223 for deer and other bullet weights

[Big Az Al]

The 22 centerfires have proven countless times to be very effective on deer!

Been there done that! I have lost count of how many deer, that hunters I know have carried home using 22 Hornets and 222's.

That 100 grain 243 is the reason most people say the 243 is only a varmint round, drop back into the 80 to 90 grain range and deer drop, on the report!

I personally knew a gent, if he wasn't at the center, of the 220 Swift contratversy of the late 40 early fifties he was not very far from it! I have seen what he bagged with this cartridge! And then to add more fuel to the fire.

He said the only thing he would change, is to go to a 17, sooner, as for a small pill they are UNGODLY wicked on game!

 

[Rembrandt]

(Heehee) Those little dog sized deer are a lot like shrimp, tasty but you need more than one for a good meal. Varmit rounds just bounce off midwest and northern deer....

 

[H&Hhunter]

Al you are asking a question? Or just making a point?

If you are asking a question the answer is the heaviest bullet your gun will shoot with the toughest construction available.

If you are trying to make a point well get yourself the .22 CF of your dreams and go hunting. Nobody is stopping you.

 

[MCgunner]

That 100 grain 243 is the reason most people say the 243 is only a varmint round, drop back into the 80 to 90 grain range and deer drop, on the report!

Say, WHAT? I think you got that bass ackwards. The 80 grainers are for prairie dogs, stick with the 100 grainers for deer and hogs. I've killed dozens of deer with a .257 Roberts using both 100 and 117 grain bullets. I really don't see why I should drop down to pop gun level. If you're afraid of the recoil of a real gun, the .257 doesn't kick. Shot my first deer with it at age 11. Are you telling me you can't handle a gun that an 11 year old has no problem with? If .22s just turn you on, go for it. I'll take a pass. I prefer bigger guns for bigger game. Been using a .308 almost exclusively for about 10 years now. I decided the 7 mag was a bit of overkill. Even for the biggest hog, I'm ready with my .308 and I ain't gotta settle for neck and head shots. There's not a single centerfire .22 in my collection and won't be so long as all the woodchucks and prairie dogs stay up north.

I know a lot of guys shoot .22-250s around here. I've just personally never understood the appeal. My .257 is small enough. It'll put five shots into 3/4" at 100 yards so I don't think the .22's accuracy is gonna top it by enough to worry about. Besides, I can take a deer out with a lung shot, don't have to hit the spine in the neck or the head. That little 100 grain game king is laying down 2200 ft lbs out of the barrel at 3150 ft/sec. Them's good numbers for any whitetail in Texas at anything out to 350 yards.

However, for SOOOOOOOOME reason, I detect a little sarcasm in your post, as if you're just stirring the pot? Just thought I'd help you stir it.

 

[marksman13]

Stirring the pot hell! Al just dumped it out. I don't know what point you are trying to make, but I don't think you made it.

 

[jaholder1971]

Sorry, but the only folks I've seen have so much success using .22 centerfires on deer were professional wildlife eradicators hired to purge urban deer populations. Usually .223 or .22/250's are used shooting from trucks. Of course these guys are successful, they're doing it for money!

I've seen enough meat/trophy hunters have to chase wounded deer using .270's through .458 Win Mags to know a .22 centerfire isn't going to help them, unless they're using it in the off season improving their marksmanship.

An 80 or 90 grain 6mm bullet is a coyote bullet. Yeah, you can kill a deer with one is you put it in the right place. Hit the shoulder and forget it, the deer will run off and die from infection.

I'll stick with my 7 and 8 mm Mausers and my .308, but thanks anyway.

 

[H&Hhunter]

I've got a .375H&H that will put three rounds inside of .35" at 100 yards. Does that make it the perfect varmint rifle?

Hell I've got a .470 NE that shoots under an inch at 100 yards and .458 Lott that leaves nice clovers at 50.

Why is that some guys think that only pip squeak poodle poppers are the only accurate rifles on the planet? I am guessing that it is a serious case of marksmanship deficiency with anything other than fu fu caliber heavy weight gun.

Most rifles are far more accurate than most shooters are capable of. That is why the .22 CF's appear to shoot so good. Guys aren't scared of them like they are those big mean ole man guns like a .30-06...

 

[Harley Quinn]

Most rifles are far more accurate than most shooters are capable of. That is why the .22 CF's appear to shoot so good. Guys aren't scared of them like they are those big mean ole man guns like a .30-06...

Was at a range awhile ago and there was a fellow with a 6.5 (swede) in a nice bolt action and it was one accurate dude.

He was telling me, as he got older he was not so inclined to shoot hasty and the 06 was just to tough on the shoulder anymore. He was not a youngster but not old, that is for sure. Said the groups were getting bigger and figured he was the factor (flinch) so he went to the 6.5 and never looked back.

.223 and them there little holed dudes are popular for sure. I remember in the 60's the rage of the varmint fellows was the 17 for some time. I just never followed suit (had a 22-250) it was fine.

All things considered I can see why some will go to the .223 with the fast twist and many bullet config out there due to the military guns.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varmint_rifle

But if you are a Hunter and go by the NRA rules I find using a better round for any thing larger than varmints, is the way to go for Bambi.

It is just a common courtesy IMHO...

 

[Big Az Al]

Stirring pot and making a statement, trolling

Quote
That 100 grain 243 is the reason most people say the 243 is only a varmint round, drop back into the 80 to 90 grain range and deer drop, on the report!

MCgunner
Say, WHAT? I think you got that bass ackwards. The 80 grainers are for prairie dogs, stick with the 100 grainers for deer and hogs. I've killed dozens of deer with a .257 Roberts using both 100 and 117 grain bullets. I really don't see why I should drop down to pop gun level.

MCgunner
I notice you don't claim the usual heaveyweight fav, the 125 grain 257! for shame!

My dad taught me a lot about tracking when he shot the 243 100grain bullets.

He had given up on the 243 when someone we were going to hunt with needed some shells at the last minute, to late to stop at the store. what my dad had on the shelf where 86.5 grain. Those rounds where flat out awesome! What to us had been A hit a deer hard follow that thing a 1/4 mile to a mile or more cal. turned into a dead before it hit the ground, everytime awesome knock down round!

The only cal that we have shot that beats it out is the 22-250 55 grain, 200 to 300 pound field dressed (puppy dogs) muley deer have just flat out fallen down DEAD! Some of the hits I have seen (a couple where mine) where something that with my Fav 30-06 I would have put my tracking skills to the test! and if I hit that with a heavey bullet 100gr 243, 180gr 06. I know would have been a dear that could have gotten away!

Harley Quinn Quote:
Most rifles are far more accurate than most shooters are capable of. That is why the .22 CF's appear to shoot so good. Guys aren't scared of them like they are those big mean ole man guns like a .30-06...

Amen Brother!

Recoil FEAR! and to MUCH MAGNIFICATION! top to miss's and bad shot maker's!

And while we are at it drop that Magnifacation down as low as possible!

THE BIGGEST, cause of a FLINCH is seeing the mormal, movement shakes and twitches that the human body makes, high powered optics, and fine sights magnify these and increase the desire to jerk the trigger when the sight is right ON! the easiest miss on the planet!

I have more but let me get my bait back in the water and see what comes next!

 

[acousticmood]

Hey I just don't have alot of do' for different guns and what I have is a .223. I want to be able to hunt as much as I can responsibley with it. I've also got a 870 for slugs.

 

[Big Az Al]

Heaviest? Strongest construction???????

IN the circles I travel in, for hunting and shooting, there is a feeling, ( and heck P O Ackley talks to it to some degree, in his writing), that there is an optimum bullet weight for the bore diameter! And that to go to a heavier bullet then optimum, is to be less effecient, and more liable to cause more distress to game animals, and cause more wounded or lost game!

If I where to quide a hunt (wich I don't plan on) I would want, the hunter to shoot a bullet that will leave the biggest blood trail possible, and allow the animal, to move about some. The reason for this is the number of times hunting with people I know and trust, thinking that We are looking at the same thing, and actually looking at animals yards if not hundreds of yards apart! When this happens movment and or a blood trail gives the quide the oppertunity to salvage what otherwise would be a lost animal. I also believe that more animals are lost because they are knocked down, do not move around, and the hunter doesn't have the skill to pick out nearby land marks to take him/her to the downed animal! I would hate to admitt how many times I have tripped over the downed game, while walking to that _______ just behind where it was standing, without having seen it first! They do look just like any other rock out there!

That said: Being comfortable with my skill at locating, hitting and finding downed game (by land marks and other locating stratagies) I want my game to fall and be right where it stood, and having said animal walking any distance, or worse, is something I work hard to avoid! In the experrience of my own, my mentors and the few people that have proven to be as skilled as the mentors I have had. 80 to 90 grain bullets for the .243 bore are knock down bullets, and the 100 grain bullets are going to stop the game eventually, but probably not where or when I want it to! I have been in on the harvest, recovery, and other drudgery, of enough game to be confident that I would take more money then I give out shot for shot, 90grain bullets and less, compared to 100 grain 243 bullets, although broken shoulder joints PLURAL! (one of the few real anchor shot I have seen with the 100 grain 243) do keep animal close, "if your shot placement was good enough"! the neck is the other!

I am not going to fill the space right now with what I and a lot of other proven hunters feel are the best weights.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Hey Al,

Why are you so concerned that the rest of the world agrees with you?

Like I said if you want to hunt with a .22 nobody here is stopping you, there are some states that will however as it is illegal.

Trolling makes you a troll. And a troll is not often conducive to a reasonable information exchanging conversation.

You've got your opinion on hunting calibers others have theirs. I don't see why that is so earth shattering?

PS When you started this troll... I mean thread, you seemed as though you were asking a question. Apparently you've already got all the answers so I'll ask again. What is the point of this thread?

 

[Art Eatman]

Enuf. This horse is still dead.

Art