I dont think they are big enough. I like 243 for deer.

I really agree with JagMagMan I do not feel that a 22 caliber is adequate for deer. My reasoning is that you do not have muck energy there. Yes a bow kills deer with less energy than even a 22-250, but a bow combines energy and momentum to push razorblades through a deer causing severe hemmoraging. I feel that firearm hunting you need a combination of penetration, bullet deformation for energy transfer reulting in shock and tissue damage, and accuracy is very important, not to say that a 22-250 isn't accurate. A 22 of any kind will not give consistent results such as a 308 would for example, just my 2 cents.

I do not feel a 22 caliber is adequate for deer. Maybe if you have one and decide you want to shoot a deer with it, but it is not a deer gun and should not be used to hunt deer on a regular bases.

"You don't judge a caliber on how well it performs on a good hit, you judge it on how well it performs on a bad hit."

If it will not kill what you are shooting at with a bad shot most if not all of the time it is inadequate.

I have killed alot of deer, hogs (over 400lbs), javelina, and cow nailgi with 22 caliber rifles. Actually the biggest boar that I have ever killed I did it with a 220 swift, from 125 yards.

When I'm driving around the ranch I carry a 223 ranch rifle in the truck with me. The very first day that I had it, I was checking the cattle when a mature "cull" buck walked out about 100 yards infront of me. I had never shot the gun before, but I feel confident with any rifle, so I didnt hesitate to shoot. Well guess what, I hit him at the base of the neck and he was dead before he hit the ground.

My friend carrys a Remington mohawk rifle in his ranch truck that is chamered in 222. He has killed dozens of does and mature cull bucks with it. Not to mention countless hogs, javelina, and turkey.

I wouldnt use these calibers if I was hunting in Sask. or Alberta. But they seem to work fine on the deer that I shoot (100 lb does-180lb bucks). And they work well on big boars, but I do always aim for the spot right behind the ear, maybe thats why?

I totally agree with you highrack.
If I can hit a squirrel in the head at 50 yds with a rimfire I know I can nail a moose in the noggin at 100 or even 200 yds with a 22-250. LOL. I'm like you and most people I know are too, we shoot a lot smaller calibers than the inexpeirenced do.

To me it seems really light but if its legal and you think you can make a good shot then go for it. If I was going to buy a new gun I wouldn't get one however.

Jepcho I agree with you.

One big problem in deer hunting today is people dont have to worry about shot placement they just shoot a deer in the center of their body with a 7mm or 300 mag. deer runs falls over and dies and the person is a great hunter, 22-250 will kill a deer as fast as most other larger calibers if the shot is correct

There's no such thing as knockdown power? Hmmm.......that's probably not far from true if you're talking about the 22 cals. on deer sized game. Bullets are too lightly constructed to deal with deer anatomy for the shots I take.

We all know if you hit a deer in the head or spine with just about any rifle, it will drop. In hunting situations, I don't take head or spine shots. For shots that are basically broadside or somewhat quartering away, I always aim at a point where I can visualize my bullet striking the OFFSIDE shoulder. For a quarterting towards shot, I basically center the body between the shoulders. It has worked well for me. I shoot either a 308, .30/06, .54 cal muzzleloader, 12 ga slug or 45/70 at deer.

I do rely on good penetration, and by far prefer complete penetration over one entry wound. I take shots that would not be adviseable with a 22 cal rifle.

That said, I know that a 22 cal in capable hands will work, as long as the correct shots are taken. There is less margin for error though, and hunting situations can introduce lots of sources for error, like unseen twigs, wind, the game moving at the instant you fire, not to mention all the human factors like elevated heart rate, jitters, and the like.

If someone asked me what caliber of rifle to buy for deer hunting, I would start at 243 Win or 260 Rem, and go up from there based on the particular application. If varmints are part of the equation, then maybe a 250-3000 would be ok.

There are laws in many states that say a .22 cal is not legal. If you want agun for a number of animals get a 243.