6 Underrated Hunting Cartridges

This YouTube video, "10 Best Hunting Cartridges: Your List Vs Mine," from the Backfire channel, aims to provide viewers with a comparative analysis of top hunting cartridges. The description highlights links to SDI's firearms programs and the "Backfire" website for recommended gear such as hearing protection, scopes, and rifles. It also mentions affiliate links for earned commissions and that the channel is owned by Backfire LLC in Utah. The content is geared towards individuals interested in firearms, specifically for hunting applications, and potentially seeking educational resources or product recommendations.

This video highlights six classic rifle cartridges that deserve more attention: the .35 Whelen, .307 Winchester, .30 Remington AR, .284 Winchester, .264 Winchester Magnum, and .25-06 Remington. It details their ballistics, historical context, and suitability for various hunting applications, arguing that these older rounds offer excellent performance comparable to or exceeding modern cartridges.

This video ranks the top 5 deer hunting rounds, focusing on ballistic performance. The .25-06 Remington is highlighted as the flattest shooting and the host's favorite, with only a 30-inch drop at 500 yards. Other top contenders include the fast .270 Winchester, the classic .30-06 Springfield, the versatile .308 Winchester, and the historically significant .30-30 Winchester, which exhibits the most drop.

This video ranks the top 10 cartridges for elk hunting based on a survey of 250 expert hunters. It highlights the .300 Winchester Magnum as the top choice, followed by the 7mm Remington Magnum and 7 PRC. The discussion includes detailed ballistics, recoil comparisons, and expert recommendations for bullets like Hornady ELD-X and Barnes TTSX.

The .280 Ackley Improved (AI) is presented as a highly accurate and effective hunting cartridge, despite its niche status. Testing revealed sub-0.4 MOA accuracy, with the cartridge offering a balance of power and manageable recoil, outperforming larger magnums in shootability on lightweight platforms. A key takeaway was the impact of Case Overall Length (COAL) on accuracy, highlighting the importance of precise handloading for optimal performance.

This video breaks down ideal deer hunting cartridges based on range and desired performance. It debunks the 1,000 ft-lbs energy myth, showing even 9mm can work at close range. Key recommendations include 6.5 PRC for its balance, .308 Winchester for short-range affordability, and 7 PRC for extended distances due to its ballistic coefficient.

This video demonstrates that a suppressed .22 LR pistol firing subsonic ammunition can be quieter than a compound bow. It explains how suppressors work by slowing gas release and highlights the sonic crack produced by supersonic rounds. Subsonic ammunition is shown to be crucial for maximum noise reduction.

This Backfire LLC #shorts video debunks a politician's claim that an AR-15 weighs as much as 10 moving boxes and shoots .50 caliber bullets. The AR-15 typically weighs around 6.5 lbs, and most variants chamber .22 caliber rounds like 5.56mm, not .50 caliber. While rare AR-15s can chamber .50 Beowulf, this is distinct from the common .50 BMG.

This short demonstrates the destructive power of a 12-gauge shotgun using ballistics gel. Slow-motion footage reveals 7.5 shot pellets traveling at 1300 fps, creating a 5-inch deep wound with a 1-foot spread from approximately 350 lead balls. The video also dissects a shell, highlighting the wad and gunpowder responsible for the impact.

The used gun section can reveal firearms that owners regret purchasing, often due to excessive recoil. A Browning X-Bolt Pro Featherlight in .300 RUM, despite its high-end features and cost, is frequently resold because the caliber's extreme recoil makes it unpleasant to shoot. This highlights the importance of considering practical shooting experience over raw ballistics when choosing a rifle.