22 Creedmoor on whitetail...in a pinch.

[nicholasjohn]

I'd use a 22-250 any day with no concern at all. I've taken plenty of deer with one matter of fact about 30 years worth! Just for ***** and giggles I took my son to the blind this past season and his birthday 55 grain Remington psp, well make a long story short he fell asleep before a big fat doe came sneaking by. A simple 80 yard shot quartering toward us on the point of the shoulder and low and behold she collapsed in her tracks! Hmmmmm just like every deer I have shot with it. I know it's not the proper 6.5 or whatever anyone calls the proper deer cartridge!!!!! My boys will learn as I did. I've shot many deer with 25-06, 257 Weatherby, 300WSM 300wm 300wby 338 edge 280ai 243 6xc 257 Roberts 44mag 500 mag,460 mag 45colt 45acp. The "puny"22-250 worked just as well if not better than anything else! No concerns here! Oh yea 22 hornet, 222,223 and other incapable varmint rounds on deer. Just a bit of my input!

My experiences hav ben just like yours, Sir. I haven't see any difference in the reaction of average sized deer to being shot with a 22-250 or a 30-06, 7mm magnum, or 308. If they're running, they usually keep on running. Then they pile up 50 yards away. If they're standing or walking, they usually fall down and croak right away. I think for the cartridge to make a noticeable difference, it takes an animal bigger than a 150-pound deer to show any difference.

 

[Sundby]

I wouldn't but that's just me.

 

[Coldfinger]

Just crono'd my pet 22 creedmoor today not too shabby I'd say 85.5 grain Berger hybrid at 3300 FPS!!

 

[Coldfinger]

Can't wait till deer season!

 

[DJ Fergus]

What are all of your thoughts on a 22 creedmoor shooting heavy monos such as Barnes 77 grain LRX, 78 Grain TSX, or 70 grain TSX on the light end, pushed at 22 creed velocities 34-3500ish on whitetail deer

How about bullets such as 90-95 grain matchking and VLD variety? Around 31-3200ish

Not too long ago there was a HEAVILY debated thread for using a 22-250 on deer, but the majority of comments pertained to bullets sub 65 grain and I want to make it clear the projectiles in question are bullets nearing 80 grain and above. With that said..

What do ya think, Yay...so so...nay?

Would even a 300-350 yard maximum be a little too optimistic if it was suitable?

I would like to put together a 22 Creed or perhaps something else (hopefully soon) uses would be for mainly a fun gun for varmints (90% of the time) and occasional use on deer (10% of the time) when I'm not using my 270.

Ive built two 22creedmoors since around February so I haven't got to take any deer
I'm shooting 88gr elds. One gun was pushing them to 3350 and the other to 3260. I wouldn't hesitate to take a deer with one out to 500 yds. I would want to make sure it wasn't a shoulder impact. There's night & day difference between my 25-06 shooting 85gr bullets @3500mv and the 22 creedmoor shooting 88 gr bullets @ 3350mv. The 22 creedmoor smacks my 500yd target with alot more authority.

 

[dogz]

I've been using the 22/250 and the Swift since 1978 when I moved to Montana. I quickly met and got to know Bill and George from the Powder Horn. These guys are big fans of the big 22's!

At first I thought they were off their rocker, but I also knew how successful they were. Long and the short I started down the road.

I took my first head of big game via a 22 cf with my Swift and a 52 NSB. One shot, down it went! And so it's gone. Deer, elk, sheep., black bear, moose, antelope you name it I've used it or seen it used on them. IME you just can't beat a big 22 for killing out to 500 yards.

The farthest we've taken game is 505 yards, the lope took 3 slow steps and went down and right to Croak City Wyo...

As for the what if the OP had used a bigger gun, Thanksgiving of 92 I shot a big muley at close to 500 yards. At the shot, the bugger just folded up. I mean I dropped the hammer and down he went right now! We picked up and walked over, in the mean time lost sight of where he was at. You guessed it he was gone, and not much blood. Hind site....I would of covered the buck while my buddy hiked over to him, then if the bugger got up I could of hammered him again. Hind sight....oh I almost forgot the round I was using that day was my 700/.340 Wby that I'd been using on chucks to 500 all summer with and the 250 Nozler. Hmm.........

In the last 4 years my wife and I have used our 22/250 and the 60 Horn HP on 26 head of small big game (deer/lope). Of the 26 shots, 24 have gone right down and I mean down and out. Ranges from 35-400 yards. Two have gone a few steps, a muley buck went about 15 yards when and a 90 pound whitey doe taken a bit over 100 yards ran 35-40 yards, I was stunned!

As far as the mono bullet deal, yes they'll definately kill. But, we've found them to do it just a skosh bit slower. Now obviously deads dead but I do have a strong liking for watching them go 4 feet in the air at the drop of the hammer.

Standard cup n core will result in way more DRT (dead right there) shots than the mono's will. Period end of debate. But, like I say both will be dead quick enough.

Bullets we like are 55 Horn w/c, 63 Sierra (I shot my biggest black bear with this load, one shot at 178 yards as he quartered away, bullet entered where his right love handle would be and exited it's Adams apple, said bruin went 30 yards and piled up). We also like the old Nozler solid bases the 52/55/60 and the 60 grain Horn hp.

Honestly, I can't want for anymore when it comes to taking small big game (deer/lopes) and would be more than happy to hunt the rest of my life with our 22/250 (an old 700 with the dreaded factory 14 twist).

Sorry for the long winded post, but I do have a bit of experience with these rounds. I know this from a lifetime of hunting and killing and that if you use a combo, any combo enough that sooner or later something will happen that will make you go hmm..........

 

[venatic]

I have shot quite a few deer with 22Creedmoor while culling. All these shot between 75 and 350 yards. Have several more pictures but you get the idea. I mainly use my 22 Creedmoor for predators but up to deer size it works with proper bullets and placement. These were shot with 80.5 gr Berger running 3460 from 24 inch barrel.
The only thing I read throughout this post that are a joke are some outlandish velocities claimed for the 22Creedmoor.
My load running above when checked on pressure barrel was well above acceptable limits and that barrel lasted about 1000 rounds.

 

[Coldfinger]

I have shot quite a few deer with 22Creedmoor while culling. All these shot between 75 and 350 yards. Have several more pictures but you get the idea. I mainly use my 22 Creedmoor for predators but up to deer size it works with proper bullets and placement. These were shot with 80.5 gr Berger running 3460 from 24 inch barrel.
The only thing I read throughout this post that are a joke are some outlandish velocities claimed for the 22Creedmoor.
My load running above when checked on pressure barrel was well above acceptable limits and that barrel lasted about 1000 rounds.
View attachment 196383View attachment 196384

Now that's a deer pile up!