.22 Centerfires on Medium to Large game

.22 Centerfires on Medium to Large game?

  • I have used .22 centerfires on medium and/or large game and with good shot placement they kill well.

    Votes: 180 63.4%

  • I have used .22 centerfire on game, but even with good shot placement they don’t kill well.

    Votes: 19 6.7%

  • I have never used a .22 centerfire on game but don’t think it’s a good idea.

    Votes: 82 28.9%

  • Can’t possibly work no matter what real world results show.

    Votes: 3 1.1%
  • Total voters
    284
H

Hondo64d

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 27, 2003
Messages
794
Location
The Big Country
Trying to determine what percentage of opinions on .22 centerfires on medium and large game are based on actual experience doing so vs conjecture or intuition.

Definitions:

Good shot placement: putting a bullet through heart and/or both lungs.

Good bullet: said bullet will penetrate to reach heart and/or lungs with adequate expansion to disrupt function of said organs.
 
Keep the .22 calibers for Varmint & Predator Hunting.
.243 & .257 for Deer size
6.5mm +++ up for larger animals.
Just my opinion.
I'll rephrase this.
I think that the larger cartridges like the 22 Creed and the 22-250 with an 85 grain or heavier bullets with shot placement and proper range will take down any deer size animals.
 
Last edited:
It's the same answer as always. The proper bullet within the proper velocity window will do the job nicely. A 22creedmoor and a .223 are only different in terms of muzzle velocity, which equates to effective range. So if you'd use (and please note that I am 100%making up these numbers for the purpose of the example) an 88gr eldm out to 300 yards from a 22cm, then you should be fine to use an 88gr eldm from a 223 out to 200 yards (again, made up numbers).

My brother has killed more than one deer with a 55gr soft point from a 1:12 .223, tucked right into the soft spot behind the shoulder. Worked just as well as my 30/06 in the same spot. There's less room for error, if you whack a shoulder or something, but with decent accuracy it works just great. Deer are just a tall goat; they're not tough.
 
HighDesertHunter said:
Being that this is the long range hunting site, .22 doesn't seem to fit that mold. Under 400 yards with the right bullet... Deadly
Click to expand...
For me, the factors that limit range are:
1. My confidence in being able to put the bullet through the heart/lung area in the conditions existing at the time of the shot.
2. Impact velocity sufficient for good bullet expansion. Many manufacturers list minimum impact velocities in the 1800fps range. I use 2000fps just for a little extra assurance. That's my criteria no matter caliber or bullet weight. With the 88gr ELD launched at 3014fps, that comes out to about 680 yards, actually a little farther than a 6.5 Creedmoor launching a 147gr ELD.

That said, the furthest I have killed anything with the 88gr ELD is 469 yards. Was a decent sized boar and he dropped in his tracks.

John
 

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