Can I get some feed back on this caliber for deer. I am looking at it for yotes but was thinking I might use it for deer also, and possibly for antelope.

I know placement is most of it but can the cartridge handle the deer size game? I feel a 60 gr. nosler can handle it. Yes, no?

You bet it can.just need to take shots that count. I would never shoot at a running deer with a .22 caliber centerfire,......

TAH,
A 22.250 works well on antelope but in my opinion is a little light for deer. You're absolutely right about shot placement being key, but it is still a .22 caliber bullet. I use to hunt a lot in my home state of South Dakota so from my experience we were dealing with pretty hefty white tail, mule deer and antelope. I found the .25-06 to be my preferred choice for all three of these. One buddy had a .243 and another a .270 and each of these has it's own advantages and disadvantages. When shooting coyotes the .223's and .22.250's would come out.

I looked at the 22-250 real hard when I picked a varmint rifle. In the end I picked 243. There are a couple things that swayed me.

1. Grain for grain the 243 bullets have a better BC for shooting distance.

2. The 243 pushes a comparable bullet faster ( I run a 70NBT out of a 26 inch tube at 3700, try that with a 22-250)

3. For deer the extra weight and cutting diameter of the 243 with be an advantage.

The 243 does everything the 22-250 can and then some, the only down side would be increased barrel wear and increased component costs ( maybe 5-6 cents extra for reloads)

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/1277/stufftosell.jpg

My 243 just before I added the scope.

Yes, it will kill deer, especially if the bullet is a Nosler Partition, a Barnes Triple Shock, or even the 64 grain Winchester Power Point. I have shot one deer with a 22-250. I used the Speer 70 grain, but my rifles have 1in10 twist. I know a bunch of farmers who only own one centefire rifle, and their 22-250's have killed hosts of whitetails with Hornady Spire Points. Shoot behind the shoulder, don't try to shoot through it unless you're using one of the premium bullets like the Nosler or Barnes.

I see you are from Michigan and if you plan on using a 22-250 for deer you might want to check the laws. It says a .22 cal is not allowed for big game. I would hate to see you get a ticket. And yes it will kill a deer but you will have little to no blood trail if you shot placement is off. I use a 223 for yotes and would use it for deer if I had to but the .308 works better for me.

TAH,
A 22.250 works well on antelope but in my opinion is a little light for deer. You're absolutely right about shot placement being key, but it is still a .22 caliber bullet. I use to hunt a lot in my home state of South Dakota so from my experience we were dealing with pretty hefty white tail, mule deer and antelope. I found the .25-06 to be my preferred choice for all three of these. One buddy had a .243 and another a .270 and each of these has it's own advantages and disadvantages. When shooting coyotes the .223's and .22.250's would come out.
agree with this: I shoot a 788 rem. in 22-250. it will reach out and touch something, with no wind. I only use it for woodchucks.
the 25-06 is a pretty good choice for antelope, and deer.
my perfered calibers for deer are the 270, and the 30-06, the "06" being the most versatile, especially if you handload.
130 gr. for the 270-150 for the "06", fairly good range and knockdown, readilly available, and not too expensive.
just an opinion!!!

IMO that's getting a little small for ethical shots on big game. I'd say a .243 is the smallest I'd use on big game. A .22 caliber bullet just doesn't cut it to be ethical. Don't get me wrong, it will kill.

IMO that's getting a little small for ethical shots on big game. I'd say a .243 is the smallest I'd use on big game. A .22 caliber bullet just doesn't cut it to be ethical. Don't get me wrong, it will kill.

Agree...

Opinions are great but first hand knowledge is more usefull. I have several other guns that go well beyond the need for deer like my 30-06, .300 and .338, so I am sitting good with deer slayers. Just wondering what the crowd that actually uses them thought on the 22.250, and yes , it will be pretty much a vermin killer.:grin:

Went to Scheels a little bit ago and tossed it around a bit after reading the comments, and the Opinions also :happy:, and checked into the .243 some more. This was the original caliber I wanted and decided to go back to it and look again. Found a "new" Savage for 2012. Its the 12 LRP w/26" barrel in .243. I think I would be more comfortable if I decided to try it out on Deer size game. Like some have posted ethics and responsibility needs to come into play when hunting. It will be in next week and then we will see.

Thanks for the heads up........... again

22 centerfires are widely used to cull managed deer herds on game farms in Texas. The bullets used, and the placement of said bullets are chosen to expand vioilently in the heart/lung region. When truly properly placed, a 22 centerfire bullet is very effective. But there is no quick shooting at poor angles.

My brother-in-law shoots a 22-250 for White Tails and has put many of them down. I Shoot a 220 Swift which is a bit faster and flatter with the same results. I actually use my 220 for the longer shots with a 50 gr Spitzer. I have shot very few deer with the 220 that weren't neck shots and they seem to drop in their tracks. Nice calibers for varmints also. For yotes I use a 55 gr FMJ.

I have shot very few deer with the 220 that weren't neck shots and they seem to drop in their tracks.

Very unethical shot (neck shot). Especially with a small caliber like that. Show the animal some respect and make an ethical shot.

Why would this be enethical? They drop like they were hit with a hammer and they are dead. I think it shows more respect for an animal than blowing a hole in it with a large caliber and following it for aome distance while it bleeds out.

Why would this be enethical? They drop like they were hit with a hammer and they are dead. I think it shows more respect for an animal than blowing a hole in it with a large caliber and following it for aome distance while it bleeds out.

IMHO neck shots are kind of iffy shots. If you hit the spine it drops on the spot - DONE! But if it doesn't hit the spine often times it's only a superficial wound. Head shots are even more iffy and unethical IMHO. If you hit the brain it's a dead deer on the spot, if you miss the brain often times the deer gets to starve to death because it no longer has a usable mouth. I've seen enough deer with their lower jaws shot off to never want to attempt it myself.

I see no reason why one doesn't just shoot them right through the lungs. It's the largest vital target on a deer and (other than a head shot) wastes the least amount of meat. Even a neck shot wastes more meat than a clean shot through the lungs.

Again IMHO the 22 centerfires are not the best rounds for deer. Yes they will kill them if everything is perfect but a bad angle or something and you end up wounding the deer or causing it to die at a later date. And if you do use a 22 centerfire for deer for GOD'S sake don't use cheap 55gr bullets on them. Buy quality heavilly constructed bullets such as the 60ge Partition or 64gr Winchester Power Point.

Doesn't matter much any more. I haven't hunted for about six years now. I used my 220, a 308 and a 270 for about forty years of White Tail hunting and grew to love neck shots. I don't ever remember a White Tail taking two steps after a neck shot and very seldom fired more than one shot during a season. I guess I must have done things right and have always believed that bullet placement means more than what size cannon ya shoot. I had a friend that used a 338 mag and I watched several deer vanish over a hill top or into the trees on three legs because he thought the size of the bullet mattered more than placement.

Why would this be enethical? They drop like they were hit with a hammer and they are dead. I think it shows more respect for an animal than blowing a hole in it with a large caliber and following it for aome distance while it bleeds out.

Neck shots are one of the most unethical shots due to the fact that the spinal column and blood vessels in that region make a small target and are a small percent of the total mass. Plus there are many large muscles in that area that affect the bullet. To much room for error. A skilled person can make it pretty easily but most aren't skilled. And even skilled people make mistakes. So..... That makes it unethical.

Doesn't matter much any more. I haven't hunted for about six years now. I used my 220, a 308 and a 270 for about forty years of White Tail hunting and grew to love neck shots. I don't ever remember a White Tail taking two steps after a neck shot and very seldom fired more than one shot during a season. I guess I must have done things right and have always believed that bullet placement means more than what size cannon ya shoot. I had a friend that used a 338 mag and I watched several deer vanish over a hill top or into the trees on three legs because he thought the size of the bullet mattered more than placement.

So if a person is such a great shot that they can hit a 3" wide spine running up the neck why wouldn't they aim for a 10" diameter lung shot and ruin less meat?

Again IMHO the 22 centerfires are not the best rounds for deer. Yes they will kill them if everything is perfect but a bad angle or something and you end up wounding the deer or causing it to die at a later date. And if you do use a 22 centerfire for deer for GOD'S sake don't use cheap 55gr bullets on them. Buy quality heavilly constructed bullets such as the 60ge Partition or 64gr Winchester Power Point.


Couldn't agree more and I would venture to guess that the vast majority of people that are using a .22 caliber of some sorts are using whatever box of ammo was cheapest.

I respect your opinions guys and I was hoping mine was worth posting. I should have known better. I usually hunt in a river bottom within 50 yards of a deer trail and shoot from a natural blind with a good rest. Here is another opinion if you care to read it and I'm not saying I'm any type of expert, but it has worked for me for a lot of years. Nuff said. :cheers:


by Rex Trulove (http://www.helium.com/users/169151/show_articles)

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Created on: October 11, 2010
Expert deer hunters aim for the neck for a few solid reasons. All of them make it worthwhile to shoot for the neck for anyone who is hunting, especially with a rifle, and regardless of skill level.
The first reason is for the sake of the deer. It would be reasonable to assume that most deer hunters aren't out there to inflict needless suffering. This can happen if trying for a body shot. If a shot for the heart is a few inches off, the deer may indeed die, but it could also drag itself a long distance before it does. A neck shot that is a few inches off will either miss the deer or bring it down, most of the time.
Second, since the neck shot kills the deer quickly, there is little tracking involved. Tracking an injured deer for miles, through dense forest, can be more than troublesome. If the deer is dropped within a couple hundred feet of where it was shot, only minimal tracking is needed. That is a lot less effort, which plays well for the deer hunter.

Third, there is far less waste. Few people eat much of the deer neck, because there is little meat there. Deer heart and liver, however, are prized. A shot through the heart, at the very least, leaves very little heart meat to eat, if it is an accurate shot. At the same time, it also spoils rib or shoulder meat, because of the passage of the bullet.
Some deer, like mule deer, can field dress at over 300 pounds. Most are much smaller. If 25 pounds of good meat is wasted because of a body shot, that is a considerable loss of usable meat. A neck shot deer usually has little wasted meat.
It needs to be understood that most deer hunters are after the meat, not the trophy. Trophy hunters may go after body shots in order to save the head and neck for mounting. It is doubtful that they care much about the meat, but it should still be noted that a neck shot is still the better choice.
Severing the base of the neck causes minimal damage to the deer, including trophy specimens.
Expert hunters know all of this. More often than not, it will be a neck shot they use to bring down their buck, and often they may pass up a shot if they don't have a clear neck shot. That is part of what makes them experts. They will even shoot for the neck if they are doe hunting, though the necessity is not as great as with bucks.
As related by Freda Helmers, who was an expert hunter, "If I can't get a neck shot, I won't shoot. I've eaten venison all my life, and I won't waste it because of a stupid body shot. High powered rifles make a lot of damage as the bullet goes through."
Freda had a track record of 37 bucks in 25 years, all legal, and all of them shot through the neck. That includes one dropped on a full run, at an angle, at 500 yards.
Another person, Steve (last name withheld on request) is also an expert. He hunts with a rifle, bow, and muzzle loader. He thinks that anyone who tries to bring down a buck by anything but a neck shot is crazy.
"I've had deer that I could have shot, but didn't have a neck shot," he says. "I let them go. There will be other days. There is no way that I'm going to ruin that excellent buck meat by shooting it in the body, and having tracked an accidentally gut shot buck almost 10 miles, I don't want to repeat the experience."
It does indeed work for does, too, but most expert hunters won't consider shooting a deer of either sex, anywhere but the neck. The benefits are obvious. It isn't always easy, but it is worthwhile.
Sources:
Oregon Fish and Wildlife
North American Hunting Club
Dale Heath, Master hunting guide

"That includes one dropped on a full run, at an angle, at 500 yards."

I can respect your opinion but the qoute you gave sounds like BS to me. A deer at a full run at 500yds? If they made that shot it was very unethical and pure luck.

I don't know anyone who saves the heart and liver anymore but I'm sure some people do but for those of us who don't but love our sausage and hot sticks there is a lot of meat in the neck to cut out. A clean shot through the lungs will waste and the most 1lb. of rib meat that most people don't even bother with.

I don't shoot well enough to try to hit a neck vertebrae.

"That includes one dropped on a full run, at an angle, at 500 yards."

I can respect your opinion but the qoute you gave sounds like BS to me. A deer at a full run at 500yds? If they made that shot it was very unethical and pure luck.

I don't know anyone who saves the heart and liver anymore but I'm sure some people do but for those of us who don't but love our sausage and hot sticks there is a lot of meat in the neck to cut out. A clean shot through the lungs will waste and the most 1lb. of rib meat that most people don't even bother with.You wouldn't find me shooting at anything running at 500 yds. I have passed on a 500 yd shot on a Bull Elk while using my 270. Too much chance of not putting it down. My buddy was on my case the rest of the day because I passed on that shot.

I don't shoot well enough to try to hit a neck vertebrae.I stopped hunting about six years ago due to my eyesight. I have had cataract surgery on both eyes and could hunt again, but my hunting ground has been flooded for the last three or four years. I also have to be very careful since I have only one ear that works and don't like the idea of not being able to hear well while hunting. I used to enjoy being able to hear them walking through the dry grass and leaves. Maybe it's time to hang it up.

Maybe it's time to hang it up.
That's an incredibly sad thought. However I've all but given it up as well mainly due to land access issues. I hate begging for permission and I really hate sharing (seeing other hunters out there) so I basically hung it up as well.

Switched over to hardcore fishing and to be honest it's been a great transition.

That's an incredibly sad thought. However I've all but given it up as well mainly due to land access issues. I hate begging for permission and I really hate sharing (seeing other hunters out there) so I basically hung it up as well.

Switched over to hardcore fishing and to be honest it's been a great transition.I had some surgery six years ago that kept me out of the woods for a couple seasons. I usually hunt the river bottom land on my mother-in-law's farm and know it like the back of my hand, but the water is around seven feet deep where I usually hunt at this time. My son keeps prodding me to start hunting again and he may get the job done yet. My buddy keeps asking me to hunt geese with him again, but I don't think hunting geese would be much fun while wearing an ear plug. Half of the fun of goose hunting was hearing them before I could see them.

I had some surgery six years ago that kept me out of the woods for a couple seasons. I usually hunt the river bottom land on my mother-in-law's farm and know it like the back of my hand, but the water is around seven feet deep where I usually hunt at this time. My son keeps prodding me to start hunting again and he may get the job done yet. My buddy keeps asking me to hunt geese with him again, but I don't think hunting geese would be much fun while wearing an ear plug. Half of the fun of goose hunting was hearing them before I could see them.

The ear thing is easy. I wear Walker's Game Ear. Probably the greatest device ever. You can hear things perfectly but it cuts out at 80 Db so any noise above that turns the Game Ear into an ear plug. I've even had some guys shoot in a direction that would have seriously hurt my ears but I hardly knew they even shot.

They are expensive but worth it. I bought the game ear and had a custom ear piece made for each ear. I think I'm into them for around $500 ($250/ear). You won't regret them if you get back into it.

The ear thing is easy. I wear Walker's Game Ear. Probably the greatest device ever. You can hear things perfectly but it cuts out at 80 Db so any noise above that turns the Game Ear into an ear plug. I've even had some guys shoot in a direction that would have seriously hurt my ears but I hardly knew they even shot.

They are expensive but worth it. I bought the game ear and had a custom ear piece made for each ear. I think I'm into them for around $500 ($250/ear). You won't regret them if you get back into it.I will for sure have to have something to keep from losing more hearing. I have seen hearing protector headsets (ear muff type) with microphones in them that will shut off with higher decibels and still allow me to wear my above ear hearing aid so I can hear someone talk. Hearing what is going on around me doesn't happen anymore because when you only have one good ear you lose directional hearing.

I have killed many deer and antelope with my 22.250. I reload 60 grain soft point boat tails and take time to make sure of shot placement. Never had one go more than a few yards.

Finally got her in and shes a beauty (Black), now all I need to do is learn its attitude. Model 12 LRP in .243 with a Zeiss 4.5x14 Conquest scope.

Can't wait to fire it