.17 HMR
The .17 HMR is flat-shooting and fun at the range, but it’s a poor choice for big game. It’s simply too light and underpowered to make clean, ethical kills on anything beyond varmints.
Trying to use it on deer-sized animals is a recipe for wounding, not harvesting. If you’re hunting anything larger than a rabbit, leave the .17 at home.
.22 LR
Yes, it’s affordable and easy to shoot—but the .22 LR doesn’t belong in most hunting scenarios. It lacks the velocity and energy needed to drop game cleanly beyond very close range.
Some folks swear by it for survival, but using it on big game is a quick way to lose an animal. Great for squirrels, terrible for whitetail.
5.7x28mm
It might look like a rifle round, but the 5.7x28mm is really more of a stretched pistol cartridge. It’s fast, but it lacks the punch needed for serious hunting.
Even on smaller animals, poor bullet performance and limited expansion make this round a gamble. It’s better suited for range time than field work.
.25 ACP
The .25 ACP barely makes sense for self-defense—let alone hunting. It’s underpowered, has poor penetration, and very limited accuracy past a few yards.
Taking it on a hunt is a good way to come home empty-handed and frustrated. If this is your plan, you might as well bring a slingshot.
.30 Carbine
The .30 Carbine was never designed as a hunting cartridge. It sits awkwardly between rifle and pistol rounds and struggles with penetration and expansion on tougher animals.
You might get away with it on close-range hogs or small deer, but there are far better options out there. Don’t handicap yourself before the hunt even starts.
.410 Bore (with slugs)
People love the .410 for its low recoil, but even with slugs, it’s not ideal for big game. The energy just isn’t there unless everything goes perfectly—and hunting rarely goes perfectly.
Yes, it can work, but it leaves little room for error. When a clean kill matters, you’re better off stepping up to 20 gauge or larger.
9mm Luger
Some folks try to turn a pistol into a hunting rig with 9mm, but it’s just not built for that job. The caliber lacks the energy and penetration needed for consistent, ethical kills on game animals.
Even in a carbine, it’s pushing it. There are too many better-suited rounds to justify taking this one into the woods.
7.62x39mm (with the wrong ammo)
The 7.62×39 can be effective—if you’re using proper soft-point or hunting loads. But too many hunters load up with military surplus FMJ, which just zips through without doing real damage.
If you’re using the wrong bullet, you’re setting yourself up for a long blood trail or a lost animal. It’s not the cartridge’s fault—it’s the ammo choice that kills the hunt.
.223 Remington (in the wrong scenario)
The .223 can absolutely work on deer-sized game—but only with premium bullets and precise shot placement. Using it with varmint loads or at longer distances is asking for trouble.
If you don’t know your rifle and your round inside and out, it’s too easy to wound instead of kill. The margin for error is razor-thin.
.50 BMG
Sure, it has the power. But it’s ridiculous for hunting. The recoil, noise, and over-penetration are way overkill—literally and figuratively.
Unless your plan is to turn the deer into a crater, this is more of a stunt than a real option. Save it for long-range target shooting and leave it out of the woods.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
