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People say the minimum caliber for deer is .243, and lots of folks say the .22 centerfires are to small, but does the extra .023" or about a half a mm really make that much of a differance?
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umm well dont look at the numbers consider a 243 caliber bullet holds up to 150 grains of gunpowder and a 22 holds maybe 10 grains, the bullet head is way bigger on a 243, more power more speed not even comparable. -
umm well dont look at the numbers consider a 243 caliber bullet holds up to 150 grains of gunpowder and a 22 holds maybe 10 grains, the bullet head is way bigger on a 243, more power more speed not even comparable.Comment
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The 0.020" of bullet diameter is not the issue. Neither is velocity. Bullet weight is almost double with a 100 gr .243 versus a 55 gr .223 centerfire. Weight equals mass and mass plus velocity equals penetration. Most states require an expanding bullet for good reason. Full metal jackets penetrate well, but don't usually cause enough vital organ damage to quickly dispatch game animals.
There are plenty of folks on here that just love the .243 and a few that are vocal proponents of teh .223 Rem or .22-250 as a deer cartridge. I am not among either group. I am not fond of the .243 and am of the opinion that the .223 caliber is not an adequate deer cartridge. We have heard all the arguments for and against way too many times. I'm just glad that .223's are not allowed in the states that I hunt in so I don't have to deal with the issue. You'll just have to make up your own mind about it. Hopefully you won't leave a trail of wounded suffering deer in your wake.Comment
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BS ALERT!!!
WA Mtnhunter
The 0.020" of bullet diameter is not the issue. Neither is velocity?
O'Really!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrostatic_shockComment
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you can kill a deer with a 22 but it is illiegal in most statesComment
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Gotta agree with WA MTN and Clay Cooper But Mr Cooper Wikipedia really!! I am used to better proof/argument when you post lol guess you spoiled me
mass velocity and diameter = kills/wound channel is important
sure a 22-250 has velocity but not as much mass or whatever other physics word fits.. I know "in Texas" the 22-250 etc etcComment
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"Use Enough Gun" Robert RuarkComment
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Alright, this Hydrostatic Shock Wikipedia really needs to be put in it's place, I read and understood it. For one, wikipedia is not a reliable source of information; anybody can write anything on wikipedia. About as reliable as heresay. Two, the article even claims that it is a theory, not fact. three, light/fast or heavy/slow bullets are not the only option. Somewhere in the middle are the real killing machines. finally, the article is full of "cans", anything can happen. You shoot a deer in the chest and it "can" cause brain hemorraging, but don't count on it. A balance of velocity and weight are the main factors in how hard a bullet hits a deer and sends a shock wave through the organs (also "can" be the brain) leading to a quick kill. A higher diameter typically makes the bullet have more mass, so it is not really the diameter that is the factor, but the weight. WA mtnhunter has it right, he is using physics to prove his point, not some article taken out of context. Clay, I know you are not very tactful so I don't think I have to be when I disagree with you, so I pretty much a snotty remark back.Comment
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My heaviest bullets for the .243 are Speer 105 grain Spitzers and they're launched at approximately 2750-2800 fps at the muzzle from the 24-inch barrel. (Admittedly, I've gotten better accuracy from the Hornady 100 gr. bullets). A high-velocity .22 centerfire can easily match that velocity, but our concern is the weight of the bullet at a given velocity. There's not a .224 diameter bullet that competes with the energy potential of the comparatively heavier .243 bullet.
The terminal ballistic performance of different bullet diameters are not based on a linear relationship. In other words, if the bullet is 1.1 times the diameter of another, it hits much more than 1.1 times as hard, in part because it can weigh significantly more than 1.1 times as much. There are other issues to consider (e.g., bullet design and performance), but the heaviest 6mm bullet will deliver much more energy than the heaviest 5.56mm bullet, and I don't have a calculator to do the math but you can see my point.Comment
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I tell'ya what, set on top of a 5 gallon barrel full of water and let me shoot it with my 22-250!
When you shoot a deer high in the neck almost a head shot and it blows the heart out or a Lung shot and the lungs are totally destroyed and the heart is heartburger go figure!
My experience says your wrong!Comment
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Hydrostatic shock is the displacement of matter, what part of that you just don't understand!Comment
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A 100 grain bullet in .22 caliber would probably be as effective as the .243 with the same type bullet construction. Back in the 1930's there was a 6.5X61mm Vom Hofe cartridge that was the European version of the .220 Swift. It fired a .22 caliber 77 grain bullet at a muzzle velocity of 3400fps, and was used for deer and boar hunting. It was probably very effective on standing broadside shots, but not much good if it encountered heavy bone.Comment
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I've used 70 grain for deer and they are not as effective as 55 and 60's!Comment
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Lets try this again,
In my 22-250 I've used 70 grain for deer and they are not as effective as 55 and 60's!Comment
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