When you’re shooting inside a couple hundred yards, almost any centerfire cartridge will do the job. But once you start stretching the distance, the difference between flat shooters and rounds that bleed energy fast becomes obvious. Some calibers carry their speed and power well, while others shed velocity so quickly that you’re left with poor accuracy and questionable terminal performance. Past 200 yards, bullets with low ballistic coefficients start dropping like rocks and drifting badly in the wind, making ethical shots much harder to guarantee. If you’ve spent time at the range watching impacts on steel, you already know which calibers struggle once the distance opens up. These are the rounds that might work fine for short-range plinking or close-in hunting, but they lose steam quickly and leave you wishing you had something with more reach.
.30-30 Winchester
The .30-30 Winchester has put more venison in freezers than almost any cartridge out there, but no one praises it for long-range performance. Its traditional flat- or round-nose bullets have a low ballistic coefficient, and they start bleeding speed as soon as they leave the barrel. By the time you stretch past 200 yards, the trajectory drops steeply, and wind starts pushing those bullets around.
Hunters in timber or brush country still rely on the .30-30 because most shots are well inside 150 yards, where it hits hard and performs reliably. Once you step out into open fields, though, you quickly see its limits. You’ll need significant holdover, and the terminal energy falls off enough to make clean kills much harder. It’s not that the .30-30 is useless—it’s just a short-range tool that’s been pressed into roles where distance exposes its shortcomings.
.45-70 Government (traditional loads)
The .45-70 Government is a powerhouse up close, especially in lever actions with modern ammo. But with traditional loads—the kind many hunters still shoot—you’re dealing with big, slow bullets that start dropping like an anchor beyond 200 yards. Those heavy projectiles pack massive punch inside 150 yards, but velocity loss makes them tough to manage past that.
Trajectory is the biggest issue. A standard 405-grain bullet lumbers along at around 1,300 feet per second, and while it smashes targets inside brush country, the rainbow arc past 200 yards makes precision nearly impossible. Wind drift compounds the problem since the bullet spends so much time in the air. The .45-70 remains a proven hammer for close-range hunting, but expecting it to stay consistent at longer distances is asking too much. It was designed for thumping power, not flat shooting at range.
.35 Remington
The .35 Remington is another classic brush cartridge that falters once you start thinking beyond 200 yards. Known for its heavy, round-nose bullets, the round was built for hitting hard in dense timber, not for sailing flat across open ground. The low velocity and bullet design combine to produce a trajectory that falls apart quickly after leaving the barrel.
Inside 100 yards, it’s a reliable deer and black bear round, giving you solid penetration and dependable performance. But stretch it past 200 yards, and you’re fighting serious drop and wind drift, with terminal energy dropping off fast. Hunters in the Northeast and Southeast still keep it in their lever guns because it shines in thick cover. That said, if you plan on open-country shots, you’ll quickly feel undergunned with a .35 Remington in your hands. It’s a specialist cartridge, not a long-range contender.
7.62x39mm
The 7.62x39mm, made famous by the AK-47 and SKS platforms, works fine for short-range shooting. With bullet weights around 123 grains and moderate velocities, it holds up decently at 100 yards. Past 200, though, the combination of low ballistic coefficient and modest speed shows its flaws. Bullets start dropping heavily, and accuracy becomes unpredictable.
For hunting, this caliber is best kept to inside 150 yards. Beyond that, terminal energy falls off enough that clean kills on medium-sized game aren’t guaranteed. It’s one of the reasons you rarely see it in serious long-range rifles. The 7.62x39mm was designed for reliability and mass production, not for distance. It’s effective at what it was intended for—close-quarters combat and short-range use—but the idea of pushing it much farther than 200 yards is wishful thinking.
.44 Magnum (from a rifle)
When fired from a rifle, the .44 Magnum gains some velocity, but it still isn’t built for long-range work. With bullet weights around 240 grains moving at moderate speeds, you can handle deer and hogs inside 100 to 150 yards. But stretch the distance to 200, and things start falling apart quickly.
Trajectory drop becomes dramatic, with bullets sinking far faster than most shooters expect. Energy loss compounds the problem, leaving little margin for error if you want ethical kills. Hunters love the .44 Mag carbine for close work in thick woods, where shots are quick and inside 100 yards. But once you push beyond 200, the bullet’s limitations become obvious. It’s fun for plinking steel at those ranges, but for hunting, it runs out of steam too soon to be practical.
.22 Hornet
The .22 Hornet has been around for nearly a century, and it’s still loved for its quiet report and mild recoil. That said, it runs out of gas quickly once you ask it to stretch past 200 yards. With bullet weights usually under 50 grains and modest velocities, the Hornet simply doesn’t have the legs to carry accuracy and power far downrange.
Inside 150 yards, it’s great for varmints and small predators. But beyond that, drop and wind drift get out of hand. Even slight breezes push those light bullets off target, and terminal performance fades rapidly. Hunters still use the Hornet for close-range work where noise is a concern, but if you’re expecting it to stay consistent on coyotes or similar targets past 200 yards, you’ll find yourself frustrated quickly. It’s a short-range precision tool, not a flat shooter at distance.
.300 Blackout (subsonic loads)
Supersonic .300 Blackout loads do fine out to moderate distances, but once you switch to subsonic ammo, the story changes. Those 220-grain bullets leave the barrel at around 1,000 feet per second, and the slow speed means they shed energy almost immediately. Past 200 yards, drop and drift make accuracy a guessing game.
Subsonic loads work wonderfully in suppressed rifles for close-range hunting or tactical roles. Inside 100 yards, they’re accurate and deliver solid performance. But expect them to die out quickly past 200. The trajectory resembles that of an old black powder cartridge, with exaggerated arcs and sluggish time to target. If you keep your expectations in check, the subsonic .300 BLK shines in its role. But if you’re thinking about long-range consistency, it’s simply not built for that task.
.357 Magnum (from a rifle)
When chambered in a rifle, the .357 Magnum can handle deer-sized game in close quarters. But like other pistol calibers in long guns, it starts running out of steam fast past 200 yards. With moderate velocities and heavy-for-caliber bullets, you’re dealing with a trajectory that drops hard once you step beyond typical woods ranges.
Accuracy also suffers as the bullet slows down, making wind drift another problem. At short distances, the .357 Magnum lever gun is versatile and dependable, but you’ll find yourself limited the moment you start thinking about open ground shots. It’s perfect for brush country hunting, but on a long field edge, it feels underpowered and inaccurate. This caliber simply doesn’t hold up once the range opens past 200 yards.
.41 Magnum
The .41 Magnum is another revolver cartridge sometimes chambered in rifles, but it performs much like the .44 Magnum when it comes to range. With heavy bullets and modest velocities, it simply can’t maintain flat shooting characteristics past 200 yards. While it packs plenty of punch up close, energy fades too quickly once distance is introduced.
Hunters who love it swear by its performance inside 150 yards, especially on hogs and deer. But beyond that, it’s a challenge to get consistent groups or reliable terminal results. The .41 Magnum is one of those rounds that thrives in the role it was built for—short-range work where power matters more than distance. Push it farther, and you’ll see why it never became a mainstream choice for long-range hunting rifles.
.25-35 Winchester
The .25-35 Winchester is a cartridge that lives in the same camp as the .30-30: fine for brush hunting, but out of its element in open country. With light bullets and modest velocities, it sheds speed quickly, and accuracy fades fast past 200 yards. Trajectory drop becomes dramatic, and energy levels drop low enough to make clean kills questionable.
Back in its day, it filled the niche for deer hunting at short ranges, and in those roles it still works. But when compared to modern cartridges, its limitations become painfully clear. This round is more about nostalgia than long-range utility. Try stretching it on steel past 200 yards, and you’ll immediately see how quickly it dies out. It’s fine for timber hunting, but not the cartridge you want in your rifle when the fields open wide.
.32 Winchester Special
The .32 Winchester Special sits right alongside the .30-30 in terms of performance. Built for lever-action rifles, it carries plenty of power inside 150 yards, but its low-BC bullets and modest velocities don’t carry well at longer ranges. By 200 yards, trajectory drop is dramatic, and wind drift makes accuracy questionable.
It’s still a nostalgic favorite for deer hunting in the woods, where shots are close and speed matters more than flat trajectory. But outside of that niche, the cartridge struggles to compete with modern rounds designed for open-country performance. If you’ve ever tried shooting a .32 Special past 200 yards, you already know the challenge—it feels like the bullet falls off a cliff. It’s simply not a caliber meant to stretch beyond the timber’s edge.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
