It's the never-ending story ... or, at least a debate in continuous deliberations. What am I mumbling about? No, it's not the debate about the nation's debt, although I'm sure you could grumble—I mean, debate that until the end of time. No, I'm focused on the debate regarding what the perfect deer hunting cartridge is. This debate rages in deer camps, convenience stores, ballgames and pubs every year, year-round. We all grew up with favorites and, in reality, every cartridge in the .243 Win. category and up has potential to be a deer hunting favorite.
Despite its rock-like trajectory, even the lovable .30-30 Win. can stake its claim as the best deer hunting cartridge, especially if you hunt brushy jungles. It's the cartridge that has likely put more venison on the table than any other in history.
My personal favorite is the .300 Win. Mag., although I wouldn't kick the .300 Rem. Ultra Mag. out of my blind, nor would I turn a blind eye to the smaller cousin—the .30 T/C. I'll always toss a ballot into the box for those bone-busting favorites.
Here's another cartridge to consider: the 6.5 (mm; .264 cal.) Creedmoor. You've undoubtedly heard about this cartridge and its versatility, ranging from varmints to big game. Here is more info to digest: It was introduced by
Hornady in 2007 to be the perfect long-range match cartridge. It's close.
The 6.5 Creedmoor was designed for accuracy, and most reports post sub-MOA, even from off-the-shelf hunting rifles like the
T/C Icon. The cartridge sports a blazing muzzle velocity of 2,710 fps, and even more than 3,000 fps with lighter bullets. Plus, the trajectory allows you to easily do the math in your head—less than 10 inches of drop at 300 yards using a 140-grain
Hornady A-Max bullet.
The 6.5 Creedmoor wasn't designed to tackle moose, but it can handle deer, hogs, pronghorns and varmints with ease. It can even take on elk with a little common sense. Lastly, it fits your entire family with light recoil, yet hard-hitting power.
It's time to test, tweak and analyze your deer hunting rifle. Take a look at the Creedmoor if you're out shopping; it might just be the sporty new cartridge you've always wanted.
Watch the video below from Hornady to learn about the development of the 6.5 Creedmoor: