Anyway, the 63 gr Sierra worked on a few pigs. I never tried it on deer.[/quote]
The 63 gr Sierra SP works great on deer and works well out of a 1:14 twist. I grew up on this bullet and loading it for my boy's current 22-250 at close to 3300fps. Almost always get good expansion and full pass throughs.

This
I have my dad's early 60s Sako custom, that was his bullet of choice. It killed a LOT of deer in South Texas

I tried loading some 64s and they would key hole but the 63g Sierra SPs were one ragged hole.

Last year I took it out and used some Nosler 55g BT, shot two does at about 200 yards, high neck shots and of course they went instantly down.

I read on the internet that a 22-250 makes for a great elk gun too. I'd recommend it for that too. I think all slow twist varmint calibers make for a great over all hunting platform. They allow deer to run really far after being hit so you can see how fast they run. SMDH.

I ran into a guy up in the mountains of Utah during mule deer season who was carrying a 22-250. I just smiled and walked on.

These threads never get old

Geez what did I start?

A poop storm that some folks on this forum secretly love that you did. Gives them a soapbox to stand on. Hahaha.

I won't comment on whether the caliber itself is good enough or not. If I were in your position and have the reloading capabilities (including equipment and components) then i would load my own with the heaviest higher end hunting specific bullet that can be accurate. especially something that holds together the best. I'd start experimenting with something like the 55gr TSX/TTSX given your twist. Ironically, i think I'd even choose a load that is on the slower side.

The 6.5x55 (Swedish Mauser) is used in Europe as a moose caliber. But, I understand that it was developed as a military rifle during WWII. I have one and enjoy hunting with it.

Topics that will instantly start a chit storm on the THF

.22 cal bullets for deer
match bullet for deer
beans in chili
stick burner vs pellet smoker

You forgot one. High fence versus low fence.

A conversation that was happening before you joined the forum. And still comes around at least once a year. Congratulations for being "that guy".

Ok, here's the deal. A 22-250 is a VARMINT cartridge. The vast majority of factory 22-250 barrels are mostly a 1:14" twist with some being a 12" twist. With a 14" twist, you are limited to about 50-55 grain lead bullets or lighter. Light 22 cal bullets are designed to fragment which will limit penetration. Bullet stability is based on the length of the bullet, not the weight. So, naturally, heavier bullets get longer. And solid copper bullets are even longer than the same weight lead bullets. If you have a 12" or 14" twist, most of your 60+ weight bullets become too long to stabilize in those barrels. If you go copper, the 50 grain and over is too long to stabilize in the 12" and 14" twist. If you look at the Barnes reload data (see Barnes link below), the ONLY solid copper bullet that will "reliably" work in a 12" or 14" twist is the 45 grain TSX. Yes, this bullet would work and might be a decent hunting bullet for the 22-250 for smaller game. To gain penetration, ALL of your tougher lead bullets in the 22 cal are heavier, like the 64 grain Nosler bonded and 70 grain Accubond.

My kids have shot multiple deer and pigs with an 8" twist, 223 Rem bolt gun from 65 grain Sierra GameKings to 55 grain SP and others. Nothing would penetrate well and kill effectively. Once we switched to the 70 grain Accubond and 64 grain Nosler bonded PSP, penetration and performance for the 223 Rem improved a lot. And the 22-250 can not shoot these heavier and tougher bullets due to lack of twist rate. When you have a 22-250 that pushes similar light weight bullets even faster for more dramatic expansion with much less penetration, they become even less effective.

Many years ago we had a hunter on our lease that brought his 22-250 as his primary hunting rifle. Why? Because he said his fancy engraved Browning A-Bolt 270 Win was "too nice" to hunt with. I mentioned that the 22-250 was the wrong gun/caliber to shoot and he said it would do fine. He had already lost one animal to it. One morning we heard him shoot, and he shot the one big buck we were all after trying to kill. He said he hit it perfectly behind the shoulder and it ran off. One of our other hunters saw it from his stand area clear the fence (wounded) to the neighboring property, where we were NOT allowed to go. It ran a long way to get to that point. I can't tell you how pissed I was, as well as the other hunters on the property about it.

In a nut shell, the 22-250 is the wrong [censored] caliber for deer hunting. I have a long hatred of this round being used in a factory rifle with a 12" or 14" twist barrel for deer hunting. People talk about ethics of hunting and using the correct round that is powerful enough to ethically kill the game animal you are hunting. The factory twist of a 22-250 is simply not set up to use the correct hunting bullets for adequate penetration on game animals. IMO, it crosses the line of being an unethical cartridge for game hunting.

https://www.barnesbullets.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/22-250-Remington.pdf

The headstamp doesn't do the work, the bullet does. All that matters is what bullet it is, its impact velocity, and it's trajectory through the animal. Some .22-caliber bullets will work and some are not suitable. For deer and hogs, choose something like a 70-grain Accubond over a 50-grain V-Max. The problem with the .22-250 is that slow 1:14 twist which will limit you and eliminate a lot of good choices, but I don't think that leaves you with none. It looks like handloading territory to me, but there may be a factory (yuck!) loading or two that would be appropriate.

From a fresh start, were I faced with physical limitations affecting recoil tolerance I'd be looking at some of the 6mm cartridges.

There is proof that it works. If you want to try it get some components and try. Once upon a time I told a school buddy he couldn’t kill deer with body shots with a 223 rem… I was wrong! I have now killed many deer with a 223 rem and body shots with multiple bullets. There will always be people that tell you you can’t do something that other people do every day.

And I'm tired of "the people of the internet" saying it's a good round for deer hunting. I can't tell you how much bull [censored] I hear from talking to customers over the phone that they "read it on the internet" that think something is a good idea or what not. Some things I can let slide and some things I can't. Between the amount animals I've killed and the amount of animals my customers have killed and talking to them about it, you get to see what works and what doesn't. A rifle is a tool, and there are much better tools in the shed than a [censored] 22-250 to go shoot deer with.

Now, I'm off my . Carry on.

Here's the one .22-250 factory loading claimed suitable by the manufacturer for big game, which I was able to locate easily. Interestingly enough, neither Remington nor Hornady had a recommended big game load.

https://winchester.com/Products/Ammunition/Rifle/Power-Point/X222502

There may or may not be others.

Y'all are really making me think I want a 22-250AI w/ an 8 twist barrel just so I can watch the head's explode when I tell folks I'm deer hunting with a 22-250 Put me some of them there Hornady ballistic tips in that bad boy and watch things die

The only reason I went 22 Gaymoor instead of it or a swift was because brass didn't need formed and was easier to get.

A Winchester 64 grain PSP bullet is .808" long. In a 14" twist 22-250, it provides .909 bullet stability. What does this mean? Anything under a 1.0 is fully unstable and the bullet tumbles when it leaves the muzzle.

Yes, I hear them dang Hornady Ballistic Tips work great in a 22-250. I highly recommend that bullet for it!!

And just so the "unedjumicated" know, Nosler is the only one who makes the Ballistic Tip. Other bullet companies make polymer tipped projectiles, but Nosler is the ONLY one who makes a Ballistic Tip projectile.

I could peen out a rasp into a knife with nothing but a 12 ounce hammer. But it ain't the best tool for the job to rough one in, when I've got plenty of 3 pound hammers available.

The largest animal I've shot with a .223 Rem or a .22-250 is a coyote. The most animals I've shot with .223 Rem and .22-250 are prairie dogs.

Because .22-250 is a Varmint Cartridge.

Why don't you get in touch with Winchester and let them know they don't know what they're doing?

I don’t like the hammer comparison here. Deer well shot with a 223 and adequate bullet die as fast and as close as deer shot with a 300 mag etc.

I don't care if you like it or not.

I've tracked deer that have been hit by a long list of cartridges and bullets. All with good shot placement, in vitals. And every track was in the dark. We got very good at it, but we also didn't like it. The likelihood of tracking or worse, completely loosing the deer is when it's hit with a .224" caliber bullet. The only way I'd use it would be brain stem shots only. And not everyone is a comfortable enough shooter to do that.

Oh Lordy I’ve done it now!

The vast majority of 22-250 rifles are a 1:14" twist. This ammo will NOT work in that! Most of the people who purchase a 22-250 rifle do not pay attention to twist rates or understand this. This ammo will work in a 12" twist, which some 22-250 rifles are. But the vast majority of 22-250 rifles are a 14" twist and consumers do not know what their barrel twist is. And this bullet will tumble in a 14" twist. Winchester doesn't state this in their description of the ammo, nor do other retailers who sell this ammo state this. So it leaves a shooter with ammunition that won't shoot in their rifle. And you didn't post anything about the twist rate needed for this ammo to properly work either. So another 22-250 shooter with a 1:14" twist barrel would assume it would work because they "read it on the internet" but this ammo will NOT work in their 14" twist rifle. How long you want to discuss this!!!

RR, I totally value your opinion and feedback. But there are times when the fine details mater. We are still "trying" to turn a varmint cartridge into an adequate game cartridge, and it's just not there for me. It's a bad choice. There's better tools in the shed to use.