What's the Best Cartridge for Deer Hunting?

Some 35 million strong, the whitetail deer is the world’s most populous big-game animal, pursued annually by about 11 million deer hunters. The deer cartridges we use are important, driving sales and new developments, and influencing shooters and hunters worldwide.

Cleanly taking a deer is rarely a matter of extreme precision. The vital zone is not small. For most of us, shooting distances at deer aren’t far. Properly ventilating your venison is largely a matter of keeping your cool and making one reasonably good shot when the chance arises.

How well you place that shot is far more important than what you’re shooting. That said, it’s important to have confidence in your choice. Around campfires, we argue endlessly and split our hairs, comparing one cartridge to another. There are dozens and dozens of good deer cartridges, old and new. Too many for one article, in fact. Some of us like to thump our deer with larger calibers, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, except as necessary, I will avoid discussion of cartridges with bullet diameters larger than .30. They work well but are not essential for deer

IN THE BEGINNING

When self-contained metallic cartridges and repeating rifles were new, Oliver Winchester and B. Tyler Henry created the .44-40 and it was good. The .44-40 was the dominant rifle cartridge until at least 1900. Although slow, the .44-40 used a 200-grain bullet that packed a punch. Widely used to settle and pacify half the continent, the .44-40 probably accounted for more deer than any other cartridge (although the .30-30 is often so credited).

Decades later, gunwriter Col. Townsend Whelen theorized that we wanted 1,000 ft-lbs of energy at the animal to cleanly take deer-sized game. Whelen knew his stuff. I like his 1,000 ft-lbs as a guide. However, there is no hard science. If his rule were absolute, the .44-40 could never have killed a deer. At blackpowder velocities, bullet energy never approaches 1,000 ft-lbs.

In 1888, smokeless propellent enabled a quantum leap in projectile velocity, flattening trajectory, extending range and increasing energy yield. Early smokeless cartridges were military developments. Hunters quickly discovered the advantages of these military cartridges. Most became popular with hunters, especially in their countries of origin. Some still with us as effective hunting cartridges include: 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser, 7x57 Mauser and .30-06 Sprg.

In 1895, the .30-30 Win. became the first smokeless-powder sporting cartridge. It was introduced in the Winchester Model 1894, which would become the world’s most prolific sporting rifle. Winchester’s competitors quickly adopted the .30-30. The Winchester 94 and Marlin 336 alone account for the production of some 10 million .30-30 lever-action deer rifles. Both are still manufactured with untold numbers still in use.

From 1900 until after World War II, the .30-30 was America’s most popular centerfire. Neither fast nor flat-shooting, the .30-30 was and is an effective deer cartridge—provided you don’t need to reach out. At my Kansas farm, none of our deer stands offer shots beyond effective .30-30 range. Still, of the maybe 150 deer hunters we’ve hosted, bringing dozens of diverse cartridges, I’m the only hunter who has used a .30-30. So far it’s been one buck per shot.

The .30-30 achieved dominance before riflescopes came into widespread use. Marlin’s side-ejecting lever-actions could be readily scoped. Earlier top-ejecting Winchesters could not be. Until Hornady’s FTX bullet with sharp, compressible polymer tips came out in 2006, all tubular magazine rifles were restricted to blunt-nosed bullets.

Using scopes and aerodynamic spitzer bullets, hunters wanted to reach out farther. After World War II, bolt-action rifles replaced the lever action as America’s favorite. The bolt action is strong, accurate and “scopable.” Part of the bolt action’s ascent was availability of inexpensive surplus 1903 Springfields and 1917 U.S. Enfields, all chambered in .30-06. Into the 1960s, the .30-06 was America’s most popular hunting cartridge. It’s still wonderful, versatile and effective, one of my favorites. However, the .30-06 is needlessly powerful for deer. Nothing wrong with using it, but the .30-06 is a powerful cartridge, delivering too much recoil for many.

In 1925, Winchester introduced the .270 Win., based on the ’06 case necked down to take a lighter, faster .277-inch bullet. A century old this year, the .270 Win. remains one of our very best deer cartridges. Powerful enough for the biggest bucks that walk, it’s flat-shooting and produces acceptable recoil. With so many new cartridges, the .270 isn’t as popular as it once was, but it’s still a mainstay, offered by virtually all manufacturers.

Other good deer cartridges based on the .30-06 case include the .25-06 Rem. and .280 Rem. Long a common wildcat, Remington legitimized the .25-06 in 1965. I’m not a huge .25-caliber fan, especially for the largest-bodied deer, but the .25-06 shoots flat with minimal recoil. Texas deer hunters love the .25-06, perfect for their medium-sized deer and for shooting down the long cutlines (senderos) that crisscross the South Texas brush country.

Introduced in 1957, the .280 Rem. has never been popular, relegated to more of a cult cartridge—although a good one. Using a .284-inch bullet, it’s similar to the .270, except it offers the advantage of heavier 7 mm bullets. Hardly new, but only recently adopted as a factory cartridge is the .280 Ackley Improved, based on the .280 Rem. case. Utah gunmaker Parker Ackley “improved” many cartridges by removing body taper and sharpening shoulders. The .280 AI is considered one of his best, increasing velocity to almost 7 mm Rem. Mag. level. Note that .280 Rem. ammo can be fired in a .280 AI chamber, losing just a bit of velocity in fireforming.

GETTING SHORT

Back when the lever action was king, Savage was a serious competitor to Winchester, and the company’s signature Model 1899/Model 99 lever gun was a better mousetrap. Savage’s rotary magazine under the bolt could use spitzer bullets. Ejection was to the side, and the solid-topped receiver could easily be adapted for scope mounting. The Savage action was also stronger.

Introduced in 1915 in the Savage 1899, the .250 Savage (aka .250-3000), based on a shortened .30-06 case, was the first production cartridge to exceed 3,000 fps. Five years later, the .250 Savage case was necked up to create the .300 Savage. Both were popular, the .300 Savage almost reaching 1920-vintage .30-06 velocities. Out of production since 1999, about a million Savage 99s were made. Many are still in service, including mine, one in .250, the other in .300 Savage.

After World War II, the U.S. military wanted a shorter cartridge. The result was the 7.62x51 NATO, introduced as a sporting cartridge in 1952 as the .308 Win. and based on the ’06 case shortened. Short cases gain efficiency; the .308 is only 7 percent less powerful than the .30-06.

The .308 case came to define “short action.” Today, it’s one of our most popular centerfires … and a great deer cartridge, as are most of its progeny. In 1955 Winchester introduced the .243 Win., essentially the .308 case necked down. The .243 remains the most popular 6 mm cartridge. Several generations of young hunters took their first deer with an accurate, mild-kicking .243, me included.

The 7 mm-08 Rem. was introduced in 1980. Ballistics are nearly identical to the old 7x57 Mauser, but the 7 mm-08 fits into a short action while the Mauser cartridges do not. To my thinking both are among the best whitetail cartridges. Purely on nostalgia, I prefer the 7x57, but the efficient 7 mm-08 makes more sense.

In 1998, Remington brought out the .260 Rem., which was the .308 case necked down to take a 6.5 mm (.264-inch) bullet. Oddly, the .260 never took off, although the ballistically similar 6.5 Creedmoor did. For great deer cartridges, you don’t really need to look beyond either the .30-06 or .308 families. However, there are new cartridges—and cartridge trends—that bear discussion.

TWO MAGNUM PHASES

Roy E. Weatherby burst onto the scene in the 1940s with a growing family of fast belted magnums. A great marketer, Weatherby made the big boys nervous. Winchester answered with the .458 Win. Mag. in 1956, soon following with the .264 Win. Mag., .338 Win. Mag. and .300 Win. Mag., all based on the belted .375 H&H Mag. case shortened. Remington responded in 1962 with the 7 mm Rem. Mag.

For many years Remington’s Big Seven was the world’s most popular magnum. It’s still a great cartridge, but it’s slipped a bit; the .300 Win. Mag. is now our most popular magnum. For most deer hunting, magnum cartridges aren’t necessary. The only exception: with improved optics, more accurate rifles and better ammo, many hunters want to extend their range envelopes. If you want to reach out, then it’s essential to deliver lethal energy farther. The 7 mm Rem. Mag. and .300 Win. Mag. are both excellent long-range deer cartridges. As are the several Weatherby magnums from .240 to .300.

Winchester’s .264 magnum took off like a rocket then fizzled. Remington’s 7 mm magnum was a huge success, but the Remington belted magnums that followed had lackluster sales. The last 20 years of the previous century saw few new cartridges, almost none dubbed “magnum.”

The floodgates opened in 1998 with a rash of unbelted fat-cased cartridges. Remington started with four long-cased Remington Ultra Mags (RUM), based on the big .404 Jeffery case. Winchester went short with the .300 Winchester Short Magnum (WSM) having a stubby, efficient case. There would be four WSMs, followed by three Winchester Super Short Magnums (WSSM). Remington introduced two Remington Short Action Ultra Mags (RSAUM).

All did what they were supposed to do, just too many too fast. Several are already gone. Of them all, only the .300 WSM has become popular. Between .270 and .30, all are effective long-range deer cartridges but, unless you’re serious about distance, they’re in the same bag with the older belted magnums: not essential for most deer hunting.

.22 CENTERFIRES

When I was younger, .22 centerfires were illegal for deer in most jurisdictions. Today, thanks to the popularity of the AR-15 platform and heavier .224-inch bullets, .22 centerfires are generally legal for deer. With bullets from 60 grains and up, the .223 is adequate. Faster .22s like the old .22-250 Rem. are more effective. Newer cartridges like .224 Valkyrie, .22 ARC and .22 Creedmoor are better yet, because they use faster-twist barrels with heavier bullets, now up to nearly 90 grains.

Accurate and easy to shoot, the .22s simplify shot placement, but it depends on the kind of deer hunting you do. If you’re after venison and have the discipline to wait for perfect shot presentations, the .22 centerfires are fine. If you like to hunt big bucks, I think the .22 centerfires are marginal. Neck shots are deadly. Body shots will work, but the bigger the deer, the more marginal. The problem with the .22s is that entrance and the rare exit wounds are small, often requiring more tracking.

I’ve taken a lot of deer with .22 centerfires. With proper care they work just fine. I’ll use them again, but I don’t think they’re ideal tools for all-around deer hunting, especially for the big deer many of us hope run into. As with large calibers, unless as necessary, I’ll avoid them.

AR COMPATIBLE

The challenge with the AR-15 platform: It was sized for the 5.56x45 mm/.223 Rem. The box magazine and action limit cartridge overall length. Because of the AR-15’s huge popularity, much new cartridge development aims at expanding AR versatility, but there are limits. The AR-15 cannot contain a long-range hunting cartridge.

It can house effective medium-range deer cartridges, and there are several options. Most popular by far is the .300 Blackout, great for suppressed and subsonic use, but I find if woefully underpowered for deer-sized game. The 6 mm ARC will do anything the .243 Win. will do, just not as far. The old 7.62x39 Russian is like the .30-30 in power (which is not damning with faint praise). Remington’s 6.8 SPC has its following. It’s loaded with .277-inch bullets but cannot be compared to the .270 Win. because it must use light-for-caliber bullets. For deer, my pick of the AR cartridges is the 6.5 Grendel. Because of lighter bullets, it doesn’t compare with the 6.5 Creedmoor, but within a couple hundred yards it’s an awesome deer cartridge.

CREEDMOOR CRAZE

The 6.5 Creedmoor is a phenomenon. Quietly introduced as a long-range target cartridge in 2007, it languished for several years then took off. Now it’s one of our most popular centerfires. The Creedmoor case is based on the .308 Win. case shortened, allowing it to fit into a short bolt action with long, aerodynamic bullets seated out. As mentioned earlier, it doesn’t offer anything the .260 Rem. doesn’t at typical deer hunting ranges. Nor does it do anything that the 6.5x55 hasn’t done in the deer woods since 1894. However, it is hugely popular, a force to be reckoned with. Mild in recoil, usually accurate and, for long-range target shooting, it remains supersonic to way out there.

As a hunting cartridge, it’s a fine deer cartridge to significant range, but it’s not an extreme-range hunting cartridge. It doesn’t start with enough velocity and cannot carry enough energy way out there. Still, it’s a great deer cartridge—just like the 6.5x55 and .260 Rem. that preceded it.

So is its little brother, the 6 mm Creedmoor, similar to the .243 Win. but with a major difference. Rifles for the .243 Win. were always barreled with 1:10-inch twist, maxing out with 100-grain bullets. The 6 mm Creedmoor calls for a faster twist, enabling it to use longer, heavier, more aerodynamic bullets. With its mild recoil, this makes it attractive to precision rifle competitors. This also makes it more attractive to hunters because, especially in smaller bullet diameters, a little extra bullet weight is a lot.

LOW-DRAG BULLETS

Interest in long-range shooting has sparked much recent bullet development, leading to extra-long, extra-heavy, super-aerodynamic bullets with off-the-charts ballistic coefficients (BC). This, in turn, has led to much recent cartridge development. Since such bullets didn’t exist decades ago, the rifling twist called for by many older cartridges is too slow to stabilize them.

The .243 Win. vs. the 6 mm Creedmoor is one example. Most classic cartridges left behind by bullet technology are the traditional .270s. Not just the .270 Win., but also the .270 Wby. Mag. and .270 WSM. All three are specified for 1:10 twist, maxing out at 150-grain bullets. There have been few heavier .277 bullets; there’s no point because existing rifles won’t shoot them.

The 6.5s and 7 mms have been somewhat free from this, because early 6.5s and the 7x57 started in the 1890s with long, heavy bullets. Modern 6.5 mm and 7 mm cartridges have always had rifling twists able to stabilize heavier bullets. Rifles in 7 mm Rem. Mag. usually have a 1:9 twist, able to stabilize 175-grain bullets, but that’s about it. Now we have 7 mm bullets up to 190 grains with awesome carrying properties, but few existing 7 mm rifles will stabilize them.

Since the .30-40 Krag, most .30-caliber cartridges have used 1:10 twists, nicely stabilizing bullets from 150-grain spitzers up through 220-grain round-nose bullets. For today’s extreme-range shooters, this is not enough. We now have .30-caliber match bullets up to 250 grains. Rifles with a 1:10 twist cannot stabilize them.

Recent cartridge development has followed the change-of-millennium shift to more efficient, fatter, unbelted cases, now with specifications calling for faster rifling twists to stabilize these new heavy bullets. Almost none of these are called magnums; seems that word was so over-used it lost meaning, and manufacturers now avoid it like the plague. Good examples include: 6.8 Western; Hornady’s 6.5, 7 and .300 Precision Rifle Cartridge (PRC) family, all based on the .375 Ruger case and respectively sized to short, standard and long actions; and Nosler’s family of .26, .27, .28, .30 and .33 Nosler, all based on the RUM case shortened to 2 1/2 inches for use in standard-length actions.

Now, despite the names, all of these should be considered magnums, essentially emulating (or exceeding) the velocities of belted magnums that have long been with us. Other than the efficiency of modern case design, their primary difference is faster-twist barrels to stabilize the new breed of long, heavy, low-drag bullets. All are excellent, doing what they’re supposed to do. Realistically, few deer hunters need them unless they are also long-range competitors or among the growing group seeking to extend their effective range.

STRAIGHT-WALL STORY

A parallel and almost opposite trend is toward straight-wall cartridges, purposefully designed to limit performance and meet the conflicting requirements of states that now allow certain centerfire rifle cartridges in some deer zones once limited to shotguns. The intent is to limit range (reducing chances of stray projectiles in populated areas). This started in Michigan and grew to include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio and Maryland. Seems odd these states are influencing cartridge design, except that by license sales, they house 20 percent of America’s hunters!

A challenge is that rules differ among these states. The .45-70 is clearly a straight-wall cartridge and limited in range, but its case is too long to be legal in Michigan. Handgun cartridges chambered in rifles generally work. The .450 Bushmaster, initially an AR cartridge, works. Ruger chambered the round in its bolt-action American Rifle. Regionally, it sold like hotcakes and the lights went on.

There are now three new cartridges designed expressly to meet the criteria in all straight-wall states. First came Winchester’s .350 Legend, AR-compatible and highly successful. Remington followed with the rimmed .360 Buckhammer, initially in a Henry lever action. Winchester followed up with the .400 Legend, also AR-compatible.

All three are short-range cartridges, practically limited to about 200 yards. So far, the .350 Legend has been most popular. It has minimal recoil and is a good whitetail cartridge, though maybe a bit underpowered for larger hogs. The .360 Buckhammer offers a bit heavier bullet at slightly higher velocity. The .400 Legend is more of a thumper, sending a 215-grain bullet at 2,250 fps. Recoil is sharper, but not objectionable. The .400 Legend pretty much splits the difference between the two .35-caliber straight-walls and the .450 Bushmaster. Although effective, the Bushmaster is a big gun, with energy and thus recoil about the same as the .45-70. Too much gun for anyone sensitive to recoil.

I don’t hunt deer in a straight-wall state. If I did, I’d be trading in my slug gun for a more accurate rifle. Otherwise, deer hunting conditions change from place to place. You know what kind of deer you’re looking for and your hunting conditions. Whatever they are, there are many sound choices. Some of us, as on my Kansas farm, could go back to 1895 and be perfectly happy with a .30-30 (maybe with a low-power scope).

Others need or want to shoot farther. There are plenty of older cartridges that offer more reach than most of us need. As do new cartridges, with their long, flat-flying bullets. New stuff is always seductive. Just remember that whatever your choice, it’s keeping cool and placing your shot that brings home the venison.

---

• This article was featured in the May 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

---