This light-kicking cartridge is great for long-range hunters, as well as short-range targets. This should tell you something.) If you use a Winchester 150-grain load, you are getting 2050 ft/lbs. The first consideration when buying ammunition is the caliber - or more precisely the cartridge. Many of the most popular bullets today also feature some sort of polymer tip atop the lead slug. This website is devoted to hunting, with all rifle trajectories sighted to give a flat, point blank range (± 2 inches = ± 50mm). While talking about the .240 caliber, it is rare to find ammo. "The whitetail deer is the most popular big game animal to hunt in the United States so it stands to reason that a huge number of rifle cartridges are well suited for the job. of energy for the 270. Lead-free bullets like the Nosler e-Tip Lead-Free ammo are also gaining popularity. If you're looking for a target or training rifle or plan on hunting small game like rabbits at 50 yards or less, the .22 Long Rifle is hard to beat when compared to the .22 WMR. you must use .300 Win. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of these rounds, and we’ll compare them, to see the potential when it comes to 22-250 deer hunting viability. .38-55 Winchester. The .243 was also a great option for those living in countries which banned the use of military countries (.308 Win/7.62x51mm NATO). It is basically a necked-down 308 Winchester, giving you the 308’s performance in a short-action case. So, what is the best caliber rifle for deer hunting? This caliber thrived in the late 20 th Century and has since stayed for a reason. These figures remain practical maximums for the modern hunter. • Small (CXP1) – mostly rodents like rabbits, tree squirrels and such. Porro Prism or Roof Prism Binoculars: What is the Difference? Mag. The reason this is in quotations is because there are so many effective deer cartridges that can be used. The ‘06 throws the 150 gr. Origin of the 308 Winchester. of force, giving hunters a powerful rifle that keeps deer down. Top Big Game Rifle Cartridges by Caliber Listed by caliber, here's a look at what big game rifle cartridges are trending upward, and which are not. That’s another important factor in accurate shooting. Think about how many years good old boys used a Winchester 94 to hunt deer with. Use This Rifle Caliber Chart to Pick the Right Ammo for Hunting, How Rifles, Muzzleloaders & Shotgun Slugs Stack Up for Deer Hunting (infographic), How Rifles, Muzzleloaders & Shotgun Slugs Stack Up for Deer Hunting, Click here to Enlarge+ How to Choose the Best Bullet Design chart, Check out this post about: Using smaller caliber rifles for aging hunters here, 11 Pieces of Hunting Gear You’re Probably Forgetting to De-Scent. Initial Thoughts. 308 Win Trajectory . • Medium Sized Game (CXP2) – Non-dangerous. Best Deer Hunting Caliber. This is still one of the best deer hunting calibers on the market, as lever-action ammunition technology has improved greatly. For deer-sized game, bullets are generally constructed with a softer point, as these animals lack the thicker hides and tougher bones of moose and bears. Sportsman could use the same rifle used for groundhogs and coyotes, as for deer. For example if it says, ".300 Win. All rights reserved. It can push a 130-grain pill at roughly 2,500 ft./lbs., which is a great show of its long-range capabilities. While the lauded .308 Winchester and other cartridges can push their bullets as fast, the 6.5 does so with less recoil. Below is a chart to help you match up the caliber with the type of hunting you are plan to do. The results seemed reasonable in light of my personal research and experience. Here are five mainstream, shoulder-friendly calibers that are perfect for a first deer rifle. Hunting. Every now and then, a new cartridge is introduced that makes big waves in the hunting world. Possessing one of the most loyal fan bases in the world, myself included, the 30-06 is an excellent deer round. Why does the chart show two rounds of 22lr with one of them labeled "22wmr"? Mag." A good measurement to decide how flat a rifle shoots and how far you can still take a deer without raising the crosshairs over where you need to hit. It’s Time to Hang Those Hunting Tree Stands: Best Tools to Keep Safe (video), Hunting Challenges: Bucks, Coyotes, and Trespassers (video). 308 Winchester. They are legally required in certain areas, while other hunters prefer them due to concerns about lead fragments in their venison. Knocking down deer since the early 1920s, .270 Win is basically .30-06 necked down from .30 cal to .277 cal. of force.. Hunting with a .223 for deer in states where it’s legal is an option, but that is the very bottom end of calibers that might be right for a deer hunt. Hunter Conservation & Heritage Quiz: Can You Pass the Hunter Education Exam? Ventura Munitions. Using any other cartridge can result in serious or even fatal injury to you. • Small Predators (CXP1) – foxes, coyotes and bobcats are tougher than the other two small game and varmints. If you want a light recoil, but high effectiveness on deer, this is your cartridge. 11 Best Rifle Cartridges for Whitetail Deer. Your results may vary depending on barrel length and bullet weight. Though picking the single best cartridge for deer hunting is an impossible task, in today’s post, I’m going to share my choices for the 11 best deer hunting calibers. I apologize in advance. In a world of rifle calibers that ranges from .10 Eichelberger to .950JDJ, it’s a bit of an understatement to say there’s whole a lot of chamberings for shooters to chose from. There are many hunters and gun enthusiasts who revel in using a non-mainstream cartridge, and this is one of the greatest for deer. This is one of the granddaddies of the deer hunting straight wall cartridge rifle calibers. As you can see, the .30-06 is the most energy at the muzzle of them all, but that does not necessarily mean it is the “best” deer cartridge, as there are many excellent options. Another of the newer long-range whiz-kids, the 6.5 Grendel simply puts deer down. These tips help to prevent deformation or damage to the soft lead bullet that can result from repeated loading and unloading in a rifle's magazine and chamber, which can then hurt the bullet's ballistic efficiency and performance. Hunters today have a greater variety of top-quality factory ammunition available to them than ever before. We do not cover long range shooting and sniping trajectories. 8 Must-Have Items to Outfit Your ATV for Hunting. The caliber provides a great combination of effective killing ability without blowing up your shoulder. If a deer hunter is looking for a light-kicking deer dropper, this is their gun. The Caliber/Game Usage Chart will help the hunter decide which caliber rifle works best on the game being hunted. What causes recoil? As can be seen from that number, it is more than deadly on deer. I thought I’d run an article on the flattest shooting rifle cartridges to compare and contrast both what’s popular, as well as a few of the high performance options out there. Smaller calibers like the 6mm and .243 are larger than the .223 but still offer light recoil and high velocities. and the .270 Win. All pages © 2012 – 2020 BPS Direct, L.L.C. Send us a note and let us know what is the best deer rifle for deer hunting in your eyes. "Caliber" is generally the measure of a bullet's diameter; the higher the caliber, the bigger the bullet, and generally the larger the game it can be used for. The latest is the 6.5 Creedmoor, developed by Hornady in the early 2000s. It has quickly become a hunting favorite, especially for deer-sized game. Figure right around 2875 ft./lbs. Selecting suitable chamberings for youngsters' rifles is critical to maintaining their enthusiasm for hunting and shooting. Using a 270 to hunt deer is a no-brainer, as these rounds drop deer very quickly. These are among the 10 best deer hunting calibers. The good news is we can try them all out and make our own opinions. Less than 10 pounds body weight. Click here for a larger view of the rifle caliber chart. All of these cartridges’ energies are measured at the muzzle with a 24” standard barrel, which most hunters do not use. bullet with roughly 3100 ft./lbs. I will say that after I had initially calculated the results for a number of common rifle cartridges using the formula above, I was encouraged. Figure that deer require roughly 1,000 ft./lbs. These loads generally utilize higher-quality components, including the brass, bullets, powders and primers, and are loaded to strict specifications with tighter quality control tolerances. The 7mm-08 should always be considered when purchasing a new deer rifle. It is critical that you use the exact same cartridge that is stamped on the barrel or the receiver of your rifle. The 4 Best Straight-Walled Rifle Cartridges for Deer Hunting For generations, a lot of states have allowed deer hunters to use only shotguns with slugs or maybe a muzzleloader during gun season. That is, the range is 0 to 300 yards (= 0 to 275 metres) and the sighting range is +2 to -6 inches (+50mm to -150mm). Fortunately, these all-copper bullets tend to be very accurate and, as a bonus, they deliver nearly 100 percent weight retention. Remember, no matter the game being hunted, the responsible hunter knows the effective range of their firearm. A Russian cartridge that remains in active military use, the 7.62R (R for “Rimmed” as in rimmed rifle cartridge) is a hard-hitting large caliber option that is a mainstay for sniper rifles. Picking a best rifle cartridge is subjective to the owner or shooter. The chart below shows a graphical depiction of the comparison of muzzle energy between all of the cartridges mentioned in this article fired from a 24 inch test barrel (for ease of comparison). Ultra Mag. Deer and pronghorns are the primary species i… to take humanely. Many of the most popular bullets today also feature some sort of polymer tip atop the lead slug. Check out this post about: Using smaller caliber rifles for aging hunters here. TIP: How Rifles, Muzzleloaders & Shotgun Slugs Stack Up for Deer Hunting, TIP: Click here to Enlarge+ How to Choose the Best Bullet Design chart. The Flattest Shooting Common Hunting Cartridges. While popular calibers dominate the deer rifle market, often overlooked are the lighter caliber loads such as the 22 250 Remington, 223 Remington, 243 Winchester, 270 Winchester, 25-06 Remington, and 308 Winchester. There are many American deer hunters who love their 243 Winchester’s and would never even consider trying something else. The construction of a bullet will depend on the size of game being hunted. The top cartridges for new big game rifles shift from year to year in some categories as a few relatively new cartridges catch on while some old standby rounds fade away. The 140-grain bullet in the 6.5 Creedmoor offers the perfect performance for game ranging from whitetail to black bear and caribou to even elk and mountain game. You can get 100-grain loads that will put out roughly 2100 ft./lbs. About the .22 Long Rifle vs .22 WMR  blog is a good source to explain the difference. WIth that, what is the best caliber rifle for deer hunting? If you hunt in open-country, you might want to give this one a try. Reduced recoil loads have become popular with lighter-built shooters, younger shooters and anyone with a heightened sensitivity to recoil. By Jeff Johnston. TIP: How Rifles, Muzzleloaders & Shotgun Slugs Stack Up for Deer Hunting (infographic). Apart from roe deer, .240 caliber is used for other deer species which can be known from the caliber training note. For anyone who loves their classic military cartridges, this is one of the best deer hunting calibers. What do you think? For anyone looking for a the best deer caliber without a lot of recoil, we recommend the 6.5 Creedmoor. Fortunately, the quality and variety of factory ammunition available today is no longer a problem. This gives you the bullet options for everything 7mm with the case and action length of .30-06! These loads offer faster velocities than standard loads, resulting in flatter trajectories, more energy, and better penetration. Handloading is still very popular, especially for those who do a lot of shooting and are looking to save money by reusing the brass shell casings and buying the other components of ammunition in bulk. Yeah, yeah, I know they’re cartridges and not calibers, but lots of people call them calibers so I thought I’d roll with it. A chart is provided which depicts the best rifle calibers and cartridges for hunting the most common small and big game animals. Short Mag. The .30-06 Springfield cartridge is one of the most commonly used calibers for deer hunting. At the end of the day, a deer hunter should make their opinion based on personal experiences and what they want out of their deer rifle. At the other end of the spectrum, hunters who are not particularly sensitive to recoil and who want the maximum performance available for a particular cartridge can choose from new "hyper-velocity" loads now being offered. 4. Mag., NOT .300 Wby. 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