# will I be disappointed again?



## Dang Dawg (Jan 14, 2013)

<a></a>A few years ago I tried my 22/250 on a BIG mule deer, was NOT impressed. I used a Barnes 45 gr going very fast, shot very good just didn't knock him down very well. He didn't run off but I had to shoot him a "FEW" times. Long story , short, I decided not to do that any more.
NOW I have the bug again, I finally got a Antelope tag and I'm going to try my 22/250 again...This time I'm going to use my load I worked up for "WOLF". It's a Nosler partition 60 gr spritzer,33.5 gr Varget. I've clocked at 3500 fps average with only a 20 fps variance. Off my sticks at 100 yards ,if I'm doing my job ,will basically go in the same hole. I hope it's not going to be a repeat , I really want the lope to only take one shot. Think I'll be disappointed again?


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nosler partitions are a good bullet and should hold up well at that velocity. Do you have a 12 twist barrel ?


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

I for one would never use a 250 for Mule Deer even if we were allowed, no problems on Wolves.


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## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

My wife uses her 250 on white tails all the time. She has taken 9 deer with one shot each the last 9 years we have been out deer hunting. I load 55 gn Hornady soft points for her. She is also a very good shot.

A 60 gn nosler partition should knock one of them speed goats right off its feet I would think just due to the thinner skin and hair. I would guess you should get very good penetration.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

+1 with hassel


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## Dang Dawg (Jan 14, 2013)

youngdon said:


> Nosler partitions are a good bullet and should hold up well at that velocity. Do you have a 12 twist barrel ?


YES


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Good because they specifically call for a 12 twist with that bullet although to be honest I'm not sure I recommend 22-250 for large deer either take it for what it's worth


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

well i may not be the bullistics expert as some on here are

but i beleive that if it is legal to use in your state

and you have the ability in a hunting situatuation to put the bullet where it needs to go

then use it

now keep in mind that just because you can do it at the range doesnt mean you can in a hunting situation

with the excitment of the hunt,the flow of adrenaline etc,makes for a harder shot every time

where as at the range things are much much more relaxed

here in minnesota we can use any center fire rifle that is .220 or larger

i plan on using my AR-15 in .223 this year,this will also be my first year hunting deer with a rifle and not just my bow

but i know my rifle and my abilities with the rifle so i feel confortable in knowing that i can put it where it needs to go

oh ya,we also dont have a limit on magazine capacity,so i will be using a 30 rd mag 

also when using smaller calibers for deer sized game,you might just want to put the shot in the brain and not the chest.

aint never seen any thing run away with half its head missing 

but you might not want to blow half the head off on a goat

dwtrees said it,thinner skin and hair of the goat.you should be alright with putting it in the pump house

good luck,pics pics pics

we will want lots of pics


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## Dialed_In (Jan 5, 2013)

I've seen two kills in my area with the '250. One was a neck shot (bullet hit next to spine and animal went down in his tracks.) The second was shot in the lung area. The lung shot animal traveled over 400 yards before he stopped, bled down and then died where he stood. There was hardly any blood trail due to the bullet exploding inside him with no exit wound. Tracking and luck were responsible for finding the animal. Bottom line the '250 will do it but the shot placement is real critical. In heavy brush areas I shoot whitetails behind the shoulder, about 2 - 3 inches below the back line if possible. It's either a clean miss or he drops where he stands with no trailing or lost animals (regardless of the caliber). The high shot tramatizes the spine and he's down quick. You need a quick humane follow up shot to finish the job ( I use a pistol usually).


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## LeadHead (Feb 11, 2012)

The 22-250 is usually considered borderline for taking deer of much size, but on top of that you used a 45 grain bullet? Nobody should wonder at the fact that it didn't do a good job on a "BIG mule deer" as you described. Personally I'm surprised that you found the animal at all, let alone was able to finish it off with a few more shots. Not being critical here, mind you, just honest.
Antelope poses a different situation, especially since you plan to use a heavier, better-suited bullet. If you do your part accuracy-wise I would think it should do a decently good job.


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## LeadHead (Feb 11, 2012)

Let me qualify my comment by saying that I have personally witnessed only 1 shot with a 22-250 on a deer and it wasn't particularly good. It was a medium-sized doe, maybe 125-140 lbs and that guy shot it with a 45 grain bullet, coincidentally. She was with 2 or 3 other does in the middle of a large open area approximately 1/2 mile from timber, which was quite fortunate for the hunter. Mind you it wasn't a perfect shot by any means (it obliterated the liver and had no exit wound), and she took off running and then walked, making it about 300 yards from the site of impact. At that point they all stopped in plain view and just milled around for the next 20 minutes at least, too far out of rifle range for a followup shot. She finally laid down and eventually died, but if there had been timber I don't know that he would have ever recovered her. Those light bullets simply are not designed for that sort of work, proper placement or not, especially on large deer.


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## LeadHead (Feb 11, 2012)

Oops, posted this message in wrong thread.


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