bucknvelvet
Beginner
- Jul 26, 2006
- 11
- 0
Anybody recommend a good bullet type and weight for the 22-250 against dessert mules?
22-250 for Mule Deer
- Thread starter bucknvelvet
- Start date
Charlie-NY
Handloader
- Mar 11, 2005
- 1,384
- 735
I wouldn't recommend the 22-250 for any biggame under any reasonable circumstances. With that being said, I know a guy who uses the 22-250 exclusively for whitetails. He only shoots the Barnes 53gr X bullets when hunting deer.
Reportedly, he gets complete pass throughs on broadside shots 100% of the time. He also claims that this combo is quickly lethal.
Heavier bullets are often difficult to stabilize in factory twist barrels.
Reportedly, he gets complete pass throughs on broadside shots 100% of the time. He also claims that this combo is quickly lethal.
Heavier bullets are often difficult to stabilize in factory twist barrels.
Powerstroke
Handloader
- Feb 24, 2006
- 1,792
- 33
bucknvelvet
The .250 has to be one of my all time favorite rounds. However that caliber is not a legal round her in CO where I'm at. Yes the round will make the energy required, yes a heavy enough bullet is available to use, no .22 cal for big game here though.
That being said, if that is the firearm you are "most comfortable" with, dont' shy away from it. My -250 likes 52gr and 55gr bullets.
Shot placement is everything!! doesn't matter what it is, it can't live with a hole though it's lungs be-it a .22in hole or .50in hole.
May I ask what state you'll be hunting?
The .250 has to be one of my all time favorite rounds. However that caliber is not a legal round her in CO where I'm at. Yes the round will make the energy required, yes a heavy enough bullet is available to use, no .22 cal for big game here though.
That being said, if that is the firearm you are "most comfortable" with, dont' shy away from it. My -250 likes 52gr and 55gr bullets.
Shot placement is everything!! doesn't matter what it is, it can't live with a hole though it's lungs be-it a .22in hole or .50in hole.
May I ask what state you'll be hunting?
- Nov 4, 2004
- 24,345
- 6,655
Nosler offers the 60 gr PT for the 22 cals. Lane Simpson did a write up on it a few years ago and complete penetration was obtained on broadside shots.
I agree with the others that larger calibers with heavier bullets would be a better choice for deer hunting. If you are looking for a low recoil deer caliber, look no farther than the 257 Roberts, it has pleanty of smack without much punch The 100 gr BT kills deer like lighting.
JD338
I agree with the others that larger calibers with heavier bullets would be a better choice for deer hunting. If you are looking for a low recoil deer caliber, look no farther than the 257 Roberts, it has pleanty of smack without much punch The 100 gr BT kills deer like lighting.
JD338
That's right, if you poke a hole in them they will die, but I wont use my 22 cal for big game. My dad has taken blacktail with his 22-250, and 60 grain Hornady's. They die just as fast as those that have a 30 cal hole poked in them. I would, however, hate to see what would happen if one used a light construction bullet and hit bone on an animal like a mulie. I know of one case in particular of a 270 caliber 140 gr jacketed bullet that failed to penetrate on the shoulder of a mulie. If you must use your 22-250 push a premium bullet, the Nosler Partitionin 60gr would be my first choice, then Speer's Trophy Bonded Bear Claw in 55gr, or heaven forbid one of the Barnes solids.
baltz526
Handloader
- Sep 25, 2005
- 1,074
- 8
broadside at 150yds or less, the 64gr power point in the 22-250 is very effective on small mule deer/blacktail
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,053
- 2,546
I do not use any 22's for big game. Wyoming does not allow this anyway. If I had to Barnes x or Nosler Parts outta do.
remingtonman_25_06
Handloader
- Nov 17, 2005
- 2,804
- 391
I have seen and witnessed many kills with 22-250 and 220 swifts on muleys here in oregon out to 400 yards. Believe it or not, we used 55g btips. They will drop in there tracks with a shoulder hit and will not go far. Behind the shoulder hit and they run about 20-30 yards. In Oregon, .224" is the legal diameter for deer and antelope. If you look at the energy figures for a 55g bullet at 3600 or 3900fps, you can see at 400 yards it doesn't have to much energy, but that little 55g bullet slowed down enough out to 400 that it doesn't act so explosively, and actually tears them lungs up! Now I never claim to get exits, but we have never lost a muley due to being shot with a 22-250 or a swift out to distances of 400 yards. Use what you like, deer aren't made of kevlar, slip a bullet of almost any kind into a deers chest and its going to die pretty quickly and easily.
Better hope it dies quickly because a single .22 caliber hole probably wont be much help if a tracking job is needed. that being said i think i would stick to a premium bullet such as the Partition or barnes tsx. If you have a fast twist rifle i would think that the 70 grain barnes tsx would be best. Shot placement and one of these bullets should allow this cartridge to exceed beyond that which it was designed for. Pick your shot and pack it out :wink:
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,053
- 2,546
remingtonman_25_06":asywbzbq said:
Yup #'s do not mean much......
remingtonman_25_06
Handloader
- Nov 17, 2005
- 2,804
- 391
After shooting quite a few animals at longer ranges with non magnums, and having 1 shot kills, its clear to me that #'s aren't everything anymore, and bigger isn't always better. I guess I gotta go the route of, bullet placement is key. However, I still go by my own energy guide for deer and elk and it goes something along the lines of 600lbs for deer, and 900lbs for elk.
BTW, a 220 swift shooting a 55g btip at 3925fps with a BC of .267 has right at 700 lbs of energy at the 400 yard marker.
BTW, a 220 swift shooting a 55g btip at 3925fps with a BC of .267 has right at 700 lbs of energy at the 400 yard marker.
Charlie-NY
Handloader
- Mar 11, 2005
- 1,384
- 735
Your figures are rather conservative compared to what has been published by many knowledgable hunters. I don't necessarily subscribe to the ft/lbs of energy necessary for a reliable kill theory but........... 1,000 ft/lbs of impact energy has been historically used as the measure of power needed for reliably take deer.
Personally, I always prefer to use a little more power rather than a little less in any given hunting scenario. Not to say that a .223 won't kill a deer with a well placed shot, its just that I don't find that to be ethical or necessary for most of us.
That's just me, and I'm not criticizing what anyone else determines to be good for them.
Personally, I always prefer to use a little more power rather than a little less in any given hunting scenario. Not to say that a .223 won't kill a deer with a well placed shot, its just that I don't find that to be ethical or necessary for most of us.
That's just me, and I'm not criticizing what anyone else determines to be good for them.
- Nov 4, 2004
- 24,345
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Guns are like engines, there is no replacement for displacement! :wink:
JD338
JD338
Powerstroke
Handloader
- Feb 24, 2006
- 1,792
- 33
Have eaten many a big-blocks with a small block and a-lot-o-boost. *L*
Point well taken, and an awesome analogy too!
Point well taken, and an awesome analogy too!
In Ireland the Government got a little worried in the 70's with all the troubles and the associated problems in Northern Ireland. They recalled all guns in excess of .22 cal and did not re-licence them for 20 years. That meant that all hunters of deer in this county had a choice of the 22/250 or 5.6x56 to shoot deer for an extended period of time. The only bullet that was available to us in the early days was the factory loaded 55gr spitzer. I cant recall what gr was in the 5.6 but it was not much heavier.
We found out very quickly that they both kill deer very dead. However if the shot is not well placed, a good deal of luck is needed to find it as there is never a blood trail.
The best shots are head or neck shots but these should only be used when you can get to the deer quicky in case it gets back up. Any shot to the chest cavity should miss the shoulder so as to allow the bullet access to the lungs. Here it will fragment and completely destroy the lungs. The bullet will also cause considerable bruising on the access and offside. Unless you are very hungry it will be best to give this portion to the dogs. There was never a need to bleed a chest shot deer with a 22/250 as it was always completely bled out internally and never went very far in that state.
All in all the 22/250 was an excelent stalking rifle and extremely accurate. The only draw backs to its cotinued use was the extensive damage to the meat and the fact that there was never a blood trail to follow when it ran.
To end the story I changed to a .270 as soon as I was legally entitled to and shot my first deer with a 140 gr Winchester silver tip at 100 yards. Despite being hit fair and square in the chest it took off and ran at least 200 yards. That never happened with a 22/250.
We found out very quickly that they both kill deer very dead. However if the shot is not well placed, a good deal of luck is needed to find it as there is never a blood trail.
The best shots are head or neck shots but these should only be used when you can get to the deer quicky in case it gets back up. Any shot to the chest cavity should miss the shoulder so as to allow the bullet access to the lungs. Here it will fragment and completely destroy the lungs. The bullet will also cause considerable bruising on the access and offside. Unless you are very hungry it will be best to give this portion to the dogs. There was never a need to bleed a chest shot deer with a 22/250 as it was always completely bled out internally and never went very far in that state.
All in all the 22/250 was an excelent stalking rifle and extremely accurate. The only draw backs to its cotinued use was the extensive damage to the meat and the fact that there was never a blood trail to follow when it ran.
To end the story I changed to a .270 as soon as I was legally entitled to and shot my first deer with a 140 gr Winchester silver tip at 100 yards. Despite being hit fair and square in the chest it took off and ran at least 200 yards. That never happened with a 22/250.
Greg Nolan
Handloader
- Nov 25, 2004
- 2,143
- 18
I've killed 4 deer with the 60gr hp. Dead where they stood. It was like they swallowed a mini hand grenade. It jellied the heart lung area. I wouldn't use the 22-250 for dear now because I have more dependable calibers. Like the gent from Ireland said. I switched when I was able to.
i would not use a 22-250 because here in wyoming the gun has to be bigger than a 22 caliber. the best gun that i would get is the 270 they are also considered a long range rifle and are very deadly. i use 58.5 grains of imr4831 with magnum primers and 130 gain Ballistic tip spitzer tips and i have stoped everything i have hunted.Charlie-NY":1qogwjtg said:
