Texas hogs

[BuzzH]

Had a pretty good time thinning the herd in Texas a couple weeks ago on a friends place.

My buddy Doug and I spent 3 days hunting and made things tough on the hogs and exotic deer. We took 22 animals between us.

A few pictures:

The country

A couple hogs the first morning:

An evening of thinning:

What happens when I get a mean streak in me...all in one morning in less than an hour...5 shots from the 22-250 with the 60 grain partitions...just to try them out (not real impressed BTW):

And finally...the reason for the trip...150 pounds of pork sausage:

Besides the pork sausage also had 160 pounds of venison burger and 70 pounds of roast and steak.

 

[AZ402]

Nice trip!!!!

 

[JB]

nice job Buzz.

5 shots from the 22-250 with the 60 grain partitions...just to try them out (not real impressed BTW):

when you get the time, explain why if you dont mind.

 

[Tom]

Here's a stab at it. If you go by the rule of thumb that 1000 ftlbs of energy is needed to kill a deer, then that 22-250 has it out to 200 yards, I bet. Plus, shooting 22 animals in a few days, he chose something that wouldn't hurt his shoulder. I wouldn't choose it on hogs myself because their fat closes up over holes so much, but a well placed shot can do the job.

"22-250 rem 60 sp Horn 3600 1727 - 1.9 - 8.2 - 20.2 - 39.6"

from a google.com search, it starts at 1727 ftlbs.

The deer here are smaller than farther from the equator, and the 22-250 is illegal on big game in Wyoming, so this is an opportunity to use it.

Looks like it did well. Way to go! That was your share of the meat?

 

[JB]

Tom, we can guess why he didnt like them (60 gr partitons). I would guess he didnt like walking up on deer that were down but still alive and had to finish them off with head shots. Or we could let Buzz tell us why.

 

[BuzzH]

JB,

I've never been a fan of the .22's for big-game. But, I thought I'd try the 60 grain partition just to see for myself if they worked.

The first 2 deer I shot with them, both smaller sika does, I intentionally shot to break the on-shoulder on one and the off-shoulder on the other.

The one I broke the near shoulder on, the bullet didnt exit with a very slight quartering shot. The off-shoulder the bullet did break the shoulder and exit about the size of a quarter.

I shot 3 more intentionally NOT breaking a shoulder and all ran 100-120 yards with perfect bullet placement. I paid particular attention to the "blood trails". Very skimpy blood...although enough to track in 2 of the 3 cases. On one there wasnt enough blood to track the entire way...it bled for the first 30-40 yards then tapered off to nothing. It was easy enough to follow the tracks to the dead deer.

The hogs I shot with them all were shot in the lungs and they also went from 20-100 yards. Blood trails were similar to the deer, being skimpy at best.

I think the bullets performed as good as can be expected for a 22 caliber...just not enough bullet there for me to feel confident in using them on trophy game. I would not feel real good about shooting even a mature whitetail buck in the shoulders...no way on anything larger.

The lack of consistant blood trails makes even lung shots uncomfortable for me knowing recovery may be a potential problem.

Just not enough bullet weight, not enough penetrating/bone breaking abilities, smaller wound channels, etc.

Very marginal at best, IMO.

 

[BuzzH]

JB,

None of the animals I shot with the 22/250 were shot more than once. They died relatively quickly, it was basically the lack of penetration and blood trails that worried me.

I shot several animals with my 7mm with similar bullet placement (using 160 grain partitions)...the results were much different. Lots of blood and shorter recovery distances. I think its just a function of more bullet weight and bigger wound channels, exit holes, etc.

Nice place to try different bullets, etc.

I always had both the 7mm and 22-250 with me...I didnt even attempt to shoot a larger hog with the 22-250.

 

[JB]

thanks Buzz.
the reason I asked is because my brother-in-law is dead set on deer hunting with a 22-250 that he got from his father who had passed away. I told him to use something that will give us a blood trail and use the 22-250 for groundhogs if he wants to kill something for "sentimental" reasons with the 22-250. It gets pretty thick in the brush where we hunt and I dont like not recovering animals due to shitty choice of caliber and bullet selection.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

I've never tried a .22 bullet on deer or hogs. I would shoot a hog in the head with a .223 or .22-250 if the shot was under 50 yards and I was certain of the shot. I might try shooting a small blacktail with one if it was a pure opportunistic shot, but I wouldn't carry one if I was hunting deer. Even with small blacktails in heavy cover, I'd want a good blood trail. Also, I've never gotten the 60 gr partitions or 64 gr powerpoints to shoot well in any of my guns.

I agree with Buzz - there is just not enough bullet weight and bone-shattering effect for game over 100 pounds, IMHO.

 

[Tom]

JB, I think your guess was why you wouldn't like it. I wouldn't like that either, but Buzz had successful shots, it sounds like. Its a great experimental set of info. on the 22-250 too. Besides, the landowner needed the animals thinned. Thanks for the info.

Do you all object to ballistic tips for lack of blood trail also? I do.

 

[JB]

Also, I've never gotten the 60 gr partitions or 64 gr powerpoints to shoot well in any of my guns.

probably due to rate of twist and the fact that you cant shoot worth a piss

 

[Bambistew]

Looks like you had a fun time.

I'll never shoot anything again with a 22-250 besides varmints. The last deer I shot with my old mans '250 took 3 to the lungs before he gave up. It seems to work ok on antelope, but I'd rather have a heavier bullet for longer ranges. IMO a 6mm is about as small as I would ever go on big game. IMO There is a substancial diffrence in 'killing power' between a 243 and a 22-250.

 

[Big Fin]

And finally...the reason for the trip...150 pounds of pork sausage:

Besides the pork sausage also had 160 pounds of venison burger and 70 pounds of roast and steak.

Best hunting picture I have seen in a while. Damn table looks ready to collapse. Cool!

Making me hungry.

 

[noharleyyet]

Nice work Buzz.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

"Supposedly" the length of those two bullets will work in a standard twist .223 or .22-250. They may work better in the .22-250 since the velocity is higher. They have shot alright in my heavy-barreled .223 Savage with a faster twist, but I don't want to haul that heavy beast around just to shoot a deer with a minimal round.

C'mon, JB - admit that you buy guns from me that don't shoot worth a shit, because it doesn't matter how well your gun shoots - you're gonna miss anyway.

 

[JB]

C'mon, JB - admit that you buy guns from me that don't shoot worth a shit,

I'll admit that I buy guns from you that you cant shoot worth a shit.

you must have "forgot" to mention the "don't shoot worth a shit" in the sale.

if I remember correctly you said something like " it shoots two shots real close together and then you get a flyer on the third shot that opens the group up to 1 1/2".

then I remember thinking " Cali is in way over his head....let me try and help him out before he hurts himself."

I get the rifle first weelk of June.......Now, Im really looking forward to posting the results for you.

 

[shoots-straight]

I've shot a stock truck load of antelope with my .220 swift, using 60 gr. nosler solid base bullets. Three of us use to hit the Breaks through the 80's all shooting .22 caliber bullets. We had good success on Antelope, hit in good places and bad. I remember one Antelope that swapped ends at the shot, around 400 yrds the bullet took the buck in the side of the ham, removing both femur bones in both hams. I loved the head shots on does, you could say it was a eye opener. Buzz, we did experience most of the lung shot animals running semi circles before tipping over. I don't remember the blood trails much because of the open country, and being able to watch where they went after being shot.

 

[schmalts]

Nice pig slaying. I have to do that again some day

 

[1_pointer]

Looks like a fun trip! Weather down that way looks better than Laramie does...

 

[kphunter]

What part of Texas? I'm heading out to Caldwell later in the month, hoping to get a hog or two.

KP