.22 Centerfires on Medium to Large game

[quigley257]

My results using the 60gr Nosler Partition out of a 223 Rem have all been excellent. From 80lb yearlings to large 200+lb northern Minnesota Whitetail bucks, not one ever got away and the vast majority died at the shot or within a few feet. Not an ideal cartridge/bullet, but when used responsibly, it will do the job well.

 

[TxHeartShot]

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.

yeah, that elk is still telling his friends about that time he go boinked with a peashooter from the next county...

 

[Nomosendero]

Many a family were fed during the Great Depression from shooting deer with a 22. Audie Murphy gives credit to one for making him the shot that he was. He'd head shot rabbits so as not to harm the "eating meat." I know that all of the deer in Lincoln County, Tn. were taken during the Depression and had to be reintroduced because of the 22. Would I use one? Only if there was no other option, but yes, I'd use one and make sure it dropped right there and I wouldn't harm the "eating meat."

True and I know of some of that and done a little, growing up and still living in rural AR and done a lot more with a .223 and really, we are talking apples to oranges here. The 223 is way more effective than a 22. A lung shot Deer with the right bullet at a range where there is good terminal damage means a dead Deer. And I don't eat lungs.

 

[Al Diamond]

"You will not make peace with the Blue Coats, you are free to go."
Great quote from a great movie.

 

[69precision]

He might not of been trying to prove the point, but he did so nonetheless.

If we really want to be history buffs. He liked the 7x57 because of the rifle--it was trim and carried a good capacity and the long 173 grain round nose bullets worked well. He also really like the 318 WR but ammo was much harder to source. The 318 was much more like a 338-06--a medium bore. He also liked the 450/400 in a double but they were expensive with expensive ammo..Bell wanted to get ivory on the ground as cheap and efficiently as possible. Lightweight reliable rifles, with light inexpensive available ammo--put ivory on the ground. He wasn't proving a point.

 

[RichCoyle]

I read somewhere of Bell stating later in life if he had to do it all again what cartridge would he choose? his answer the 308!

That's because He got old and senile.

 

[stazmania]

That's because He got old and senile.

thats because he didn"t have fear and little man syndrome!

 

[Tnmountainman]

One day 52 gr Berger 4 antelope between 65 and 630 yards with two 22-250s, closest shot through the point of the shoulder hard quartering on buck, only bullet caught on off side. Two mid range through the lungs, short sprint golf ball exits, longest behind the shoulder little smaller exit lungs still messed up.
8 Deer in about half an hour 52 gr vamax out to 600 yards, all clean kills, extreme evidence of broken blood vessels beyond jellow lungs no exit.
Another two deer, heavier mule deer between 300 and 320, 52 gr Berger, blown lungs, buck taken through the shoulder.
Running cow elk at 300 through lungs, piled up inside 100 yards.
5+ elk 223 with partition all inside three hundred, one round through lungs, 3/4 exit, dead elk inside 100 yards, one 320 class bull.
Multiple mule deer bucks with 223 out to 300 through the shoulders, dead inside 30 yards.
Based on experience with slower twist 22 cals, the newer fast twist heavy for cal will be sweet!

Was that 52 gr Berger the the varmint or target bullet?

 

[Tommy T]

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.

I have shot a 21/2" group out to 1000 yds with Hornady 75 gn by copper creek and it only dropped 187" so the 22 CM is pretty great shooting rifle and easy to shoot I've always been a big caliber hunter but now I have figured out that right shot placement the 22CM will do the job

 

[westexhunt]

Grew up with MLD whitetail tags. Personally killed 200+ with 22/250 and 55gr corelok factory ammo back then. I lost one in those years. Guiding hunters off and on for the last 30 years my experience is that the big heavy kicking magnum guys will wound more deer than anyone, pretty sure those guys aren't on here.

 

[Will.284]

I don't have a problem with a .22 cal bullet used on anything shot placement good bullet proficient shooter. I used a 22/250 for elk eyeball shot at 250 ish ~ meat in my freezer. It was all I had at the time.

 

[stovepipe]

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

I use the same setup as Joejack and every whitetail I've shot has been DRT, I also use another 22 creed with Barnes 77 gr LRX with the same results..this load penetrates stem to stern on wild boar, my opinion if you are hunting a low pressure situation say private land where you have time to pick the perfect shot then they are plenty, going on a deer drive in a thicket...take something bigger.

 

[Husky user]

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.

99 times out of 100 you won't retrieve that elk!

 

[txaggie1]

Kill deer all the time in texas with 22-250 and 220 swift, 60 grain nosler partition (neck, shoulder - behind the shoulder shots) all work very well. Hogs are little match for it as well.

Now having said that my favorite deer rifles in texas are 240-257 weatherbys, but when my 22's come out for grins we are good from 50-300 yards which is about as far as we can get on our farm.