Hunting cartridges are a critical component of any hunting trip, and selecting the right one can make all the difference in the success of your hunt. In this article, we will be looking at 10 underrated cartridges.
While some cartridges have achieved widespread popularity, there are several underrated options that are equally effective but often overlooked. In this article, we will explore ten underrated hunting cartridges that you should consider for your next hunting expedition. From their ballistic capabilities to their usage rate, we will delve into what makes these cartridges worthy of consideration and why they are often underrated in the hunting community.
(Approximate Read Time: 5 Minutes)
Notes About The 10 Underrated Cartridges
- This list is not a numerical list, this is simply a listing of 10 underrated cartridges that continue to get the job done.
- We will also look at some popular ammunition options for each cartridge.
Now let’s take a look at those cartridges!
The 25-06
The 25-06 is a versatile hunting cartridge that has been around for over a century, yet it remains one of the most underused cartridges on the market. Based on the 30-06 case necked down to .257″, the 25-06 offers flat shooting and excellent accuracy with moderate recoil. Despite its many benefits, it has never gained the popularity of some of the more well-known cartridges, which is a shame as it can hold its own against them in many hunting situations.
Popular Ballistic Offering: Hornady 110 gr ELD-X® Precision Hunter
Velocity at Muzzle: 3140 fps / Velocity at 500 yards: 2175 fps
Energy at Muzzle: 2408 (FT/LB) / Energy at 500 yards: 1155 (FT/LB)
The 7MM-08
The 7mm-08 is another example of an underrated hunting cartridge that often gets overlooked by hunters. Developed in the 1980s, it is based on the .308 Winchester case necked down to 7mm. It offers excellent accuracy, moderate recoil, and versatility in a variety of hunting situations. Despite these benefits, it has not received the widespread recognition it deserves, and hunters should consider giving it a try. Many exotics and deer have fallen to the 7mm-08
Popular Ballistic Offering: Federal Premium 140 gr Trophy Bonded Tip
Velocity at Muzzle: 2800 fps / Velocity at 500 yards: 1838 fps
Energy at Muzzle: 2437 (FT/LB) Energy at 500 yards: 1050 (FT/LB)
The 257 Roberts
The 257 “Bob” is a classic cartridge that was first introduced in the 1930s, yet it remains one of the most underrated hunting cartridges to this day. It offers flat shooting, good accuracy, and moderate recoil, making it an excellent choice for a variety of game, from varmints to deer. Despite its versatility and reliability, it has never gained the popularity of some of the more mainstream cartridges, which kind of sucks, as it is a real sleeper of a cartridge.
Popular Ballistic Offering: Nosler Trophy Grade 110 gr AccuBond
Velocity at Muzzle: 3050 fps / Velocity at 500 yards: 1993 fps
Energy at Muzzle: 2272 (FT/LB) / Energy at 500 yards: 970 (FT/LB)
The 280 Ackley Improved
The hardest hitter on the list so far, makes its presence known. The 280 Ackley Improved is a wildcat cartridge that has been around for over six decades, yet it remains one of the most underrated hunting cartridges available today. Developed by gunsmith P.O. Ackley, it is based on the 30-06 Springfield case necked down to 7mm and with a sharper shoulder angle. Additionally, the result is a cartridge that offers improved velocity, better accuracy, and less recoil than its parent case. Despite these benefits, the 280 Ackley Improved has never gained widespread recognition, and it remains a favorite among a select group of knowledgeable hunters who appreciate its many advantages in the field.
Popular Ballistic Offering: Hornady 162 gr ELD-X® Precision Hunter®
Velocity at Muzzle: 2850 fps / Velocity at 500 yards: 2162 fps
Energy at Muzzle: 2921 (FT/LB) / Energy at 500 yards: 1681 (FT/LB)
The 6MM Rem
The 6mm cartridge, also known as the 6mm Remington, is a classic hunting cartridge that has been around since the 1950s, yet it remains an underrated option for hunters. Based on the .257 Roberts case necked down to 6mm, it offers excellent accuracy, flat shooting, and moderate recoil, making it suitable for a variety of game, from varmints to deer. The 6mm cartridge has not gained the widespread popularity of other cartridges, which most likely comes from it being considered too small for big game hunting. That’s a real shame, as it is a reliable and accurate option for hunters.
Popular Ballistic Offering: Remington 100 gr Core-Lokt
Velocity at Muzzle: 3100 fps / Velocity at 500 yards: 1889 fps
Energy at Muzzle: 2134 (FT/LB) / Energy at 500 yards: 792 (FT/LB)
The 6.5MM X 55 “Swede”
The 6.5mm x 55 cartridge, better known as the “6.5 Swede”, is a classic cartridge that has been in use for over a century, yet it remains an underrated option for U.S. hunters. Originally developed by the Swedish Army in 1894, it offers excellent accuracy, moderate recoil, and versatility in the field. Despite its many benefits, it has never gained widespread recognition outside of Europe, and many hunters overlook it in favor of more mainstream cartridges. The Swede has a small but dedicated fanbase and that is simply because it works over and over again.
Popular Ballistic Offering: Federal Premium 140 gr Power-Shok
Velocity at Muzzle: 2650 fps / Velocity at 500 yards: 1736 fps
Energy at Muzzle: 2183 (FT/LB) / Energy at 500 yards: 937 (FT/LB)
The 7MM STW
The 7mm Shooting Times Westerner (STW) cartridge is a powerful and effective hunting cartridge that has been overshadowed by some of the more popular magnum cartridges, such as the 7mm Rem Mag or .300 Win Mag. Developed in the early 1990s, it offers exceptional long-range performance with excellent accuracy and hard-hitting power. Despite its many advantages, the 7mm STW remains an underrated cartridge, often overlooked by hunters in favor of more well-known options. However, once hunters use the STW it seems to become their number 1 cartridge.
Popular Ballistic Offering: Nosler Trophy Grade 160 gr AccuBond
Velocity at Muzzle: 3075 fps / Velocity at 500 yards: 2228 fps
Energy at Muzzle: 3358 (FT/LB) / Energy at 500 yards: 1763 (FT/LB)
The 375 Ruger
The 375 Ruger is a relatively new cartridge designed to deliver hard-hitting energy on dangerous game. The cartridge was introduced in 2007, yet it remains an underrated option for hunters seeking a hard-hitting cartridge. Developed by Ruger in collaboration with Hornady, it offers exceptional performance in the field, with excellent accuracy and a flat trajectory. Despite its many advantages, the 375 Ruger has not gained widespread recognition, and many hunters overlook it in favor of more well-known cartridges. Overall, the 375 Ruger is a good choice for large and dangerous game on both the North American continent and abroad.
Popular Ballistic Offering: Hornady 270 gr InterLock® SP-RP
Velocity at Muzzle: 2840 fps / Velocity at 500 yards: 1759 fps
Energy at Muzzle: 4835 (FT/LB) / Energy at 500 yards: 1855 (FT/LB)
The 260 Rem
The 260 Remington cartridge is a versatile and accurate cartridge that has been around since 1997, yet it remains an underrated option for hunters. Based on the 308 Winchester case necked down to 6.5mm, it offers excellent long-range performance with moderate recoil and a flat trajectory. Despite its many benefits, the 260 Remington has not gained widespread recognition, and many hunters overlook it in favor of more popular cartridges. However, it is a reliable and effective option for hunting a variety of game, from varmints to deer, and its versatility makes it a favorite among hunters who appreciate its accuracy in the field.
Popular Ballistic Offering: Remington 140 gr Core-Lokt
Velocity at Muzzle: 2750 fps / Velocity at 500 yards: 1808 fps
Energy at Muzzle: 2351 (FT/LB) / Energy at 500 yards: 1016 (FT/LB)
The 224 Valkyrie
The 224 Valkyrie cartridge is a relatively new addition to the hunting cartridge scene, having been introduced in 2017. It is a high-performing cartridge that was designed for long-range shooting and precision hunting. It offers exceptional accuracy and a flat trajectory, making it a great option for hunting small game. However, it recently has been performing well on both pronghorn and deer. Despite its many advantages, the 224 Valkyrie has not gained widespread recognition and is often overlooked in favor of more popular cartridges. However, hunters who have used it have been impressed with its performance, and it is slowly gaining a strong following among those who appreciate its versatility as a cartridge that can be used as a small game and big game getter at the same time.
Popular Ballistic Offering: Federal Premium 78 gr TSX
Velocity at Muzzle: 2850 fps / Velocity at 500 yards: 1774 fps
Energy at Muzzle: 1407 (FT/LB) / Energy at 500 yards: 545 (FT/LB)
We could keep this list going for quite some time if we didn’t limit it to ten cartridges. The point is that there are a lot of cartridges out there that are awesome. Our suggestion is to pick the one you like and put some time into it and learn to shoot it accurately. If you do that, you’ll be harvesting game effectively.
You can check out all the ammunition choices we listed for these 10 underrated cartriges by going to each of their websites by clicking their names.
If you haven’t had your fill of cartridge talk you can check out our elk cartridge list by clicking here. Thanks for reading about these 10 underrated cartridges!
So, what do you think of these 10 underrated hunting cartridges? What would have made your list? Let us know in the comments!
