22-250 for whitetail???

[264 WIN MAG]

How do you guys think a 22-250 would do on whitetail?? The guy who would be shooting it is an excellent shot with a handgun, but average with a rifle.

[Coyote Hunter]

In my opinion almost any rifle cartridge and load of a larger caliber is better.  Not a fan of centerfire .22's for anything larger then coyotes, although many deer and larger have been taken with them.

[DalesCarpentry]

People use them but I never would. You can kill any deer with a well placed shot and with in the proper distances. I would IMO go for another round more suited. Dale

[Grumulkin]

In my opinion, the 22-250 is about perfect for whitetail deer.  I've taken 2 deer with one.  The last was a broadside shot at a GPS measured 360 yards; the 70 grain Speer Semi-Spitzer went in one side and out the other.  I've also taken a deer with a 222.  On that one, the bullet entered the front of the chest near the left shoulder and exited the right chest.

In short, for shots placed in the lungs or heart, the .224 caliber centerfires are fine.  If you want to take shots from the rear, you need quite a bit more power.

[Texas Hunter]

We have a couple of guys that hunt on our place that use them.
One guy used to work on a huge 30,000 acre managed ranch and has probably killed well over 150 deer with that 22-250.
However he's a very good shot and shoots exclusively for the ear hole.
The other guy is more of a bird hunter and an occaisional deer hunter.
He too has killed a few deer with his 22-250.
If i recall he uses a Federal Premium 60 grain Nosler Partitions ammo.
I know there are a houseful of hunters that swear by their 223's and 22-250's for deer hunting but i am not one of them.
It is true with todays premium bullets and premium factory loads that the 22's will most certainly kill a deer it is risky none the less imho.
I mean if pushed came to shove one could always spend $200.00 on a NEF Handi Rifle or other beat up rifle such as a Savage 110 in a normal weight deer caliber and truely get the job done with a good bit more confidence.
There obviously is a reason a lot of states do not allow 22 centerfires to be used on deer.

[PartsMan]

How do you guys think a 22-250 would do on whitetail?? The guy who would be shooting it is an excellent shot with a handgun, but average with a rifle.

22-250 WORKS FINE ON DEER.

It is best to use a good bonded ore partition type bullet though.

[rickt300]

10 or so years ago I used a heavy barreled 22-250 to fill my deer tags. I used the Hornady 60 gr. hollow point pushed not too hard at 3300 fps. Most don't know it but this bullet was once touted by Hornady as a deer bullet. All the deer shot were hit broadside behind the shoulder, all bullets exited and all deer ran a ways and fell down. Worked for me but I don't use 22 centerfires on deer anymore. I have too many good deer rifles now.

[OHHJIMMY]

Everybody has a favorite caliber for deer, for whatever reasons. I have a Remington 700 in 7-08 which is without a doubt a perfect deer caliber. Several years ago, I bought a 45-70 and it's my favorite. I now own 3 45-70's and a 38-55. My point is, I have found that I like big, slow moving bullets. I like the way they kill, and they suit my hunting conditions. Use what you like if it kills good. Be honest, if it doesn't work out, use something else.

[smokepolehall]

I have shot half a dz. or so deer with a Rem. 700 BDL Bull BBL. i used a Nosler 60gr. part. on a few. My Rifle also liked the Speer 70gr. semi-spitzer and it nailed several. Best if rib shot. I'd rather shoot deer with my 243, its heavier bullets help calm my nerves! Specially in using in any cover! Wide open fields you have time to pick your shot.

[IOWA DON]

I've shot a quit few whitetail does with my 6mm-06 with 70-grain Nosler Ballistic Tips the last two winters. This is for short range shots. I recovered all I shot but some ran 50 to 100 yards. If I had not had snow for trailing them, at least two or three may have not been found. There is no blood trail. I have decided to move up to 7mm this winter for the shorter shots. For the real long range shots I use a .338-.378 Weatherby. It leaves a blood trail a blind man could follow. And yes, deer hit in the lungs with that caliber sometimes run a ways!

[luv2shoot]

People use them but I never would. You can kill any deer with a well placed shot and with in the proper distances. I would IMO go for another round more suited. Dale

DITTO!!!!!  If your gonna buy a deer rifle, then buy a deer rifle

[Brithunter]

Deer rifles are whatever the LAW says they are

   I will explain a little more. In Eire (Southern Ireland) a few years back they decided to grab all the rifles for the public then graciously allowed them to have some back however these were only small bores and .22 mainly. Eire has some nice Red and Sika deer and hybids of both and so 22-250, 220 swift adn 5.6x57 RWS became popular. Now the most interesting of these cartridges was the 5.6x57 RWS round as it's designed for the 70 grain bullet and it prooved highly effective against the deer. In fact that so effective than when the law was relaxed to allow up to .270 cal rifles those with teh 5.6x57 saw no reason to switch to a larger rifle.

   If you read P.O Ackley's handbooks there is interesting writings on the sue of the 220 swift on Deer and Mules.

    Now here in the UK .22 centerfire rifles are now legal for use on Chinese Water Deer and Muntjac but not Roe, Fallow, Sika and Red deer whenre minmum calibre is .240" the laws in Scotland are different again and the .22 CF rilfes can be used only for Roe deer if using at least a 50 grain bullet with a minmum velocity of 2450fps and producing 1100ft lbs Muzzle enregy all else require minimum of .240" and minimum 100 grain bullet with 1700 ft lbs muzzle energy and at least 2450fps. Daft but that is the way it is  .

[ccoker]

My dad built up a Sako 22-250 in '66 that's an absolute tack driver
that gun has killed a LOT of deer and wild hogs and varmints in Texas, we hunted in South Texas with 200 yard shots being the usual starting point
to the best of my knowledge has never lost an animal  but he's an amazing shot and takes his time and makes the "right shot" every time
if you are like him, it'll work every time

like someone else said about if it's "your gun" and you are confident with it then it's your favorite gun, I know he had a LOT of guns over the years in all sorts of calibers, smaller to much bigger, but that old Sako 22-250 is "his baby" and the one he pulls out when it's deer or hog hunting time in Texas

if you are the average joe and not a great shot and don't have the discipline to pass up shots then perhaps a bigger caliber with more margin for error is in order

[drags]

Most shooters can shoot a 22-250 more accurately than larger calibers and it is a mistake to think just because you have a larger caliber you have a margin for error. A deer shot in the guts with a larger caliber is the same as a deer shot in the guts with a smaller caliber, it is better to practice to become a good shot than use any caliber that's legal.
Drags

[ccoker]

agreed
a lot of guys buy big guns because they lack the discipline to practice and want the biggest room for margin of error
I have seen guys that can barely hit a deer at a hundred yards
to me, if you can't consistently put all your shots easily within an inch at 100 yards something's  very wrong

[Lone Star]

...A deer shot in the guts with a larger caliber is the same as a deer shot in the guts with a smaller caliber...

This is just another old wives' tale that needs to be put to rest.   Let's think  about what we say instead of just repeating some tired old gunwriters' BS.  A deer shot in the guts with any .224" bullet is going to travel a long ways and suffer a long time.  The same shot with a large caliber will do a lot more damage and is much more likely to lead to a recovered animal.  I've seen two deer shot in the guts with big centerfires - one a 7mm Mag and the other a .30-06 (neither were mine). Both were hit behind the diaphram, but both deer traveled less than 300 yards and were found due to blood and gut trails.  No .224" bullet will leave decent trails with similar hits, and those two animals would have been lost had they been shot with .22s.  I once killed five deer with 6 shots using a .223 but that was a stunt and I would not do it again.  I long ago gave up trying to see how small a cartridge I could kill a deer with.   

[R.W.Dale]

...A deer shot in the guts with a larger caliber is the same as a deer shot in the guts with a smaller caliber...

This is just another old wives' tale that needs to be put to rest.   Let's think  about what we say instead of just repeating some tired old gunwriters' BS.  A deer shot in the guts with any .224" bullet is going to travel a long ways and suffer a long time.  The same shot with a large caliber will do a lot more damage and is much more likely to lead to a recovered animal.  I've seen two deer shot in the guts with big centerfires - one a 7mm Mag and the other a .30-06 (neither were mine). Both were hit behind the diaphram, but both deer traveled less than 300 yards and were found due to blood and gut trails.  No .224" bullet will leave decent trails with similar hits, and those two animals would have been lost had they been shot with .22s.  I once killed five deer with 6 shots using a .223 but that was a stunt and I would not do it again.  I long ago gave up trying to see how small a cartridge I could kill a deer with.   

 ah YES! The I use a bigger caliber cause I can get away with more  gunshots response.

 So what is more irresponsible someone using a .22 caliber centerfire that knows it's limitations. Or someone who uses a 30-06 to shoot deer up thier poop chute.

[Lone Star]

ah YES! The I use a bigger caliber cause I can get away with more  gunshots response.  So what is more irresponsible someone using a .22 caliber centerfire that knows it's limitations. Or someone who uses a 30-06 to shoot deer up thier poop chute.

Amazing.  The poster clearly did not finish reading the post before he got his dander up and started venting.  Nowhere did I say that a larger cartridge makes up for bad shooting - you are inventing that part to suit your own pre-conceived notion of what you apparently think  I wrote.  All that was stated was that with gut shots, the smaller cartridge gives a reduced chance of recovering the animal.  That is just common sense for the thinking hunter..... 



.

[drags]

Lone star how many deer have you you seen that were gut shot with a 22-250?  Do you mean if you shoot a deer in the guts with a larger calibers that it going to that its going to do  damage to vital organ also?
Drags

[R.W.Dale]

Nowhere did I say that a larger cartridge makes up for bad shooting -

 When you say that you can find gutshot deer as long as a larger cartridge is used then YES your saying that ,a larger cartridge can make up for bad shooting.

All that was stated was that with gut shots, the smaller cartridge gives a reduced chance of recovering the animal.

Then I guess it's a non issue for those of us disciplined enough to not gutshoot deer then

[Prebanpaul]

I HAVE A COUPLE OF POINTS TO MAKE.  FIRST LET ME SAY THAT LONE STAR HAS NEVER SEEN A DEER SHOT WITH A 22-250.  EVERY ONE SAYS TO USE A WELL CONSTRUCTED SOLID BULLET.  I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL DEER SHOT WITH JUST THE OPPOSITE ON DEPREDATION PERMITS.  THEY ALL WERE SHOT WITH A 60 GRAIN V MAX ROUND.  THE ALL LOOKED LIKE THEY HAD A GRENADE PUT IN THEM.  I HAVE NEVER SEEN FROM MY .308 CALIBER GUNS HOLES THIS BIG PUT IN AN ANIMAL.  I AM TALKING COMPLETELY DESTROYING LUNGS.   THAT BEING SAID I WOULD NOT TAKE A 22-250 INTO THE FIELD BECAUSE I AM JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE AND CAN MAKE MISTAKES AND WILL TAKE A 300-400 YRD SHOT ON A DEER.  I ALSO DONT LIKE TO TAKE A LUNG SHOT.  I WAS TAUGHT BY A WISE MAN TO SHOOT THEM IN THE FRONT SHOULDER AND SHOOT UNTIL THEIR OFF THE HOOF.  I HATE THE HUNTING SHOWS WHEN THE GUY SHOOTS THE DEER AND WATCHES IT RUN AWAY AND SUFFER.  SHOOT THE THING AGAIN.

BUT BACK TO MY POINT,  I WILL BET YOU A 60 GRN V MAX DOES A LOT MORE DAMAGE ON A DEER IN THE GUTS THEN ONE OF THEM THERE BOND BULLETS WELL CONSTRUCTED WILL DO.

AND THE LAST TWO POINTS    THERE ARE WAY BETTER ROUNDS OUT THERE TO SHOOT ONE WITH.  USE THEM.

[glwenzl]

Yes a 22-250 is a real deer killing machine.... That is if the shot is well placed... My dad shot deer with his until he was unable to pull a riffle up to his shoulder. One time we both shot a couple deer at the same time and i was using a 270, the 22-250 made a much bigger mess if the internals than my 270.....

now about the bullet... My dad used strictly Hornady 55 gr SPs... Well when I finally decided to use a 22-250 I needed a heavier bullet and finally Nossler came out with a 60 gr partitioner and then I was playing with bonded bullets.... Bottom line, my experience was the 55 SPs were more accurate and would do the same job as the tougher bullets if not better... I do think the heavy 22 cal deer bullets might benefit from a bad shot but that is just a guess...

The 22-250 has killed deer better for me than riffles such as a 257 Roberts, .243, 270, 7-30 Waters and a 7mm STW which are some of my favorites.... I am talking folding em up in their tracks vs a short run off... The 44 Mag from a riffle with 240 gr XTPs will fold em up real well too though out to 100 yards....

Ask me what I deer hunt with today and the 22-250 is not in the line up only because I like em all and need some reason to shoot the bigger bores... This deer season I was using a TCR 30-06 loaded with 130 gr bullets at less than 308 max velocities (bummer, never got a chance to pull the trigger).

These are just my experiences and observations.....

I do wish my dad started me out on the nice flat shooting 22-250 instead of the hard kicking flinch giving 270 when I was 12 years old....

[264 WIN MAG]

I cannot agree that someone shoots a big caliber to make up for being a bad shot and having a larger margin of error...

I have a 264 Win Mag and a 270wsm that I predominantly hunt with. I can take either one to the range and shoot sub 1/2" groups on just about any given day. I have taken deer with them from 10 yards all the way out to 600+ yards and all my shots are almost always perfect except for the occasional situation where I might have to sling the gun up and take a standing shot of around 100+ yards in an instance...no one shoots perfect in that situation!

The reason I use a bigger caliber is not for the margin of error (I feel I'm a pretty good shot and so does everyone else I hunt with)...I hunt with a bigger caliber because I want something that can easily penetrate through both shoulders at just about any range and has great long range ballistics. I don't like tracking a deer 50 yards on any day...I like walking over and seeing the deer laying right where he was at when I pulled the trigger.

[Dixie Dude]

Larger caliber, makes larger hole, especially through lungs, leaving larger blood trail if they run off a ways.  Also, a rear quartering shot is more likely to kill with a larger caliber.  Also, on a trophy buck, you don't want to take a head shot. 

[glwenzl]

I agree with the quartering and also believe in using a larger bore for deer however depending on distance (bullet speed) larger bores do not always make larger holes... Matter of fact I can asure you at 100-150 yards a 55gr sp from a 22-250 will mess up the vitals a lot more than a 130gr sp 270 and if or when the 55 gr bullets exits it will leave a much larger hole than the 130 gr bullet. I was the one shooting a 270 and my dad was the one with the 22-250 for a good many years. He never shot one on the run or off hand but he always dropped a deer and usually they did not go far. the one deer that ran off the farthest was shot at over 300 yards and ran 80... I was mad... We was looking for a long shot for me and I did not want that doe so when I finaly got my 300 yard shot with my brand new 7mm STW Sendero it ran about the same distance as his on a lung shot.... Just some real life experience I have had and not promoting using anyone tyupe of caliber....

[CLAY]

In my younger and more foolish days I shot 2 deer in one day with the .22-250.  I saw younger and more foolish because they were shot with a 50 gr moly-coated V-max.  Bad choice of bullet.  My shotgun firing pin was broken on a Friday night whilst shooting a doe- the only other gun I had was the 22-250, so out she came.  The first doe was broadside at about 50 yards or so- one shot in the lungs and she went about 20 yards.  There would have ben no blood trail- a .22 hole in, the first lung had a good sized hole, the second lung had a softball sized hole in it, and the bullet never exited- I think it vaporized- at least I couldn't find it.
   In the evening I had one come out at about 120 yards and she stood there- I put it on her neck and dumped her on the spot.  I wasn't worried about that one- I have thousands of rounds through that gun on prarie dogs, and a 120 yarder was a gimmee. 

   Like I said- young and foolish.  I think you could use it if you had a good bullet and you were careful with shot placement- other than that, I'd buy a puprose built deer-gun.  If you are going to become a deer hunter, get something that will do the job *better*.

   Good luck!

[280shooter]

I've shot somewhere around 15 deer,mostly Mule Deer, with a 22-250. I've never even had one even get out of sight. Most drop within 15-20 yds. The furthest may have made it 50 yds. They were shot at 15yds for the closest, out to around 200 for the furthest. If you turn an animals lungs to jelly, it really doesn't matter what the caliber is.The biggest challenge I had was meat damage. It will kill them dead, but there are much better rounds in my experience.

[303Guy]

..... AND SHOOT UNTIL THEY'RE OFF THE HOOF.......  SHOOT THE THING AGAIN......

I'm with you.  I have decided I won't stop shooting until it's head lies still on the ground!

[backstrap]

What?? do u fill u deer will bullet holes tell its down on the ground never heard of such a thing 1 good shot behind the front leg is all that is needed a deer might run a few yards before it falls over but he will not go fare. seening some one shoot a deer behind the front leg make a good shot the deer runs 50 yards to fall over dead and a guy blazeing away as he runs off filling him full of bullet holes now that would look strange. i wouldnt want to eat a gut shot deer that had 3 or 4 shots to the gut area from some one thinking the deer is going to run a long ways,

[RangerRiz]

Using a 22-250 is only a question that the hunter using the gun can answer.  Ethics are personal thing an only decided by that individual. I will say that i have seen and heard from more reliable sources of spectacular one shot kills with varmint calibers or larger rifles with less heavy constructed bullets than with big ones. Any animal shot well with a light bullet turns to goo inside. i am not sure that the average whitetail shot in this country needs an exit wound. If the bullet stays in side it did as much damage as it could. I have seen a couple of hunting shows where deer and hogs have been shot with premium bullets and run off. I believe you can use bullet to heavily constructed for game.  i know most of you will try to tell me that on most shows they find the deer, but without editing exactly how long between the recovery and the shot or how many miles of footage are in the trash of unrecovered deer. If you look closely at alot of the animals shot on these shows the blood spot is in the guts. Don't get me wrong I love these shows, but the average watcher never looks at them critically. The argument of a bad shot with a big rifle is better than one with a small one I definitely believe in bone or muscle but in the guts no way. A bullet designed to come apart will turn the guts to mush. I also believe that the guys that like the big slow bullet have it right too it will allow many more shooting opportunities. This is why it is only a decision that the hunter using the rifle can make. Most of the people giving advise are only proponents of one school and have never tried it the other way. So use whatever cal. suit your situation and you are comfortable with. If it is the only gun you have then by all means go hunting.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Ranger