This article may contain affiliate product links. I may receive a commission from sales. However, there is no extra cost to the buyer for using my affiliate link.
Using my affiliate links help support The Whitetail Teacher and allow me to deliver more content to help you become a better whitetail deer hunter.
The best caliber for deer hunting is a debate that I have no desire to put to an end. I am more writing this blog post to share the most common best hunting calibers for deer hunting. This debate will continue for centuries of hunters to debate, and it is a good conversation starter for deer camp campfires. This debate is also what keeps gun manufacturers working hard to strive to compete and be the best. This helps the consumer (us) get the best product for the best price.
It is important to know, that I do not regularly hunt with a rifle due to the specific laws in Michigan about where rifles are allowed and where they are not. Most of this information I researched. I would not recommend buying a certain gun because I said so.
I would recommend that if a gun I talk about interests you, do some more research of your own, and then make a purchase based on your due diligence.
Table of Contents
.30-ought-6 Springfield
.270 Winchester
.308 Winchester
Follow State Regulations
.450 Bushmaster
Shotguns
Conclusion
Best Caliber for Deer Hunting
The .270 Winchester is my favorite pick for a deer hunting rifle. This rifle offers everything that a hunter needs to be successful in the woods and in the fields. Highly recommend you look into the .270 Winchester as your go-to hunting rifle.
The three things that need to be taken into consideration
When deciding on the best caliber for deer hunting, three factors need to be taken into consideration. Velocity, Energy, and Trajectory.
All these guns will be able to kill a whitetail deer with ease. However, it is when you start wanting to shoot out past 200 yards. That is where you need to choose wisely.
1: .30-ought-6 Springfield
One of the oldest and most trusted hunting rifles on the market. This gun is well-deserving of being on the best caliber for deer hunting list.
history
The History of the .30-ought-6 Springfield dates to 1903. This was the original model created by the United States military.
After the Germans created the 8mm which was lighter, faster, and could shoot much farther ranges than the 03.
The United States then modified the 03 and by 1906, they had created what we all know to be the .30 -ought- .06. 30 standing for the size of the cartridge and 6 standing for the year that it was released (1906). For the sake of the rest of the .30 -ought- .06 portions of this blog post, I will be using the most common grain used in the .30 -ought- .06. Which will be the 180-grain cartridge.
velocity
The velocity of a .30-ought-6 bolt action rifle with 180-grain is right around 2,700 ft/s or 800 m/s. This is not the fastest type of grain that can be used in a .30 -ought- .06. If you are looking for speed and speed alone, 125 grain Hornady lite’s may be the best option for you.
This speed allows for quick-hitting bullets that are big enough to take down a deer with no problems.
Energy
The .30-ought-6 delivers powerful energy to take down just about animals ranging from coyotes to big game in Africa. Yes, whitetail deer fall in that list as well.
The actual amount of energy that a .30-ought-6 can deliver ranges from about 2700 to 2900 ft/pounds energy. The amount of power that this rifle gives you, paired with the recoil that will not kill your shoulder makes this rifle one of the best deer hunting calibers on the market.
Trajectory
The trajectory of your .30-ought-6 depends heavily on how you sight in the scope that you put on it.
You should note that this rifle has no problem reaching out to 500 yards plus. To do this though, you need to get the right scope and sight it in properly.
You should also take into consideration the grain that you are using for your .30-ought-6. This will influence how much the bullet drops as you start to reach out to that long-range distance of 300 yards plus.
To look at the ballistics of the .30-ought-6: click here!
Final Thoughts
The .30-ought-6 is a versatile rifle for all types of hunting. This rifle brings every option to the table for all types of hunting species. If you are on a budget and need to choose only one rifle, the .30-ought-6 is the one for you.
(Side note) make sure that you are using the same bullets that you used to sight in your rifle. You want to ensure that you are hitting your target and ensuring a lethal shot on any animal that you are hunting. If you switch up the ammunition brand or grain, you run the risk of missing or wounding an animal because of trajectory change, energy change, or velocity change.
To Check the Prices of a .30-ought-6: Click Here!
To Check the Prices of ammunition: Click Here!
2: .270 Winchester
This rifle is glorified for being an amazing whitetail deer hunting rifle, especially for youth hunters. It is my personal favorite hunting rifle based on all the information below. That is why it landed the number 2 spot on the list of best calibers for deer hunting.
history of the caliber
The .270 Win caliber was created in 1923 as a slightly smaller option to the beloved .30-ought-6. It took some time to gain popularity among hunters in North America. This was mainly due to the success that the .30-ought-6 was providing to hunters.
Once the prices of the .30-ought-6 started to go up due to the war, the .270 Win started to gain popularity. Today, the .270 Win has proven to be one of the best hunting calibers on the market. These rifles are affordable as well because of the newer calibers coming out to the market and one of the best hunting calibers for deer hunting.
Velocity
The .270 Win has a range of grains for the type of animal that you would want to hunt. 150 grain is the most used bullet type for hunting big game like whitetail deer. However, if you are looking for speed, 140 grain would give you a little more velocity and still deliver a punishing blow to a whitetail deer.
The 150 grain, 10 gram, bullets leave the muzzle at speeds of around 1,850 ft/s. That is just shy of 617 yd/s. The velocity is by no means the fastest traveling bullet; however, for deer hunting use it is more than sufficient.
Energy
The muzzle energy released from the .270 Winchester is about 3,667 J. This is plenty of energy to not only put down a deer but also an elk. The kick or recoil of the .270 Winchester can be closely related to a .30 -ought- .06. However, it does have less recoil and is talked up to be a better rifle for youth and smaller adults.
Trajectory
The best way to sight in a .270 Winchester is at about 200 yards. This will give the truest trajectory of your bullet.
The .270 Winchester does have the ability to reach out to 400+ yards. This will cause some changes in the velocity and trajectory. Make sure to sight in your scope properly to accommodate for the range that you like.
To look at the ballistics of the .270 Winchester: Click Here!
Final Thoughts
The .270 Winchester is a rifle that a lot of deer hunters use and love. This makes it one of the best calibers for deer hunting. This rifle is also talked about heavily in the idea that it is a good rifle for youth hunters. It has less recoil than a .30 ought .06 and has plenty of power to kill a deer ethically. If I needed a deer hunting rifle, the .270 Winchester would be my number one choice.
To Check the Prices of a .270 Winchester: Click Here!
To Check Prices of .270 Winchester Ammunition: Click Here!
3: .308 Winchester
history of the caliber
The .308 Winchester was created in 1952. It was made to replicate the .30-ought-6 but with smokeless powder. It not only was used for hunting purposes but it also was created for military use. This rifle has been around for almost 70 years and would be the best caliber for deer hunting if it wasn’t for one fatal flaw that most rifle hunters need.
Velocity
The velocity of the .308 Winchester ranges from 2,820 ft/s with a grain of 150 to 2,510 ft/s with a grain of 185. The velocity is not the issue when it comes to the .308 Winchester rifle. It is very close in range with the two other rifles talked about above.
Energy
The .308 Winchester delivers plenty of energy to kill a whitetail deer. The muzzle energy is right about 3,600 J. The knockdown power of this rifle is nothing to joke about. The .308 Winchester has plenty of power to kill a whitetail deer and even bigger animals.
Trajectory
The trajectory of the .308 Winchester is why I demoted this rifle to the 3rd spot on my list of the best calibers for deer hunting. The trajectory for the .308 is great until you want to shoot over 200 yards.
After 200 yards you start to see a significant drop in the trajectory and velocity. This gun may be perfect for the woods, but you may find fault in the fields.
To look at the ballistics of the .308 Winchester: Click Here!
Final Thoughts
The .308 Winchester is a great rifle for deer hunting. However, I think that if you are going to shoot over 200 yards, then you may want to look at the .270 Winchester or .30-ought-6 rifles.
If you are hunting in the big woods or smaller food plots, this may be the best caliber for deer hunting for you.
To Check the Price of a .308 Winchester: Click Here!
To Check the Price of .308 Winchester Ammunition: Click Here!
Follow State Regulations
I wanted to add this section to this post because of the laws that hunters in Michigan must abide by to ensure legal gun hunting. In the lower half of the Lower Peninsula, hunters can only hunt with shotguns and muzzleloaders… no rifles. Therefore, in the intro, I stated “do not buy a gun based on my recommendations” because I hunt with a shotgun.
Michigan is the only state that I have read about that has certain laws about what type of gun you are allowed to hunt within certain locations. However, for people hunting in the lower half of the lower peninsula like me, do not worry because there is a small loophole in the system.
The .450 Bushmaster is what many Michigan hunters are turning towards. Just as we did for the other three rifles, I want to provide you with the history, velocity, energy, and trajectory of the .450 Bushmaster.
4: .450 Bushmaster
History
The history of the .450 Bushmaster all started because big game hunters needed something that could take down big game from a long distance in just one shot. Hornady and Bushmaster then teamed up and created the .450 Bushmaster.
Velocity
Out of the muzzle, the .450 Bushmaster delivers a velocity of 2200 FPS, and once it hits 200 yards the velocity changes to 1515 FPS. The .450 Bushmaster is one fast shooting rifle.
Energy
The .450 Bushmaster has 2448 feet pounds of energy. That is plenty to kill a whitetail deer. The energy that it must take down a deer is what allows hunters to reach out to 200+ yards and still make an ethical shot.
Trajectory
The trajectory of the .450 Bushmaster shoots a flat line out to 200 yards. If you are a skilled rifle shooter, you should have no problem shooting this rifle out to 300 yards with a properly sighted scope.
To look at the ballistics of the .450 Bushmaster: Click Here!
Final Thoughts
The .450 Bushmaster is a great option for anyone that wants the best rifle caliber for deer hunting but is restricted by state regulations (like Michigan). It is a versatile rifle that will allow you to reach long-range and still deliver an ethical and lethal shot.
To Check the Price of a .450 Bushmaster: Click Here!
To Check the Price of .450 Bushmaster Ammunition: Click Here!
Shotguns
I still choose to hunt with a 20-gauge shotgun. It has been my weapon of choice for the past 8 years of hunting. I have had no issue with shooting a shotgun where I hunt. I would rather shoot a deer out to 100 yards rather than shoot all the way out to 200 or 300 yards. That is just my personal preference.
I think that for shotguns a .20 gauge is the best option for deer hunting. It does not have an insane amount of kick. There are options of shotguns that will allow you to switch the barrels. You can get one barrel that is for bird hunting and one that is a rifle barrel for deer hunting.
Conclusion of The Best Caliber for Deer Hunting
I hope that some of these best calibers for deer hunting rifles have given you an idea of what is on the market and what has been tried and true. There are plenty of other hunting calibers on the market that may fit your needs better. I encourage you to use the examples that I have given you as mere guidelines. If you are already set on a specific rifle, then I hope this post just gave you extra confidence in your choice of weapon.
I want to be very clear that I am by no means an expert in the field of rifle hunting. I had some basic knowledge of what the best caliber for deer hunting was and that knowledge along with some extra research is what allowed me to write this post.
Thank you for visiting The Whitetail Teacher! If you enjoyed this post, make sure to share it with a friend.
If you have any questions or recommendations for new blog posts, please use the contact form.
Learn, Plan, Execute,
The Whitetail Teacher
