can a 55 grain bullet kill a deer?

Depends on what kind of 55 gr. bullet you use. Why not use something a little bigger. In the 80 to 90 grain range. They tend to be a little tougher construction and more suitable to the task.
 
Most (all that I know of) 55 grain .243 bullets are very fangible and would not penetrate very well on deer. There are several 85 to 100 grain .243 bullets that work well for deer and predators. Your barrel will last a lot longer with the heavier bullets too.
 
As stated before, will it? Sure. So would a .22lr with a shot to the eyeball. I use my .243 on Deer but I also use 100 or 105gr bullet. Lots of bullets will kill a deer, some are just more forgiving if you dont do your part.
 
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I killed this huge buck this year with my coyote gun. 22-250 my reloads of 50gr. Hor. V-Max at 226 yds ranged. Double lunged him. Have killed two other doe past couple years same gun. It is my most accurate shooting rifle I have. I wouldn't take a running shot but standing or slow walk yes. If you can place the bullet where you want it, it will work. The bad & good thing about it is it don't come oput the other side. It won't leave a blood trail. HOWEVER that being said if you place it where it counts like lungs or heart they will be dead and you won't need a blood trail. Should have took a picture on the inside but didn't. On the inside of the ribs there was a hole about 50 cent size and then blew up lungs. He went about 40 yds and fell over. Keep in mind I had him weighed at the butcher shop cause it was my biggest body deer I ever shot. He weighed 170 lbs. on the nose dressed, so when that 50 gr V-Max hit him he was approx. 200 to 210lbs on the hoof. BTW that was my 30th. buck I killed here in Pa. in my lifetime. The one G2 on the left side was 10 inches.
Hope that gives you an idea what a small bullet will do if put in the right spot...as they say, location, location, location.
 
Brother in law has been doing it for yrs with his 243. Last yr he shot a doe at 500yds with complete pentration. He has shot probably over 10-15 deer with this combo and really likes it. As for penetration the vitals aren't hard to get too on a deer. HAPPY HUNTING
 
Good postings here on this thread.
I've never killed a Deer with a 22 caliber, 55 grain bullet, but I know a bunch of other guys who have done this.
In support of the 22 caliber venture, a couple of years ago a guy posted on another forum that the chambering of choice by poachers in Africa is the lowly 22 Hornet...I am in no way supporting ANY poaching; I'm just regurgitating what another guy said about a 22 caliber chambering that will kill large animals.

Edit to add. As said above, it's all about location, location, location...
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I have not seen any 55 grain 6mm bullets that are "designed" for medium game (deer).

Barnes Bullets markets the 80 grain Tipped TSX and the 85 grain TSX Boattail. Both of these will shoot through a deer and kill a coyote, too.

Best wishes,
 
I have taken many Mule Deer and Whitetail, bucks and does here in Montana with Nosler 55gr out of my Swift with no problems, even took a speed goat at 312 yards dropped him instantly. But if you make a poor shot things could get real ugly, my father in law made a bad shot on a coyote, (behind the ribs) and it pretty much gutted it out like you would a deer, an it still needed a follow up shot. So pick your shot.
 
I've killed several deer in MO with a 55 grain bullet from a .223, and I've flat smoked deer in Kansas with a 58 grain Vmax. Don't try to shoot through any bones tougher then ribs and you'll be fine...
 
As alot of people have said its all bout shot placement yes a 55gr bullet will put down a deer IF shot right just like any other gun its all bout shot placement.
 
I hunt with a 243 Steyr rifle.. Last year I DROPPED a 9 and 10 point where they stood. Not even a good kick out of them.. A spike I shot ran about 40 yds. My fault, wasn't going to shoot, but the thought of tenderloin wrapped in peppers and bacon changed my mind.. Deer had turn and was walking away, got a little of a quartering shot and took it.
As someone said earlier LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION.

I shoot factory loaded federal most of the time, and same in reloads.. It's a 85 gr. bthp. Too me it's a great bullet. If you put it in sweet spot they will drop.
 
Never tried any of the 6mm 55 varmint bullets, but this one was killed with a 75Vmax via 243 at about 250yds. It crumpled at the shot. Stay off bone and your golden. The 75Vmax is rough on coyotes as well.
Entrance and Exit.

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A .243 with at least a 1:10" will shoot about every bullet between 55g and 95g unless it has an unusual barrel twist, most of them quite well if it is a good rifle. That is the whole reason for choosing a .243. The bullet variety makes one rifle good for PD's through Whitetail.

IMO: With that sort of range there is no reason to have a one bullet limit. The 55g will be great for GH and coyotes. 75g will drop coyotes in their tracks even better. 95g NBT or SP bullets are just fine for deer. If a person was going to insist on shooting only one bullet, the 87g V-Max might be close to an all-around bullet.

Fitch
 
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