Real World Performance Between 223 & 22-250

[Bigfootwolff]

When shooting standard factory 55 grain soft-point loads, what kind of terminal performance am I going to see in hogs, deer, and coyotes at ranges out to 150 yards max. I’ve got a .223, so I know what to expect and how it performs on the above noted game animals. What I really want to know is what the difference is in terminal effect with the extra velocity the 22-250 offers. Just trying to determine if getting a 22-250 is warranted for small framed shooters(kids & ladies) when hunting over a feeder that sits a little over 100 yards from the stand.

Follow up question would be this: In the above noted scenario, would you rather shoot a heavier .223 soft point round (64-68 grain soft point) and stay with the .223, or shoot the 22-250 with the standard 55 grain soft point? My .223 has a tight twist rate that will stabilize heavier bullets. Again, trying to determine how much of a real world advantage I will see if I get a 22-250. I certainly am not looking to justify buying a new gun, and I realize there are better rifle calibers for deer, but the .243 Win is just a little too much recoil for a couple of the little ones I have in mind.

[swanjts]

My kids started out on a 22-250. They all shot it very well and killed many deer and hogs with it. I think the increased velocity has a much better result for recovery. You will increase their range with the 22-250 as well.

[ATXRaider83]

My son is small framed. We started him on a 223 but had trouble with some of the big west texas deer. I got a 243 and put a muzzle brake on it and he can shoot it all day. He's 8 and weighs 55 lbs sopping wet. Just gotta make sure he wears muffs. If it was between the 223 and 22 250 I'd go 22 250. Speed kills

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[Walker]

Get a AR or Howa mini action grendel. Better than all 3 guns mentioned.

[skooter]

I’ve been shooting 70gr bonded bullets in my .223 for hogs and deer. Pass through on everything so far. My son killed his first deer with it. I prefer it for deer over my 22-250, but it has its place.

Skooter


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[bustacap]

I’ve had both and my choice would be a 22-250 with 60gr partitions or 62gr ttsx

[ATXRaider83]

I’ve had both and my choice would be a 22-250 with 60gr partitions or 62gr ttsx

This. Those ttsx are tough pills

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[MadHatter]

This. Those ttsx are tough pills

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This ^^^, but I love em in a .556.
Bad to the bone pills !
You have a long barrel gun, or shorter AR type?
Either way, but 20" or better, at distances you mentioned, and those tssx are going all the way through .

[Drycreek3189]

Whatever you choose, stick with a premium bullet that won’t blow up on a rib or scapula. I doubt if the deer will know the difference.

[ATXRaider83]

This ^^^, but I love em in a .556.

Bad to the bone pills !

You have a long barrel gun, or shorter AR type?

Either way, but 20" or better, at distances you mentioned, and those tssx are going all the way through .

Im waiting for the day 3 or 4 pigs line up so I can do a nice ttsx punch hole through all of them at once with my my 257 wby

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[LWD]

At the range you're talking about, the answer is no. Performance will turn on the type of bullet and where you put it. If you're taking high shoulder shots you need a stout bullet. For heart/lung shots anything will work. If you want to use the .223 on heart/lung shots with heavier bullets, try the 75grain BTHP from Hornady. DRT.

[MadHatter]

Im waiting for the day 3 or 4 pigs line up so I can do a nice ttsx punch hole through all of them at once with my my 257 wby

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Yes!!
I should clarify, I love em in anything .
I've seen a 85gr, out of 25-06, at almost 3600fps, go through the shoulders of a bull elk.
I'm not sure it was the ttsx back then though...

[Kurtproy]

My son has been shooting his Remington 700 243 since he was 8, now 14. His confidence shooting it is through the roof at this point. It has a heavy stock and I started him shooting the hornady sst reduced recoil loads, 87 grain I think. I’m serious when I say way less recoil than a 223. It’s a dream to shoot. He now shoots the 95 grain sst. I’d think long and hard about this type of set up. Will save you from buying another rifle in the near future.

[RifleBowPistol]

55 gr. bullets out of a 22-250, inside of 150 yards, is bad news, for whatever that bullet hits.

The very first deer I tried a 22-250 on, I was using 55 gr. bullets. I had previously shot two bucks in the neck through the front of the neck with a 308. Both went down instantly. Basically small hole in, larger hole out, dead deer. Both 150 gr. 308 Win. I was not expecting what I got with the 22-250. There was a tiny hole in, typical 22 caliber. Then on the back side of the neck, was a surprise. The hide was sliced open, like it has been sliced with a very sharp knife, for about 6", vertically. I had never seen anything like that before. Then I noticed the deer's neck was kind of offset, in the general area of where the bullet went through. I grabbed hold of the neck and squeezed. The neck felt like a bag of crushed ice. It shattered about 6" of the vertebrae, vertically. If you squeezed the neck above or below the wound channel, the neck was very firm, but that 6" section of the neck was like a bag of something, like crushed ice. I am sure it was blown apart muscle and shattered vertebrae.
I had to show a few people that doe, I had never seen anything like it. Every deer and hog I have shot with a 22-250, went straight to the ground.

For a good while I was afraid to try head shots on pigs, having seen bullets slide off of hog skulls on frontal shots. But then I shot some 1" steel plate at 100 yards, those little 22 caliber bullets zipped through that 1" plate like dropping a piece of molten steel on butter. They zip through very cleanly. So I tried head shots on hogs, every one, was like I hit their off switch. Instantly done. When you get a bullet up to the velocities a 22-250 will achieve, you enter a new world of bullet performance. You can shoot the same bullets out of a 223, then out of a 22-250, the damage difference is very noticeable.

[Biggs]

I recently shot a big doe in the chest cavity with a 50gr .223 corelok... it killed the doe but I was NOT impressed with the performance. Barely any damage to the lungs and I feel like most of that was from taking the leg bone through to the offside shoulder. Luckily she ran directly back towards me and fell over a few feet from me. Still took her a few more minutes to die.

I’ve shot very large bodied mule deer with a .22-250 in the shoulder and that little pill completely jello’d the lungs and heart. Dropped him. Dead on impact.

I’d go .22-250 over a .223 for shoulder shots from now on.