Ok not looking to start a argument but I was just speaking with a guy about this round and why most ranchers will not let this round or a 243 or 25-06 on there ranches.He told me I was crazy and I just wanted to hear what other people thought ? I know when I ran hunts for over 16 years when I had guys bring these rounds we usually lost a deer with them so we stopped letting them on the ranch. Now I know it depends on the shooter and all but when you look at the round what do you think it was made for ? Varmit or Deer ? I want to know what everyone thinks ? A good shooter can take a deer with a pellet gun but he may go about 3 miles or so. Hope everyone understands ? Please opinions from all.

Ok I'll bite. It is my opinion that the round was developed to become the ultimate predator round. Can it kill deer? Without a doubt. I've seen it done with ease. When you are shooting a very fast, light grain bullet, shot placement is essential to a quick clean kill. If you are going to use this to take whitetail deer be sure you are using a good quality bullet that will retain enough of it original weight to ensure a quick kill. This is just my opinion.

This subject comes up every week. I haven't met a rancher yet that wouldn't allow a gun. Never heard one ask. And yes ive hunted some nice ranches.

I would want the hunter to use whatever is most comfortable. A bigger gun doesnt mean much.

Again broken record statement. Its about shot placement.
It was my main gun for years and I used 55 gr vmax varmint bullets. Don't knock it till you try it

I may be new to hunting BUT The 3 deer I have shot so far has been with a .243. Granted I have not taken any thing real big (200# or more) but the 1st ran about 40 yards and the other 2 DRT all 3 had more than half of the heart removed. It have worked for me But this is just IMO

It doesn't matter what you shoot its how you shoot it. now that said with a super high velocity round and a light solid bullet over penetration can be an issue, but whenever i have shot things with small round the round tends to stay inside or fracture into a million pieces.

Bought first 250 in 63, upgraded from 222 and 222 mag used for few years. Then figured out reduced speed/63 gr benchrest hornady made it a better killer of larger than coyote sized animals than 55s avaliable, Slowin it down = better penetration/less fragmentation similar to 223. Thats after hundreds of coyotes an haskel hogs and party hunts on deer. ,

Any guides or ranches opinions ? I know that a bigger gun might not mean much but if you think about a 55gr vs a 130 gr and up at EF-lbs that is where I think the difference is and not so much in FPS. I have seen deer shot with all rounds over the years being in the hunting business and we lost some with different calibers but very few with the larger ones. Now some ran some did not. We all know shot placement is key. In fact I ask my guys not to take anymore shots behind the shoulder and put it through the shoulders cause they cannot run off on two legs and the kill % and tracking was better. Deer ran less or none after this and it changed the minds of alot of my hunters where to shot the animal. Now in the opening statement I ask if you thought the load 22-250 was a round made for varmits or deer. We all know it can kill a deer again so will a pellet gun. Lets see some more honest opinions on which it is really used for the most and why ? Thanks for all the opinions keep them coming ?

Varmint round.

On varmits pure screamin death at any distance. #1 go to for hawks/crows way back. For deer then just to hot. Have had explosive skin hits on shoulder thru hundred an fifty various loads. , 1-1/2 deep 3-4 inches in dia. Only caliber ive seen that rivets a dime to paper target with out blow thru.

I think just as many or more, deer are wounded with a Bow & Arrow!

I'd have to see it to believe it.

a buddy of mine had a bunch of axis milling around his yard in bulverde, they would eat his plants.

he pumped up his benjamin .22 caliber pellet rifle and gave it to a doe in the ribs at around 40 yards.

deer stood still, and then started coughing up blood. it layed down and never got up.


probably 1 in a million chance but i did happen

More wounded with modern bows an heads. Probaly as easy as they are for just about anyone to pick up an try. Ol stick an recurve had to be used more to get strength to be fair with them. Hell of difference in todays shooters, vs old. New stuff with good hit is death same as always.. Wounded and slow death/injury comes from misplaced hit with anything arrow to 458.

This was my boys (9yrs old) 1st deer. It was shot this season with a 22-250 55gr soft point at 62yrds. We practiced a lot. He double lunged him and it broke the opposite side shoulder. Ran about 60yrd before piling up. The blood trail was like someone was pouring it out of a milk jug. I have no problem with the 22-250 if you have the right shooter.

a few ranches don't want folks coming in to use them because there is a certain amount of uncertainty about the skills of some who may be carring them. (Not saying if you own one you can't shoot worth a flip....) One place I got to hunt on over the years brought in vendors to hunt a section of their place and there is a written letter sent out stating the rules and regs prior to getting there and one of them used to be centerfire rifles no less than .25 caliber, since then, they've upped it to .270.

What I don't get is why would you limit yourself to a .223 or .22-250 with all of the other caliber selections available.

Let's say that buck of lifetime strolls out into your sendero at 314 yards. And there you are with a .22 cal rifle, heavy, thorny brush all around.

The question is not whether a .22 cal. rifle will kill the deer. That is almost certain. The question will be when and where and will you be able to recover it? Is it worth the gamble?

If I get the shot at a 160 class buck I can promise you that I won't be taking it with a .22 caliber anything.

Theres restrictions for everthing,I dont drive the tractor down freeway either. The bigger stuff is difficult for smaller kids to handle, And the class deer your talking arent everday things here. Except behind the house thats where stick comes in.

I have a 22-250 that I love. It is not my main deer rifle. I use a 30.06 most of the time. But I have killed several deer with the 22-250 over the years.Shot placement is the key.

There is not a white tail deer in texas that i would be afraid to shoot with a 22-250. Put it in the heart and you have a dead deer. I take a 250 out when we are killing doe and spikes (pop en in the ear, or between the eyes). Very accurate round, causes mass trauma to the organs.

I use many other rounds along with the 22-250, .270, .284, 300rum. I have not lost an deer, or even had one run more than with any of the other rounds listed above.

I have hunters wound with ..223, .270,.243,.30-06, 7mm rem mag, and 300 win mag.

It's not so much about the caliber as it is the shooters ability and experience knowing your limits.

My daughter hit her deer this year a little far back, got both lungs and piled up 25 yards away. It scored 142 and 2/8". I've shot probably 20 deer with this round and never lost one. I shoot them in the neck though.

What are these ranchers smoking that they think a 25-06 or 243 is too small

places where they sit you on very large foodplots and expect you to cover all of it. Place I used to hunt on banned them on newbie folks coming in. You shoot a deer wrong and it's heading straight down to the riverbottom and getting in the backwater. They want large holes in them.

x2. I might could understand a .22 cal, but a 120 gr bullet in a 25-06 is plenty for any deer sized animal.

Every deer Ive ever killed was with a 220 swift or 22.250 . except for 1 . Not a problem and as a rancher I would just soon they all shot this on our place .
to each his own though .