A Contrarian’s Guide to the Five Best Deer Cartridges

When everyone else at deer camp is bragging about their 6.5 Creedmoors and .30-06s, the contrarian hunter knows better. The truth is that “best” doesn’t mean newest, flattest or flashiest—it means effective, forgiving, and fun to shoot. These five cartridges prove that practicality beats popularity every time.

Another thing these cartridges all have in common is that they are based upon Frankford Arsenal’s early 1950s T65 series of cartridges.

1. .308 Winchester – The Blue-Collar Benchmark

It’s not glamorous. It’s not new. It just works. The .308 Winchester has been doing the same job since Eisenhower was president—dropping deer cleanly with boring reliability.

Released by Winchester in 1952 two years prior to its 7.62×51 NATO adoption, the .308 Win. is the civilian version of the free world’s answer to the Soviet AK.

It offers outstanding accuracy, a wide bullet selection and moderate recoil. A 165-grain soft point leaves the muzzle around 2,700 fps and still carries serious authority at 300 yards. Ammo is everywhere, rifles are plentiful and you can actually afford to shoot it.

Author’s Fave: My first deer rifle was a Remington Model 742 in .308, and my second was a Parker & Hale .308 bolt-action. Neither one of them stayed around very long because I hadn’t found “the one.” Back when we could shop the Shotgun News and have our buddy up the street with his FFL order it, I settled on a Ruger that I shelled out $139 for to become the proud owner of a M77. If this rifle had notches in the stock for every whitetail it’s killed it would look like somebody attacked it with a chainsaw.

Contrarian Truth: The .308 isn’t exciting because it doesn’t need to be. It’s the cartridge that defines what “enough gun” really means.

2. 7mm-08 Remington – The Thinking Man’s .308

The 7mm-08 is the rifleman’s cartridge for people who can read ballistics charts instead of marketing slogans. By necking down the .308 to 7mm, you gain superior sectional density and ballistic coefficient without sacrificing recoil or barrel life. It’s flatter than the .308, kicks less and penetrates deeper.

Where it shines: lightweight rifles and long shots on open-country whitetails or mulies. With a 140-grain bullet at 2,800 fps, it bucks wind like a pro and hits like a hammer.

Author’s Fave: A stainless synthetic Remington Model 7, hands down. If I own a rifle that’s a lucky charm, this one is it. My garage wall’s whitetail antler display is a mute testament to this rifle’s handy work.

Contrarian Truth: The 7mm-08 is the perfect deer round. It’s what the 6.5 Creedmoor wishes it could be.

3. .260 Remington – The Forgotten 6.5 that Beat the Creedmoor

Before the 6.5 Creedmoor was a hashtag, the .260 Remington was quietly punching one-hole groups and toppling big game. Ballistically, it’s nearly identical; sometimes better. It feeds flawlessly from short actions, recoils gently and loves long, high-BC bullets.

For deer hunters, a 140-grain Partition at 2,750 fps delivers sleek trajectory and deep penetration without bruising your shoulder. It’s the perfect cartridge for shooters who reload or appreciate classic efficiency.

Author’s Fave: I fell in love with the .264 high-BC-bullet-belchin’ years before the Creedmoor was anything more than a 125-year-old Yankee rifle match. My go-to .260 Rem started life as a factory Model 700 in the same cartridge. These days the only thing remaining from the original rifle is the action. Rich Modzelewski at Echo 3 Armory did the latest custom work to the rifle. It’s got more than 3,000 rounds down the pipe and still printing ½-MOA groups on doe skulls at obscene ranges.

Contrarian Truth: The .260 didn’t fail because it’s worse. It failed because Remington didn’t market it well and released early rifles with twist rates too slow to realize the cartridge’s potential. Creedmoor fans owe it a thank-you note.

4. .243 Winchester – The “Kid’s Gun” that Isn’t

The .243 gets dismissed as a youth cartridge, but in truth, it’s a precision deer killer for careful marksmen. Launching a 95- to 100-grain bullet at 3,000 fps, it’s flat, fast and devastating with proper shot placement.

For hunters who value mild recoil and tight groups over brute force, the .243 is hard to beat. In open terrain, it’s a laser beam; in the woods, it’s surgical. The key is premium bullets—bonded or copper designs turn the .243 into a serious whitetail hammer.

Author’s Fave: My all-time favorite for this cartridge is a Ruger M77 Mannlicher that’s got the old tang safety.

Contrarian Truth: The .243 is not a kid’s round; it’s a sniper’s deer cartridge.

5. .358 Winchester – The Forgotten Thumper

If you’ve ever tracked a buck into heavy timber, the .358 Winchester makes perfect sense. It’s the .308 case blown out for .35-caliber bullets, sending 200- to 250-grain projectiles with enormous frontal energy. Inside 200 yards, it’s pure authority—knockdown power without magnum flash or recoil.

In lever guns or compact bolts, it’s fast-handling and ideal for thick-cover hunters who don’t care about long-range hype. The .358’s bark is deep and its bite is final.

Author’s Fave: It’s tough to beat a 65-year-old Winchester Model 88 lever gun in .358 Win, but my favorite is a new NULA Model 20 by Wilson Combat.

Contrarian truth: While others chase velocity, the .358 reminds us that mass and momentum still matter.

One Final Shot

Trends come and go—cartridges stay or die by merit. The five above may not dominate magazine covers or YouTube channels, but they each represent a timeless truth: real hunters choose performance over popularity.

When the dust settles and the venison hits the cooler, the contrarian with a well-worn 7mm-08 or .308 doesn’t need validation. The proof is already hanging on the pole.