smallest caliber to kill deer

[tyak]

Hornet hollow point will make jelly of the chest cavity at 100 yds

[westtexducks]

thabks guys. ..that hornet looks like it did the trick...good for her...how far.....im thinking .223 pretty good standard round

It will kill em just as dead as any of the magnums if you put it in the right spot. I have shot a bunch of pigs and several deer with a .223 with 45 gr JHP winchester whitebox and most were one shot kills.

That said I still love my .270 gives me a little more lee way when I am picking my shot angles compared to the small calibers.

[Sackett]

.222 will do just fine. I've killed em deader and faster with a .22-250 than I have with a .30-06.

FYI, .22 mag is not legal to hunt game animals with here in TX. For internet purposes, I'm sure you shot yours in Mexico ;-)

[Boomerang]

.22-250 lung shot drops deer in their tracks with HP or ballistic tips fragmenting, totally vaporizes the vitals.

[muddog84]

I've killed a number of them with a .222, never had one take a step after squeezing the trigger. As said above, shot placement is the key, less room for error with the smaller calibers.

[Big Lee]

.22 hornet knocks em down. I have my grandpas old savage. He fed his mother and brothers for years with it. I use it still, I grab it out of the case and leave my .270 behind and relive the memories with it.

[41Chevy]

A friend of mine only uses a 17 Remington. 75 - 100 yards to the upper neck drops them in their tracks. I almost only hunt with my AR now.

[clayg08]

I'm trying a .223 in a couple of months with a 55 gr Barnes TSX

[cbd10pt]

About anything will kill one. However why track them if you're using a gun get a 270 or bigger if you have someone small shooting it put a Break on it.

[Mike D]

Smallest I have personally killed with is .223. Use good week constructed bullets though.

I love deer hunting with a 22-250.

[tvc184]

My last four deer killed with a rifle have been with .223 with bonded soft point Federal 62gr. None went farther than 20 yards and all had large exit wounds.

[Master Blaster]

It will kill em just as dead as any of the magnums if you put it in the right spot. I have shot a bunch of pigs and several deer with a .223 with 45 gr JHP winchester whitebox and most were one shot kills.

I use that round for varmint hunting and it is nasty!!!

[JW]

300 RUM. Period

[shiner78]

.22 hornet right behind the ear.

[JW]

smallest caliber to kill deer

I've killed (culled) does inside 50 yards, in good conditions, with a .22mag under the ear. It's a tough shot, but if you miss, you usually miss clean.

That said, .22-250 or a .223 would be the smallest caliber I'd recommend.

22 Mag in Texas is illegal. I might edit that if I was you.
I bought my 9 year old a 6.8 SPC. Between 223 and 22-250 and recoil and near 30-30 energy at 100 yards. Hers is a Remington 700 Light Tactical. I highly recommend this cal for youth.