O, I am going to solve all this " is this caliber big enough for...." jazz once and for all. A 45/70 is the ultimate hunting rifle, has been for 150 years, and, yes, it will kill deer. 22-250' s are for plinking at coyotes, cans, things of that nature. 55 grain bullets that shatter when they hit coyotes are not for deer. I have a 22-250 and I love it, but would never hunt anything bigger than varmints with it.