![deer rifle recoil table deer rifle recoil table](https://images02.military.com/sites/default/files/2020-08/newscred-marine-Parris-Island-M16A4-Service-Rifle-3000.jpg)
and at 400 yards that bullet is struggling along with just 424 f-p. I don’t think it’s that cut and dried, but the 576 f-p remaining in the 150-grain RN at 300 yards should raise some eyebrows. It’s often said that an impact energy of 1,000 foot-pounds is minimal for an effective deer bullet. If you’re thinking a 200-yard or even farther zero would help with longer shots, say 300 to 400 yards, I ask you to look hard at those trajectory tables, especially the remaining Energy column.
![deer rifle recoil table deer rifle recoil table](https://www.fieldandstream.com/uploads/2021/10/19/OddClassics-logo.jpg)
Seems to me knowing a center hold hits pay dirt to 200 yards covers more situations.
![deer rifle recoil table deer rifle recoil table](https://www.wideopenspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ftd-deerrifle-recoil.jpg)
(I’ve seen stands in which were posted crude maps showing distances to landmarks such as a big rock, fence post, bush, treeline, etc.) But anyone hunting varied terrain and new locations will face the range estimation issue. Doubt isn’t an issue on a known range, say a familiar stand overlooking the same field or cutline where one absolutely knows distances to all points. But it interjects a bit of uncertainty when one doubts his or her range estimation. One can argue that a hunter familiar with trajectory using a 200-yard zero can just hold low on the chest when ranges are estimated to be 50 to 125 yards or so. Peak trajectory at about 100 yards is just 2.5 inches above point-of-aim while 50-yard trajectory hits just 1.83 high and 75-yard trajectory 2.5 inches high. In the trajectory tables that follow we see the advantages of the 160-yard zero. Since more 30-30 ammo is sold with flat-nose or round-nose bullets, we’ll stick with our 150-grain round nose for these examples. This one splits the weight difference between the traditional 150- and 170-grain 30-30 bullets while improving ballistic efficiency. Yet another alternative is Hornady’s 160-grain FTX or flex tip with its sharp rubber tip and impressively high B.C. 30-30 Recoil in 7-pound Riflesġ50-grain at 2,200 fps = 10.88 f-p recoil at 10 fps recoil velocityġ70-grain at 2,100 fps = 12.11 f-p recoil at 10.88 fps recoil velocity A Flexible Alternative From Hornady But I’ve never found 150-grain bullets to penetrate poorly on deer or pronghorns, so I enjoy their flatter trajectory and slightly lighter recoil. The main benefit of the 170-grain is additional penetration potential due to its higher Sectional Density and mass. We could also work with a 170-grain slug, but that would cost us muzzle velocity with minimum gain in punch and a bit more recoil than many shooters like.