22-250 for Mule Deer???

[buffybr]

Know your personal limitations and the limitations of your rifle. Work within both of those parameters and everything is hunky dory. Push the envelope on either and that's when things go south.

^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^
Years ago at one of our Gun Club's annual picnics, a friend and I were shooting the 400 yard steel ram silhouette targets with our .22-250s. We could hear our bullets hit the steel, but they didn't have enough energy at that range to knock the targets over.

Another time I had a piece of 3/8" cold rolled steel and I was curious what my .22-250 would do to it. So I hung it on a block of wood in my back yard about 20 yards from my house, and sitting next to my house, I shot the steel plate with a 52 grain hollow point. The bullet put a hole completely through the steel that was big enough that I could almost put my little finger through it. A couple of days later I learned why they say NOT to shoot steel at close range. The copper jacket of that bullet had ricocheted straight back and was lodged in the siding of my house very near to where I was sitting when I shot the steel plate.

 

[HuntingJudge]

Thank you everyone for all of your reply's. A bunch of information to mull over. Have a great week!

 

[DaveAZ]

I have his slings on all my rifles. Can’t beat them.

MTLabrador,
What sling were you talking about? I'm getting ready to purchase a Metcalf backpack and have looked at MR's quick-release sling but have read a lot of bad reviews. Do you use the Gun Bearer quick-release rifle sling?
Thanks

 

[MTLabrador]

MTLabrador,
What sling were you talking about? I'm getting ready to purchase a Metcalf backpack and have looked at MR's quick-release sling but have read a lot of bad reviews. Do you use the Gun Bearer quick-release rifle sling?
Thanks

The Montana sling, it’s a really nice quick adjust leather sling, so I can suck it in tight to the rifle if it gets strapped to my pack, put in a saddle scabbard, etc. I used the Kifaru gunbearer when I used a Mystery Ranch and I use the Stone Glacier quick release sling now. Both work very well, I just like having a sling on the rifle as well.

Montana Gun Slings | Hunter Rifle Custom Slings

The original Montana Sling™ that was hand crafted back in 1990, is still attached to the rifle Pat hunts with most and has passed with flying colors on successful big game hunts in Montana, Alaska and the Northwest Territories, Idaho, Wyoming, and just about every other state in the west.

montanagunslings.com

You can get them from Cabela’s, Brownells, etc.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I know a guy who killed a 550 pound black bear with a 22-250.

Not an ideal caliber for big game but it did kill a 550 pound black bear very dead.

 

[Cogreeny]

I don't have a ton of experience with shooting a 22-250 at big-game but have shot several deer, pronghorn, and hogs with one.

The one thing I did notice is that the 60 grain partitions didn't shoot well, undoubtedly due to barrel twist. Best I could get the partitions to shoot at 100 yards was about 1.5 inches...with 55 grain ballistic tips, probably .3 or so.

But, it was good enough to shoot 130-140 yards when I tried them on my friends place in Texas. One morning I shot 3 fallow deer and 2 hogs with a 22-250 and those 60 grain partitions, all behind the shoulder, all one shot kills, all bullets passed through broadside. Exits were quarter to 50 cent piece sized. Seemed to work as well as any other rifle. Flattened the hogs, all 3 deer ran maybe 40-50 yards and blood trails were solid.

The mule deer and pronghorn I shot were a bit different, still worked fine, but I wasn't shooting the best bullets for the job...55 grain BT's.

I think a quick twist 1-8 and nosler partitions would be pretty effective on deer and pronghorn. I have other rifles to shoot deer and pronghorn with and couldn't get the accuracy I expected with my current set up and the 60 grain partition, so dropped the 22-250 off the big game line-up.

1-8” twist be way to fast for 22-250 velocities barrel life would be diminished in my opinion. I have an hs precision with a 1-12” that stabilizes the 60 partition and 65 game kings. Great accuracy with the game king.

 

[mtmuley]

1-8” twist be way to fast for 22-250 velocities barrel life would be diminished in my opinion.

How does barrel twist diminish barrel life? mtmuley

 

[Cogreeny]

How does barrel twist diminish barrel life? mtmuley

More pressure with a faster twist all things being equal...more pressure equals more heat.

 

[mtmuley]

More pressure with a faster twist all things being equal...more pressure equals more heat.

I don't think so. I know some folks. I'll ask them. mtmuley

 

[Cogreeny]

I don't think so. I know some folks. I'll ask them. mtmuley

The barrel maker in town here that makes barrels for Olympic shooters among other folks studied under boots obermeyer says that’s a fact pard.

 

[Cogreeny]

Mark Chanlyyn Rocky Mountain rifle works if you want to ask him

 

[mtmuley]

The barrel maker in town here that makes barrels for Olympic shooters among other folks studied under boots obermeyer says that’s a fact pard.

Not your pard, but I'll look into it. Thanks. mtmuley

 

[Cogreeny]

Not your pard, but I'll look into it. Thanks. mtmuley

Bit crabby eh? It’s just a few guys opinions not the end of the world if we disagree.

 

[mtmuley]

Bit crabby eh? It’s just a few guys opinions not the end of the world if we disagree.

Not crabby. Just not sure I believe the premise. mtmuley

 

[Cogreeny]

Not crabby. Just not sure I believe the premise. mtmuley

I respect that. Let me know what you come up with.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I buy the premise, I just don’t think it matters much at all compared to other things. I could see short range benchresters being into it, but beyond that it’s hard to imagine. If you don’t want to burn barrels shoot a light bullet slow; not really a traditional recipe for a hunting rifle.

 

[Clam]

Yes, the premise that a faster twist barrel will wear out faster than a slower twist, due to heat, doesn’t make any sense, and sounds like gun store counter b.s.

With heavier and longer Bullets you will need the faster twist to get the bullet to stabilize. Hunting deer, you will likely want to use a longer and heavier offering.

my gopher/prairie dog rifle pounds through thousands of rounds annually, usually generating enough heat it has to sit and cool. 1:7 twist. The throat shows a little wear, and if anything “wears out” anytime soon, it will be the throat. Accuracy is still great. I expect 7000 or so before I have it set back.

You can’t over stabilize a bullet. I shoot 40 grainers through the .221 fireball above (7tw). some lower quality bullets can, and will come apart mid flight, if you push them hard enough, I’ve done it, and had to back off the charge a little. And yes, the terminal performance on vermin is spactacular!

btw, wearing out barrels is a good thing.

 

[Vanishe187]

Im in the boat with other that say its a good deer round. I have taken many mule deer here in nm with that and 223. Lucky i never lost one. That being said i have several family members that have lost deer with 300 win mags. Hunting always comes down to shot placement. People have taken game for many years before black powder with sticks and sharpened stones. Whatever gun makes you confident and most accurate, is the best gun. If that means taking a 22-250 for less flinch over a 300 win, then thats the best gun. Bullet technology and propellants have come a long way. As long as you shoot a good hunting round, you will be successful.

 

[mtmuley]

I respect that. Let me know what you come up with.

All I can find so far is a barrel loses up to 5 fps per inch of a faster twist. No talk of higher pressures or more heat. mtmuley

 

[Cogreeny]

Well I guess I’ll be happy shooting my 1-12” and the other guy happy with an 1-8.