The Biggest Myths and Misconceptions Around Deer Rifles, Cartridges, and Shooting

Outdoor Life’s shooting editor John B. Snow has a vast hunting background. He grew up hunting in Michigan’s Northwoods and now resides in Bozeman, Montana, a hub for big-game hunting in the West. Snow is an avid shooter in precision rifle competitions and deeply knowledgeable about long-range shooting.

So, Snow is the perfect person to bridge the divide between two camps of deer hunters: those who use old rifles in wooded areas and those who use the latest and greatest equipment in open country. Recently, Snow sat down to discuss and debunk some of the prevalent misconceptions about deer rifles, cartridges, and shooting. As both editors and experienced deer hunters, we frequently encounter the following falsehoods. Here’s why they are utterly baseless.

Myth #1: The 6.5 Creedmoor is an overrated deer cartridge

The 6.5 Creedmoor isn’t overrated or underrated; it’s simply misunderstood. It’s not an ultra-fast, flat-shooting, physics-defying super cartridge—it’s also not a weak cartridge that’s only popular among hipsters and metrosexuals. The truth is that the 6.5 Creedmoor excels because of its high ballistic coefficient and smart design, incorporating all the elements of modern cartridge design. While older 6.5 cartridges can be modified to emulate some of the 6.5 Creedmoor’s features, they can’t offer the complete package. Advances in ballistics inform us that we can create superior cartridges today. The 6.5 Creedmoor has proven its exceptional accuracy both in competitions and in real hunting situations over the years.

“The 6.5 Creedmoor is an incredibly capable big game round and more than sufficient for any North American whitetail,” Snow, an experienced 6.5 Creedmoor hunter, attests. “It’s a balanced and accurate cartridge. It’s user-friendly, has moderate recoil, and compels shooters to practice and improve.”

In short, it’s an ideal cartridge for hunting medium-sized game like whitetail deer.

“Muzzle velocity is just one aspect of performance,” Snow explains. Sharper evaluation is necessary to truly understand cartridge performance.

Myth #2: Shooting a boomer like the .300 Win. Mag. will give you the knockdown power you need on big whitetail bucks

“Using the term ‘knockdown power’ is a misunderstanding of terminal ballistics,” Snow clarifies. “There’s no such thing as knockdown power with a cartridge.”

Bullets are effective at killing animals in two ways: by targeting the central nervous system or through exsanguination (blood loss due to tissue damage).

“How a bullet behaves within the target and where it’s placed define its effectiveness. The bullet itself doesn’t knock the animal down,” Snow points out. “When you consider the terminal effectiveness of a cartridge, you realize that bullets of smaller caliber driven at moderate velocities can cause as much, if not more, damage than larger rounds.”

But what about the instances where you’ve seen a big buck drop immediately from a shot with granddaddy’s old .30-06? Isn’t that knockdown power?

Actually, no. Animals may drop for various reasons, but they aren’t physically knocked off their feet. Moreover, each shooting scenario is unique. Even if an animal is hit perfectly, it may still run a considerable distance before succumbing to the shot (even with a .30-06). Personal experiences in the field, while impactful, are not indicative of a cartridge’s performance.

Myth #3: Heavier .30-calibers are better at busting through brush

OL staff writer Tyler Freel conducted a comprehensive test on “brush busting bullets” (read about it here: The Best Brush Busting Bullets Put to the Test). The findings were straightforward: the .45-70 Govt. performed far better than any other round, and copper bullets, specifically mono-metal bullets like Black Hills’ HoneyBadger, deflected the least when shot through brush.

That being said, all bullets still deflected to some extent. And since most deer hunters don’t use .45-70 these days, it’s best to avoid shooting through brush whenever possible.

“There are very few circumstances when shooting through brush is justified, such as for a follow-up shot,” Snow advises. “Shooting through brush can alter the trajectory of the bullet and result in unpredictable and chaotic outcomes. Even with the .45-70, I wouldn’t attempt the initial shot through dense brush.”

Myth #4: The rifles of our fathers, made in the 50s and 60s, are superior to the rifles made today

Modern rifles far surpass those made in the past.

“Consider the prevalence of precision CNC machining in today’s gun industry,” Snow explains. “Companies, big and small, can now manufacture barrels and actions to near-perfection. You can even buy these individual components and assemble them yourself to create a highly performing rifle. Classic models from decades ago, such as the 700, suffered from poor quality control, even struggling to achieve correct head spacing with their barrels.”

However, the craftsmanship and hand checkering found in older wood-stocked deer rifles were exceptional.

“It’s disheartening to see that we’ve lost some of that craftsmanship, especially in terms of checkering and beautiful wood stocks,” Snow laments. “While some high-end gunmakers still produce exquisite checkering, it has become a dying art. Modern guns have shifted towards synthetic materials or laminates. Machine-executed checkering can look decent, but it lacks the touch of human hands.”

Myth #5: Choosing the perfect deer cartridge is critical

In the past, selecting the ideal deer cartridge was vital. Nowadays, bullet selection holds greater importance than cartridge selection.

“Cartridge selection used to dominate discussions, particularly decades ago when we had a limited bullet selection that wasn’t particularly impressive,” Snow notes. “In the past 20 years, we’ve seen the emergence of incredible bullets. When considering a hunting scenario, bullet selection takes precedence over cartridge selection. While certain cartridges may outperform others in specific situations, it ultimately boils down to the bullet. We’re fortunate to have such options available today.”

Myth #6: Your deer rifle sucks if it doesn’t shoot sub-MOA

Many rifle manufacturers boast “sub-MOA accuracy” out of the box. Some even provide shot targets with groups measuring under an inch. However, as Snow discussed in a recent article, these sub-MOA claims often lack substance.

“The obsession with targets and sub-MOA accuracy has distorted the reality of what competition shooters and deer hunters truly need,” Snow asserts. “As part of our rifle reviews, we fire thousands of rounds through dozens of guns each year. With most hunting rifles and common factory ammunition, a rifle that shoots 1.25-inch, 5-shot groups is excellent.”

Ultimately, a rifle’s accuracy depends on the skill of the hunter wielding it. Rather than fixating on theoretical accuracy, devote more time to practice for improved field accuracy.

Remember: a rifle is only as accurate as the shooter behind it.