Thread: A question for the doubters

Originally Posted by Hunter_Nick

If you haven’t previously used a 22 centrefire with 77TMK, 73, 80 or 88gr ELD-M, then take one of them hunting. Why? Well it’ll do the job, and you may just enjoy it.

That didnt answer my question.

I enjoy hunting. Im confident with whatever i'm using. Im after an unbiased opinion given the parameters Ive laid out. 270 or 223 given Ill shoot either as accurately.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

In the back blocks of NZ, on rough hill country farms aways from people that worry about stuff like this, more deer are shot with the .223 Remington every year than all the other cartridges put together.

I had a rough hill country farm in the back blocks for 30 years. Lived on one for longer. 223 wasn't close too top of most popular used in that time.

Originally Posted by whanahuia

I had a rough hill country farm in the back blocks for 30 years. Lived on one for longer. 223 wasn't close too top of most popular used in that time.

To be fair that thinking about my shooting career that it has been spent in the back blocks fencing that there didn't seem to be many small calibres .
For myself I take minimum 6.5 for deer as a lot of my shots have to be at distance as can't get closer because of terrain to take the shot.
I did use my 22-250 on reds for a while but after having a can't find the shot deer moment I went back to my 300wsm or I can always find the deer moment!
If for some reason your shot gets compromised there's no replacement for displacement.
End of story

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Originally Posted by whanahuia

I had a rough hill country farm in the back blocks for 30 years. Lived on one for longer. 223 wasn't close too top of most popular used in that time.

yes ya right Whanahuia 223 is relatively recent - I think I first ran into it when we got an armalite about 1978 ish for aerial goat shooting - prior to that it had been an old FN in 308 - 12 gauge 9 pellet buckshot was though always my favorite for aerial goat work - culling Southern Te Urewera we ran into a few meat hunters flying in and the 22-250 was popular with them - but the 222 ruled for us on goat operations for years - when DOC started using some contractors goat hunting some had 223 armalites so they were supplied 223 but that was not until 2000 ish - more recent goat hunters for DOC have gone 223 in bolt action rifles and the old 222 have been slowly phased out - but rough hill country would it not be a toss up between 308 and 223

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

To be fair that thinking about my shooting career that it has been spent in the back blocks fencing that there didn't seem to be many small calibres .
For myself I take minimum 6.5 for deer as a lot of my shots have to be at distance as can't get closer because of terrain to take the shot.
I did use my 22-250 on reds for a while but after having a can't find the shot deer moment I went back to my 300wsm or I can always find the deer moment!
If for some reason your shot gets compromised there's no replacement for displacement.
End of story

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What bullet did you use in your .22-250?

Pretty sure from empty cases I e picked up the 9 ball 00 has been superseded buy something closer/ inbetween that and #7 buck( that was about thirty .22calibre balls) having used a box or three of #7 on wallabies I can say it was devestating and much better than #00 as filled pattern so much better so good solid vital hits were just about guaranteed.

Originally Posted by gimp

What bullet did you use in your .22-250?

63 grain sierra soft point.
I had had a good run up until I took a marginal shot.
With the wsm it would have been a found deer

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Originally Posted by andyanimal31

63 grain sierra soft point.
I had had a good run up until I took a marginal shot.
With the wsm it would have been a found deer

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Or an 88 eldm perhaps ?

Originally Posted by gimp

Or an 88 eldm perhaps ?

Na shot was 300m.
The 300wsm would leave holes the size of your fist at that distance.
Not so much the 63 grainer

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Originally Posted by andyanimal31

Na shot was 300m.
The 300wsm would leave holes the size of your fist at that distance.
Not so much the 63 grainer

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The 63gr isn't really what any of us that are using heavy bullets would recommend as optimal. An 88gr ELDM would be a much better choice in a .22-250. The thing is that no-one is saying "all .224 cal bullets work great". What's been identified is that some heavy match bullets work extremely well.

The most amazing thing about the 223 is how topical and polarising it is.
Day 3 since Hunter_Nicks 1st post and we’re 190 posts in. Much of it a repeat of 223 on deer.


I haven’t read every page, but having a quick skim I saw some discussion on shooting wild cattle.
Good luck.
I know of a central north island block with a reasonable population of genuinely wild cattle.
You are not allowed to hunt them with less than a 30 cal magnum.

Could you kill one with a 223, of course. Could you fuck it up, and get killed yourself? Also a real possibility.

Originally Posted by gimp

Or an 88 eldm perhaps ?

I just bought a box to try in my 1-8 22-250 barrel.
Didn't like them as I reckon a 1-7 would be the awnser.

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Originally Posted by andyanimal31

Na shot was 300m.
The 300wsm would leave holes the size of your fist at that distance.
Not so much the 63 grainer

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Only tried it at 150m but my "fast 224" leaves first sized holes in goats

it comes down to the operator not the caliber.....

Originally Posted by gimp

The 63gr isn't really what any of us that are using heavy bullets would recommend as optimal. An 88gr ELDM would be a much better choice in a .22-250. The thing is that no-one is saying "all .224 cal bullets work great". What's been identified is that some heavy match bullets work extremely well.

I will reiterate there is no replacement for displacement.
When I first started hunting my very experienced mate awnsered my what calibre question shall I buy.
The awnser was" if your going to put a hole init you might as well make it a big one"
I still subscribe to that as I like to find my deer relatively easily.
Eg blood to follow or bang flop.
It's all about what your comfortable with and ethical shooting.
I definitely have shot fallow close ish sub 250m and the 73eldms and work very well.
I'm generally shooting bigger reds in cunty country so just like the security of big is better.



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