Yes, but there are many better rounds out there for deer hunting. Like driving with your knees. you could do it but it doesn't mean it's a good idea. A 243, 25-06, 6mm Rem,7mm08 or 25 06 would be a better compromise for deer and varmints.

It will work, assuming it's completely open, no grass, twigs, etc. I at one time used a .225 Winchester for deer many years ago but that doesn't mean it was the best tool for the job, simply what was available to me at the time. Leave the Swift for the whistle pigs and go get a deer rifle or at least as Del suggests, get a good compromise. I mentioned the .25-06 to you in an earlier post but like someone else mentioned, I have a .257 Roberts but unless you handload, the '06 would be better. Hope that helps, and good hunting!

So, aside from Clay Cooper, how many of you have actually killed a deer with a .223, .220 Swift, or other .22 centerfire?

Do any of you actually own a fast .22 CF or are you just repeating something you thought up or read?

The 220 Swift will certainly kill a deer at 200 yards, but can you? I'm the guy everyone hauls on the mat for using tiny cartridges on deer and honestly I see the dark side of what I do. I've always believed that you can kill anything with proper shot placement and I still do, that's why I limit the range, to be sure of the shot. I think that if you're going to shoot that far, I'd like a slightly bigger rifle and absolutely no moving shots. I mentioned this in another posting and I'll repeat here. I built a 220 Swift for a customer quite a few years back and he has used it so successfully that he told me that he had retired his 270. He hunts from a permanent tree stand in the corner of the same field all the time. He has a cross rail to rest the rifle over and I don't think that anyplace in that field is much over 130-150 yards.

Certainly a .22-250 centerfire will take deer in the hands of a skilled shooter. I agree that there are better tools for the job. I shoot coyotes with one of my deer rifles. Not that many 'yote's around and ammo is cheap for good practice!

yes WA mtnhunter...i have killed a deer with a 223. a doe during late season at 75 yards. i watched as my cousin killed a doe at 50 yards with a .204. yes i know, every body has a cousin who had a friend who's dad did it. but that's the truth.

ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!

somebody say something?

Sure it will work. I haven't shot one with a .220 Swift though because at around 4000 fps the bullet could easily disintegrate on the shoulder bone of a big buck or it could deflect off a twig. This is the same reason I don't use bullets smaller than 100 grains in my 25-06. You can kill them most of the time but you can also cripple them with a load like this. Regarding use... I have shot 4 antelope from 200-400 yards with a .223; one in the head and three in the chest... all bang flops. I personally saw one deer shot with a 223 at 150 yards... complete penetration including through three back vertebreas... complete bang flop. In addition, two of the deadliest hunters in my family shoot 22-250s for deer and antelope... they have shot too many of each to count. The Swift is deadly but not as deadly as a 25-06. Also, please remember that if you shoot a deer in the foot, even a 50BMG will be disappointing.

Not exactly an ethical choice UNLESS you have a quality bullet and dont shoot past 120 yards, and are a pretty darned good marksman. Id only use it on scrawny deer. Shoot thru head it possible but dont mess up and just blow up the jaw.

I'd go w/a .243. I've seen it drop many many deer.

Big O
Mongo magnums are not required to take elk. Adequate rifles and good shot placement are.

Sorry fellas, but I misspoke on my answer above. My friends rifle is a 22-250 not a Swift.

- that round is absolutely terminal to deer sized game

Several Reasons:

First - the combination of zero recoil and an inherently accurate round make for terrific shot placement potenital... you can hit a dot on a deer.
Secondly - that round, because of the velocity, does all sorts of damage upon entry.

My wife shot a dandy 10 point this last year with her .257 weatherby... the same day I shot a respectable 8 with my .220 swift. Shot placement and angle was about the same for both deer, distance was about the same (120 yds-ish) and the deer were about the same weight. We skinned them one after the other. The .257 left a path of destruction all the way through the body cavity - and a large exit hole. My deer - no exit hole but the internal destruction was massive. We had to throw away half of my deer! Now I'm not comparing the killing power of a .220 swift to a .257 weatherby... my deer didn't seem to think the swift was not enough gun.

If I could go back - I'da taken a neck shot - just too much destruction with that round.

SpearO

p.s. it's fatal to pigs too... just tuck that round in right behind their ear... they'll be dead long before they hit the ground.