Your thoughts on the Tikka 8 twist 22/250 for a light weight deer rifle using hammer 75 to 85? Bullets. Thanks for your inputs all
A 22/250 is an incredible small big game round (deer/lopes). I've been using one since 1978 and have never found it to let me down. 8 twist just adds to your options though you just can't improve on the killing ability of the 55's-63's that I've been using for 45 years.
We've taken small big game to as far as 505 yards (lope, took one step and pitched over). The bullet's we've mainly used are the 60 Horn HP, 55 Horn w/c, and my favorite the 63 Sierra. And back when we could get them the 52/55/60 Nosler Solid Base.
In the last few years we have a string of 49 one shot kills, with only two of the 49 doing anything more than going straight down! Of the two that took a few steps one went 15 yards and one went about 40. These were taken from 35 yds to 400. Behind the front shoulder placements, not CNS.
So, IME you're in a very good place with your 22/250 and if you choose to use some of the heavier bullets they'll do just fine as well. But, IME it's impossible to do any better than you can with the standard CNC bullets. The one diff you'll see when using the harder bullets is that the critters will typically run a way. Still very dead non the less.
We've taken a few elk as well, using the same 55's-63 soft points. Last year I shot a mongo sized cow a bit over 300. She took it low behind the front, bullet went thru the lungs, exited and she took a quick very short dash to Croak City Wyoming. Pretty darn typical.
You're in good hands, so let er buck!
Edited to add, that the numbers of game we've taken with the 22/250 and Swift is well into the triple didgets. They're way under rated....especially those that haven't experienced them. A friend of mine from here in Montana who I feel is far and away the most experienced NA hunter alive used a Sako/Swift for all his work for decades.
