Max effective range for .22-250

[TexasSportsman]

We'll never really know how well they expand because they'll pass through and we rarely recover the bullets. Ballistic gel isn't much help either because they don't have the variable density of flesh, different bones, cartilage...

 

[DSheetz]

Catahoula , We all get beat up on here at times people are people and some were just born mean and will die mean . But you are correct about getting out there and doing it being the best way . I like to keep notes to help my memory as well . I have well over 36 years doing it and am still learning coyote behavior with 4500 plus under my belt they just keep amazing me .

 

[Reemty J]

I used to shoot a heavy barreled (was great for running shots, smooth follow thru) Remington 22-250 and it liked 50 grain V-Max bullets over 40 grains H-380 was at 3750-3775 fps. When the opportunity presented itself, and the coyote was broadside and I had them ranged, I would gladly pop one at 500, bullet dropped 3' at that range. Going by poor memory I know I have killed 4-5 at 500 with that combo and I will darn well do it now with my .204 shooting a 39 grain SBK. At 500 yards that 22-250 still spanked them, have had a couple drop dead on the spot shot thru the chest area. I have not even come close to ol DSheetz in numbers, but have shot 12 to 35 a year for 37 years as a weekend warrior that just loves the challenges coyotes present............I have shot them a lot farther with larger calibers...6.5 creedmoor out to 860, 30-378 out to 1030, this is Mondamtana and we got lots of coyotes. And GUNNER1 is right earlier, we don't talk about our misses.
DSheetz, you ol one upper I "may" have killed close to a 1000 but probably not. But I sure would love to hunt a couple days with you up here.............got lots of access for 100 miles. Am an elevator manager, know all the producers. Up here a good day is around 6 killed, had a couple buddies that got 12 one day though, was 20 below and they said it was amazing calling.........the stomach rules.

 

[DSheetz]

Reemty J , perhaps some day we will be able to meet and do some coyote hunting .

 

[xsn10s]

What would be the max effective range for a .22-250 shoting 45 grain hollow points and still having ethical kills? I know I could shoot farther with heavier bullets but my gun just seems to like the 45's. Thanks for any input.

Boy it really depends on which 45gr HP you're using, but I'd guess around 400 yards for reliable kills. Maybe less. It all depends on bullet construction and where you hit them. I used 55gr BT's in my 22-250. Awesome kills on chucks and yotes 2-300 yards. At 450 yards it was a little too tough a construction for chucks, I walked up to a couple that were still alive with good hits. I stopped using them on longer shots for chucks after that, I think they just weren't expanding fast enough. But yotes I'd use them to 500 yards. So check the ballistics of your bullet and load/ velocity. And then see how accurately you can hit at distance.

 

[DSheetz]

I didn't like the 52 or 53 grain Sierra match hp's but I sure like the 55 grain Sierra hp hunting bullets they work well in my 223 as well as 22-250 .

 

[DSheetz]

I truly enjoy telling people about some of my experiences that have happened during my times hunting coyote . Coyote will never stop teaching you new and different things to my way of thinking . And now that the world of guns , powder and bullets has advanced so much in just a few years I don't think we can ever stop learning new things about them either .

 

[varminthunter89]

I've been using 22-250 for 40 years. Shot too many to count. Lighter bullets are not reliable either close or far in this caliber in my experience. The trajectory is not the focus, but rather the bullet performance at distance and 55's perform better the farther you go out. In my experience polymers are problematic..sometimes they work and sometimes they dont. I have found a Sierra 52hpbt or Sierra 55 Spitzer to be deadly to 500 on coyote. Farther I would give nod to 55 Spitzer. Old style soft point bullets are still the best and I have tried them all. I tried lighter years ago and results were very poor. I've shot hundreds with 55 Sierra Spitzer and 36.5 of 4064 for 3650fps. Not many got away and I've shot a herd of them running, sitting, standing, scratching and every other situation. I would focus on performance vs speed.

 

[DSheetz]

varminthunter , if you would go to the ramblings and such blog and share some of your hunts with us we all would like to hear them . I had some problems with the 55 grn. spire points out of my 22-250's not opening up at closer then 50 yards on animals but then they may have been traveling too fast at that range so they acted like a FMJ. They worked just fine out a little farther and were quite accurate .