Smallest caliber for Montana Mule Deer Rifle
- Thread starter nksmfamjp
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First, you claim that anyone suggesting anything less than 6.5 at 3000 fps muzzle velocity shouldn't be giving advice, now you say that anyone recommending a .22 caliber chambering is crazy.
Exactly what credentials are required, in your opinion, to be making statements like that? I have said it before and I will say it again, if you formed your opinion on which chamberings to use prior to the year 2000, it may be time to go back, do some research, and rethink your position. A lot of things have changed in rifle manufacturing, bullet manufacturing, cartridge design, scope design, and learning opportunities and sources since then that have pretty much changed the game when it comes to what will kill thin-skinned game.
I just ran a calculation using the same app. Criteria was a 22-250, launching a Hornady ELD-M 80 grain bullet at 3000 fps, which, according to Hodgdon's reloading manual is very doable.
The numbers that I got were that the bullet was traveling at over 1900 fps at 600 yards, which is more than enough to cause significant upset of that bullet. For thin-skinned game, that is sufficient to kill.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
You are saying pretty much the same thing they said when they brought out the 22 Swift all those years back. It didn't work well then, and it's still a small bullet for a big deer now.
Are you still in SC, or not? The deer down there are a good bit smaller than a Montana or Dakota mule deer. It's not the same ball game and not fair to the game to even go there.
I know a guy that used to run a 22-250 on mule deer; he quit after a number of stung deer that needed help to bring down. He went 25-06. He's not a 600 yard shooter either. More of a 200-300 shooter.
When they brought out the 22 Swift it was with 1-12 or 1-14 twist barrels and designed for 55-60 grain bullets based on the leade and freebore dimensions. Of course it didn't work well for larger animals.
Compare that with the .22 Creedmoor, or newer 22-250 or 22-250AI designs which are chambered in 1-7 or 1.7.5 twist barrels with longer freebore designed for heavier bullets in the 70-90 grain range. Now you have something that can kill thin-skinned game effectively with less recoil, so that the shooter can shoot better. All that equates to a more effective total system.
As for me being in SC, yes, I live here, but I hunt all over the country, predominately in WV, OH, TX, NM, CO, and WY, with occasional trips to MO, MT, and various Canadian provinces. I grew up hunting in MN and have also hunted in FL, NY, CT, GA, MS, AL, TN, KY, IA, KS, and OR.
Lefty7mmstw
Well-Known Member
It's still an 80 grain'ish bullet with a small nose profile. I'm done talking with you about this nonsense. I feel like I'm talking to the old drunk at the gun shop claiming to have brought down a plane with a 22 rimfire.
340 in Va
Well-Known Member
I see you live in Co.,22 cal is not legal for any big game and 243 has to have 70 gr for deer and 85 for elk. In Va we are not allowed to use 22 cal for big game. Our family has killed a lot of whitetails with 243.LMAO.......Okay. However, I don't use to many tree stands here in the West.
Should I "resurrect" all those dead game animals I should not have killed with 22's, 6mm's and 25's? And what about a couple of friends who have been killing "elk" for decades with 243's??
300sendero
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That is exactly what I meant by my post. Use a bigger gun to shoot a mule deer in Montana. Leave your 22 creemdmore Sherman improved with hammer bullets on the east coast if you want to be up with the times. You are shooting a bigger animal with a big desire to live. The margin of error for an ethical kill and ethical retrieval of the animal is way to small with that small of diameter bullet and with little mass to carry energy. He said to 600 yards. Not out of a tree stand watching a food plot that you drive your side by side to after you shoot it. A deer running a couple hundred yards means the difference of a few minutes to pack it out or taking days. Spend 5 minutes reading this forum and the take home message will be the larger diameter the bullet the better it makes ethical kills. Common sense is the only credentials anyone needs to not recommend a 22 caliber ANYTHING for 600 yards shots on mule deer. There are better tools than there were in the 1900s but a 22 caliber is still a 22 caliber and an 80 grain bullet is still an 80 grain bullet. Higher bc and better construction still doesn’t change that it’s not enough to make ethical shots at distance.
6.5x300 WBY
Well-Known Member
There is quite an interesting read on Rockslide about 22's. No dog in this fight but it's very interesting.
Watch out now, 300 Sendero.
I’ve never known Mr Rich Sherman to offer anything .224
His fantastic list of performers from .244 and up will take care of business, though.
I’ve never known Mr Rich Sherman to offer anything .224
His fantastic list of performers from .244 and up will take care of business, though.
waspocrew
Well-Known Member
So now a 6mm is questionable for mule deer? Piles of deer have been killed with the lowly 243 Win, 6 Creed, 6 XC, 6mm Rem, etc. I shot a buck a couple of years back with my 1:8 twist 22-250 AI with an 88 gr ELDM going 3150. Distance was 315 yards. He was down in seconds.
I shot a doe antelope last fall with my 22 Creed (again 88 gr ELDM) at 430 yards last year. She didn’t care for the combo either and expired quickly.
Shoot was you feel is necessary, but don’t knock others if they don’t share the same view point.
I shot a doe antelope last fall with my 22 Creed (again 88 gr ELDM) at 430 yards last year. She didn’t care for the combo either and expired quickly.
Shoot was you feel is necessary, but don’t knock others if they don’t share the same view point.
300sendero
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600 yards on mule deer!!
