22-250 for Mule Deer???

[HuntingJudge]

Long story short, I have been saving for a smaller deer gun, now have a baby on the way. So gun fund turned into baby fund really quick, 14 years in between kids was not really planned.


I have a 22-250 26’ bull barrel with a 1:12 twist. I am thinking I can get a 50-65 grain bullet to stabilize. My question is would this be a decent bullet gr to hunt mule deer most the time and white tails part time. I have always hunted with the larger calibers 300win, 165-200 gr, but have been having a few issues with the grouping (probably flinching, maybe something else). Now I am not a great shot by any means, not like others that shoot very long distances, but seem to be very decent with the 22-250, playing around out to 600. I am not looking to shoot deer at 600 with this gun but would like to around the 400 mark if needed.

Shot placement is key I understand that but would like to hear if anyone has much experience in shooting deer with the 22-250. I have read many of the forums post about it but this question was not really ever asked, as far as my reading has taken me.

 

[JohnCushman]

It's too small to hunt big game with in Colorado. We have a minimum of a .24 caliber. Mule deer are big bodied and tough as hell, I would say the 22-250 is too small. I've seen them take a 30-06 round to the lungs like a champ and just stand there.

 

[MTLabrador]

A .22-250 with a good bullet is lethal on deer, I killed some fat bodied mule deer bucks with my .22-250 as a kid. 53gr Barnes TSX. Most were pass throughs, never had a deer make it more than a few steps. Not saying it’s a good idea, but I watched my uncle kill a cow elk with the same load in his .22-250.

All heart/lung shots. Broke a few shoulders just fine too.

 

[mtlilguy]

Until I moved out west and picked up a 7 mag, I harvested multiple whitetails with my 22-250. Haven't harvested a mule deer with it yet but I am not opposed to carrying it on a hunt to fill a B tag.

As you stated, shot placement is key. Each whitetail was shot in the neck and they dropped instantly, but I have never attempted a lung shot. Based on my previous experience with whitetails and a 22-250 I will restrict myself to mule deer does and neck shots here in Montana.

 

[AZbywayofWI]

Long story short, I have been saving for a smaller deer gun, now have a baby on the way. So gun fund turned into baby fund really quick, 14 years in between kids was not really planned.


I have a 22-250 26’ bull barrel with a 1:12 twist. I am thinking I can get a 50-65 grain bullet to stabilize. My question is would this be a decent bullet gr to hunt mule deer most the time and white tails part time. I have always hunted with the larger calibers 300win, 165-200 gr, but have been having a few issues with the grouping (probably flinching, maybe something else). Now I am not a great shot by any means, not like others that shoot very long distances, but seem to be very decent with the 22-250, playing around out to 600. I am not looking to shoot deer at 600 with this gun but would like to around the 400 mark if needed.

Shot placement is key I understand that but would like to hear if anyone has much experience in shooting deer with the 22-250. I have read many of the forums post about it but this question was not really ever asked, as far as my reading has taken me.

I have personally never shot a deer with a 22-250, I have always relied on my .270 Savage. A 22-250 is barrel burner, that round comes out hot and fast. It's a proven varmint killer and pile drives coyotes, that being said; I would not ask if you could kill a Mule Deer or a Whitetail with a 22-250 but instead ask if you should. There are a lot of factors that come into play here such as kinetic energy, terminal ballistics, and as you stated shot placement. When I shoot an animal I want to make sure that the round I use is going to do the job, that it is backed by adequate energy at impact and that the terminal ballistics (the amount of disruption to tissues, organs, and other vitals) is adequate enough that it will kill that animal with out causing a lot of suffering. Now there are bigger caliber weapons out there that can cause unnecessary suffering with poor shot placement, I won't argue that; but taking a shot at 400 yards with a 22-250 on a 180 lb. deer.....I don't know if I would take that shot. Check out Vortex Long Range Ballistics Calculator and punch in the ballistics of a 22-250, might be interesting to see the kinetic energy at 400 yards. I would also look into what a 22-250 round does upon impact; does it fragment, what the expansion is like and so on and so forth. I think this will give you the information to make your call on using a 22-250 for deer. Good Luck!

 

[Hunting Wife]

Having been along on a fiasco of a hunt and seeing a big bodied muley buck leaving 3” bone shards along his blood trail after being hit twice with a 30-06, I sure don’t think a .22-250 would be my choice. Yes, shot placement and all of that, but those things can be really tough.

 

[MTLabrador]

does it fragment

Not with the right bullet. One I recovered from a mule deer.

 

[Fullquiver]

I've used my 223 to kill double digits of whitetails. Some larger deer to boot. (As far as whitetails). It does a good job , However I am a guy who knows my limitations.. I keep my shots close and am very picky about shot selection as well as using premium construction bullets.. Bonded bullets only.. I try to take lung shots however I'll take a neck/shoulder junction shot if really close..

Your 22-250 is miles ahead in the power dept.. With quality constructed bullets I have no question about it's ability to get the job done..

 

[AZbywayofWI]

Not with the right bullet. One I recovered from a mule deer.

View attachment 141772

Nice expansion. I guess it comes down to a matter of ethics and confidence then.

 

[MTLabrador]

Nice expansion. I guess it comes down to a matter of ethics and confidence then.

Never shot one past about 250, but they were all heart/lung shots and I broke shoulders on at least two. Never had a deer go more than a few steps.

 

[2rocky]

Wouldn't be my first choice. However it can be done. If I was looking at a 25 caliber or less I'd consider .243 and .257 Roberts

This is interesting reading: https://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

 

[AZbywayofWI]

Never shot one past about 250, but they were all heart/lung shots and I broke shoulders on at least two. Never had a deer go more than a few steps.

250...maybe, but 400 yards on a mature big bodied muley; I wouldn't put my eggs in the 22-250 basket on that type of shot.

 

[MTLabrador]

250...maybe, but 400 yards on a mature big bodied muley; I wouldn't put my eggs in the 22-250 basket on that type of shot.

I wouldn’t either, that’s why I never shot one at 400.

 

[JLS]

It's more of a question for each person to answer. It absolutely will kill a mature mule deer, no problem. Just understand the limitations that come with it, and if that jives with what you're willing to work with, fire away.

If all I had to hunt deer with was a 22-250 and a pile of TSX rounds, I guarantee you I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep over it.

 

[homers]

I wouldn't use a 22-250 on deer.

 

[Valley1320]

I have a buddy that has shot numerous mature mule deer bucks with his 22-250 I shot each one. I also have a 223 that has killed numerous mule deer with one shot, only deer it didn't kill with one shot was one my little brother shot 3 times cuz he had major buck fever. It's all about having a good load and shot placement. All these deer were killed at 80 to 270 yards out. I work in a butcher shop and see guys use way to much gun on deer all the time and waste tons of meat. But I'm also not saying a guy should go as small as a 223 or 22-250. And I definitely would not recommend a beginner hunter to use either of those for deer.

 

[Dougfirtree]

One thing I can say: if I were going to do it, I'd be using a mono bullet.

 

[00BUCK]

I have been shooting my 22-250 at hogs for a while. Obviously bullet choice is extremely important. I shoot solids mostly to help with penetration. However, I will not shoot this caliber at deer. I have wounded animals in the past and its a terrible feeling. The chances of that would increase dramatically with this caliber. Plus you never know when a giant will step out. I wouldn't want to shoot this at a giant.

If you prefer light recoil I like the 6.5 creedmore and 7 mm -08.

Also, the rumors about it being a barrel burner are only relevant for guys shooting thousands of rounds. 99 percent will have no issues.

 

[Sask hunter]

Do you have a 300 mag. 165’s out of a 300 mag are like a laser and flatten deer

 

[3855WIN]

Son shot a whitetail doe with his .223 years ago. There was a planted pine thicket that the deer ran into. I found a couple of specks of blood. We came back the next morning and found her 100 yards back in the pines. Killing was no problem, but not much blood hit the ground. Similar deal on another boys deer at our camp. No blood but he acted hit. I went back the next day and found it in a pine thicket.
You’ll be fine if the cover isn’t heavy.