best to just watch the prairie, get set up prone, dial on one, and shoot. I'm very familiar with a 6.5x06 and a 6.5x300, but I think a 26 nosler would be the sweet spot.
You'll often find yourself in country like this as most of you know and more often then not, there is little cover and wind. Helps to have the powder, but I could have killed several like this buck last year with a 22-250.

My bad, I’ve been accused of not knowing what I’m doin. It was a wild guess.

Won’t happen again.👊🏻

Gotcha. If I ever win a nosler rifle by accident, I’ll give it to ya.

I've used both of these in a 223 and they worked. Just use a decent bullet. I once saw a pretty good rodeo where I believe 55g Speers blew up on a deers shoulder blade and didn't penetrate. And additional 4 rounds and one of them went deep enough and hit something that brought the deer down. It was my friends in Africa that told me the 64g win power point worked well on game back in 1993. That's what we always used for deer in our 223s after that. Until I found some if the heavier stuff and had faster twist 223s. Two years ago I used 60g partitions and those worked great.

Bb

Whoa dude. Wasn't jabbing you or accusing you of anything. Just conveying how I do it and that if I had a 250, I would have been successful many times. It's all good.

As far as the nosler rifle goes, keep it. Prefer big green!

A ‘250 gotta be similar to my 22 BM. I don’t have much experience but they gotta be really close!!



This stuff is very foreign,👊🏻

Nice goat. The stock? Let me guess? Huskies fan?
Not familiar with a 22 BM, CM maybe?
Bet you can tip em at 6 with a 73 or 80 grainer!

Haha, the 24 hr no killin brain trust always cracks me up😆😆

Anyhow, ya McMillan hunter, not a huskies fan, just liked the idea of a purple color scheme. 8” hart rem sporter, 22”, 805 hunter trigger, 22 cm 75 eld’s via alpha brass. Love the platform and chambering

A .22-250 with a 70gr bullet is about perfect antelope medicine. Antelope are fairly frail for their size , bleed out quick and the thin built for speed structure is easily broken. I have shot some with a .243 and 95 gr bergers that were TOO dead and wasted meat even on clean broadside shots.......

I get it, you prolly shoot some critters here and there, but I'll promise you, you haven't even came close to shooting the amount of deer sized game I have. I bet I killed more deer in the past two years than you have in your entire life. As far as a fast twist 22, been there, done that, I prefer 6mm stuff. Your actually cracking me up with your purple stock. That is a real nice color scheme lmao.

Ya you’re probably right. It sure is tough notchin tags. I buy tags because I like nature, long walks on the beach etc. glad you like the stock.👊🏻

At any rate, 22-250 for goats. Yes. Lots of good bullets available.

It’s all about shot placement. A 22-250 with a good bullet will do great.

I was recovering from a neck fusion in 2001. I had a Mod 700 Classic 220 Swift barrel put on a synthetics Mod 7. I had a Sightron compact 2x10 on it and a muzzlebrake. I used the Federal Factory load of Bearclaw 55g. I killed a mule deer buck in Utah and later went to Texas and killed two really big Blackbuck and an axis doe. The wind was my biggest problem! It was the sorriest rifle caliber I ever used in the wind. It was accurate though. For those prairies, I'd have to advise at least a 243. Anything faster is better! 6.5/06 or 6.5 PRC would be awesome out there! Antelope are a great animal to introduce a youngster to hunting. It's not physically challenging like elk hunting or most mule deer hunts. Antelope move all day long, he/she will see lots of game and learn stalking. And antelope are beautiful, they also have what we call "pretty meat". I've just never found a way to cook it so that I and my taste buds could stand! Arrrgh. Phew!

That Bear Claw bullet probably had the B.C. of a 55 gallon barrel.

I can’t imagine any bullet out of a 22 cf not working on a antelope personally

I love it when guys respond with how many critters they’ve killed and it’s always more than the other guy has ever even seen.

I’ve only killed three antelope and 16 elk, prolly 50 deer, I quit counting. So most of you guys have kilt waaaay more critters than I have.

But still, it’s hilarious.





P

Sure is haha

.

Braggart

When your accused of being part of the no killing brain trust on 24 hour.....seen alot of stuff killed with various cartridges/loads. I have a pretty dang good idea of what will work and what some of these cartridges are capable of. The state gave me 40 deer tags this year. 37 got filled. I quit counting 20 years ago! When a smart azz pipes up, maybe he should have an idea of who he's talking to.

https://tenor.com/view/rookie-numbers-gif-26135237





P

If someone can fix my post I’d be grateful.




P

I feel sorry for him!!!

Lmao! Well played.

Yep, it was even a very "blunt" bullet. Solid killer though. A couple months later, I traded that rifle and $2200 for a 42" Scimitar Horned Oryx to the same Rancher, but used a little 6mm/222 Magnum (AKA 6x47mm) and an 85gr Barnes going 2900 from a 27" barrel. No recoil, but a good killer too. About a short barrel 243 speed. I'm all gristled up now, can shoot a 37mm anti tank round!

Yeah, the only thing I’ve seen close, are “auger to the foot” injuries. It was a real mess.

👍😂😂