Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Best bullet diameter

Which bullet diameter carries the best terminal ballistics for North American Venison and Pork?
.30
.284
.277
.264
Other....
Not asking so much about chamberings, just bullet diameters.
In my experience the .284 if pushed fast enough kills stuff like a lightening bolt. It’s funny, I don’t even own a .284 in any chambering currently. What do you guys think?

I have always been a .284 fan and had lots of good results, but I am now leaning more toward the .264. It just flat kills stuff beyond what the ballistics indicate that it should. This is splitting straws, though, as all of those kill great.

I don't mean to offend, but I don't think that is a very good question to be asking.

As we all know, but tend to ignore as there is little "rifle looney fun" to be had, the most important thing is shot placement. And unless you are shooting a LONG way, super tight groups matter less than how well you can shoot from field positions. hell, hardly any rifle looney fun in that.

Second most Important thing, IMO, is bullet construction. A perfectly placed shot from a bad angle that has to go through a bunch of meat, innards, or bones to get to the vitals isn't much good if the bullet isn't up to the task.

Third is maybe energy, which doesn't depend on bullet diameter. However, some are believers in other formulas that do depend on bullet diameter. Virtually all who like one or the other of those formulas opt for bigger, and sometimes heavier, bullets.

Point is, bullet diameter is way down the list.

Now, ignoring all that, back to our regularly scheduled lonneyism!

.22 cal and 45 cal. Everything in-between is pointless.

Any of those are great. Shot placement is the key.

Caliber is irrelevant to the discussion. HE is more fun than lead, 7 days/week. Belt feed is a close second place.

What is legal in your AO might be a different story.

"best bullet diameter"

Yes.

.29

About 400 grains of .411 going around 2150 fps.

It is more of a bullet construction and sectional density issue than of caliber. To give a rather extreme example: If I load a 180 grain JHP bullet in my 460 S&W at maximum potential velocities (likely exceeding 2300 fps), which was designed for 45 ACP velocities....... it will fail miserably on any big game (hog, Whitetail, etc.). It may even come apart in flight, due to it’s thin jacket, as it was designed for velocities in the 900 to 1000 fps area....similar to a varmint bullet designed for a .222, fired at max. velocity from a 22-250.

Proper bullet construction “trumps” bullet diameter....bullet must be designed to perform under the parameters, designated for the desired use! memtb

No it's not. My neighbor's brother-in-law's doctor shot a buck with the .29-06 AI, and the deer got away.

No exit wound, that's what caused it.

-Snork-

Ok, just to make it easy let’s say all of the above bullet diameters loaded with the same type of hunting bullet Placed in a 30-06 case? All of the calibers driven close to max velocities, with the same on game shot placement.
Which bullet diameter wins and why?

Well..... that “muddied” the waters a bit! memtb

I'm now a .30 caliber fan.....that said.....it's simply a matter of personal preference as I doubt there is evidence to show any of the ones mentioned as "better"

338-06, 35 Whelen? Bigger bullets rarely make smaller holes given similar bullet construction. All would be equally dead.

👍 I started out with a .30 caliber.....but “stepped-up” my game, around ‘82! Never regretted, making “bigger holes” in game!
memtb

I'm not fond of recoil, I do not do my best shooting with light hunting rifles and say the 30.06 with heavy for caliber bullets. For the 30.06 to be comfortable for me it needs to weight 9lbs or so, but at age 76 that's not something I want to carry. A 190gr 30cal. LR Nosler Accubond has a BC of .597 and can be pushed out of a 24" 30.06 at near 2800fps. A 6.5x06 with a 142gr Nosler LR Accubond has a BC of .625 and can be pushed at 2900fps or so with less recoil. IF a shooter is capable, both rounds will easily kill bull elk at 500 yarrds. Why put up with more recoil than necessay ?

smokepole,

Just because your neighbor's brother-in-law's doctor lost a buck shot with the .29-06 AI doesn't prove anything.

Some cartridges in a certain caliber are far more effective than others, which is obviously true of the giant-killing 6.5 Creedmoor. Similarly, if your neighbor's brother-in-law's doctor had used the magical B-29 round, instead of some wannabe based on the tired old .30-06 case, the buck would have not only died right there, but the bullet would have flipped it on its back and performed the field dressing.

If I had to pick ONE based on performance, efficiency (amount of powder burned etc), foot pounds per penny, I'd roll a 22LR everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.