How to Choose the Right Caliber

Choosing the best hunting rifle involves weighing the pros and cons of each option. Furthermore, they should analyze all outside factors and the relationships between those and the calibers in question. Consider hunting regulations, game animal size, shooter size, shooter frame, shooter skills, recoil sensitivity, hunt environment, and more.

Hunting Regulations: The first and foremost factor is what state and local hunting regulations permit and don’t permit. For example, some states allow all centerfire rifles. Others allow only shotgun slugs, muzzleloaders, and/or straight-wall rifle calibers.

Game Animal Size: We’re talking deer guns only here, but some might use their rifle purchase for multiple big game species. Furthermore, body sizes vary greatly between whitetails in southernmost vs. northernmost regions of their range. A Florida whitetail might weigh less than half that of a Canadian deer.

Shooter’s Size and Frame: The person handling the firearm should match the caliber to their size and frame. Smaller hunters who are younger, smaller framed, or merely sensitive to recoil should not select a heavier caliber.

Shooter’s Skills: A person’s skills shouldn’t have significant influence over their ability to wield one caliber over another. That said, a more experienced shooter might be able to shoot well enough to get the most yardage out of a caliber’s ability.

Hunt Environment: The hunt area is important as well. For example, those hunting on wide-open ag fields or prairies might opt for a caliber that has better range. Those hunting in timbered settings will likely select a shorter-range rifle with more punch behind a heavier bullet.

.223 Rem

This is perhaps the smallest round a hunter should use for deer-sized game. That said, this low-recoil, fast-shooting round can zip downrange and still bring down a buck. Typical muzzle velocity is about 3,200 fps, and bullets typically weigh about 55 grains, with a typical weight range of 40 to 70 grains.

This is a good caliber for young shooters, small-framed shooters, and those sensitive to recoil. Oftentimes, these guns are lighter, too, meaning less weight to carry in the field. Overall, if a shooter hits the deer just right, it’ll fall. But marginal shots are riskier, and punching through bone is no guarantee. There are tradeoffs to the lesser recoil.

.243 Win

A step up from the .223 Rem, the .243 Win is a solid selection. It’s been around since 1955. Without question, this caliber has stacked up quite a few deer. Some call it an entry-level gun, and in some ways, it is, but it’s also a great continuation for adults, too. This caliber is known for its relatively low recoil.

It’s great just how reliable most of these guns are. Drilling down on specs, muzzle velocity is around 3,250 fps. Bullets average out about 85-100 grains. It’s a solid caliber for shooters who are younger and/or have smaller frames.

Ben Frank, a Winchester ammunition engineer, says this gun works well on varmints and whitetails. He says it’s a fast and accurate rifle, and even has a lot of energy (relatively speaking).

.25-06 Rem

The mighty .25-06 Rem is a true classic. It’s well over 50 years old, and was inspired by the .25 Nadier, which was used during the World Wars. Of course, it continues to prove itself worthy of the deer woods. A lot of grandaddy’s use this caliber, but a good number of younger hunters do, too. Why? It’s an incredible rifle that doesn’t drop the ball often.

This flat-shooting round screams out of the gate and sends phenomenal downrange energy. Muzzle velocities commonly exceed 3,350 fps. Usually, that’s with about a 100-grain bullet. It has a high ballistic coefficient, which improves performance in the wind.

6.5 Creedmoor

The 6.5 Creedmoor is one of the latest calibers to hit the scene, but it rose through the ranks with incredible speed. It was released in 2007, but now, other newer calibers are available.

Of course, this caliber is known as a moderate to open-country platform. It’s great for longer distances, is very accurate, and has lighter recoil. It also has a high twist rate and aerodynamic design.

.260 Remington

The .260 Remington isn’t as popular as other rifle calibers, but it’s just as, if not more effective, than some that get a lot of press. It’s a great caliber that offers significant qualities.

“For open country, I like the .260 Remington,” said Luke Wallace, a Whitetail Properties land specialist in Nebraska. “It's a better version of the 6.5 Creedmoor that just lacked a huge marketing push to make it popular. It hits hard, but the recoil is very manageable for shooters big and small. The right shooter can stretch on a .260 to reach longer distances. With open, cut ag fields, this is the gun I choose every time.

“The downfall with this round is how easily it deflects when impacting brush,” Wallace continued. “There are limited off the shelf options for this round (as far as availability). That includes bullet weight. So, I reload for all of mine, but if you can find it on the shelf, stock up.”

.270 Win

The .270 Win is an old but great caliber, and it’s been a staple for nearly 100 years. As made famous by Jack O’Connor’s writings, it’s a solid deer rifle.

This caliber has a smaller-profile bullet, but it’s wicked fast, and hits hard. Common bullet weight selection is 130-150 grains. It storms downrange at nearly 3,000 feet per second (or slightly less), but heavier bullets are slightly slower, and lighter weights are a bit faster.

Frank says this caliber is great for whitetails and even larger game. It comes with a lot of advantages, but few, if any, negatives.

.280 Rem

The .280 is big brother to the smaller .270, but it’s little brother in popularity. The .280 offers a lot of great things, but it never became as popular as the slightly smaller caliber.

Interestingly, this caliber can creep upward of 2,900-3,000 fps, even with a 140- to 150-grain bullet. (Although 165-grain rounds are used more often.) The round flies fast and hits hard.

7mm-08 Rem

This caliber is only about four decades old, but it’s a somewhat popular option. Despite a larger-profile bullet, it doesn’t kick much. In many ways, it combines the light recoil of a smaller rifle and the larger bullet of a medium-sized caliber. This makes it ideal for youth and adult hunters alike.

Plus, due to a moderate powder load, and a bullet comparable to a .280, it’s a fast-shooting round. That translates to a flat trajectory. That said, it starts falling off fast after 300 yards, so it isn’t a great caliber beyond that yardage. Overall, it’s a versatile gun.

.30-30 Win

The .30-30 Win is nearly 130 years old. Many people say this caliber has killed more deer than any other one. Of course, it’s commonly used in timbered settings, as it isn’t a good option for longer ranges.

“My favorite brush gun is the .30-30 Win, hands down,” Wallace said. “I grew up carrying one. The heavy flat bullet will cut through a fair amount of brush without much deflection, but it isn't much for distances. Hunting timber, you're not likely to have shot opportunities farther than a .30-30 can reach, anyway. Find a lever-action version that is compact enough to allow you to swing quickly (in a blind or treestand) for the up-close cruising shots. This is my go-to for the timbered pinch-points that catch November love struck bucks cruising during the day.”

.308 Win

Another excellent and wildly popular caliber is the .308 Win. A lot of hunters use this option. It offers good speed, relatively flat trajectory, and it hits hard upon impact. With a typical bullet weight around 150 grains, and speeds of 2,800 fps, it’s a sweet shooter.

Plus, ammunition availability almost always has it on shelves. Ammo makers offer many different varieties in this caliber. Frank dubs it a short-action platform sure to benefit most hunters who use it.

.30-06 SPRG

The .30-06 SPRG has been around more than a century. Like the .308 Win, it boasts great ammunition availability. Ultimately, with good bullet weight and decent speed, it’s a do-all caliber you can rely on.

“The .30-06 is hard hitting, rounds are readily available, and it shoots relatively flat to distances the average hunter can comfortably shoot to,” Wallace said. “The felt recoil — on the majority of .30-06 setups — is above average though, especially with heavier bullet weights. I'll trade the recoil for the likelihood that, if I leave the box of rounds at home, there's a hardware store in every small town in Nebraska that has a box of .30-06 on the shelf. Or there are three rounds in the cup holder of the truck we're hunting out of that have been there since the 90s.”

.300 Win Mag

The .300 Win Mag is known for punishing recoil, but for most shooters, the hard-hitting nature of this caliber is worth it. With a heavy bullet that still manages to sprint downrange well over 3,000 fps, it’s a no-brainer. This is an incredible caliber.

Frank says this one is great for anyone who always wants to “have enough gun.” It kills deer at 20 yards, and it kills them at 400-plus yards. It has a lot of downrange energy. Plus, there are a lot of ammo options on shelves.

.350 Legend

One of the newest options on the block, the .350 Legend, which was founded by Winchester. It delivers a 30-caliber bullet with the recoil of a gun closer to a .223. This makes it the perfect low-recoil caliber for new shooters, youth hunters, and those with smaller frames and more sensitivity to recoil. Of course, it maintains good bullet weight, but speeds dip down around 2,300 fps.

Overall, this round is better than the .450 Bushmaster. With a 150-grain bullet and solid muzzle velocity, it delivers a punishing blow to deer. It does well out to 225-250 yards. Plus, in relation to other options, the ammo is cheap.

.400 Legend

Another newer option is the .400 Legend. It too was created by Winchester. This caliber is ideal for those who want or need a straight wall round that hits harder than the .350 Legend.

Like the .350 Legend, this caliber is superior to the .450 Bushmaster. It has an energy equivalent to 450 Bushmaster with 20% less recoil. Plus, it has 100% more energy than a 12-gauge, over 20% more energy than a .30-30 Win, and 55% less recoil than a 12-gauge slug gun.

Top Calibers for Recoil-Sensitive Shooters

Some individuals can’t handle heavy firearm recoil. Instead, they might require a caliber with less kick. For this, some of the best options include: .223 Remington, .224 Valkyrie, .243 Winchester, .257 Roberts, .25-06 Remington, .260 Remington, 6.4 Creedmoor, and .350 Legend.

Other Under-the-Radar Calibers

Like most things in life, certain calibers get the most attention. However, there are other options out there. Some necked-down calibers that fit the under-the-radar bill include .250 Savage, .257 Roberts, .257 Weatherby Mag, 28 Nosler, 6.5-55 Swede, 7x57 Mauser, 6.5 PRC, 6.8 Western, 7mm PRC, 7mm Rem Mag, .300 PRC, .338 Federal, .338 Lapua Mag, .338 Win Mag, .35 Rem, and more. Some straight-wall calibers include .327 Fed, .32 H&R Mag, 38-55 Win, .41 Mag, .44 Mag, .45 Colt, 44-40 WCF, .45-70 Gov, etc.

A Great Deer Hunting Gun

New for 2024 is Benelli’s line of big game rifles. A company well-known for its shotguns, it now offers an excellent lineup of center-fire calibers hunters can rely on. Hunters and firearms enthusiasts can choose from 38 different offerings and variations within the LUPO lineup.

This gun is designed for long-range shooting and hunting. It features a revolutionary custom-fit stock system that includes great fit and feel. It even incorporates a heavy-contour, straight-fluted CRIO barrel that adds a touch of custom-like flare.

Calibers offered include .243 Winchester, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm Remington Magnum, .270 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .300 PRC, .300 Win Mag, .308 Winchester, and .338 Lapua Magnum. Find the option that best fits your style of deer hunting.

Of course, it comes in different stock finishes. These include black synthetic, A-grade satin walnut, AA-grade satin walnut, Elevated II, granite moss, Open Country, and tan synthetic stock with black webbing.

Depending on the selected model, price varies from $1,499 to $2,949. Choose the best deer gun for you today.