Anyone here deer hunt with it?

How was the performance?

Our oldest, who is now 22, took his first deer at age 8 using a Handi Rifle in .223 and handloads with this bullet. Performance on the doe was perfect. I've used it on a number of coyotes both at 22-250 and .223 velocities, and it always expanded and penetrated very well for such a small projectile. Ditto for the 63 grain Sierra. ANother great performer in this same vein is the 60 grain Partition. Back in the 80s, I took a number of deer with both the 60 grain HP and 60 grain SP Hornady bullets in various 22-250s. The Spire Point seemed to be the less fragile of the 2, but the HP version always dropped them on the spot.

I have shot a number of animals using 55 gr Hornady GMX heads, including fallow deer, [stags and does,] warthog and mountain reedbuck.

We sold a lot of these bullets for use on Oregon blacktails. Never had a complaint.

I've not shot anything with the 64 gr Nosler, but intend to do so. Going to the range tomorrow morning with some reloads using Varget.

I am a little late but: This is a very accurate loads in a Remington VSSF: WW brass, 60gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, 26 gr Varget, CCI BR primers, 2.295” OAL, bug holes.

Same load with Sierra 60 gr varmint hollow points shoot super.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
We sold a lot of these bullets for use on Oregon blacktails. Never had a complaint.

Hey Bill
When I grew up in Oregon the regulations didn't allow .22 centerfires for use on Deer, did they make a change?
I grew up outside of Eugene near Crow (SW end of the Willamette Valley) I had a squirrel rifle (22/250 for gray diggers) that was put into use as an outlaw Deer rifle and I shot a lot of Deer with that gun with great efficiency.
I tried all sorts of different bullets and found that if good shots were taken good results were had but I only took vitals shots in the ribcage or head or neck shots. Never had one move more than a few feet or it just dropped right there.

For the OP I've not used that bullet, however I can't imagine it would be a bad choice. My favorite in recent years for .224 diameter deer and hogs is a Barnes TSX or even standard X. Always devastating and you get an exit wound.

I am a dyed in the wool Nosler fan, but only in 30 caliber and over..They don't expand as wide as conventional bullets, thus they penetrate more, but on deer size game they simply don't work as well or leave blood trails..

In the hot 22s, I have found the 60 gr. Hornady SP or HP, to expand to the size of a dime or larger and penetrate very well, leaving a nickel size exit on rib cage shots being the norm. The few I have recovered exhibited perfect expansion..I have used it to cull whitetail, Impala, Springbok, and kudu with success..

The downside is I only use the 22s or 6mms in open country, as they are not great about leaving big blood trails...The also tend to blood shot a lot of meat, even with rib cage shots..One needs to limit the range to about 200 yards IMO..300 yards and beyond will, from time to time, be a disaster with long tedious tracking jobs, the smaller caliber are just not up to the job at extended range regardless of the many one kill claims in print..You cannot accurately judge a caliber by one or two animals..

Used properly the 22s are decent deer calibers, but not much room for error..