22-250 for Whitetail Deer

[Shawn.54]

This past hunting season my 14 year old son wanted to use his 22-250 for deer. Not wanting to use cup and core I searched the net and found GS Custom.
After reading their website I sent them a email giving the make and model and asked for their opinion on which bullet they recommend.
They got back to me and said that the 224040HV was most compatible with the rifle twist and that was more than capable of taking whitetail deer.
A little hesitant of a 40gr bullet I then called GS Custom told them what I wanted and they recommend the 40gr and said I would not be disappointed. Following their reloading recommendations I seated the bullets just deep enough to function in the mag then worked up to recommend speed adjusted for barrel length which put speed around 4175fps. Then shot for group first group was about 12" higher than factory 50gr so had to adjust after that it was all sub moa so l didn't adjust seating die. The first deer he shot was 172 yards away on an angle at the shot it jumped and took off. We were in open field so I followed the deer in my scope to make sure it went down.
It went less than 50 yards stopped went all shaky legs fell over and did the dead cockroach legs in the air and it was over.
Took it to the skinning shed whole did not field dress I wanted to have a look at the damage and hopefully find the bullet. To my surprise the bullet was a pass through found exit hole when we pulled hide off.
The bullet went in just behind front shoulder and came out in front of hind leg on opposite side.
Inside I found that the bullet had hit 1 lung passed into stomach and intestines making a almost 2" hole in the lung tapering to about 3/4" at rear and about 1/2" hole in the hide.
On the entry it broke 2 ribs one completely the other had a big chip out of it.
The photo shows path of the bullet if you look we have a metal rod run through the bullet path holding a tape measure along path it is almost 22" from entrance to exit without hide that was really impressive to me.
Sorry this was so long but I wanted to give as much information as possible.
If anyone has any experience with this cartridge/bullet let me hear their results. He did take a second deer broadside at about 220 yards shot was a little further back than I like but stayed in chest cavity passed through with a 1 1/2" hole. Went 20 yards and piled up. Two deer is not a complete test. But so far I'm liking the results.
Shawn

 

[Rob404]

Never thought of a 22-250 as a Deer Round, but a well placed round with velocity trumps size and weight

 

[MarkCZ]

I used to have a 22.250 and loved it. I took many Roe with it without a problem. I think it is a great calibre. On one occasion I shot a roe doe broadside through the shoulder, the bullet passed clean through braking both shoulders. Happy hunting .
MarkCZ

 

[Shawn.54]

I didn't know what to think myself but he likes the rifle so we gave it a try I was backing him up with a 375 Ruger so I guess it averages out at about.30-06.
Letting him shoot first did not let me test my rifle but I have taken a few deer and he's just getting started so it's all good.
Shawn

 

[Velo Dog]

Hi Shawn54,

You are wise to select a premium, extra sturdy bullet for using a "varmint caliber" for larger animals than the cartridge was intended for.

Back in the 1970s, before I escaped from Soviet California, a local Game Warden and myself were culling feral house cats from one of the wildlife refuges.
I was using a .220 Swift, with vintage 10x Leupold, and 52 grain so called "match" bullets, either Speer or Sierra, I have forgotten which.
This was before I finally concluded that, "match grade" bullets are often not as accurate as regular Sierra flat base spitzer hunting bullets and Hornady flat based spire point, (as well as Hornady round nose) hunting bullets typically are.

Anyway, we encountered two feral boar hogs fighting loudly in the bottom of a deep ditch, over-grown with very thick reeds.
The warden instructed me to shoot any piggy that might show itself, and he would do the same, (as hogs were yet another invasive specie to the refuge).
One boar suddenly fled from his opponent, running fast away in bottom of the ditch and, all we could see were the reeds shaking as he bolted from the scene (presumably because he lost the fight).
Just as suddenly, the other one then trotted up the muddy bank and into the open, only a few yards away from my location, and stopped, broadside to me.
Not being familiar with hog anatomy yet, I shot him too high for the lungs and instead hit the spine.
He went down hard but was flailing about violently, like a halibut on the deck of a boat and screeching like the Banshee so, I brained him with a shot from my revolver (should have done that in the first place).

My little rifle bullet had broken the spine but went no further.
I recovered the bottom portion of the jacket (looked like a very miniaturized coin with jagged edges) and a tiny smear of the lead core, stuck pretty much in the center of what used to be the tail of the jacket.
Extra tough bullets for .224 diameter, to my knowledge were not yet available.
At least I had not seen any of them for small bores, at that point in history.

These days, gray hair, wrinkles and all, my notion of cartridges for the taking of game animals such as deer and similar ones, begins somewhere around the .250 Savage / 117 to 120 grain ballistics.
And my opinion only gets better as I go up the scale including calibers like the 6.5x55 / 140 to 160 grain, through about .30-06 / 150 to 165 grain ballistics.
I suppose that is due to my generational experiences (before the wheel was invented experiences).

However again, I applaud you for loading a very tough bullet for deer, in your son's .22-250 rifle.
According to your photo, that tiny 40 gr projectile went through his animal like a sword.

I wish more hunters who for some reason, are enamored with using super fast, small caliber rifles on larger animals, would put more thought into which bullet to use.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

PS:
Your are quite obviously an excellent father and I salute you for it.

 

[Shawn.54]

Both of my boys started going with me or pap at 5 both shot deer at 8 oldest is 19 younger 14 they have both taken deer with rifle bow and flintlock.
I have more fun watching kids hunt than shooting my self but I did want to try the 375 Ruger and 200 HVs.
This year I had my younger son and two other jr hunters take deer with me and I would not trade this season for anything.
I would not have let him try this without GS Custom or Barns bullets after seeing results I have gotten so far I think it will be ok.
He has a 30-06 that my dad gave him but it has a muzzle break and it is way to noisy. And he hates to wear earplugs in the woods.
I won't trust these bullets until I see him hit a shoulder blade and see how well it pennatrates after that so till then he will have to put up with me backing him up.
They started calling me Shawn the deerless but I can live with that.

 

[Nyati]

This past year, I took Reedbuck, Lechwe, Tsessebe and a large Warthog with a 22.250. Remington PSP 55 gr.

All went down with one shot, it´s all about placement.

 

[enysse]

It's all about shot placement and having a bullet that will create a path of destruction. The shock of the bullet to surrounding tissue is very devastating. The loss of blood pressure causes death quickly.

 

[Ray B]

While rifles of less than .243" are not legal in several western states- based on the smaller calibers performance record, bullets have been readily available for the last several years that make this law obsolete. .224" bullets are no longer strictly varmint bullets. Various bonded core, partition and solid-expanding bullets are available and make the various .224" rifles entirely suited for deer sized game.

 

[Wheels]

I have taken a handful of south Texas whitetail with a 22-250. These are small body deer. I don't remember the ammo as this was around 40 years ago. What I do remember is that the thoracic cavity was completely jelled on most of them. None went 50 yards if that and most were drt. A couple were pass throughs you could put your fist into.

40gr isn't much, 4,000fps is a lot. Combine the two.......

 

[Shawn.54]

I did not consider ether of these shots placed in the best area firs was at more of an angle Than I thought and only hit 1 lung the other was back two far hit both lungs but 3-4 inches to the front would have been better.
1 thing I noticed was the lack of the massive shock wave of larger caliber.
Shawn
A
Local farmer has a couple crop damage tags so after flintlock season is over we may do some more testing.

 

[Shawn.54]

Well another deer season has come and gone and the 22-250 has done well.
Two of them the little 40gr went through 1 shoulder then on to parts unknown the third went through both shoulders and a rib and a complete pass through again. I have decided that this bullet will be fine for deer sized game.
Shawn

 

[BWH]

I’ve shot quite a few doe with that gun.... in 55gr TTSX. Not much room for error. Placement is right, it’ll do the trick.

 

[Shawn.54]

I would have to say that all these shots were good but only one or two were perfect broadside most were on a angle and it performed well. I have even skipped field dressing in the woods in hopes of finding a bullet but in every case I found the exit hole instead.
Shawn

 

[dwboso]

Pretty Damn Sad...I can kill a deer w a 22 rimfire,but It'll never be a deer round!!! If anyone is unable to handle a reasonable size round for whatever game is involved,then maybe they need to get a little bigger/older JMO

 

[Nyati]

Pretty Damn Sad...I can kill a deer w a 22 rimfire,but It'll never be a deer round!!! If anyone is unable to handle a reasonable size round for whatever game is involved,then maybe they need to get a little bigger/older JMO

We can put it another way,

If you can´t shoot properly, use at least a .300WM for deer.

 

[dwboso]

I can shoot as well as anyone on this blog.....but ANYONE who hunts much,and claims EVERY shot they made in their life was perfect,is a damn liar

 

[dwboso]

Sorry if I hurt anyones feelings,but I stand on every word I've written.Too many variables in the game field to expect perfection,and thats what it take w varmint cartridges on big game.It's nothing but an Ego trip,and the Hunting Community doesn't need that..........Like I said JMO

 

[dwboso]

Sorry if I hurt anyones feelings,but I stand on every word.Using varmint cartridges for big game is an Ego trip,and the hunting community is better served w-out that No one,and I mean NO ONE , has made EVERY shot in their life prefectly,and anyone who shoots much,and is honest, will admit it.Too many variables in the game fields to COUNT on perfection,and that's what you HAVE to have w varmint cartriges on big game. The boy was lucky to have recovered the gut-shot,and if he keeps fooling w his groundhog gun on deer,it's just a matter of time till he loses one that he should have killed.....Like I said.JMO

 

[MS Hitman]

Opinions, everyone has one and they all smell bad.

True, margin of error goes out the window with the smaller calibers, and bullet weights. I've killed a bunch of hogs with a .22-250, just can't be messy with it. I agree this doesn't make it a big game round.

I've killed deer with many different rounds just to see what they were capable of doing, stuff that seems to blow people's minds.