Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting 22-250 to light for Deer ??

Nah.

You got it.

DF

used a lot of 63 Sierra semi points many years ago. I"d use TTSX these days if I owned one. Deer are not hard to kill.

I have a 220 and used it to shoot some deer and pigs back in the 80’s. I was host guiding on big leases in south Texas, and I wasn’t supposed to shoot deer, but to see that the customers did. I used the 220 mostly on coyotes so I’d have something to shoot. Never failed though that the ranch manager would call me on the Jeep radio and tell me that the customers were crummy shots, and if I didn’t shoot something we’d have no supper. At first I used my coyote bullet, which was a 55 gr Nosler SBBT. That was not a good choice for shooting deer, so I transitioned to the 63 gr Sierra SMP. That one worked pretty good if I could place the bullet well.

My opinion: Don’t shoot deer with 22 cal varmint bullets. Get a good tough bullet.

As for stabilization, my 14 twist won’t quite stabilize the 60 gr Partition. Absolutely won’t stabilize the 64 gr Nosler Bonded SB, and is so far from stabilizing the 65 gr Sierra GK that when I shot them at 100 yards, I have no idea where the bullets went.

In my 223, I have had fine results with the 60 gr Partition and the 65 gr Sierra GK, but the Sierra is more accurate in my rifle.

Also in the 80’s, a few friends and I were invited on a high dollar pig hunt in south Texas. I took my 270, but one buddy didn’t have a rifle, so I loaned him the 220. I had loaded up some 63 gr Sierras, but I really wasn’t sure how that 220 would work on hogs, with any bullet. Well, we were up on a high rack on back of a Jeep, and here came a medium size hog at a run. My buddy shot it behind the shoulder and the pig plowed a groove with his snout. Seriously dead. And he shot a few more that weekend, and I think he collected them all.

So yes, you can deer and pig hunt with a 22-250 or a 220, but there are better options. But...If I could stabilize that 65 gr Sierra GK in my 220, I’d deer hunt with it.

Serious question for those in the know
Given the most effective bullet in each cartridge, which would be more effective on deer or black bear- the 22/250 or the 243?
I am wondering if the higher velocity of the 22/250 trumps the heavier bullet weight of the 22/250.

You can get good speeds with an 80 or 85 grain bullet in the 243 and see mostly DRT kills.

100 grain Sierra Gamekings will give mostly DRT kills in the 243 as well.

The 55 Gameking and 100 Gameking kill deer very well. Not much difference on Missouri whitetails.

60 grain Partitons kill deer very easily too as do 95 grain Partitons from my 6mm.

Place the bullets in same spot and the end result will be hanging deer.

Not sure about the bears though.

IIRC, you ended up with a good one...

DF

Sure did!! Plus a couple of fast twists as well!!

So I guess the parent cartridge .250-3000, aka .250 Savage, would be overkill? Why not bump up to 87 and 100 gr in a .257 if heavier bullets are the goal? Happy Trails

I honestly haven't seen much difference between the .223, 22-250 and .243 myself. All will turn a deers lungs to soup. You don't pull the lungs out of a deer shot with any of them, you pour them out. I've killed a lot of deer with a .30-30 and it's been a favorite of mine for decades but there is no doubt a .223 or .22-250 trashes a deers lungs far worse than the old .30-30 does. Have never used any "stout" bullets like TSX or partitions in the .22 CF's either. Just those dreaded "varmint bullets" that are so woefully inadequate for the job. Mostly I've just stuck with the 55 gr. Hornady sp for years and they always get the job done expeditiously. I have used others in the past and did try the 65 gr. Sierra but can't say that it worked one bit better and maybe not as well.

Hard to argue with the people that used one successfully, I never have and doubt I ever will. I would not have confidence in a 22 cal for deer. Also there is talk on the net that our game dept. is considering banning 22 cals for deer and requiring 243/6mm and up, so at some point it may not be legal here. But could be just net rumor.

Pennsultucky still no go on semis for the Bambis? 'Member that as one of the few drawbacks of the Keystone state. It'd figure jackwagonrific cal restrictions for deer season might come along.

Yes no semi rifles for deer but rimfire semis allowed for small game. Some see the possible 22 centerfire ban for deer as a play to restrict AR type rifles for hunting but plenty of ARs in larger calibers so not sure how restricting 22 does that. I wouldn't use a semi for deer, I'm old school, but don't have a problem with those who would.

A lot of "old school" semis out there.

P.S. This year they are allowing 3 Sundays for hunting that they have designated. The Sunday hunting thing is another issue PA is still in the stone age with, besides semi rifles. Hopefully this opens the gate for all Sunday hunting throughout any open season.
Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

Semi RIFLES, for small game, but not semi pistols, for some reason. The underlying sentiment regarding cartridges in Pa, is that a 30-06 is needed to kill a deer. Everything of less power, is suspect.

People need regulated when they are too stupid to use common sense.

Anybody who can't kill deer stone cold dead day after day with a .22-250 is no good at hunting and should probably find another hobby like maybe bingo or knitting.

Spoken like every freedom, loving conservative; NEVER.

My thoughts exactly. That's why I referenced the 55 grain Gameking compared to the 100 and the 60 grain Partition compared to the 95. All kill deer about the same.

One of the first posters said he shoots a bullet at 3,700 fps. With the " new bullets" . With all that speed , and if the bullet doesn't break up, that changes everything. At 3,700 fps, that is twice the speed of some of those old 32 special and older 30-30 loads. I just dont think you need as much bullet as you used to need. The guys who say bunk with the . 22cal. and then a bunch of guys say the results are fantastic, you cant just say they are imagining it. I laugh sometimes cause 8 yrs ago I went from a .270 Win to a .243 Win . and felt that was a bit light. If you take a bullet at 3,700 fps. That is not a bullet anymore, it's a bomb when it hits the vitals and I imagine it is as much as the concussion as much as the blood loss. If you double the speed, you quadruple the foot pounds . . My next gun will likely be a .223 Rem. with a small frame for walking. No added weight for the bullets like my 45-70 Gov. I swear 10 rounds adds a pound in my pocket with that gun.