“More gun” doesn’t necessarily equate to “more better.” Around hunting camps and gun counters, certain calibers are promoted as some kind of magic bullet-as if they can knock down an elk fromhalf a mile and punch holes in a coyote in a crosswind. The bottom line is many of these rounds have earned their stripes from a combination of familiarity and clever marketing.
An overrated caliber is no less than a great caliber. Almost all of them perform well under proper usage. But it becomes a problem when it is considered a panacea despite having flaws regarding recoil, trajectory, or ease of usage. This guy who hunted wisely, matching ammo to real-world situations and skills, would experience often enough that sometimes “safe” or “serious” caliber wasn’t necessarily the best call.
This is a clear-eyed assessment of some of the most over-hyped guns out there in terms of calibers-where they excel and fall flat, and why you should reconsider whether you really want to go along for the ride.
1. 6.5 Creedmoor – The Darling That’s Been Stretched Too Far
Its reputation came from its mild recoiling and inherent accuracies that make long range target shooting possible. It has got its true performance with proper bullets and reasonable distances. However, it becomes problematic when advertising it for every hunting hammer. Even with a trajectory of 2,700 fps and a 140-grain bullet, it’s not a flat shooter, and against larger game like elk, it’s a matter of angle of fire and bullet selection. Wobbly positions in windy environments? No way to hide those shortcomings. Take bigger game? Sure. Take deer, pronghorn? Absolutely. Take all game in North America? Come on.
2. .300 Winchester Magnum – Magnum Muscle You May Not Need
There are few cartridges with the reputation of the .300 Win. Mag. It is a hard-hitting, flat-shooting bullet that has anchored game on every continent. However, at the velocities needed for deer hunting, the additional kick often overturns the advantage. In fact, maximum 180-grain firedcaeles will deliver over 25 ft. lbs. of recoil impact energy from an 8.5-pound rifle, and such force alone will assure that practice is shortchanged and flinching follows. If, of course, extremes of range and energy are not essential to you, a cartridge that you shoot more comfortably may well group better in the field.
3. 7mm Remington Magnum – Classic, but not always clever
The 7mm Rem. Mag. has a legacy of success, from flat shooting to high performance on game with the right bullets. Nevertheless, this cartridge is typically left in the hands of hunters who do not require the range of a magnum cartridge and don’t have sufficient practice with the recoil. Many shooters choose to use lighter, higher-velocity bullets for flat trajectories, but at steeper angles of intersection these can imply poor penetration. In terms of deer and ranges of up to 300 yards, lighter bullets from cartridges like 7mm-08 or .270 Win. could match its prowess with less recoil.
4. .338 Winchester Magnum – Authority at a Cost
The .338 Win. Mag. was designed for power in large game shooting, and with the use of 225- to 275-grain controlled expansion ammunition it gets the job done. The dilemma comes in trying to determine just how often it’s used on game when the level of power simply isn’t needed. Compared to deer or typical elk, the kick–often exceeding 40 ft. lbs. of energy–makes follow-up shots difficult and hurts groups. Where one might find themselves in serious bear country or among dense moose habitats, it’s a serious piece of kit. But for general elk rifle choice among all hunting enthusiasts? Too much of a good thing.
5. .45-70 Government – Legendary, But Limited
Where the .45-70 does its thing, its size and levergun heritage are very appealing. Out to 150 yards in thick timber, it is nothing short of nasty. Modern bullets like Hornady’s LeverEvolution have mitigated its trajectory somewhat, but physics dictates extreme drop and wind borrow beyond its tolerances. Fully loaded 405-to 500-grain loads will also have a substantial kick, and many people have been known to forgo practice due to the recoil. It’s wonderful for brushfire clearance and nostalgic excursions; nothing more.
6. .22-250 Remington – Flat, Fast, and Flawed
The .22-250’s very high speed makes it an ideal companion for a predator hunter on a calm day. Nevertheless, high speed accompanied by light bullets may result in too much skin damage, besides very quick barrel warming. Even with controlled expansion, varmint loads are unreliable for penetrating large game. It’s great for coyotes and nuisance wildlife in the right situations, although it’s hardly the only or even the best predator hunting bullet.
7. .17 HMR – Fun, But Finicky
It’s a pleasure to fire the .17 HMR on small game, it can hit the center of the chest cavity with the accuracy of a laser beam, and the recoil is barely perceptible. Where it weakens is in its total propel charge, which only manages a little over 250 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy, making it extremely sensitive to the winds and only barely adequate on anything harder than a fox. Also, it may waste a lot of meat in small game. It would be quieter, less expensive, and good enough for rimfire use, than a .22 LR.
8. .224 Valkyrie – AR-15 Reach With Caveats
“The .224 Valkyrie promised a 1,000 yard capability for AR-15 rifles with a .563 BC 90-grain bullet traveling 2,700 fps,” a press release said. “On paper, it’s impressive. In application, it’s a mixed bag.” If high-BC factory ammunition is not available to it or if shooting rarely takes place beyond 500 yards, a difference of any great significance from more conventional cartridges such as .223/5.56 or 6.5 Grendel may not be appreciable. It is more of a specialized one.
9. 10mm Auto – Woods Pistol With a Learning Curve
The 10mm Auto has seen widespread use in backcountry defense, with much firepower compared to the 9mm in a semi-auto pistol. Full-power loads offer performance equal to the light .41 Magnums, but with enough kick to shake many shooters’ hands. In addition, many owners of the 10mm shoot with reduced loads, thereby making it another caliber. Actually, it is perfect for people who put much training. Less fervent shooters may find it too much of a rifle.
10. .40 S&W – “Middle Ground” That Isn’t
A one-time standard pistol caliber, nowadays the .40 S&W is promoted as a best-of-both-worlds combination of 9mm magazine capacity and .45 ACP strength. However, recent developments in 9mm ammo have largely bridged the gap on performance, while being more controllable and having higher magazine capacity. Most shooting enthusiasts will see an improvement in reaction time and accuracy, as well as cheaper target practice. It’s rarely a good choice unless you happen to be a .40-gun user.
11. .30-30 Winchester – Woods Classic with Boundaries
The .30-30 has probably killed more whitewater deer than any other cartridge in existence, thanks to its use in neat little lever guns for over a century. But firing a 150gr flat-nose on a 2,250fps tract, it loses energy pronto and drops a carload of payload in 250 yards. Its use in dense woodage or brush is still hard to beat. The low-ball bullets and low velocity of this cartridge require extremely accurate estimate of ranges and effective ranges in the open.
Every cartridge on this list has its place it’s when we see them all hyped up as cure-alls that they become overrated. What counts is proper caliber selection for hunting your game, terrain, and ability in mind, and not all this PR hooey. The right bullet is the one you know and on which you have lots and lots of experience.
