22-250 any use beside paper punching?

22lr

22lr

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Like title says. I know it can be used for varmint control. But what about edible things? Can it do enough damage to medium game? Or can it drop small game without vaporizing it first? I heard one guy recommending this caliber to another guy and I thought "WTF" but didn't want to step in with my opinion because I have no first hand knowledge. So, what is it good for? Just so I know and next time can BS with some authority :)
 
Depends on where you are. I know here in Sask. a .243 is the smallest we can hunt deer with.

I'm sure a soft point would do to much damage to a rabbit to have anything left to eat.
 
I have shot Coyotes, foxes, crows and bunnies with mine, oh yeah and teh odd squirrel (poof!). It all depends on where you shoot them. Bunnies are head shots only.
I know in NB they are commonly used for deer, I would never reccomend it but after speaking with someone from Sierra bullets, I will no longer argue against it either (with the right bullet) Problem is alot of people just go buy 22-250 ammo and pay no mind to what they are feeding it. 90% of the factory ammo out there is strictly varmint.
 
A fast twist .22-250 launching heavy bullets would probably do okay with smallish deer and feral hogs. It is actually legal to use a .22 centrefire for caribou in Labrador.
 
a 22-250 loaded with a 53 gr Barnes tsx would be sufficient for average size deer and bear inside 250 yards given good shot placement
 
I agree with Red Foreman in that it would work pretty well on pronghorn here in Alberta given good shot placement, but we're limited to 6mm and up for big game. I know the .250 Savage has a great reputation for big game, and the .22-250 just fires a smaller bullet, so as long as you use a proper bullet you should be fine.
 
The .22-250 is a common rifle here for use on caribou, as it is across the arctic, and a guy I know killed a moose with his last year. I don't approve of the use of small bores on big game, but he doesn't care, and you can't argue with a guy who has meat in his freezer.
 
My grampa stills swear by the 22-250 as a deer rifle. He sold it upon moving to Alberta from BC due to the minimum cal requirements.
 
.22 250 is a no go in Alberta for big game, but is probably the #1 calibre for coyotes (if you ask any rancher or farmer). Flat and fast at long distances. I would not see why someone would pick it for deer (if they legally could), although it would probably do the job just fine (a game warden told me they see plently of deer poached with .22 lr and .22 mag, so I would suspect a 55 grain bullet hurtling at ultra high velocity would do the job, if your not looking to preserve your venison). - .243 would be a wiser choice if you own one.
 
I have seen a deer killed with a 22-250 and a fairly lightly constructed bullet . When shot at range it travelled about 80 yds and laid down. Not uncommon with any caliber. The finishing shot at about 50 yards just blew up on the ribs.
Not my kind of performance.


I also know of deer shot with a .17 Rem but that was a shot aimed and delivered to the axis joint of the spine.

My Grampa shot one of the last original moose in the Moose Mts area of Sask with a 25-20 . It was in the 1930's and meat was meat. Not a hunting situation by any stretch.
 
I know one outfitter who took his own mt. goat with it
and my boy used his for guiding (after he broke his 30-06).
had to shoot a moose after a yank wounded it (running, approx 200 yards),
moose down.
not our first choice, but:
the best gun to have ist he one you have when you need one.
 
With the development of premium bullets such as Barnes triple shocks in .22 cal weights a 22-250 can take deer, antelope, coyotes, small bears ect....
I have never shot anything but coyotes and gophers ( they die fassst) but have been reading a number of people having success with .223's on deer sized critters and 22-250 would only have better performance.
I would bet money that 90% of guys dissing the smaller 22 cals due to ethics ect.. have never shot large game with em and the guys that have, don't usually have anything negative to say about em.

Cheers!!
 
Old controversal topic but usually debated by those who've never seen or done it.Heard a story of a guy who .................yaddda yaddda yadddda.I have seen deer dropped with .222,.223 and .220 Swift and they went nowhere but down.If you can hit gophers ,surely you can hit a basketball size lung area at the same range.Handloader magazine ran an artical on this and had no problem with deer using good bullets.The older Hornady 55gr with canalure were fine[I've used these] and the various Barnes X bullets.With the smaller .222/.223 keep the distance under 200 yards.The Inuit have been dumping walrus,seals,caribou and even polar bear with the little .22 Hornet/.222 since they first came out.............Harold * maybe not for everybody but the experienced
 
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