North American Whitetail, mule deer and other deer species represent the world’s largest game animal population. Each fall, more than 10 million U.S. hunters take to the forests and fields in pursuit of venison for the meat locker.
Hunters and shooters often ask what’s the best caliber for hunting deer, when in fact they mean to ask what is the best cartridge for deer hunting. “Caliber” refers to the diameter of a bullet and the bore size of a rifle that fires it, whereas the term “cartridge” collectively refers to the bullet’s diameter, size, shape, weight and propellant.
Defining and determining the ‘best” caliber bullet, cartridge and rifle combination for hunting deer is a subject that’s long been debated among sportsmen. The debate’s likely to continue as long as deer hunters get together, whether it’s over a cup of coffee in the morning, after practicing at the shooting range, or meeting back at the camp for a post-hunt cold beer. Below are 10 candidates for top honors, along with some general information to help you decide which cartridge is the best deer-hunting cartridge.
Anatomy of a Deer Hunting Cartridge
In most areas, it’s illegal to hunt deer with a rifle of less than .24 caliber, which eliminates .22LR and .22 WRF rimfire ammunition, meaning deer can only be hunted with rifles that use larger calibers and more powerful centerfire cartridges.
There are four primary components of a centerfire rifle cartridge, which are its casing, primer, propellant and projectile.
- Casing. A cartridge’s casing holds the projectile and propellant in place until the shooter pulls the firearm’s trigger. Casings are typically made from brass, but can also be made from other soft metals such as aluminum, nickel, steel or a metal alloy. Cartridge casings have necks narrower than the body, which keeps the bullet securely in place until the gun is fired. With the help of a reloading tool, centerfire cartridge casings can be reused up to a half-dozen or more times, which over the long run can represent substantial savings for the gun owner.
- Primer. Centerfire cartridge casings have small percussion caps called primers embedded in the center of their bases that contain mercury fulminate or other highly combustible substances. When a rifle’s trigger is pulled and the pin in its firing mechanism strikes the primer, the substance is ignited, which in turn causes the propellant within the cartridge to ignite.
- Propellant. When ignited by the primer, the expanding gasses from the propellant burning within the cartridge’s casing forces the projectile out of the casing, down the barrel and out the muzzle toward the target. Firearm propellants come in a variety of chemical compositions and burn rates.
Today’s propellants are a far cry from the original crude gunpowder concocted from a mixture of potassium nitrate, sulphur and charcoal. Although black powder is still used to some extent, most of today’s ammunition contains smokeless powder, which comes in both single base and double base formulas. The main ingredient in single base smokeless powder is nitrocellulose, whereas double base smokeless powder is a nitrocellulose mixture with nitroglycerin added in. Double base powders are hotter burning and more corrosive than their single base counterparts, but are usually the best choice for achieving maximum projectile velocity. Burn rates and other characteristics can be modified and controlled by changing the granule size and shape of either type of smokeless powder.
- Projectile. A rifle cartridge’s projectile is more commonly referred to as the bullet. Bullets are typically made either entirely from lead or have a lead core with an outer jacket made from a metal such as copper, and are sometimes capped with a pointed polymer tip. Bullets come in various shapes, weights and sizes, depending upon their intended application. Here’s an overview of four of the most common bullet shapes:
• The spitzer, or spire point bullet, is an accurate, aerodynamically designed projectile normally used for long-range shooting. Spitzers have flatter trajectories but are less structurally sound than round-nosed bullets, resulting in a higher degree of fragmentation upon impact.
• Round nose bullets have blunt tips and are typically found on cartridges used for hunting large and dangerous game animals. Round nose bullets are also used in rifles with tube magazines, since a pointed bullet’s tip could cause the primer of the cartridge immediately in front of it to ignite if the rifle is accidentally dropped or bumped.
• A semi-spitzer bullet’s shape is somewhere in between that of a spritzer and a round nose bullet. Semi-spitzers combine the penetrating power of a round nose bullet with the aerodynamics of a spitzer.
• Boat tail bullets have bases that taper toward the bottom, which reduces in-flight drag. Boat tail bullets are generally more accurate than flat based bullets, and are typically used for long-range hunting and target shooting.
Rifle/Cartridge Combinations
Although there’s no single correct answer to this long-running debate, the ideal cartridge and rifle pairing need to meet the following minimum criteria:
- Accuracy. Assuming it’s in the hands of an experienced shooter with at least moderate skills, the rifle/cartridge combo must be capable of consistently delivering 3-shot, 2” groupings at distances of up to 300 yards.
- Recoil. The recoil must be light enough that it doesn’t cause the average hunter to involuntarily flinch and move off target when the round is fired, which often results in the bullet missing the target.
- Trajectory. The faster the velocity of a bullet as it leaves the muzzle, the farther it will fly and the flatter its trajectory will be. Muzzle velocity is measured in feet per second (fps).The higher the bullet’s muzzle velocity, the greater the recoil felt by the shooter due to the amount and type of propellant used in high velocity ammunition. The trajectory should be flat enough to score a kill shot to the heart and lung region at 300 yards when centered on a deer’s chest without the need to compensate for bullet drop.
- Projectile Types. In determining the best rifle cartridge for hunting deer, the projectile, or bullet, needs to also be taken into consideration. Choosing the right bullet/cartridge combination can mean the difference between a successful hunt and a fruitless day in the field or tree stand. Bullets used for hunting deer need to attain enough velocity to penetrate deeply into the animal’s body, have sufficient mass for stopping power and expand adequately upon impact to bring down the animal for a clean and ethical kill.
- Stopping Power. The further a bullet travels, the less kinetic energy it retains due to slowing from friction and the effects of gravity. A bullet’s stopping power is measured in foot pounds (ft/lbs), which is the amount of energy required to move or lift a 1-pound mass a distance of 1 foot. There needs to be enough energy remaining in the bullet when it arrives to humanely bring down and quickly kill a deer rather than merely wounding or maiming the animal. The energy a bullet retains over a given distance is a function of its caliber, weight, shape and the amount and type of propellant in the cartridge. A good benchmark for stopping power to cleanly bring down a deer is between 800 and 1,000 foot pounds upon impact.
- Ammunition Availability. Ammunition for hunting deer should be reasonably priced and readily available. This is particularly true if you need to restock while hunting in a remote area, where exotic caliber cartridges might not be sold.
Top 10 Deer Hunting Cartridges
The combinations of cartridge shapes, projectiles, propellants, materials and casings are almost as many as there are hunters’ opinions as to which is the “best” cartridge for taking deer. Here, in no particular order, are 10 favorites that meet the criteria for the all-around deer hunting cartridges:
- Remington Core-Lokt Soft Point 30-30. For decades, the venerable .30-30, with its original .30 caliber projectile and 30-grains of propellant was said to have taken more deer than any other single cartridge type. Although with the proliferation of new and technologically advanced ammunition that statement may no longer hold true, the .30-30 cartridge continues to be a perennial top-seller. Its deep penetrating, 150-grain soft point bullet progressively expands to almost twice its original diameter after impact and entry. The 1,902 ft/lbs of muzzle energy and 2,390 fps muzzle velocity combine for plenty of stopping power within the cartridge’s 200-plus yard effective range.
- Weatherby .257 Magnum Select Plus. Although rifles chambered for the Weatherby .257 Magnum are relatively few and the ammunition tends to be somewhat pricey, it’s an extremely hard-hitting, fast-killing .25 caliber cartridge. The cartridge’s 100 grain, copper-jacketed spritzer point bullet has 2,721 ft/lbs of muzzle energy and a muzzle velocity of 2,500 fps that deliver enough stopping power for hunting deer and other midweight game at ranges of up to 375 yards.
- Hornady American Whitetail .243 Winchester. A favorite among deer hunters for years, Hornady’s American Whitetail Hunter’s light recoil .243 Winchester has a 100 grain Hornady InterLock bullet and a muzzle velocity of 2,960 fps with 1,945 ft/lbs of energy as it leaves the muzzle. Designed specifically for deer hunting, Hornady’s American Whitetail ammunition uses propellants explicitly chosen to consistently deliver outstanding accuracy, performance and shooter satisfaction in all but extremely long range shooting situations.
- Winchester .270 Deer Season XP. Combining Winchester’s many years of experience perfecting deer hunting cartridges, the Winchester Deer Season XP cartridge, as the name implies, is intended specifically for hunting deer. The 130 grain, aerodynamically designed Winchester Extreme Point bullet with its large polymer tip combine to deliver outstanding accuracy, a flat trajectory and excellent knockdown power. The .270 Deer Season XP has 2,702 ft/lbs of muzzle energy and a muzzle velocity of more than 3,000 fps.
- 7mm-08 Remington. Made by Winchester’s ammunition division, the 7mm-08 Remington is another great deer hunting cartridge. The 140 grain Ballistic Silvertip boat-tail base bullet delivers 2,770 fps muzzle velocity and 2,386 ft/lbs of muzzle energy with relatively light recoil, which are two reasons many veteran shooters consider the 7mm-08 Remington to be the best all-around cartridge for hunting deer. Its polycarbonate tipped bullet with Winchester’s patented Lubalox coating and jacketed lead alloy core result in an extremely accurate, hard-hitting and deep-penetrating cartridge.
- .25-06 Remington. Federal Ammunition’s .25-06 Remington Premium Vital-Shok cartridge for hunting deer was first introduced in 1969. It’s a boat-tailed, 100 grain bullet with a sharp plastic tip seated in a 30-06 casing with a neck reduced in size to hold a .257 caliber projectile. The bullet leaves the muzzle at an impressive 3,210 fps with 2,920 ft/lbs of energy. Couple this with its comparatively light recoil, flat trajectory and exceptional accuracy, and it’s easy to understand why the .25-06 Remington has long been a favorite for hunting in areas with vast expanses of open country.
- .30-06 Springfield. Fiocchi of America’s Extrema .30-06 Springfield, with its 165 grain Sierra Game King Boat Tail Hollow Point (BTHP) bullet, has a muzzle velocity of 2,850 fps and 2,975 ft/lbs of muzzle energy. Originally designed for use with the U.S. Military’s Model 1903 Springfield rifle, the .30-06 continues to be one of North America’s all-time most popular cartridges for hunting big game, due in part to the ammunition being widely available and reasonably priced. Fiocchi’s Extrema line of hunting cartridges are renowned for their precision casings, excellent propellants and dependable primers.
- .257 Robert Superformance. Hornady Manufacturing makes a .257 Roberts cartridge with a deeply penetrating .117 grain sharp plastic SST (Super Shock Tip) boat-tail bullet that expands and fragments uniformly for quick, clean and ethical kills. Also known as the .257 Bob, the bullet leaves the muzzle with 2,253 ft/lbs of energy and a velocity of 2,945 fps. According to Hornady, their Superformance ammunition provides 100 to 200 fps velocity than conventional .257 rounds without increases in recoil or reductions in accuracy.
- .308 Winchester. Winchester Ammunition’s .308 Ballistic Silvertip cartridge is highly accurate, has a relatively light recoil and, with its 2,629 ft/lbs of energy and 2,810 fps muzzle velocity, delivers plenty of stopping power for clean, ethical kills. The 150-grain projectile has a polycarbonate tip, a tapered jacket over a lead alloy core and a boat-tail base, making it an excellent cartridge for long-range deer hunting. The .308 has long been recognized by hunters as an outstanding deer hunting cartridge.
- 7.57mm Mauser. Hornady’s 7.57mm Mauser Superformance cartridge with its streamlined GMX (Gilding Metal Expanding) bullet combines light recoil with an extremely flat trajectory. The 139 grain bullet has a muzzle velocity of 2,317 fps and a muzzle energy of 2,740 ft/lbs that hits hard, penetrates deeply and expands to over 1.5 times its original diameter for quick, clean kills. Hugely popular in Europe, the 7.57mm Mauser is an excellent cartridge that has a somewhat limited but highly dedicated following among U.S. hunters.
Buying Deer Hunting Ammunition Online from Hinterland Outfitters
As pointed out earlier, the subject as to which is the “best” all-around cartridge for deer has been and undoubtedly will continue to be a subject of much debate among hunters. Whatever you decide to use, Hinterland Outfitters is sure to have it.
Still undecided or have questions? Contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via email at sales@blog.hinterlandoutfitters.com or call us toll-free at 877-446-8370. One of our knowledgeable team members will be pleased to help you choose the “best” deer hunting cartridge for your unique situation.