Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles good 22-250 load for deer

I'm new to the forum and new to reloading the 22-250 and I'm looking for a good deer load for my 1 in 12 rifle. I am interested in a load for the 63 grain sierra smp as I have had good luck with it in my 223. also the 70 gr speer looks promising but I am not willing to rule out 55 and 60 grain sp's if I hear of good performance on game. Thanks

I shot a lot of deer, mostly doe culling, with the 63 Sierra many years back out of a 1-14" twist tang Ruger, which stabilizes the heavy Sierra nicely. I got the best accuracy/velocity compromise using max loads of IMR4350.

Since you have to trickle and tap the brass to get 4350 to settle in a 22-250 case, it isn't a good choice for volume loading. But as a deer round--as opposed to prairie dog fodder--the extra time to load up with IMR4350 is no big deal.

my favorite... 70 grain Speer SMP, with a charge of H 414 at 3350 fps...

does sierra still make that 63 smp? I know they have brought back the 65 game king, I've got a box. If I were you, I'd also look into the bonded nosler 64. That's what I've been shooting out of my .223

edit: it appears they do still make it!

63 grain sierra was a bit frangible for me. I'd be slinging 50 grain gmx, 60 grain partition, 45/50/or 53 grain barnes tsx's, or the 64 grain bonded bullet from nosler.

It's amazing how well the 60gr Partition kills deer.........Based on my experience with it in .22-250's and 223's that's what I'd recommend. The 65gr Gameking is one hell of an "all-round" bullet at .223 and .223 AI velocities but I'd be hesitant to recommend it for deer at .22-250 velocities. It may very well work but I haven't shot a deer with one at the velocity that the '250 is capable of....


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40 Cutting Edge Raptor CFE223/42.0 4337
53 Barnes Triple Shock CFE223/39.0 3801
60 Nosler Partition Hunter/ 41.0 3645
64 Nosler Bonded H414/37.0 3427 3427

All of these shot plenty accurately enough for deer; the velocities are from a 22" barrel.

Plain old 55 grain Hornady SP and 38 gr of 380 always worked just fine. Killed a lot of deer with old 55 Nosler SB too

thanks to all, especially mule deer for the bunch of recipes. It has been my experience that the non premium bullets kill faster that the really hard bullets in my 223 but I have been concerned about them holding up at 22-250 velocities. I just read mule deer's reloading article in guns about the 250 and can't help but think about all of those dead springbuck that 55 grain winchester softs dropped. Our mountain whitetails rarely get over 130 pounds with most going 30 to 40 less so we are not talking about big bruisers here. Keep the loads coming and thanks to all again.

I like the 55gr Gameking.

Which was going to be my question, What sub-species of whitetail would you be hunting? Here in Arizona Couse Whites are not very big.

There are two bullets I use to hunt with in my 22-250 Savage:
55gr VMAX
53gr TSX FB

Not sure I would use it on a much larger Northern (woodland) white tail when there are so many other toys to choose from in the stable. But that is just me and hey a well placed shot into an ear canal or slicing up the vitals will kill.

Amazing, this is exactly what I did, great on the lion that I called in and killed also, DRT. I did find that a Win primer in Rem brass helped accuracy. I also used a max load of IMR 4350 with my Ruger and Rem 700. If memory serves me right, velocity was in the 3500 fps. I killed a few deer and a lot of antelope with it and they all dropped in their tracks.

thanks for all the info. Unfortunately reloading components are as scarce as hen's teeth around my part of the world but I have a box of 70 gr speer sp's so a specific load would be great for them. thanks

65 gr sierras or 60 in partitions

Can't give personal experience but Hodgdon has quite a few recipes for the 70gr Speer in the 22/250 . I have a few hundred of the 70gr I hope to load for a Mini 14 and AR to use next spring on some pigs.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

Hornie 75 hpbt

CCI250, 38gr H414/W760, 64gr Winchester power points. Adjust powder for your brass. I'm using ww brass. 3364fps average 24" 1-14" Remington 788 heavy taper. Accuracy in the sub 1" at 200yrd area out of a clean barrel. Been killing deer/coyote and one cougar with this load for many years.

Hornady 60SP will bust a shoulder and penetrate on in everytime.