.22 Centerfires on Medium to Large game

[Hondo64d]

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.

 

[Joejack]

22 creed 85.5gr Bergers I have shot several Kansas white tails heart and lungs every one dropped at the shot

 

[hemiford]

I would suggest including the distance of the kill shot.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

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.

 

[HighDesertHunter]

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

 

[bmnkbrandon]

Lot of deer have been killed with a 223. I don’t do it (I stick with the 77/44 or 450 bushmaster), but with the proper load and gun, I could see a 22-250, 220 swift, or creed being a good gun for kids for 200 yard deer. Personally I won’t even drop down to the 6mm class

 

[Joejack]

150yds to 400yds

 

[willfrye027]

243 Winchester with 95gr SST at 2950: 1800fps at 475 yards (sea level).

22 creedmoor with 88eld at 3150: 1800fps at 875 yards (sea level).

The fast twist .22 cal offering are not your grandpapy’s 22-250.

 

[scrmblr1982cj8]

I've used my .22-250 to drop hogs at 300 yards with head shots.

I've also used .22LR to kill 300 lb hogs trapped in hog pens by shooting them in the ear

 

[marksman1941]

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.

 

[JJMoody]

How ‘bout elk at 803 with a 77gn TMK out of a 223 mk12? Pretty sure this exact situation may be the inspiration for this thread.

 

[Hondo64d]

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

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

 

[waspocrew]

Do we really need another thread on the subject? I think people have aired their feelings on the subject pretty well the last couple of days.

I’ll continue to use my 22 Creed for deer and antelope, others feel differently about it and that’s totally fine.

 

[stazmania]

Lots of mule deer and a couple of cow elk. Kids, wives and gun in hand when opportunity presents. When planned nosler 60 gr partition when not planned whatever was in the gun. Never had an animal get away. Not my first choice but very efficient killers, both 22-250 and 223