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22 Cal To Shoot Deer
I just found out in North Carolina it is legal to shoot deer with a 22 cal. rifle.
This is what the NC Regulations has to say. http://www.ncwildlife.org Look in hunting/trapping then click on FAQ's then click Any restrictions on rifle caliber? then click What is the smallest caliber rifle I can hunt with? What is the smallest caliber rifle I can hunt with? We do not, by statute, define what type of rifle you can hunt with. Most rifles are governed by federal firearms rules. .22 caliber rifles are legal for taking big game by state law, if they conform to federal firearm guidelines. You cannot use rifles to take/hunt migratory birds or wild turkey. Some local laws also prohibit or may have restrictions on rifle use. Please see Local Laws of the Regulations Digest for further information. See the Hunting/Trapping regulations and click on "Local Laws" here. It is under the FAQ's section in hunting/trapping I called the Regulations phone number and asked them to be sure about this. And they said if it is not listed in the local laws for the county you are in then it is legal. In my county Randolph county it only says. The following is unlawfull in the counties indicated: Randolph County -Hunt from the right-of-way of a public road. Then I said so it is legal to hunt and shoot deer with a 22 cal. rifle. And they said that it is legal. So my question to every one that reads this is ? Would you hunt deer with a 22 cal. rifle even if it is legal ? |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
no-- besides the law which says no in Minn. the law here requires slug in southern , high power in central to north ---not saying it wont do it !!
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
NO NO NO AND NO
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
Yes, i had to start out hunting with a 223 because i am a disabled hunter and we did not know how i could take recoil. I have since upgraded to a 243, and now a 6mm rem. That lil 223 killed deer quicker than my 6mm will. It has tremendous shocking power with a premium bullet in the boiler room under 150yds it always did the job and quick. It usually dropped them on the spot. I had to use my 223 last year because of a rotator cuff tear and it preformed flawlesly. People may think less of me as a hunter because i use a 223 that i am being inhumane to what i am hunting but ill put a well placed shot with my 223 up against a bad shot from a bigger rifle anyday. It's all about placement.
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
That would be a NO
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
Agreed, shot placement is the key. If a .22 cal pistol can kill a 200lb man, a deer less than 200lbs should be the same.
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
Anything in there about using a BB gun for deer? A .22 will kill one, but so will a 66 Ford pickup. I won't be using either on purpose.
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
NO
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
I do hunt with a .22 caliber rifle, and it works fine.
A 22-250 Remington produces muzzle velocities and energy to rival that of just about any other deer gun. The damage is devastating. I've taken several does with it. I think, however, that you mean a .22 long rifle or .22 magnum. In that case, it could be pretty inhumane. I'd probably have some pretty harsh words to offer if I ever ran into another hunter using a .22L.R. for deer. Off the top of my head, I think PA requires the rifle to be center-fire. IMO, the smallest thing available would be a .22 Hornet. I'd put the low end for whitetail deer at the .223. Anything much smaller might be problematic. |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
This seems to be a thread that has been discussed at length on these boards. Remember that 80% of the people on the board think that a deer has armor plating like a panzer tank and that anything less than their new 300 whizbanggroundpounding magnum will bounce off the deer's hide.
To answer your question, yes I would use a properly loaded 22 centerfire for deer. |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
I think all Texas requires is that you use a centerfire cartridge.
The gun I usually carry is my .223. If I see a deer I decide is a shooter, that's probabliy what I'll use because that's probably what I'll have with me. I figure if it's legal and your deadly accurate, then there is no reason not to use it. |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
JR, I'm sure that means .22 centerfire, but just because it's "legal" doesn't mean it's right. I would never shoot at a deer with any caliber less than .243 - just too much margin for error, and I'd be sick if I ever lamed one up because I shot a small caliber. The famous old gun writer Elmer Keith, once said, "big bullets let in a lot of air, and let out a lot of blood." I tend to agree.;)
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
You hear these guys that say they have killed deer with a .22. But they don't tell you how many they have wounded. Don't even try it.
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
maybe legal in some states to use centerfire .22's but is it etheical....not in my book.......................bob
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
I used the 22 long rifle for deer when I was a young guy. There was no deer season atr that time and a deer was just food. The only rifle we had was an old 22 pump winchester with the external hammer. When my mom said go get meat, that meant whatever I found and often it was deer. I never lost one but I knew I had to be close. When we butchered we shot cows and pigs with the same rifle.
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
there's just to many things that can go wrong with a caliber that small! .243 is the lowest you should go. you owe that much to the animal!
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
I wound never hunt with a .22. There is too much of a chance to wound the animal. And Plus...y would u hunt with a .22 when u could use a bigger rifle. One more reasonable sized.
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
Some states also require a minumum grain bullet which would put you up in the faster heavier 22's. In my neck of the woods the local govt. hired deer managment specialist and they were sniping at night with 223's with supressors taking head shots. It can be done but why include it COULD WORK or it MIGHT.
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
.22 cal center fire in anything from .222 thru .220 swift if more than adequate for deer size game. On the other hand anything above a 30-06 is overgunned.
The negative post to the use of the .22 cal centerfire have obviously never used one. on the other hand they probably think it is perfectly ok to hunt deer with a bow or .50 cal muzzle loader. A .22 center fire with open nosed or hollow point bullets is beyond the shadow of a doubt more adequate than any bow or muzzle loader as well as some widely accepted cartridges such as the 30-30. I believe the .22 center fire is the most under rated caliber on the market, I have hunted for 40 years and have used most calibers on the market and I know that the .222 the 22-250 and the .220 swift will kill quicker than the big calibers such as the 300 win mag. The big bullets pass thru where the .22s expand and litterly explode the internal organs releasing all of te bullets energy inside the animal. Nine out of ten times a rib lung shot will put down and kill the animal in its tracks. If you haven't tried the .22 centerfires dont knock them ,you will be amazed at the results! Remember, fences and pens=SLOBS! |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
Not legal in my state,wouldn't hunt with one anyway.Not for deer!
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
this horse has been beaten to death over and over.I will give mt 2cents worth.the 22 rimfire is a positve NO WAY. all the other 22 cal. would work OK the 22 hornet would IMHO also be a little small.
I use the 243 cal. and would not change for anyreason.that is why they make all cal's. it depends on the person and what they want.:D |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
I killed a squirrel with a .22 once ;)
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
There will always be arguments as to which caliber or cartridge is best for deer etc. as long as there are more than two available.
I have read many pro and con post regarding the .22 calbers. Some of the reasons posted against using it for deer hunting were, just not enough gun, not worth taking the risk, etc. I stated previously that those statements were unfounded, obviously those posting negatively have never actually used the center fire .22s for deer hunting. Back in the late 50s early 60s era there was an article published in outdoor life about the lowely little .222 Back then the US dept. of fish and game culled the winter game herds in Yellow Stone and other national parks where hunting was not allowed and animal populations had to be controlled. There was a story by an US fish and game biologist describing the practice. He gave the figures over several winters, he had shot literally thousands of excess animals and nusiance animals over that time period. Most of the animals were Elk and deer but also included Bison,Moose,Bear and others. His rifle was the Winchester model 70 in .222 cal. He stated that for the most part head or neck shots were used, but in some instances such as bringing down nusiance animals or animals that had attacked people,heart lung shots were required. He kept a very accurate and detailed journal of these kills and out of several thousand animals only about a dozen rquired a second finsh shot. He praised the .222 as being the Most accurate and deadliest caliber for its size on the planet. He also stated that it was the most underated cartridge ever produced. Oh well enough about the good old days! There are people today that wound animals that get away with every cartridge made and they usually blame their misfortune on the gun or caliber. I have observed that when this happens they usually go to a BIGGER gun! I know that nearly every center fire cartridge made is more than adequate for taking deer sized animals. The caliber is not what is important in hunting it only finishes the job the hunter started. What is important and means the differance between clean kills and wounded animals is the hunter. Accuracy and being capiable of shooting accurate is the most important,coupled with being able to use good judgement for shot placement,when to or not to take the shot, knowing you and your guns limitations and last but not least, being capable of tracking and finding a wounded animal. I have found dead or wounded animals for other hunters that barely went out of sight from where they were hit,that they gave up for missed of lightly wounded. Had those animals not been found the gun would have been blamed. I guess the point I am trying to make is that if you feel confident with any caiber center fire,then by all means use it, they are all more than adequate, if you don't..... well, use one that you are confident with..... on the other hand if you do not feel confident with most any gun,then you should not be hunting at all!! Fairchase Larry, remember, Fences and Pens = SLOBS! GOOD HUNTIN |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
There will always be arguments as to which caliber or cartridge is best for deer etc. as long as there are more than two available.
I have read many pro and con post regarding the .22 calbers. Some of the reasons posted against using it for deer hunting were, just not enough gun, not worth taking the risk, etc. I stated previously that those statements were unfounded, obviously those posting negatively have never actually used the center fire .22s for deer hunting. Back in the late 50s early 60s era there was an article published in outdoor life about the lowely little .222 Back then the US dept. of fish and game culled the winter game herds in Yellow Stone and other national parks where hunting was not allowed and animal populations had to be controlled. There was a story by an US fish and game biologist describing the practice. He gave the figures over several winters, he had shot literally thousands of excess animals and nusiance animals over that time period. Most of the animals were Elk and deer but also included Bison,Moose,Bear and others. His rifle was the Winchester model 70 in .222 cal. He stated that for the most part head or neck shots were used, but in some instances such as bringing down nusiance animals or animals that had attacked people,heart lung shots were required. He kept a very accurate and detailed journal of these kills and out of several thousand animals only about a dozen rquired a second finsh shot. He praised the .222 as being the Most accurate and deadliest caliber for its size on the planet. He also stated that it was the most underated cartridge ever produced. Oh well enough about the good old days! There are people today that wound animals that get away with every cartridge made and they usually blame their misfortune on the gun or caliber. I have observed that when this happens they usually go to a BIGGER gun! I know that nearly every center fire cartridge made is more than adequate for taking deer sized animals. The caliber is not what is important in hunting it only finishes the job the hunter started. What is important and means the differance between clean kills and wounded animals is the hunter. Accuracy and being capiable of shooting accurate is the most important,coupled with being able to use good judgement for shot placement,when to or not to take the shot, knowing you and your guns limitations and last but not least, being capable of tracking and finding a wounded animal. I have found dead or wounded animals for other hunters that barely went out of sight from where they were hit,that they gave up for missed of lightly wounded. Had those animals not been found the gun would have been blamed. I guess the point I am trying to make is that if you feel confident with any caiber center fire,then by all means use it, they are all more than adequate, if you don't..... well, use one that you are confident with..... on the other hand if you do not feel confident with most any gun,then you should not be hunting at all!! Fairchase Larry, remember, Fences and Pens = SLOBS! GOOD HUNTIN |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
a sharp misplaced broadhead will not kill deer just like a misplaced bullet...i've heard that before and seen alot more dead deer with those shot with an arrow then a bullet....i've never had to track a deer for more then 40 yds with a bow....but had to for more 200 yds with a bullet....don't know where the guy shot it but any deer i've shot with a .50 round ball out my flintlock has gone down within 50 yds....take that as you would like but that's my exper..............bob
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
A .22 center fire with open nosed or hollow point bullets is beyond the shadow of a doubt more adequate than any bow or muzzle loader as well as some widely accepted cartridges such as the 30-30. I stated previously that those statements were unfounded, obviously those posting negatively have never actually used the center fire .22s for deer hunting. Back then the US dept. of fish and game culled the winter game herds in Yellow Stone and other national parks where hunting was not allowed and animal populations had to be controlled. |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
He praised the .222 as being the Most accurate and deadliest caliber for its size on the planet. He also stated that it was the most underated cartridge ever produced. Oh well enough about the good old days! Hell the anemic 7.62x39 cartridge has 400 more foot pounds of energy at the muzzle than a 222 and still has more energy at 100 yards than the 222 does at the muzzle. |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
Well first of all an arrow kills in a completely different manner than a bullet and requires far less energy to completely pass through a deers body so this is a bad comparison.
A 22 caliber round better for deer than a 50 caliber muzzle loader? Put the crack pipe down and slowly back away. The 30-30 is basically a 150 yard weapon IMHO but within that range I would take it over any 22. bahahahahahahahahahahahah wife and i laughed hard on that one:D |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
My personal favorite on our Mississippi white-tails is a .25-06 Ruger Model No. 1, single-shot of course.
I do have to agree with others though, that if you're talking about a .22 rim fire, I just don't understand the desire to want to try to kill a deer with such a round. Sure, it can be done. But to me, the risk of seriously wounding the animal, but never recovering it, is far too great. Ir655, I personally don't think that trying to draw comparisons between humans and deer, as it relates to their abilities to take a shot, is legitimate. I've seen guys shoot deer through both lungs with a 7mm and have them run 100 yds (which, of course, they can do in about 3 1/2 seconds). It's hard to imagine any human staying on this feet for 3 or 4 seconds after taking the same punishment. JMHO.;) El Gringo |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
well it seems like this sure has hunters divided. I respectfully submit that one should not shoot at deer with a .22 rimfire ( unless, like in JamesB's case where your family needed food and you had no other choice). As for .22 centerfire--its a tough call. I'm not talking about here in the West now where I would consider that usually,--USUALLY--normal shots are too long for any .22 and could easily stretch the reach of even moderately bigger calibers like the .24s. However, back east, where I grew up, I know several people who hunted with .223s and 22-250s. I would consider these guys very good to excellent marksman and they have had great success over the years, but, one of them lost a deer just this year that he knew he had hit in the boiler twice and the reason was that there was --as he surmised-- no exit wound--which is typical--which severely impedes tracking. He was in some thick country and looked for the deer for several hours with no luck. So, although these bullets can inflict severe internal damage--if the deer does run--it makes it that much harder to find. Also, I believe that it is possible for any deer to run from a lethal heart/lung shot from any caliber--I shot one this year (WV) with my 7mm wsm 160 gr accubonds that did not even act like she was hit---she was dead about 70 yds away--out of sight though. So if possible, i would say use a little bigger gun--if not possible or your a long timer and don't feel neccesary don't---the caliber, no matter what, is no match for overall hunting skills-- which I'm sure EVERYONE on this website posseses in great quantity (grin)
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
Well I guess ill get in here too on this,, Ive taken many deer with weapons from bow, 50 cal muzzleloader, and rifles all the way from centerfire 22s all the way up to 300, win mag. In my experience, Ive taken several(well over 10-15) deer with a 22-250 loaded with 63 grain soft point bullets, most behind the shoulder, with ranges from 30-150 yards, and have gotten complete passthroughs on almost every one. Never lost one with a 22 centerfire and never had one travel more than 40 yards. In fact the only deer Ive ever lost, was shot with a 270, and I still believe it was in the shoulder area. I think the 22 centerfires are adequate, if you use the correct bullet and use your head on bullet placement. But this is just my opinion, everone is entitled to their own.:)
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
What accounts for killing power?
From bows to muzzle loaders and every weapon and caliber in between, killing power is based on several factors. Lets exclude shot placement and compare what happens when an animal is hit in exactly the same spot with these various weaponds. With arrows I think all will agree that the animal dies from hemmorage coupled with the shock of instant intermal organ damage. Thus muzzle energy and projectile foot pounds released are not a real factor other than penetration power. On the other hand bullet projectiles have infinate variables that effects their killing power. Grain weight,design, caliber and speed are the only elements that govern the bullets destructive power. An Example of those comparisons is using a 30-06 165 grain bullet in fmj fired into a block of gel, the bullet passes thru causing minimal damage. Now take the same 165 grain weight bullet in lets say a REM. power point open nosed, Both bullets have the same muzzle energy, and the same foot pounds of projectile energy, but when the gel block is struck by this bullet it is destroyed. The damage caused is from the energy released NOT the stored by the projectile. Now lets take two identical 150 grain .30 cal. bullets and fire them from a 30-30 at lets say 2400 fps and from a 30-06 at say 3200 fps into the gel block. The faster bullet will do much much more damage than the slower bullet due to mass verses speed. Now lets take a .385 grain .50 cal.hp muzzle loader bullet and and a .55 grain .22 hp and fire them both at the same speed say 2900 fps at the gel block. The .22 will do far more damage than the .50 because its energy was released instantly into the block rather than spreading out and passing thru it. now to prove these factors, just for fun lets take a piece of 2x4 three feet long, sharpen one end down to about .22 caliber Take your shoe and sock off, place your big toe only over the edge of a step facing it. now hold the 2x4 horizonal 8 inches over your toe with the 4 inch side facing your toe and drop it. wasn't so bad was it, kinda boring? Now for the fun part, take the same 2x4 and hold it verticaly 8 inches above it with the .22 end squarely over your big toe, now drop it. Wow that must have been fun you are shouting with joy and dancing a jig!!! Point made! The fact is many things happens when a bullet enters an animals body,energy is instantly released as it begins its path, the speed in which the energy is released determines the damage caused,an explosion of mass and energy occurs. the damage caused is determined by two factors, how much energy thats released and how quickly that energy is released. Larger heavier bullets store more energy than smaller lighter bullets, but release it much slower,going at the same speed the heavier bullets spread that energy out over a longer path and when passing thru much of the energy being released follows the bullet out the exit wound. just like applying your brakes and coming to a slow stop or smacking a brick wall head on. The point is,a 150 grain 30-30 as well as other larger caliber rounds carries more foot pounds of energy than a 220 swift but release that heavier energy much slower and less efficently causing much less damage. A bullet kills from the internal damage it causes but the real killer it the shock it envokes, When it screams into the body at tremendous velocity the internal expansion and explosion it creates forces the air from the lungs,increases the blood pressure to deadly levels and paralizes mussel and nerve actions, this deadly reaction does not generally take place with rounds such as the 30-30 because energy is not released quickly enough.That is why the fast .22 calibers kill more quickly than the heavier calibers such as the 30-30. But it does happen with the fast energy releasing cf ,22s 9 out of 10 times. Fairchase Larry, Remember,Fences and Pens = SLOBS! |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
When I was growing up in rural West Virginia the .22 Hornet was a popular deer cartridge. When the .222 became common it was the choice of many. My dad bought me a .22-250 as a welcome home gift when I got back from Vietnam. I shot 6 deer with it without losing a single one. I don't advocate the .22's as deer cartridges but there is no doubt that they will do the job. Around here, even now, many of the poachers favor the .22 Magnum rimfire.
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
Around here, even now, many of the poachers favor the .22 Magnum rimfire. That is why the fast .22 calibers kill more quickly than the heavier calibers such as the 30-30. I confessed this on another thread so I will do so here as well. I hunt totally legal now in fact I'm a real hard ass about hunting ethics now but that wasn't always the case. I was once a young idiot and hung out with a crowd that killed deer the Malcom X way....... BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY! I don't care to go into details and it's certainly not a thing to be proud of but I have seen a lot of deer killed. Killed with darn near every caliber they sell in the United States. Poachers and night hunters love calibers like the 22-250 because it shoots flat and often it will drop a deer in his tracks. But when it doesn't there is usually no blood trail and the deer are very hard to find. And yes some of them will run off to never be found. Maybe it's because I have seen enough deer shot with these type calibers to know what will eventually happen that I have come to dislike them as a deer caliber. Your whole basic analogy can be summed up like this. Do you want a fast bullet that rapidly fragments or a slower one that passes all the way through the deer? Yes the fast fragmenting bullet has the greater POTENTIAL for a dropped him right there kill but it also has the greater potential for poor pentration, deflection, and a lost animal as well. (they certainly kill ballistic gelatin very well but gelatin isn't a deer) The bigger slower bullet may not drop them on the spot as often or make cool looking holes in jello but a 24 to 50 caliber expanding hole all the way through the heart lung area of a deer is a sure death and gives two holes for tracking them the 10 to 50 yards they may or may not run. So is trying to cut out that 40 yard death dash after blowing a hole through them with a 308 worth the risk of dropping down to a 22-250 or a 220 swift? Calibers that have a slightly higher percentage of on the spot kills but a vastly higher percentage of wounded and lost deer. Not for me. |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
I have viewed several post that give negative post to calibers that shoot so fast and expand so quickly that they leave no exit wound.
The reason being that if they manage to run 10 to 50 yards from where they were hit the exit wound allows more blood flow to trail the animal. The entrance wound allows sufficent blood flow for Ray Charles to find the animal! I guess those people are not very good at finding Easter eggs either! Using that theory, if an animal is hit with an arrow and it does not pass completely thru, then it would be impossible to find? Tracking skills and the determination and knowhow of trailing and finding wounded game is as much a part of hunting as any other aspect. Animals leave lots of fresh sign when wounded, a three foot wide blood trail is not necessary to find a deer size animal that only travels 30 to 150 feet from the last place it was seen. If you can't track um,don't shoot um! Fairchase Larry, remember, Fences and Pens = SLOBS!!! |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
when it says 22 cal,it also says center fire (no rim fire for deer); 22 cal has a lot of ammo. 22-250 ; 223 ; 243 .they all are 22 cal,but will work ok; just not 22 rim fire.
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RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
If you can't track um,don't shoot um! |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
I could be wrong but i think he was talking about a 22LG. Unless shooting point blank in the eyeball, i would never attempt it. I think federal regulations say you can only use centerfire rounds on deer and larger animals.
On the subject of .22 centerfires......the m-16 is a 5.56mm (.218 in) round and it would destroy a deer. I know it is not a deer rifle and it can't be compared to one but as far as the size of the bullet is concerned it would do tremendous damage at long distances. |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
Let's use some common sense.
Yes you can pull a trailer with a VW. Yes you can Tee off with a putter. Yes you can fish with a stick and twine. and yes you could hunt with a 22. Just because you can do it does not mean it's the most effective way of doing something.:eek: |
RE: 22 Cal To Shoot Deer
The 243 is not a 22 caliber. The 223 and 22-250 are. They are legal in the states where I hunt and when used with the right bullet and within 150-200 yards they are reasonably effective. However when conditions are less than ideal you are better off with a bigger caliber.
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