I grew up being told that the 243 is marginal for deer, and a 22 caliber is only to be used in emergencies. I had always accepted that, and have been guilty of passing on the same information to others. (having never tried a 223) Several things have been making me rethink this, and I am seriously considering taking my 225 winchester deer hunting this fall. First, Big Stick has said a lot about 223 for hunting. And from what I have read, he can actually back his opinion up with experience. Second, I recently acquired P.O. Ackley's handbook for shooters and re-loaders. In volume 1 he has a chapter titled "Killing Power". In that chapter he talks pretty favorably about the 220 swift for deer. He also talks about using a 17 caliber for shooting wild burros. He does't exactly recommend a 17 caliber, but he expressed surprise at how well it performed.
So I would love to hear real world experience using a 22 centerfire rifle for deer. The good and the bad. If you have successes, it would be nice to know distance shot,bullet used, and how far the deer ran.
Ps. I do live in Pa, so 22 centerfire rifles are legal here. So lets hear it, the good, the bad, the ugly.
Ps 2. Lets not turn this into bashing other peoples choices and experiences, if you can't share experience with small centerfire rifles, keep your opinion to yourself. I want this to be a good informational discussion ( I know its a stretch on here).
Twist?
