.222 for deer hunting?

[zorak]

I have a .222 and was thinking of getting my fiance into hunting with me. so since it doesn't have hardly any kick to it i was thinking letting her shoot that. the deer here are blacktail deer so they aren't a whole lot bigger then a antelope.

 

[Kenny474]

I wouldn't use a .222 for anything larger than a coyote, and I would limit shots at coyote size game to 250 yards, maybe 300 if conditions were absolutely perfect.

A .243 with a bullet of 80grs or larger is about right for game the size of antelope. It has enough power to break bone if necessary when used with the proper bullet. The .222 is limited in bullet weight due to it's lack of boiler room and the twist rate normally found in most .222's. I don't feel it will have near enough power to break a shoulder.

Others will have a different opinion for sure, but I like to err on the side of caution and ethics and make sure I have enough gun to get the job done under all conditions and circumstances.

If you do decide to use it, load it with 60gr Nosler Partitions. At least you will have a bullet that will hold together.

If you plan to keep the range short, H&R makes a Handi Rifle in .44 Mag that would make an excellent close range deer rifle. It can also be had in .243 as well.

 

[LHSmith]

I would not use a .222 on deer, especially someone whose skill behind a rifle is unproven. Should you still decide to use one, the 60 grain Partition would be the ticket, however most 222's have a 14 twist and results are not promising. My 700 classic netted 3" groups at 100 yards with definite key-holing.

 

[FryeGuy]

I know someone that uses a .222 on deer every year. but he also is an excellent shot, and puts it were it needs to be to get it done. with her being new to hunting I wouldn't do it, not even take a chance. let her practice with it, teach her how to shoot. get a gun identical to the .222 in a bigger caliber that still doesn't have much recoil. a .243 or 6mm would be good, and you could always load up some 85hpbt gamekings, they work great, low recoil.

 

[tenring]

I killed a whitetail doe many years with a .222. Forget which bullet I had loaded for it. Caught her high, broke spine and had to finish her off. But I swore I would never hunt deer with that caliber again. As the others have stated, a .243 with partition bullets is just right for beginners.

 

[CaptainMal]

Used to live in Pa. Shot multiple does with my old Savage 340 in .222 Rem. All shot in the neck as they fed on pears behind the house. Shoot high, near the head and down they go.

Now I don't know about any small bullet going into the chest cavity. You would have to sneak it in without hitting bones for the job to get done. It's not su much .222 Rem. as it's any 22 cal. Bullets are a bit light and the heavy, specialty target ones are not designed for hunting.

I say go for it. Teach her to shoot and have fun. Most cases she won't get a shot anyhow. It will still be fun for both of you.

 

[CJ6]

I like to have as quick/clean kill as possible( not a fan of seeing an animal suffer). My $.02 is a 6mm or 25 cal (250 Sav to start) as a minimum. The 6mm 85 GK or a Nos Part in 243-6mm Rem are good, the 25 cal equivelant would also work well in the 250Sav, 257 Roberts and would all be very modest in recoil. My 3 girls and son have all started with these cals at an early age(under 10)and never complained about the recoil.Their biggest issue was the noise. After double plugging them they shot without worries. Keep the range modest and wait for the GOOD shots. BTW it's great to SHARE your hobbies with the WIFE TO BE

 

[DCRYDER]

Barnes makes the 45 gr Triple Shock X bullet in .224". It was supposed to be designed for the 14 twist barrel. It has 5-star reviews at MidwayUSA.com

 

[FryeGuy]

I have to admit, I once shot a deer with a .22 hornet, thru the chest cavity, about 50yds. The gun owner said it would kill one, and I told him he was full of it. needless to say, I felt a little under-gunned. at the shot she ran off, and I said "oh-^*&^, that dumb &^^*!!!, now I have wounded a deer, and will be out here all night tracking." she went about 40yds and fell over within sight, the owner's son was with me, and laughed at me. this deer also was very small, maybe 60-70# max, and it wasn't a pass thru, I just got lucky and bullet ended up in the heart. I would think that a .222 on a deer 120# and under would be fine in chest cavity after this, depending on bullet. but I wouldn't expect a blood trail. and what happens when she flinches, or hits a twig, and the bullet ends up in the liver or high lungs?? could make your life hard. there are too many great small deer cartridges out there, Cj6 had them covered very well. especially the 250savage or 257 roberts, even a 300 savage with the 125grain bullets would be great.

 

[FryeGuy]

if it means anything to you, while I lived in Tennessee, they legalized and centerfire cartridge for taking deer. they did this to give kids a chance when they couldn't handle the big guns yet, and to get more people involved hunting. so, you could legally take out a .17 fireball deer hunting if you wanted.

 

[Kenny474]

I say go for it. Teach her to shoot and have fun. Most cases she won't get a shot anyhow. It will still be fun for both of you.

I agree with teaching her how to shoot, but I cannot agree with "Just go for it" in any way. If you (CaptainMal) are aware that the caliber is not sufficient, going for it is irresponsible. Deer are living animals that will suffer from a botched shot with too small a round. And if she does get a shot and either loses the deer, or it runs off to suffer and bleed out for a few hours until you track it, it will likely ruin her desire to hunt and at least ruin the day.

Get her a proper rifle that will sufficiently kill the animal quickly and humanely. That way if she does get a shot, it's something she can enjoy. The last thing you want is for her to have a horrible day chasing a wounded animal when she is just starting.

If she can kill the deer quickly by herself, she will have much more fun than if she just injures it. That way she will want to go again.

Here are 3 affordable rifles that are plenty capable of taking deer. The 30/30 can be loaded a little light and still be plenty effective. The .44 Mag will easily take deer to 100yds, maybe even a bit farther with a stout handload tailored for use in a rifle. You can easily reduce the recoil in a Handi Rifle by adding a good thick Pachmayer Decelerator recoil pad, or other pad of quality, and even add a mercury recoil reducer in the stock bolt hole behind the butt pad.

Mercury recoil reducers
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=0/k=mercury+recoil+reducer/t=P/ksubmit=y/Products/All/search=mercury_recoil_reducer

.243 Handi Rifle w/3-9x40 scope
http://www.nefguns.com/item/64848_HR_Rifles_Shotguns_HR_SBS-243_Handi-Rifle_S.aspx

30/30 Handi Rifle
http://www.nefguns.com/item/6826_HR_Rifles_Shotguns_HR_SB2-231_Handi-Rifle_S.aspx

.44 Mag Handi Rifle
http://www.nefguns.com/item/78835_HR_Rifles_Shotguns_NEF_HANDI-RIFLE_44MAG_BL_.aspx

 

[Kenny474]

And as a last thought, just because someone has used a .222 or other underpowered round to shoot a deer, or even because it's legal, doesn't make it right or ethical.

Using good judgment is part of being a responsible hunter, as is using a round that will humanely kill the game you are hunting without needing a luck shot to do it.

 

[CJ6]

FRYEGUY, Minnesota went to ANY 22 Centerfire an larger this year. It matters not WHAT type of firearm you use (Pistol,Rifle) and this includes cals such as the .25 auto 32 ACP. 9mm, 380 . I'M NOT PLEASED about this and have said so to the MN DNR (only 1 voice I know). Excuse the hijack please

 

[FryeGuy]

hey, don't think I am justifying it, I think it is wrong as well. I think a person would be insane in TN to take out a .17 fireball to shoot a deer. in the right hands it might work, maybe, if you shot it thru the eye or something. I know a .222 will work, but shot placement is very, very critical. the deer are on small side in TN, but I can't imagine going after a deer in MN with one, the deer are much larger up north. I think most of the state agencys only think of .223, 22-250, etc when they think of these laws, and don't have enough gun & caliber knowledge. I know the 6mm's work well, but I think the deer have enough of the odds stacked in their favor, so I use a .308 with 165's now, but I won't hesitate to let my boy take a 6mm when he is old enough, but nothing smaller. I think the young and in-experienced hunters are the ones who need the bigger calibers, as they may not be able to take the necessary shot placement. I have been hunting for 20yrs, and I still get excited too.

 

[tnhunter]

I think it’s a personal choice of what you feel comfortable hunting with. In your case what you feel comfortable letting your wife hunt with. There is nothing wrong with using a 222 or for that matter any .224 gun to shoot deer with as long as you choose the proper bullet. Shot placement also tends to be very critical when using smaller calibers.

 

[cattlebuyer]

U can probably do a brain stem, bang flop with the triple deuce but give the lady a .243 win with 95gr SST,s for her first whitetail.

 

[fdshuster]

CJ6: Pennsylvania Game laws permit any manually operated centerfire rifle, so a squib load in a 22 Hornet is judged to be acceptable. For handgun hunting, any manually operated handgun firing any centerfire ctg., so for that a 38 spcl. loaded with a 148 gr. lead wadcutter bullet with 3.0 grs. of Bullseye powder would also be OK. The results of when decisions are made by those who received their jobs by political appointment---- no commone sense or knowledge required.

 

[SS427]

.243 is the smallest caliber I would let anyone hunt any kind of deer with.

 

[zorak]

thanks guys for all the opinions. it was just a thought cause it does kick hardly. but i do see a lot of good points for not using it. maybe ill let her try my 6-284 and see if she might like it and if it hits to hard for her i'll put a break on it. thanks guys and didnt meen to open up a can of worms.

doug

 

[gravelyctry]

Doug - something else to think about, is how she would react if she were to end up wounding an animal and have to see it suffer. It might be the last time you get her out hunting with you.

Maybe not, but I think that would be true with my wife.

Good luck!