Prairie Wolf

I have killed close to a dozen deer with a .22-250. I don't recommend it.

My brother just lost a deer the other day with one. He was using a .22-250 because his .30-06 had a broken scope. I have had some long tracking jobs. I don't think I have ever lost a deer with a .22-250 but it has been close a couple times.

You can kill deer with one, just as you can with a .222. You can kill them with a .22lr. But you can also wound them. Enough deer are lost just from bad bullet placement, why make it worse using a marginal gun.

If you have a .300 wsm, why not use it?

If you must use a .22-250:
1. use a triple shock, or a partition, or a bear claw.
2. Be very selective of shot placement and angle.
3. Don't stop shooting till the deer is dead if you have any doubts. My brother knocked the deer down and then it got up and ran away.

thomasbolton

I recommend the 243

Soilarch

I like the 243 would be great with some plain ole seirra bullets. OR the 300WSM with NON-premium non-prenetration-oriented bullets. (No A-frames, Scirroccos, Barnes, TBBC.) Stick with good ole core-lokts or something similar that are accurate.


^^^that's just my thought, I have no first hand experience with deer and 300mags. OR the 243 and deer.

I'm humbly limited to
44mag
12gauge sabot slugs
22-250 (cause my "home" state is a no-rifle dungeon)

eldeguello

I would not say for one minute that the .22/250 is not as good as a .222 for shooting deer! It is even better, provided the right bullets are used! However, I do believe that with lightly constructed varmint bullets, you are MORE likely to experience a shallow wound with a .22/250 than with a 222 simply because the bullets from the .22/250 travel so much faster! In the .22/250, just use a bullet that will stand up to the much greater velocities it produces!

You do have a 300 WSM? Would I choose the 300 WSM over a 22/250 for deer? Yes. If I had a 300 WSM would I buy a .243 Win. for deer instead of the 300 WSM? No. I'd use the 300, and try not to hit the critter where there's a lot of edible meat to ruin!

backyardreloader

varmits arent deer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cataway

lol , they can be

JTMcIV

Here in ALabma deer are pests. We have a two doe a day season that lasts about 75 days.(150deer a year limit just for gun season) I have found a 22-250 to be an excellent deer cartridge FOR ME. I shoot a Sendero with a 6.5x20 Leupold target scope. I only shoot deer that are standing still and that I can drive my truck up to. I use a 55 grain hornady Vmax. You have to be careful when shooting a a group of deer, and be sure and count them before you shoot. They hit the ground so fast that you do not see them fall. I shoot them in the neck which givesiInstant kills and no mess when you clean them. I shoot the 50# does for myself and give the larger ones away. The local jail with take them 24-7 and give you back the back strap and tenderloin. (If you are not afraid of blood borne pathagens.) I normally just strip the back straps out before I drop them off. I made the mistake of buying a 30-06 for my first rifle as a kid. I would not shoot a 300 anything magnum for deer. This is just my opinion but it is backed up by a lot of dead deer, including one 250# 11 point that scored 146. (220 yards shot in neck, hit ground.) I do limit my shots to 300 yards. I have tried a number of bullets, partition, balistic tip and am now playing around with the Barnes SSX. It should be adequate for a lung shot but not on any deer that I will clean. I'll let you know how they do.

JTMcIV

I shot a small deer with a 60 grain partition bullet late yesterday pm. It was almost too dark to shoot but it was close and I wanted to see what the partition bullet would do. It hit the left shoulder but I did not see an exit wound. I asked the person I gave it to to let me know if they found any part of the bullet. The deer dropped in its tracks but judging by the frothy blood, it must have drowned. Based on that experience, I will go back to shooting them in the neck with the 55 Hornady VMAX. With a Sendero and a 6.5x20 Leupold target scope, I am assured of good hits out to 300 yards. THe VMAX neck shots give cleaner kills and the deer are much more pleasent toclean. I may try one more partition on a larger deer if given a quartering shot where I can be insured of fatal damage before attempting to exit the far shoulder. Will keep you posted. ( I also have those Barnes tripple shock to play with.)

speyrjb

I LOVE THESE DEBATES!!! BIG BORE VS. SMALL BORE!!! Woot Woot!

I have shot probably 30 or more deer with my 22-250 with a 52gr Horady BTHP Match. I shoot everything in the neck and every one of them there is about 2"-3" of neck bone that is pulverized. It's like a light switch on the deer.

This goes for big bucks, cull bucks, does..whatever. Boom! Light switch..deer never moves!

The only deer I have ever lost in my entire 20 years of hunting them was with a 270 because I didn't make a good shot.

Yet, people on this site will say that you are unethical for shooting deer with such a small caliber gun...(Eldeguello, I realize you are not saying that) but I've seen this debate on this site MANY times!

johnny2

Sounds like the 22-250 is a deer rifle after all,right..
I hear in Texas,the 223 is what they use..Now maybe
this is a B.S I really do not know..I did load up some
of the Bear Claws but have not seen a legal deer to
shoot...Thanks for all the replies rather positive or
negative...I guess I will have to be the judge..[:'(]