what deer hunting rifle is the most powerful, or can shoot the furthest?

Answer 1

257 weatherby magnum.

Answer 2

For the average person the .30/06. If you really want to end it go with the .50 BMG. That will give you pretty much a 1 shot kill.

The .30/06 is the most powerful rifle the average person and more can handle in weight and recoil and expense. It will shoot deer out as long as the magnums. 400 yds is the accepted range and most people 300yds.

The magnums only give you alot more recoil, more money to spend on rifles and cartridges, a heavier gun for most, and a flatter trajectory, not to mention a loud boom, hearing loss etc.

Magnums are more expensive and I would be hard pressed to find someone that actually needed any of them hunting deer or most North American game especially the lower 48.

The .308 is the same as the.30/06 but shorter and more compact but isn't as versatile with the heavier bullets, but if only for deer is a great cartridge. The .270 winchester is a nice flat shooting cartridge is is .30/06 necked down to .270 and has more than enough power for deer, elk , and moose as long as its placed right. Alaskan guides use it, and many have shot grizzlies with the .30/06 and even the .270.

The magnums give you a flatter firing trajectory that makes hitting things at long ranges easier and increases generally the knockdown power although a .30/06 is pretty close to a .300 winchester magnum and if you neck it up to a .338 it can be close even to the .338 winchester magnum. This is called the .338/06.
But knockdown power is lost if the velocity carries the bullet through the animal and if it isn't hit properly making the .30/06 which has taken all north american big and game and lots of African game a choice to be reckoned with. The .308 and .270 as well.

For deer I would recommend the .270, or .30/06 or .308. The .30/06 pretty much lets you hunt a variety of things. Of course the .25/06 and .243 are pretty flat little suckers, often young beginners start off with the .243. They have less power but with good shots it won't matter. The wind does blow those bullets more because they are lighter than the .30/06. That is the other thing the magnums due to their velocity have a better time handling the wind. I have shot most all of the magnums and owned most of them from time to time, but I still go back to my .30/06. They don't do anything for me that the 06 can't do. Magnums do not make up for lost practice, practice is essential.
Practice will be more tiring with the recoil of a magnum and some of them are hard on the ears especially hunting. Alot of people develop a flinch when firing magnums, that is why the .30/06 is one of the best in giving you the most power with the most ability for you to hit the game both in accuracy and recoil and allowing to practice more. It is also cheaper most magnums require almost double the money for a box of cartridges.

Answer 3

Depends on what you consider a deer hunting rifle. For an accurate long distance rifle 300 win mag has it covered. There is the 300 Remington ultra mag more powerful than the 300 win mag. Then if you need more power 338 lapua (that sucker will reach out there)or 338 Remington ultra mag. These last two generally aren't considered deer rifles.

The remaining part is for everybody. I am no expert I don't have the experience of some people but I change tactics quickly this give me more observations to make my conclusions. I also like to think I am less dogmatic.
As for me I shoot a 7-30 waters. It doesn't have the range or power not near as accurate. It doesn't kick and I have never had a deer walk more than 3 yards after being hit. I have never missed a deer and don't understand how anyone can.

There are two types of accuracy bench accuracy and practical accuracy (Cooper said something similar). When you are hunting you want practical. When I was a kid I shot squirrels with a lever action .22. When I went to college I bought a heavy barrel bolt action .22 with a free-floated laminate stock and a variable power scope with a 40mm bell. This sucker was much more accurate then the lever but I got fewer squirrels. Why? because when I got off the bench the gun was cumbersome and just too heavy.
I am more picky than anyone when it comes to guns. I don't buy guns I have them built. I don't have a single gun that hasn't been blue printed, or had the trigger replaced or reworked, glass bedded blah blah blah. That being said I don't get heavy barrels or magnums or terribly exotic rounds, because I don't shoot off benches.

Answer 4

Most Powerful Hunting Rifle

Answer 5

Depends what you consider a deer rifle.

You could kill deer with a 50 BMG at 2500 yards, snipers have killed at longer range. Muzzle energy is around 15,000 fpe for military stuff.

30-06 is the max most people can handle? Erm, no. Lots of people shoot considerably more powerful rounds that the 30-06.

I'm not really going to bother speculating on the most powerful and longest range. If you are looking for a deer rifle that will hit and kill at maximum practical range of 5-600 yards, and even at that you aren't being fair to the animal, then a 300WSM will do the job.

If you want a thousand yard, and more, rifle then have a look at the 338 Lapua. Out to a little over the 1000 yard mark it will do all that a 50 BMG will do.

Ultimate range? Over 4,000 yards and under 6,000 for normal calibers. The 303 British isn't a top end cartridge but that had an ultimate range of 4117 yards for the Mark 8Z round.

Answer 6

I am not much of a long range shooter when it comes to deer hunting. Part of the excitement is to see how close I can get to a deer. I am now carrying a 30-06 Encore rifle. That is plenty power for me. I dropped two deer with two shots this year. The first didn't even twitch. It just fell over. Remember, it isn't as much power and shooting far as it is placement. Personnaly, 30-06 is as big as I would go just because I like to preserve the meat for my freezer.

Answer 7

Simple answer, the .338 Lapua. Practically, the .30-06 Springfield, the .7mm Remington Magnum or any of the .300 Mags the .300 Weatherby Magnum being about the most potent (.300 Remington Ultra Mag is comparable, at least on paper).

Realistically, for deer you don't need anything bigger than a .270 Winchester.

H

Answer 8

.30+ magnums usually carry the best ballistic coefficients but if you are only hunting deer, mule or whitetail, and if your asking a question like this then you really dont need a rifle capable of taking brown bear at 500 yrds+. .270 Winchester is nice and with a wide variety of bullets from 90 grain to 150 can be used on antelope to moose. Also very plentiful in availability of makes, models, and ammunition. .308 Winchester (7.62x51) is a good all around classic round too along with the .30-06.

Answer 9

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
what deer hunting rifle is the most powerful, or can shoot the furthest?

Answer 10

The most powerful rifles are the magnums, if you emasure power simply by the energy carried by the bullet. But most magnums can shoot farther than the people shooting them.

Answer 11

depends on load, 7mm mag, is very powerful as is the 300 mag, 30-06, some of the ones that atre less poerful are 270, 30-30,25-06, 32 special, 44mag is powerful and not much range.....there is no def. answer