Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .22-250 vs .308 Win

I started my boy on a 243 savage, then bought a 308 barrel when he was ready for more.

I've recently settled on the 7-08 as just the ticket, so I have 243, 7-08 and 308 barrels for that rifle.

Hard to go wrong that way.

308 hands down. I've hunted with both.

Of the two, 22-250 would be my recommendation. I went a different route and just ordered a Ruger American 223 to start my oldest on for deer. By the time he's ready to graduate to something a little bigger the second boy should be ready to starting using the 223.

I've dealt with the same dilemma, but if you search 22-250 and whitetail you'll find plenty of info on it's ability. I purchased the 22-250 for my sons first "deer" rifle. Not sure that after I watch him with it this year I might not start carrying one in the woods myself. Of course center-fire .22 cal is legal to take whitetail in our area!

Of the two choices listed by the OP I'd go 22-250 for a young shooter. I've got a Ruger compact 223 in my safe for my nephew when he's ready. I haven't killed a deer with my 22-250 but I have with my 220 Swift. 175yds and she didn't take a step. These small southern whitetails aren't armor plated.

I rarely ever take anything larger than 25 caliber when I go after deer.

A .22-250 is not legal for big game in Colorado where I live and do most of my hunting, the .308 Win wins by a mile when it comes to usefulness.

I have a Ruger Compact in .223 and it is quite a handy rig. A couple of years ago I filled both my buck tags on opening day but still had a doe tag left. With my high batting average I figured I would just run my yote/trap line with my lil gun. I happened to get three yotes that day and punch my doe tag. I was running factory Federal fodder with 62 gr (I think) bonded bear claw slugs. Dropped that doe faster than my '06 did with 150 gr hand loads. Needless to say I take that little runty .223 out more often. I'd love to try a heavier 75 Gr A-max but I'm not sure I have the spin for it in the Ruger.

Well with the OP talking about 62 grain TSX's I'd suspect he's looking at an aftermarket barrel and reloading so why wouldn't you go .250 Savage and push a 80-100 grain .25 cal projectile in the 28-3000fps neighborhood?
Seems like a dandy deer cartridge and just a little more rifle loony rewards than the .22-250,or .308.

[u][/u]You didn't mention age or shooting skill level, but is a young new hunter going to have the steadiness, patience and accuracy to place shots as precisely as a 22 centerfire needs? (usually when I hear people advocating small calibers for deer they say its about shot placement - not caliber)
Personally, my minimum cartridge for deer is the 250 savage. The 6 mms are probably as good a starting point.
If he can't handle a 243/6mm/250/257 class standard load maybe its too soon to be hunting medium/large game (which I'm sure the father doesn't want to hear!). If it has to be a 308, download to 243 or 260 equivalent.
By the way, what happened to the good old 30-30 as a first deer rifle?

I'm 74...so what I'll say won't jive with many! I shoot BOTH and BOTH will kill the pizz outa the largest buck that ever trod the earth out to 600 yards! I put a 1-7 ROT barrel on my Rem 700 action and I use the Sierra 90 gr. .224 with 35.5 grs. H4350. This fast twist will also shoot the lighter bullets well and after many rounds fired I've yet to have any blow up enroute to the target and accuracy is excellent! In the .308 Win I use the 150 gr. Nosler AccuBond with 46.5 grs. Varget. Both are totally deadly if put in the right place!

(.224 + .308)/2 = .266 (.264, close enough) aka 260 Rem. It's what all the cool kids want these days.

+1 on the .30-30.

OK. I will not settle anything here any better than anyone else has. My .308 is a deer killing machine. Period and amen.

I'm getting to be an old fart, got a pacemaker so blood thinners are a must. Even my 20 ga. and .308 mark up my shoulder pretty good. They don't hurt, they just bruise me and takes some time to go away.

This dove opener, I used a Model 42 in .410 to good success.

I'm too old to worry about macho.

I confess that I recently dumped my .22-250 over the 1:12 twist. My question is, how tight does the twist need to be to hang with the really heavy .224 bullets. If anyone sells tight twist factory .22-250s, I have missed them. Several makers have seen the light as to .223s. I don't want to use another mistake next time. (Not sure how many of those are left).

Bottom line. What .22-250 OR just be happy with a tight .223. I do have a heck of a fine .243-just to help your recommendation.

jack

One day we'll realize all the chatter solves two things; "not much" and "very little".

yeah, ya always read this sort of argument on the internet...

and then I read something here locally about the poachers, since it is deer season locally....

once it gets dark, poachers seem to kill deer with just about anything that goes bang...maybe that is why 22 LR is so hard to find nowadays...

poachers just seem to know you have to get close enough... hmmmm... maybe they are on to something... that and shot placement....does that make poachers better hunters????