# 22-250 for Deer???



## Mavis13 (Oct 29, 2007)

So I heard a story over the weekend; one of those "I know a guy" stories so I'm not sure it's true. But the story goes that they know a guy who likes to hunt deer with a 22-250 because it doesn't damage the meat as much. That strikes me as a way too small load for big game. But I've never used one so I thought I'd see what you all think about it.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Its all my dad ever hunted with and he killed a ton of deer with it. It was my first deer hunting caliber as well and killed a bunch of deer with it. There are better choices but it certainly will kill a deer DRT. Seen a deer shot and drop stone dead with a .222 once as well.

IMO for someone recoil sensitive, a .243 is a great caliber for deer out to 250 yards.

-DallanC


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I'm planning on using my 22-250 again this year. 55 gr. nosler ballistic tip. Yes it is a small caliber for big game, but if your shot placement is accurate it doesn't matter what caliber you are shooting.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

I had a now deceased friend who used his 22-250 on elk. I personally watched him drop a cow at around 150 yards with one shot. He use to make fun of me for using a .270 on elk...and he really made fun of me when right after he dropped an elk, my .270 shot required a tracker to recover an elk.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

The .22 caliber rounds work wonders on killing animals, that is until the shot isn't perfect and then you either have a long blood trail or a lost animal. I have a friend that hunts javelina in Arizona with a .223 out of a T/C Contender, it will kill them like lightning, that is until he hits them in the shoulder where the bullet needs to travel through a tough bone. Then the tracking starts. I talked to a guide a few years down there and he said that one of his clients had taken over 30 shots with a .223 in a T/C Contender and that they never found one of them.


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## Wind In His Hair (Dec 31, 2009)

A guy I sometimes hunt with uses a .22-250 for deer. He has other rifles, but I think he does it mostly to get the other guys in the group all riled up. They all shoot 300 mag or bigger, all the time. It was pretty funny the year he was the only one with a deer in the truck.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Truth is, you can sh*t shoot an elk/deer with any caliber of gun and not find it. Shot placement is key. If you're hunting with smaller calibers I'd stick to only head and neck shots at close ranges. (inside 200 yards) I've shot three deer and an antelope doe with a .204 ruger. Dropped all four animals in their tracks with a single head/neck shot. I've also shot a doe in the head (jaw) with a 30-06 and never found her after a two mile tracking job. Shot placement folks, shot placement!


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## kailey29us (May 26, 2011)

I let my niece use my 22-250 last year and she killed and doe and buck with it. I loaded up plenty of ammo for her to practice and she made great shots on both. Both deer were under 250 yards. Like tex-o-bob said shot placement.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Nosler makes a 55gr partition that works well in the 22-250. I've seen far too many deer killed with a 22-250 to ever doubt its ability. The energy/shock it places on an animal is extreme. Through the lungs and it will liquefy them. Probably not the most "politically correct" caliber, but it is amazingly deadly. I started out with a 222 and shot 2 bucks with it. 

That said, I now shoot a 280 for everything and my kids have used their 257 Roberts. Shot placement is important-- no matter the caliber.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

Probably not my first choice, but there are some good bonded bullets available for the .22-250 now. If I knew I could get fairly close, I'd go for it. That said, I'll stick with my 25-06 or 7mm


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

If it is the difference between hunting and not hunting, my vote is always HUNTING!!!!


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

I wouldn't do it but Ive got a buddy that has used one to kill a ton of deer over the years.


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## massmanute (Apr 23, 2012)

I have seen a small deer killed with a 22-250, one shot... well two shots, but the first was a clean miss.


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

I lived in New Zealand for a couple of years and I was always amazed at how many guys used .223s and the like for hunting red stag, which are pretty close to elk in size. About the biggest caliber you'd find the average hunter using was a .308 and the big magnums that are fairly common here were pretty much unheard of down there. They preferred headshots too. I guess pretty much anything will get the job done but personally I like a little more room for error!


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## Jrdnmoore3 (Sep 1, 2013)

Me and a good buddy killed two deer at the same time last year I was shooting a 300 win mag and he was shooting a 222 they were about 200 yards out bedded down mine never stood up once his did he shot it went right back down in his bed.


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## dmaestas (Jun 29, 2013)

22-250 was my first caliber for deer and it never let me down.


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## Mavis13 (Oct 29, 2007)

I had no idea it was so common for deer. Good info and the stories are cool too.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

My daughters first deer. (last year 2012 season) She used my 22-250 with a 55 gr. soft point. One shot and done, and as previously mentioned it liquified the lungs like I have never seen any other caliber do.


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## KennyC (Apr 28, 2010)

My daughter shot her deer last year with a .22-250 and is using it again this year.she stoned it with one shot. I wouldn't hunt anything bigger with one but that is personal preference.


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

I've Killed a couple bucks with my .222 rem, which shoots a few hundred fps slower and less capable than the .22-250. It did the job, though I wouldn't recommend it as a deer gun.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

10yearquest uses a .222 Rem Mag and swears by it. So at this point, I'd say anything is possible. But I would also say he is a good shot if he is using that caliber and I wouldnt think that just any yahoo (like me) should be shooting something like that purely because they might put someone's eye out :mrgreen:


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## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

I do like 22 cal centerfires for big game. I also like my new 257 roberts for big game. The Three most important keys to killing big game with little guns are shot placement, bullet construction ( no nosler ballistic tips,v-maxes, tnts) Nosler has a new bonded defense bullet out for 22 cal that is a 64 grain solid base. Badass!! Shot them like you would a bow. Sorry no Polish heart shots here. And number one hunter ability. I.E. dont shoot till its right, no running shots, get closer!! I hunted elk ONE time with my 222 mag and I passed up a couple of shots till it was just right. Then it was meat in the freezer.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

If I had to use a 22 cal, I would use Nosler Partition, Barnes TSX, or some other bullet that has construction for heavier duty. This is primarily a varmint cartridge and most factory ammo and reloading components are designed as such. I like Nambaster's comment....not ideal but don't let it keep you out of the woods.----SS


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