mossyshooter
Member
For years people have tried to legitimate 22 centerfires for deer. There are also plenty of people that say they are completely inadequate. This is one person's personal experience with this.
For a long time the people who said that the 22 centerfires were inadequate for deer were mostly right. Most of the bullets available were lightweight high velocity varmint bullets designed for explosive expansion and fragmentation. People found out the hard way that these bullets were not suited for big game. In the case of the 223 Remington, the other commonly available round was the FMJ which gave narrow wound channels, sparatic expansion and fragmentaion and generally poor performance on game as well.
Recently, bullet manufacturers listened to the small bore shooters out there and began to develop 22 caliber versions of their popular big game bullets. For Nostler, it was the 60 grain Partition. For Swift, it was the 75 grain Scirocco, For Barnes, it was the 45, 50, 53, 55, 62, and 70 grain TSX and from Winchester, it was the 64 grain Powerpoint. There may be others but these are the ones that come to mind when one is looking for a big game 22 caliber bullet.
My first experience with the 22 caliber centerfires on big game was on a whitetail deer hunt in Tennessee about a year ago. I had recently come across an excellent deal on a new Winchester model 70 coyote with a heavy barrel and a laminate stock, chambered in 223WSSM. Since the only ammo was currently being made by Winchester, I decided to give the 64 grain Powerpoint on an upcoming whitetail deer hunt in Tennessee. There were plenty of critics of the round but the folks that personally used it, loved it. That rifle was fitted with a Leopold 4-12x40 scope and was shooting 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards with the 64 grainers. Plenty accurate for deer. Fast forward a couple weeks to the day of the hunt. A small 6 pointer stepped out broadside a touch over 200 yards away. I was steady as a rock and put the bullet right through the heart, and lungs. The deer did the classic buck kick, ran about 30 feet and crashed violently in the woods. Upon dressing the deer, I discovered the bullet lodged in the skin on the far side in a perfect mushroom. I still have the bullet. Deer dressed out at 120 lbs. Afterwards I did take note that because there was no exit wound, blood trail was almost non existent. Although it wasn't needed. It became apparent that while the 64 grain Powerpoint may be fine for 223 or 22-250 velocities, it may over expand and give less than ideal penetration if the shot angle isn't perfect at 223WSSM or 220 Swift velocities.
At that point I began looking for a new bullet and many recommended the Barnes TSX bullets but since I didn't hand load at the time I was stuck with the limited factory loadings. Over the winter my hours were cut and unfortunately I had to sell that beautiful model 70 to make ends meet. Fast forward almost a year and I had just purchased a Savage Edge in 223 Remington. I fitted a EGW one piece picatinny rail and a Nikon 3-9x40 BDC scope. Encouraged by last years success and the now huge list of available bullet combinations, I decided to use the new 223 on deer for the Tennessee hunt again. Since my rifle had a 1-9 twist, it should stabilize the 62 grain Barnes TSX bullet, a now well known deer slayer. I ordered a box of CorBon's Hunter DPX ammo to try CorBon Lists the velocity of the 62 grain TSX load at 2850 fps out of a 16 inch barrel so out of my 22 inch tube, I should be looking at about 3,000 fps. Range results were promising as the bullets consistently printed inside the one inch mark at 100 yards.
Fast forward to yesterday, November 27th, the day of the hunt. I was hunting from the same spot as last year. Wouldn't you know it, a deer stepped out right about the same point the deer did the previous year. It began walking towards me down a power line trail and eventually turned broadside at 100 yards. I gave a little bleat to stop him, and as soon as he stopped, I fired. Upon the shot, he jumped, and walked about 30 feet. I was thinking "did I miss? How? I was perfect on it!" Right about that point however, he simply fell over dead. Not even a single kick. This time the 62 grain Barnes TSX exited leaving a 1 inch wide exit hole after going through a rib going in, turning the heart and lungs to jelly, and another rib on the way out, leaving a blood trail Ray Charles could have followed with his cane. Again, trailing was not needed though. This deer was the same size as last years, about 120 lbs dressed, but busted his horns off about 6 inches up. Not a trophy by any means but it's meat in the freezer. I was hoping to get some ribs out of this deer but upon skinning I discovered that even with this measly little 223, the meat was all bloodshot and pulverized for a foot around the bullet hole. Allas, no ribs this time.
From these 2 personal experiences, I can definitely say with absolutely no doubt in my mind, that the 22 centerfires are adequate for deer sized game. While there are other calibers out there what would be more suited for many people, I have found that with proper bullet construction, good shot placement and shooting discipline, these calibers are certainly more than capable. I can honestly say that these little high velocity pills do more internal damage than my 20 gauge. After all a 223 through the boiler room is far more effective than a 30-06 in the pouch.
The deer bellow, is the one I shot yesterday with the Savage Edge 223 and the 62 grain TSX load.
For a long time the people who said that the 22 centerfires were inadequate for deer were mostly right. Most of the bullets available were lightweight high velocity varmint bullets designed for explosive expansion and fragmentation. People found out the hard way that these bullets were not suited for big game. In the case of the 223 Remington, the other commonly available round was the FMJ which gave narrow wound channels, sparatic expansion and fragmentaion and generally poor performance on game as well.
Recently, bullet manufacturers listened to the small bore shooters out there and began to develop 22 caliber versions of their popular big game bullets. For Nostler, it was the 60 grain Partition. For Swift, it was the 75 grain Scirocco, For Barnes, it was the 45, 50, 53, 55, 62, and 70 grain TSX and from Winchester, it was the 64 grain Powerpoint. There may be others but these are the ones that come to mind when one is looking for a big game 22 caliber bullet.
My first experience with the 22 caliber centerfires on big game was on a whitetail deer hunt in Tennessee about a year ago. I had recently come across an excellent deal on a new Winchester model 70 coyote with a heavy barrel and a laminate stock, chambered in 223WSSM. Since the only ammo was currently being made by Winchester, I decided to give the 64 grain Powerpoint on an upcoming whitetail deer hunt in Tennessee. There were plenty of critics of the round but the folks that personally used it, loved it. That rifle was fitted with a Leopold 4-12x40 scope and was shooting 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards with the 64 grainers. Plenty accurate for deer. Fast forward a couple weeks to the day of the hunt. A small 6 pointer stepped out broadside a touch over 200 yards away. I was steady as a rock and put the bullet right through the heart, and lungs. The deer did the classic buck kick, ran about 30 feet and crashed violently in the woods. Upon dressing the deer, I discovered the bullet lodged in the skin on the far side in a perfect mushroom. I still have the bullet. Deer dressed out at 120 lbs. Afterwards I did take note that because there was no exit wound, blood trail was almost non existent. Although it wasn't needed. It became apparent that while the 64 grain Powerpoint may be fine for 223 or 22-250 velocities, it may over expand and give less than ideal penetration if the shot angle isn't perfect at 223WSSM or 220 Swift velocities.
At that point I began looking for a new bullet and many recommended the Barnes TSX bullets but since I didn't hand load at the time I was stuck with the limited factory loadings. Over the winter my hours were cut and unfortunately I had to sell that beautiful model 70 to make ends meet. Fast forward almost a year and I had just purchased a Savage Edge in 223 Remington. I fitted a EGW one piece picatinny rail and a Nikon 3-9x40 BDC scope. Encouraged by last years success and the now huge list of available bullet combinations, I decided to use the new 223 on deer for the Tennessee hunt again. Since my rifle had a 1-9 twist, it should stabilize the 62 grain Barnes TSX bullet, a now well known deer slayer. I ordered a box of CorBon's Hunter DPX ammo to try CorBon Lists the velocity of the 62 grain TSX load at 2850 fps out of a 16 inch barrel so out of my 22 inch tube, I should be looking at about 3,000 fps. Range results were promising as the bullets consistently printed inside the one inch mark at 100 yards.
Fast forward to yesterday, November 27th, the day of the hunt. I was hunting from the same spot as last year. Wouldn't you know it, a deer stepped out right about the same point the deer did the previous year. It began walking towards me down a power line trail and eventually turned broadside at 100 yards. I gave a little bleat to stop him, and as soon as he stopped, I fired. Upon the shot, he jumped, and walked about 30 feet. I was thinking "did I miss? How? I was perfect on it!" Right about that point however, he simply fell over dead. Not even a single kick. This time the 62 grain Barnes TSX exited leaving a 1 inch wide exit hole after going through a rib going in, turning the heart and lungs to jelly, and another rib on the way out, leaving a blood trail Ray Charles could have followed with his cane. Again, trailing was not needed though. This deer was the same size as last years, about 120 lbs dressed, but busted his horns off about 6 inches up. Not a trophy by any means but it's meat in the freezer. I was hoping to get some ribs out of this deer but upon skinning I discovered that even with this measly little 223, the meat was all bloodshot and pulverized for a foot around the bullet hole. Allas, no ribs this time.
From these 2 personal experiences, I can definitely say with absolutely no doubt in my mind, that the 22 centerfires are adequate for deer sized game. While there are other calibers out there what would be more suited for many people, I have found that with proper bullet construction, good shot placement and shooting discipline, these calibers are certainly more than capable. I can honestly say that these little high velocity pills do more internal damage than my 20 gauge. After all a 223 through the boiler room is far more effective than a 30-06 in the pouch.
The deer bellow, is the one I shot yesterday with the Savage Edge 223 and the 62 grain TSX load.
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