22-250 for deer?

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magna19

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Rather see a hunter shoot a smaller cartridge accurately than a hunter flinching because of the recoil from a bigger cartridge.
Yep happens all the time. The 22 centerfire is great to start out shooting. But a good deer cartridge and a capable deer cartridge are two different things.
 

Hirschkopf

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All (4) of my deer were shot with a 6.5 MB. I put together a Ruger American Ranch in 5.56 for my youngest son (13) to use. He has an any antlered deer (Coues or Mule) for a November youth hunt on Fort Huachuca, AZ. Planning on using Winchester Deer Season XP, .223 Rem, 64gr, 3020 FPS. Hope to be able to report that it worked. Finding those rascals is the hard part.
 

TaterTot62

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I have a friend that has a 22-250 and swears it’s the best deer rifle he ever shot, I’m not sure what or if he has ever hunted with anything else but was wondering what say the hunters of OSA
I think it’s too small. You could end up losing your deer because there’s, IMO, not enough kinetic energy to really drop them and they could run a mile before dropping and you won’t find it. It would be all about distance and shot placement. Kind of like shooting with AR 5.56, just too much chance of wounding and never finding it. IMO 243 is the smallest I’ll hunt with and I don’t use it if I’m going after a buck. It’s just more of an ethical decision for me and for the animal. You can kill a deer with a 22 LR if you can put it right through the ear into the brain. The issue is that it’s unethical and illegal mostly for that reason. One shot, one quick kill. The larger calibers carry such kinetic energy they produce shock waves on impact that stop the animal from running far, most of the time. Still need good shot placement. I’m going to the 6.5 Creedmoor this year but if it doesn’t deliver that ‘Impact’, I’ll go back to 270. If I’m after a trophy I’m using my 300 shortmag. I’m not losing a trophy I’m after with ammo too small to get the job done right.
 

TaterTot62

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Only reason would be less recoil imo.
Sometimes you have to say ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 270 and 270 wsm are perfect for deer and elk, unless you’re shooting way, way, way out there but ‘Most’ shots are less than 200 yds in Oklahoma . I said most, so no neg responses from any of you long distance killers out there please.
 

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