# Is a Savage 22-250 enough gun for deer hunting?



## PredatorSlayer (Jun 5, 2010)

I have a 308 but it has a p.o.s. scope on it. Is there a heavy grain bullet that I can put through my varmint gun for the deer hunt this year? I have a Savage 22-250. Thanks...


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Someone on here has documented how they have used it for the deer hunt and did fine with it, HOWEVER the 308 is clearly a much more suited caliber for the job. The right bullet right in the right spot regardless of size and you have a very quick and humane kill. On the same note, a poorly placed shot with even the largest caliber bullet can result in a slow death 5 miles away never to be found again. If I were you, I would get a new scope for the 308. I have a couple in this same line from Cabela's and have been very happy with the value; certainly not top grade, but good utility for the price. they will have the 3-12x40 for about $70 on sale once in a while. Cabela's site


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I agree with Huge here. Get a new scope and use your .308

Look on the big game section of the forum and you will see several topics from the past and you can make the judgement for yourself. As for me, I personally wold not want to use that small of a bullet. But if you talk to 10yearquest, he uses a 222 Rem Mag and says he has had great success with .224 bullets. I think it just boils down to the point of whether or not you feel comfortable using your .22-250


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## Pops2 (Jul 28, 2010)

i wouldn't hesitate to use it on small southern whitetail or antelope, but if i was chasing bigger muley bucks i'd want a little more killing power (bigger permanent wound channel). there is a reason some of our military personnel carry 7.62 (308) & .45 caliber weapons.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

One item I forgot to mention, I had the same question a few years ago about my .223 vs my 7mag and just in looking at teh bullets it became a bit of a ridiculous question for me. I really like the accutrigger of my 223, but for me personally, I just could not justify it, but I would not think less of another who really knows his limits and has really practiced at it.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Here is a post that I threw up a while ago about using 22 caliber bullets. Maybe this will help

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=25205&hilit=ethical


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## PredatorSlayer (Jun 5, 2010)

Thanks guys, That's all I needed to make a good decision. I will now just have to talk my wife in to letting me buy a scope for the ol 308. Any suggestions on a scope that is in the $300 - $400 range? I want to make sure that it will hold up to the recoil. The one I have on it now dose not and I had to find that out the hard way.


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## PredatorSlayer (Jun 5, 2010)

I shot a doe antelope last year with my 22-250. It ran about 50 yards and dropped dead. Even though it went down with 1 shot I kinda felt like it was to little gun for the job. When we went up to the antelope I noticed that it had a black infected bullet wound just above its shoulder and figured that it had been shot up to 3 weeks prior to me shooting it. It makes me wounder what caliber of bullet the person who shot it was using and if a larger caliber would of prevented all that suffering. Is there no regulation on what caliber of gun you have to use for big game hunting?


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I believe the regulations in Utah state that it must be a centerfire cartridge which pretty much means you could use a .22 Hornet or .17 Fireball if you wanted to be that reckless. But I would check the proclamation to be sure.

As far as a scope goes. I had a couple Nikon Buckmaster scopes (3x9x40) that I paid about $225-$250 for and they were pretty decent little scopes that held up very well. I even had one on my .308 Win for a while.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true

I am a fan of Leupold scopes and would suggest a VX-II for you (but would steer you away from the Rifleman scope). It'll start you around $300, but well worth the money IMO

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true

But my number one pick would be a Leupold VX-III which will start around $400

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I just realized that we never addressed your point of a heavy bullet to suggest. Many people on the forum will tell you that there are plenty of great new bullets that will do the job well. And I would agree. But if you were really in a bind to use your 22-250, I'd suggest a nosler partition bullet for weight retention


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## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

Check the pawn shops. My brother broke the scope on my 7mm a couple years ago and I found a leupold vari-xIII 3.5x10-50 for $250.00 at Advantage Pawn. They even installed it and bore sighted it for me on the spot.


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## fishawk (Aug 23, 2009)

I would definately look at a Vortex scope. I bought one last year and love it more than my leupold vx-III. I think they are the best quality for your dollar hands down. . . not to mention their unsurpassed warranty. Give em a try.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

It would be much cheaper to pull the glass off of your 22-250 and sight it in on the 308. Rock that for a while until you can afford to buy a new scope.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Chaser said:


> It would be much cheaper to pull the glass off of your 22-250 and sight it in on the 308. Rock that for a while until you can afford to buy a new scope.


I would agree with this if his .22-250 didnt have a Nikon Coyote Special on in. I dont know how useful it would be for judging holdover past 100 yards. Not saying it isnt possible, but having that BDS staring at you might confuse you when making a shot.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

Check out Samplelist.com. They sell used/demo optics at a fair price. Also, I agree on the Nikons. For the price, they're good glass. I have a 3-9x40 Buckmaster on a scope-pounding 300 Weatherby Accumark that's still spot-on. Pretty darn good glass for $225 bucks!


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## gwailow (Jan 20, 2008)

Jump on Overstock.com and search for Leupold. They have some decent scopes for the money you're talking about. 

If you do end up using the 250, I'd go with a Barnes bullet. 100% weight retention and it won't fragment when it hits the heavy bone. This would be something you definitely need when shooting that small of a cartridge.

If I were you I'd go with the 308 though.


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## tuffluckdriller (May 27, 2009)

The 250 is plenty of gun for deer. I've seen it work many, many times. As is a 220 swift.


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## SkullDesigns (Jul 13, 2010)

doesn't the proclamation say it has to be a centerfire cartridge with a cal of no less than a .24, so any 22 combination shouldn't be legal. 

Yes people do hunt with the smaller calibers, but dont we have a responsibility to end their life in a swift manner? I would rather use a bigger caliber, 270, 3006, 308. Yes you might get lucky and get a good shot but there are many animals wounded every year from bad shots also


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## Oldtimehtr (Sep 27, 2007)

If you are an ethical hunter the answer to your question is No, the .22-250 is not enough gun for deer.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

SkullDesigns said:


> doesn't the proclamation say it has to be a centerfire cartridge with a cal of no less than a .24, so any 22 combination shouldn't be legal.


.24 on the handguns only, the only requirement for rifles is it must be a center-fire with an expanding bullet.

The 22-250 will work just fine.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

SkullDesigns said:


> doesn't the proclamation say it has to be a centerfire cartridge with a cal of no less than a .24, so any 22 combination shouldn't be legal.
> ......................................................


Has to be no less than .24 in Wyoming.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Read page 38 to see firearm requirements:
http://wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks/201 ... iggame.pdf

After reading this, you are okay to use your .17 Remington Fireball on a moose....

But it does say that if you use a handgun, it must be at least a .24 caliber. So, I plan on using my .25 ACP if no one buys it soon....


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