This year marks a major milestone here at Petersen’s BOWHUNTING — our 10th Anniversary Broadhead Test. Oh, what a journey it has been. When I consider the time (weeks) and energy it takes to do our annual broadhead test, it amazes me we ever made it to year two!

Back when we first began in 2013, we unknowingly set ourselves up for a testing marathon by tackling 25 broadheads — 13 fixed-blade models and 12 mechanicals — at once. None of our tests were proven, forcing to us to run back and forth to the hardware store for additional supplies as we adjusted on the fly. We were also forced to acquire additional test heads from the stock inventory at Lancaster Archery Supply, because we were running out as we forged ahead like madmen through an extended period of trial and error.

They say experience is a great teacher, and that’s certainly true in our case. I’m pleased to report we’ve become not just older but wiser over the past decade, alternating our annual test between fixed-blade heads and mechanicals to keep our workload manageable and give manufacturers additional time to release new models in each category.

But while we’ve changed some things and have continually refined our testing procedures, one big thing that has not changed — and never will — is our commitment to doing whatever it takes to make this the most consistent, credible and unbiased broadhead test available to bowhunters anywhere. The cornerstone of our testing is a desire to create a level playing field for all, and over the years we’ve eliminated some tests that did not meet this high standard and modified others to ensure they do.

Perhaps the biggest single testing improvement we’ve made over the years came in 2014, when we upgraded the shooting platform to our custom-built, one-of-a-kind X-Ring Machine that is far superior to any commercially available shooting machine. Weighing more than 200 pounds, the X-Ring Machine offers rock-solid stability along with micro-adjustable windage and elevation and a laser sighting system! Driven by a servo motor, the draw sled that pulls the bowstring back rides on linear slides and is controlled by draw-position sensors. The X-Ring Machine is also controlled via proprietary software that takes precise measurements during the draw cycle and automatically calculates data for things such as kinetic energy and dynamic efficiency. Another milestone that came in 2014 was the decision to outsource broadhead sharpness testing to CATRA (Cutlery & Allied Trades Research Association) in the United Kingdom. That’s right; we ship broadhead blades all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to give you the most accurate and reliable sharpness comparison available!

During our 10-year broadhead testing journey, we have been invited to use some great facilities near our Pennsylvania headquarters, including ranges at Black Eagle Bowmen, Lancaster Archery Supply, Weaver’s Archery and Drop Tine Archery. As for the testing itself, we’re pleased to report that more than 40 manufacturers have submitted broadheads for evaluation, not to mention additional manufacturers such as Mathews, PSE, Bowtech, Last Chance Archery and Rinehart Targets have donated bows, targets and other equipment to assist in our testing.

In summary, the past decade has allowed us to build a significant depth of experience and expertise in broadhead testing and demonstrated that we’ll go to great lengths to bring you only the most technically sound and relevant data possible — no bias and no BS! This year, we dive deep into 14 of the hottest fixed-blade broadhead options with tests that measure penetration, durability, blade sharpness, flight precision and more. It’s our hope that you enjoy reading the results as much as we enjoy bringing them to you.

Annihilator 100 XL

Annihilator is a relative newcomer to the archery world; however, they have turned plenty of heads and built a solid following in a short time. The nearly indestructible 100 XL is made from a single piece of 4140 alloy steel and hardened to Rockwell RC 52. Edges are beveled at 30 degrees to enhance edge retention and durability and are easily re-sharpened on a flat stone. The unique, scooped-out shape is without cutouts or vents and designed to quietly fly like a fieldpoint at long range and cause maximum damage through wound channels that won’t close up and induce pressure changes inside the animal’s body. The 100 XL has proven effective with all bow styles and a wide range of arrow/bolt speeds. Sporting a 1.0625-inch cutting diameter, these heads are made in the USA and guaranteed to weigh within ±.2-grain of one another.

• $62.99 per 3 | annihilatorbroadheads.com
• Top Test Finishes: 1st in Double Combo Penetration and Hemorrhage

Cobra Barbarian

Cobra jumps into the broadhead market with the Barbarian line that includes both fixed and mechanical heads. Cobra’s FXT (Fixed Crossbow Titanium) heads were originally intended exclusively for the crossbow market, but the company wanted compound users to have the opportunity to shoot them as well. So, Cobra came up with a two-collar system. The straight collars match up with bolt diameters, and the tapered collars are more in line with standard arrow diameters. Cobra’s solid, one-piece ferrule is made of titanium to take advantage of its high strength-to-weight ratio and overall durability. Blades are replaceable and made of 420 stainless steel that is .033-inch thick. The Barbarian’s cutting diameter is a generous 1.25 inches and its trocar tip is designed to take on the harshest of shots. Heads are spin-tested at the factory.

• $54.99 per 3 | cobraarchery.com
• Top Test Finish: 4th in Total Cutting Potential

Firenock Dagger

Firenock is known for engineering products and components that work well together. In fact, their Traumahawk broadhead was designed specifically to work with the company’s airfoil-based Aerovane; however, it required too much speed and power for some applications. Enter the Dagger, which has fewer use restrictions for a wider range of applications. This head is made from 420 stainless steel and uses compound single bevels providing rotation to, and through, the animal. The rotation inside the animal is advertised to cause cavitation resulting in faster death. Metal Injection Molding (MIM) during the manufacturing process makes the Dagger even more effective. The two-blade head has a 1.01-inch cutting diameter and a cut-on-contact design for maximum penetration.

• $69.95 per 3 | firenock.com
• Top Test Finish: 10th in Hemorrhage

G5 Striker X

G5 continues to bring top-notch heads to market with the new Striker X fixed-blade broadhead. The Striker X features four replaceable Lutz blades that have a reputation for being super sharp and a track record to back it up. The four blades, each measuring approximately 1 inch long, create a 1.25-inch cutting diameter. G5 broadheads are spin-tested at the factory and advertised to have improved flight characteristics versus the competition. The all-steel Striker X is also available in a crossbow model and comes in your choice of 100 or 125 grains. A BMP practice head and blade-replacement kits are also available.

• $46.95 per 3 | g5outdoors.com
• Top Test Finishes: 1st in Total Cutting Potential, 4th in Hemorrhage and 5th in Sharpness

Grim Reaper Micro Hades

Grim Reaper, known for creating devastating broadheads, designed the new, 3-blade Micro Hades to maintain excellent flight performance at any speed produced by today’s compounds and crossbows. The Pro Tip is hand sharpened and built to bust through bone. With its 100-percent stainless steel construction, the Micro Hades is made to withstand anything you can throw at it. The .035-inch thick, 440 stainless blades, which reach to a 1.0625-inch cutting diameter, are anchored to the ferrule with Grim Reaper’s four-point blade locking system. Made in Provo, Utah, the Micro Hades is all about inspiring confidence through durability, lethality and overall performance.

• $39.99 per 3 | grimreaperbroadheads.com
• Top Test Finishes: 2nd in Sharpness and 3rd in Double Combo Penetration

Innerloc American Eagle

Innerloc’s Patriot Package — including three American Eagle broadheads, six eagle-inspired, patriotic arrow wraps and a Deadly by Design Innerloc Country can cooler — was put together as a tribute to all American patriots. The American Eagle broadhead features a red, white and blue anodized aluminum ferrule that sports an eagle stamp at its base along with eagle-shaped blade cutouts. The 3-blade head weighs 100 grains and produces a 1-inch cutting diameter. Innerloc’s proven Center Locking System uses matching bevels on the ferrule and stud to create a self-aligning, clamping action for the .027-inch thick, L-shape blades with bases that match the inner-diameter of the ferrule. The company’s Endur-Edge is built through specialized manufacturing and tempering processes to create a durable edge that will hold its form and sharpness.

• $35.99 per 3 | innerloc.com
• Top Test Finishes: 3rd in Triple Combo Penetration and 4th in Sharpness

Muzzy Merc

Muzzy, one of the most trusted broadhead manufacturers, builds its new, 3-blade Merc with a one-piece, solid stainless steel ferrule to ensure toughness. The ferrule shape and venting, along with the Hybrid Cut-on-Contact Tip, promote quiet flight and increased penetration. The .030-inch thick blades transition smoothly into the correlating edges of the ferrule for a continuous cut from tip to the blades’ base. Blades are generously vented, have a 1.0625-inch cutting diameter and are locked in place by an aluminum blade-retention collar. Muzzy says the Merc’s unique geometry and venting deliver stable flight and extreme bloodletting.

• $44.95 per 3 | feradyne.com/muzzy-broadheads
• Top Test Finishes: 1st in Sharpness and 2nd in Triple Combo Penetration

NAP Endgame

NAP machines its 2-blade Endgame from a single piece of Grade 5 titanium to achieve precision while taking advantage of the material’s impressive strength-to-weight ratio, tensile strength, ruggedness and corrosion resistance. The oversized Bone Breaker Tip, machined directly into the titanium structure, is designed to cut on contact for greater penetration. An X-Lock blade-retention system secures the .031-inch, replaceable, stainless steel blades to the ferrule. Cutting diameter is 1.1875 inches. All heads are spin tested at the factory to ensure optimum performance, and a set of replacement blades and practice blades are included.

• $54.99 per 3 | newarchery.com
• Top Test Finish: 3rd in Hemorrhage, 4th in Double Combo Penetration and 5th in Triple Combo Penetration

QAD Exodus

QAD broadheads are unique in their design, as they employ Blade Over Shaft technology that anchors the blades to a very short ferrule while allowing the length of the blades to reach back over the shaft. The ferrule length and hardened stainless steel tip equal that of a fieldpoint, which reportedly improves flight characteristics and accuracy. This compactness also increases penetration and pass-throughs. The three, .040-inch thick stainless steel blades are set at a steep angle to reach a 1.25-inch cutting diameter in a short distance. Blades are replaceable; the head comes in 85, 100 and 125 grains in swept-back and full-blade models.

• $42.99 per 3 | qadinc.com
• Top Test Finish: 1st in Triple Combo Penetration, 2nd in Double Combo Penetration, 5th in Total Cutting Potential

Slick Trick SS3

Slick Trick’s new-for-2022 SS3 is a single-piece head machined from a solid block of 416 stainless steel and finished with a black-oxide coating. There are no blade vents or separate pieces — this is a solid unit from top to bottom, which is advertised to reduce flight noise, increase strength and maximize durability. The three, built-in blades produce a cutting diameter of 1.125 inches. A proven mix of overall geometry and weight distribution are said to create laser-like flight from any bow. Slick Trick designed the blades to stabilize the head quickly and leave a slug-like hole in whatever you put it through. The chisel tip is built to be aerodynamic and begin cutting on impact for increased penetration.

• $47.99 per 3 | slicktrickbroadheads.com
• Top Test Finish: 5th in Double Combo Penetration

Swhacker Levi Morgan #262

Known for its popular mechanical heads, Swhacker also has a substantial fixed-blade offering. Swhacker founder Rick Forrest teamed up with one of the planet’s best archers in multi-time world champion Levi Morgan to design the new #262 fixed-blade broadhead. The 3-blade, 100-grain head features a black-anodized, aircraft-grade aluminum ferrule and a hardened, high-carbon steel chisel tip that is advertised as cut-on-contact. Blades are made of stainless steel, have a .032-inch thickness and produce a 1.25-inch cutting diameter. The swept back, independent blades rotate when pulled back so they are not considered barbed.

• $54.95 per 3 | swhacker.com
• Top Test Finish: 3rd in Total Cutting Potential and 5th in Hemorrhage

SYKD Hunt Endurance

SYKD Hunt enters the fixed-blade broadhead arena with the 3-blade Endurance, featuring a 1-inch cutting diameter. SYKD says the optimized design allows the Endurance to be used with both compounds and crossbows. Blades are made of stainless steel, measure approximately .028-inch thick and are individually hand-sharpened. A front-end, blade-locking system is designed to secure the blades during flight and penetration. The aggressive chisel tip is built to bust through bone, causing maximum damage and increasing penetration.

• $32.99 per 3 | sykdhunt.com
• Top Test Finish: 6th in Triple Combo Penetration

Tooth of the Arrow S-Series XL

The 4-blade S-Series XL has a 1.1875-inch cutting diameter, and it’s machined from one piece of high-carbon steel, heat-treated for strength and durability.

Blade edges are sharpened at 45-degree angles and designed to create large entry and exit wounds. The compact ferrule puts 70 percent of the head’s weight in line with the arrow shaft and, when coupled with the low-profile design, enhances aerodynamics and optimizes flight characteristics. A chisel point offers maximum impact on bone, and black-oxide plating protects the head, which comes in 100, 125 and 175 grains.

• $49.99 per 3 | toothofthearrowbroadheads.com
• Top Test Finish: 2nd in Total Cutting Potential and Hemorrhage

Wasp Mortem

Wasp demonstrates its dedication to producing some of the most durable heads available by outfitting the new Mortem with a one-piece, stainless steel ferrule. Sitting atop the ferrule is a solid, one-piece stainless steel trocar tip that is hardened for strength and durability, precision-machined and perfectly aligned with the blades to increase penetration from any shot angle. Three stainless steel blades, sharpened to a surgical edge, reach out to produce a 1.125-inch cutting diameter. Blades are easily replaced.

• $33.99 per 3 | wasparchery.com
• Top Test Finish: 3rd in Sharpness and 4th in Triple Combo Penetration

Test Philosophy

Our goal is to objectively test a series of characteristics critical to the successful completion of a broadhead’s mission — killing game quickly. Tests are conducted with materials and processes that result in accurate, unbiased results. Since conducting our first broadhead test in 2013, we have built on our experiences year after year and continuously made enhancements and modifications where they will benefit the test and, in turn, the reader. We use technology such as the Petersen’s BOWHUNTING X-Ring Machine that is advanced far beyond any commercially available shooting machine and an IDT Motion Xtra N4 high-speed video camera. Where we do not have the resources to conduct our own testing, we source it from outside. For example, we ship broadhead blades all the way across the Atlantic to have sharpness measured by the Cutlery & Allied Trades Research Association in Sheffield, England.

Test Setup

A Mathews V3X was set up with a 29-inch draw length and 65-pound draw weight. It was equipped with a NAP QuikTune 3000 arrow rest and D-loop. Three dozen factory fletched Easton FMJ 340 arrows were cut to 29.375 inches long and weighed at 376 grains (not including point weight). Completed arrows weighed 476 grains (with 100-grain broadhead or fieldpoint) and flew at 272 fps as measured by our chronograph. The Mathews V3X bow was mounted to the X-Ring Machine and tuned with the Easton arrows to achieve a perfect bullet hole at various distances. This setup was used for all test shots except the Hemorrhage Test, which was conducted as noted below.

Physical Dimensions: A Mitutoyo 8-inch dial caliper was used to determine the size of each broadhead’s cutting diameter, blade length, blade thickness and the length of the head beyond the end of the arrow. Cutting diameter on 3-blade heads was calculated by laying two of the blade tips along one jaw of the caliper and the third on the opposite jaw. That number was divided by 1.5 and then multiplied by 2. Example: Greatest distance is .75/1.5 = .5 x 2 = 1-inch cutting diameter.

An Easton Digital Grain Scale, calibrated according to manufacturer instructions, was used to determine the mass weight of each individual broadhead. Three separate heads were measured and averaged for a final result.

Total Cutting Potential: The ability of a head to cut, and the amount of cutting that takes place, is a factor of sharpness, cutting diameter and the number of blades. With this in mind, we calculate the Total Cutting Potential (TCP) of a head by multiplying the radius by the number of blades. We consider it “potential,” because a lost blade in bone or otherwise means you have that much less to do the cutting once the head breaks through into the body cavity. Blade angle is not considered in determining TCP, since angle does not change the amount of flesh that is cut as long as penetration is equal.

Here are two examples of TCP calculations: A 2-blade, 2-inch cutting diameter head has a radius of 1 inch. To get the TCP, you multiply the radius by the number of blades, which gives you a TCP of 2 inches. Now, consider a 3-blade head with a cutting diameter of 1.375 inches. The radius is .6875-inch, so you would multiply .6875 by the number of blades, 3. Your TCP would be 2.0625 inches, which means you will cut slightly more than the 2-blade head with a 2-inch cutting diameter.

Hemorrhage Test: Behind the scenes, this is known as the “blood bag” test! It was designed to take a relative measure of how much bleeding each broadhead will cause. For each head, a thick plastic bag containing exactly two gallons of red (for effect) colored water was sealed, suspended from a fixture and marked with a reference line. Using a Wicked Ridge Raider 400 crossbow, each head was fired low through the bag. We used frame-by-frame time stamps from a Nikon D5600 camera to measure elapsed time from impact until the water level matched the reference line.

Sharpness: Three blades (one blade from three different heads) from each broadhead model were sent to CATRA in the United Kingdom to measure blade sharpness with the association’s Razor Edge Sharpness Test (REST) machine. The machine measures the force required, in Newtons, to cut through a rubber test medium. The less force required to cut the rubber, the sharper the blade. As a reference point, a shaving razor blade will typically result in a reading near .3 Newtons. Additional information about the REST machine can be found online at catra.org.

Hard-Impact Test: The hard-impact test is designed to simulate the performance of a head after it encounters and passes through a hard material such as bone. We all want to know our broadhead will still do its job and keep cutting even after hitting a rib or shoulder. This test was performed at 20 yards, using .03-inch thick sheet metal as the impact material. General results can be found in the accompanying chart, with high-speed video footage on our YouTube channel showing each head’s performance in great detail.

Penetration Tests: This year, we eliminated one of the penetration tests we’ve been doing for years and replaced it with a new test we started last year. The pure foam test was scrapped, as it did not correlate to any situation one would encounter in the field; we hunt animals with a hide or other tough outer layer, such as thick feathers on a turkey. So, as we started last year, we added rubber-backed carpet on the outside of the foam. This “Double Combo” penetration test is designed to simulate a hide/body hit during which no bone is encountered. Our second penetration test, or “Triple Combo” test, consisted of rubber-backed carpet, .03-inch thick sheet metal and foam, to simulate a hide/body hit during which bone is encountered. Targets for our penetration tests are made by stacking the carpet, metal and foam plates and wrapping them with stretch-wrap film.

Over the years, many people have asked why we don’t use actual animal carcasses, or even a side of beef, to conduct our penetration tests. Our answer is simply that using such methods would not provide consistent, repeatable results from shot to shot. Instead, we use manmade materials to simulate basic properties (soft, hard, firm) while maintaining the consistency required for valid test results.

To conduct our penetration tests, three brand new heads from each broadhead model were fired into both types of block. The section of arrow protruding from the target was then measured for each shot, with a final average being calculated. That number was then reconciled with the arrow length for each test broadhead (different models have different overall lengths) to determine the actual depth of penetration.

Crash Test: The Crash Test is a violent test of a broadhead’s overall integrity. It was conducted by shooting each model into a fieldstone at 20 yards and evaluating the overall condition of the head after impact. Not surprisingly, most heads in the test sustained considerable damage as a result of impact. General results can be seen in the accompanying chart, with high-speed video footage on our YouTube channel showing each head’s performance in great detail.

Fieldpoint Comparison Test: A fieldpoint was shot from the X-Ring Machine at 25 yards to give us a reference point for measuring the broadhead impact locations on the target. We performed the test and found our groups relative to the fieldpoint were not in line with previous years. So, we tweaked the arrow rest and assured all test arrows were straight, properly aligned and spun true on a Last Chance Archery Revolution Arrow Tuner (engineered by Travis “T-Bone” Turner). We then repeated the test with much better results!

Three shots were fired with each test model, and the impact points were averaged to plot the data in the accompanying chart. As has been common in recent years, all the test heads flew well, with none varying more .7-inch in windage or elevation from the fieldpoint, and we had to enlarge the scale of the results chart just so you can identify each head’s point of impact. This is a testament to how much broadhead manufacturing has improved over the past 20 years and offers proof that — with a properly tuned bow and arrows — you can get your hunting broadheads to fly quite similarly to your practice points.

Smallest spiders: Spiders are not the most desirable guests in the house. Everywhere they try to get rid of them, using improvised methods: slippers, for example, or chemicals. But once you take a closer look at these creatures, the desire to get rid of them is replaced by another – to release them.

Indeed, think, at the next meeting with a spider, why do not you, instead of killing them, release the representative of the arachnids carefully through the window or staircase? This requires only 2 items: a glass and a lid. You put the spider in a glass, put a lid on it, and then release it.

Did you know that you cannot kill spiders? Many legends are associated with 8-legged creatures. Among the ancient peoples, the spider in the center of the web was a symbol of the sun, from which the rays emanate.

And there is also a sign according to which a small spider (by the way, our article is about them) – for money, albeit small, and a large one – for solid amounts. As ordinary people say – the omen works, so first think about how to run for a sneaker.

In this article, we want to tell you about the smallest spiders in the world, look at their photos

1. Patu digua

Patu digua is the smallest spider among all. Scientists have found that the size of the male is only 0.43 mm. – without a magnifying glass we can’t see them. The spider belongs to the family of symphytognathidae. Distributed in West Africa on the Ivory Coast.

It is unimaginable, but with this size, the spider has a well-developed nervous system, which occupies 80% of the body. In addition to the nervous system, patu digua also has a developed brain, which occupies 25% of the body.

2. Maevia Inclemens

The Himalayan spider is tiny in size – the male does not exceed 5 mm, and the female grows up to 6 mm. For the first time, this unusual tiny spider was found on Everest, so that the representative of the arachnids can be attributed to the highest of all spiders on our planet.

If you pay attention to the name, it becomes clear that it was created for a reason, but means “living above everyone else.” The Himalayan spider was first discovered in 1922, but this species was qualified in the scientific world only 2 years later – in 1924.

3. Marpissa muscosa

This type of spider can be called the most charismatic. Distributed in the Palaearctic. Marpissa muscosa in length reaches 8 mm, the color varies from gray to brownish. The spider got such an interesting name due to its appearance because its entire body is covered with hair, which is very similar to moss.

Spiders of this species prefer to settle in nests that they create in dead trees. The Marpissa muscosa inhabits North Africa, Europe, and the Asian part of Russia.

4. Ant spider-horse

The Ant Spider Horse is called a miracle of nature, outwardly it looks like an ant. Its dimensions do not exceed 12 mm. Among other representatives of the arthropod species, he stands out for his jumping ability and is the owner of excellent vision. Many researchers even believe that the ant spider is endowed with intelligence.

Spiders of this species are representatives of fauna and flora, they are found absolutely everywhere. Once, in 1975, one of the subspecies was discovered at the top of Everest – at an altitude of more than 6500 m above sea level. There is a version that ancient ant spiders first appeared in Gondwana, and subsequently spread throughout the Earth.

5. Tegenaria Domestica (House Spider)

The Tegenaria domestica or house spider belongs to the funnel spider family. Of all the species, it is the most common – it lives everywhere in the wild, and also prefers to settle in human dwellings, especially they like attics. By the way, they manage to get into the apartment very easily – in warm weather, they do it through open windows.

For a person, a house spider up to 12 mm in size does not pose a danger but attacks only if it feels that something is threatening it.

An interesting fact: the house spider perfectly senses changes in atmospheric pressure. If it rains, they crawls deeper into the hole, and sits there, not sticking out.

6. Pholcus Phalangioides

Meet Pholcus phalangioides, this is a house spider that lives throughout the entire territory of our planet. It is found where there is low light in the basement, for example. If the Pholcus phalangioides is in the house, then, as a rule, it prefers the ceilings and corners of the house.

A characteristic feature of this baby (the length of adults is only 7-10 mm.) is the ability to tremble with the whole body and the net, in case it was disturbed. The trembling occurs with such frequency that the outlines of the spider blur in space, and it is almost impossible to see it.

Despite its strange feature, the phalanx spider is completely harmless to humans, and when it penetrates the skin (by 0.1 mm), a person feels only a slight burning sensation.

7. European Garden Spider (cross-legged spider)

There is a statement that the spider is dangerous to humans, but in fact, this is a myth – one of the most common spiders is poisonous only for small animals: rats, mice, etc.

The European garden spider is considered peaceful, but when outdoors it can cause some inconvenience. This species prefers places with high humidity, most often it can be found in gardens or shrubs that grow near water bodies.

The spider got its name due to its appearance – on the back of the arachnid there is a cross formed of white spots. Females are larger than males – their size reaches 25 mm, and the male does not exceed 11 mm.

8. Latrodectus Tredecimguttatus (Mediterranean black widow)

In another way, Latrodectus tredecimguttatus is called the “Mediterranean black widow“. The reason for this is two facts: the color (there are red spots on its black abdomen, but in adult females they are absent – black spiders resemble a widow) and the treatment of the female with the male – after mating, she eats him.

It is not surprising that one of the most dangerous species of spiders has been nicknamed the “Mediterranean black widow“. The spider has an interesting body structure – its abdomen is shaped like a ball. The bite of a Latrodectus tredecimguttatus is very dangerous, but all the people should not worry (if only residents of Azerbaijan, they can also be found there), because spiders live in North Africa and Central Asia.

9. Ballus (muscular horse)

This spider species has excellent vision, providing an all-round view of almost 360º. A pair of peepholes in front, like binoculars, gives a magnifying image.

The muscular horse was named after the mythological character of the son of Hercules. The jumping horse can be attributed to the smallest spiders in the world, but to one of the largest representatives of the jumping spiders – its length reaches 2 cm.

This interesting arachnid can be found in Southeast Asia, in forests, near swamps, and in foliage. The spider has one peculiarity – it does not weave webs, but during the hunt uses a safety thread, attaching it to a solid surface.

10. Brown Hermit Spider

The hermit spider is quite tiny, with legs its dimensions do not exceed 20 mm, but this does not prevent it from carrying a serious danger to humans. Its poison is so strong that without timely medical intervention, a person can simply die. In this case, the pain is not felt immediately, and the person can become a victim during sleep.

The brown spider likes to live in abandoned buildings, but it can also get into an apartment building. It is distinguished from others by the number of eyes – usually, a spider has 8 of them, and this species has 6. Despite the fact that the spider is called brown, in reality, they are also gray or dark yellow.

UPDATED 08 SEPTEMBER 2024

by Robert Ceran

Using the right fishing rig is essential for catching trout successfully, and knowing which rig to use for what conditions can make the difference between catching your limit or getting skunked.

There’s a perfect trout rig for almost every situation, and that’s why it’s so important to master rigging for trout, as this will allow you to choose exactly the right fishing rig for your purposes.

In this article I’ll cover the 9 best trout rigs, and will discuss what each of them is ideally suited for.

How to rig for trout

In order to rig for trout, you need to choose one of three basic types of rigs:

• Rigs that present your bait suspended underneath a bobber or float
• Rigs that present your bait close to the bottom with a weight
• Rigs that enable you to cast and actively retrieve an artificial lure

While these three types of fishing rigs cover almost all trout fishing applications, they come in a variety of different shapes and forms, each of which is best suited for slightly different trout fishing setups.

So if you’re a beginner, chances are that you’re confused about all the different options of rigging for trout.

However, the great thing is that you can get started with just two or three of the most versatile trout fishing rigs, and then add more specialized rigs once you know what kind or rig works best for your pond, lake or stream.

Now let’s look at each of the most important trout rigs in more detail, to help you choose the best rig for your purposes.

And in case you’re also looking for the best bait to use with your trout fishing rigs, check out our article on what is the best bait for trout?

Trout fishing rigs with bobbers

Bobber rigs are among the most effective trout fishing set ups, and work especially well when fishing in shallow ponds and streams, as well as in shallow bays of bigger lakes, or basically in any situation where trout are active close to the water surface.

Now let’s look at the two main types of bobber rigging for trout.

Trout rig with fixed bobber

This is one of the simplest trout rigs, and consists of a fixed bobber attached to the line, as well as a hook and sinker to weigh down the baited hook in the water.

The depth at which the bait is presented depends on the distance between the hook and the bobber.

How to tie it: Attach the bobber to the line, and then tie the end of the line to the hook. The most common type of bobber used for this fishing rig is a round red and white bobber, but you may want to choose a pencil shaped bobber instead, which offers less resistance when a trout takes the bait.

If you’re not sure how to rig a fishing line for trout, take a look at our article on what fishing line should you use for trout?

When to use it: This is a great fishing rig to use in shallow ponds and streams, as well as any situations where trout are feeding close to the surface. It’s very easy to set up and a lot of fun to fish with, which makes it an excellent choice for beginners who want to try trout fishing in a stocked pond.

But keep in mind that the maximum depth you can fish this rig corresponds to the length of your rod, since you can’t cast the fishing rig effectively if you set the bobber higher than that.

How to use it: The best way to use this fishing rig is to cast it out with a baited hook and wait for a trout to bite, which is indicated by the bobber being pulled down underwater.

When you see this, set the hook immediately, so the trout doesn’t have a chance to spit out the hook when it feels resistance on the line. This is the best setup for trout fishing in streams and rivers, where you can use it to drift your bait into the best locations that hold trout.

Slip bobber rig

This is another commonly used trout rig, and should be part of every trout angler’s arsenal of fishing tools.

Using a slip bobber rig (aka sliding float rig) makes the fishing rig more compact and easier to cast with than a fixed bobber rig.

How to tie it: Tie a bobber stop on to your main line, and then thread the line through your bobber and tie the line to the hook. The best hook size depends on your bait, but generally lies somewhere between size 8 and 14.

If you’re unsure about choosing the right hook size for different trout line setups, take a look at our article on the best size hook for trout.

Attach a split shot or two to the line between the bobber and the hook. This stops the bobber from sliding down onto the hook and it also weighs down your bait, helping to present it at the right depth to the trout .

Keep in mind that some baits (like powerbait) float in the water, and you may need to add extra split shots to make the baited hook sink down to the desired depth.

When to use it: The slip bobber rig is the best choice when trout are feeding in midwater, and if you can’t reach them with either a fixed bobber rig or with a bottom fishing rig.

The great thing is that you can fish practically any depth with this fishing rig, as you just need to move the bobber stop up the line to whatever depth you want to set the bobber.

How to use it: Estimate the depth of the water you’ll be fishing in, and set the bobber stop to that depth. Then bait your hook and cast out your fishing rig to the desired spot and wait for a fish to grab the bait.

Bottom fishing rigs

Bottom fishing rigs are often the best choice when trout are found in deeper water, as they tend to feed close to the bottom most of the time. There are several options available to you in this rig category, so now let’s look at the most important ones.

Slip sinker rig

This is the simplest bottom fishing rig around, and is the one most often taught to novice trout anglers. This rig has been in use for more than a century, and continues to perform well in many situations where trout hold close to the bottom.

How to tie it: Thread a 1/8 or 1/4 oz sliding sinker (either a bullet or egg sinker) onto your main line, and then tie the line to a barrel swivel. Attach a leader to the other end of the swivel, and tie your hook to the leader. Choose the type and size of hook depending on the type of bait you want to use.

When to use it: This rig is most commonly used in lakes where trout hold in water deeper than 5 or 10 feet. It’s a great rig to use from shore, since you can cast it relatively far, and cover a lot of water with it.

It’s important to use this fishing rig with floating bait, since you don’t want your baited hook lying on the bottom where trout won’t notice it. You can use it with either powerbait (which is designed to float), or worms injected with air to make them float.

How to use it: This is the most common bait rig used for trout fishing setups, and is usually fished passively. Most anglers cast it out to a promising fishing spot and then wait for a bite. If you do this, make sure to check your rig regularly to see if the bait is still on the hook, and also test different fishing spots.

Carolina rig

This rig is very similar to the slip sinker rig, but unlike the slip sinker setup it is often fished actively with artificial lures instead of passively with bait, which is why we list the two options separately.

How to tie it: Start by threading your main line through a 1/8 to 1/4 oz sliding sinker. Next, thread the line through a plastic bead, and then tie it to a swivel or snap swivel. The bead stops the weight from banging into the swivel during retrieval, which protects the knot on the swivel from being damaged while fishing, and this is more important if you want to fish it actively.

When to use it: You can use this option anywhere where trout are feeding close to the bottom. It’s a great option to use when fishing in lakes, reservoirs and ponds, but you can also use it in rivers.

How to use it: While you can also use this fishing rig with a baited hook and fish it passively until a trout comes by and bites, the strength of the Carolina trout fishing rig lies in fishing it actively with a floating lure.

You can use a floating jig head with plastic lures such as trout magnets or power worms. After casting out, let your rig sink to the bottom, and then slowly retrieve it with a jigging movement.

Split shot rig

This is basically a finesse version of the Carolina rig, and instead of a sliding sinker it uses one or more split shots attached to the line. Since trout can be finicky at times (especially when fishing in heavily fished waters), it’s always great to have some finesse techniques up your sleeve.

How to tie it: Tie your main line to a swivel or snap swivel, and then add one or two split shots to the line right above the swivel. Next, tie a 1 to 2 foot long fluorocarbon leader to the swivel, and then tie your hook to the other end of the leader.

Next, thread a soft plastic lure onto the hook, and your trout fishing line setup is good to go.

In most cases you’ll want to use a floating lure on this rig, which will result in presenting your lure right in the strike zone every time the split shots sink to the bottom.

When to use it: This rig is a great option if you notice that the trout are finicky. This is most often the case in heavily fished waters, and especially in clear water it can be advantageous to use a finesse rig that’s harder for the fish to spot. It’s also a great trout fishing set up for small creeks.

How to use it: Cast the rig out and let it sink to the bottom. Then slowly retrieve it with jigging movements of your rod tip. The main disadvantage of the split shot rig is that it can’t be cast as far as the Carolina rig, since it comes with less weight on the line. Because of this, it’s better to use it when fishing in smaller lakes, rivers and streams.

Drop shot rig

This is another great trout fishing rig setup for bottom fishing, and one of it’s key advantages is that it allows you to place your lure in the strike zone and keep it there for a long time. Similar to the two previous rigs, it’s most often used with soft plastic lures.

How to tie it: Start by tying your main line to a 4 or 5 foot fluorocarbon leader with a double uni knot, and then tie the end of your trout leader to a 1/8 to 1/4 drop shot weight.

Next, take a bait hook and place it facing upwards, and form a loop with the leader line about 1 foot above the drop shot weight.

Pass the loop through the eye of the hook from below, and then tie an overhand knot with the loop. Finally, pass the hook through the loop, wet the line, pull tight, and you’re ready to start fishing.

When to use it: While the drop shot rig was originally developed for vertical fishing in deep water from a boat, most bass anglers can tell you that this rig works equally well for fishing from shore, and can even be fished in very shallow water. It’s a great trout fishing setup for beginners fishing in lakes and rivers.

How to use it: Cast the rig out and slowly retrieve it by hopping the weight along the bottom, while jigging the lure up and down. If you figure out where the strike zone is, you can keep the drop shot fishing rig there, and simply wiggle the lure in place without moving the weight. That way you can keep your lure right in front of the fish for a long time, without having to retrieve it and cast again.

Lure rigs

While all of the fishing rigs discussed above can be used as trout fishing setups with either natural bait or artificial lures, some options for rigging for trout are only intended to be used with lures. Let’s take a look at the most important rigs of this type that you should know.

Spinner rig

The spinner rig is the most commonly used lure fishing rigs for trout. It is most often used with spinners (such as a rooster tail or panther martin), but it can also be used when fishing with any other artificial lure designed for casting and retrieving.

How to tie it: Tie your main line to a swivel or snap swivel, and add one or two split shot weights just above the swivel. Next, tie a 2 to 4 foot fluorocarbon leader to the other eye of the swivel, and then tie your lure to the other end of the leader.

Depending on the size and weight of your lure, adjust the number of split shots to achieve the right depth during retrieval. The swivel prevents line twist of your main line, but if you’re using a lure that doesn’t generate twist, you can also tie the main line directly to the leader.

When to use it: This is one of the most versatile trout set ups, and can be used in almost any setting, from small streams to deep lakes. In most cases you should try to fish this rig in the middle of the water column, but can also go deeper than that if the trout are holding close to the bottom.

How to use it: Simply cast out the fishing rig and start retrieving. Depending on how deep you want to fish it, you can adjust your retrieve speed, and you can also experiment with letting the rig sink to the bottom before you start reeling it in. However, if you’re trout fishing over weed beds, make sure to keep your lure above the weeds.

If you’re interested in fishing with trout spinners, check out our complete guide to trout fishing with spinners.

Trout fishing rig setup with bobber and jig

This is a great rainbow trout rig to use if you’re fishing over weeds, as you can fish it slowly without getting the jig snagged in the weeds.

How to tie it: Depending on the depth of the water, you can use either a fixed bobber or a slip bobber.

So start by setting up one of the two bobber rigs (as described above), and instead of tying a bait hook to the end of the line, tie a 1/16 or 1/8 oz jig head to the line. Next, you can bait the jig head with any of a wide variety of plastic lures, and you’re ready to start fishing.

When to use it: This is a great trout fishing setup for beginners when fishing over weed beds, and when want to keep your lure just above the weeds. You can achieve this by setting exactly the right depth with your bobber.

This trout rig setup is also great for drift fishing in streams and rivers, and again you should adjust the setting of your bobber to present the lure just above the bottom.

How to use it: If you’re trout fishing in a lake, cast out the fishing rig and let the jig sink as far as it can (at which point the bobber stands up straight). Then lift your rod tip to retrieve the fishing rig about 4 to 5 feet, and then pause to let the jig sink down again.

What this trout fishing setup achieves is that your jig will be slowly pulled up and then allowed to sink again. In the case of a plastic worm, this results in the worm wiggling through the water, which is highly attractive to most trout.

See also: How to rig when trolling for trout

Ned rig

The ned rig is most familiar to bass anglers, but few people know that it also works really well for catching trout. The key feature of the ned rig that makes it so effective when fishing for trout is that it is usually fished with a floating plastic tail, which is ideal for catching trout.

How to tie it: This is the simplest fishing rig to tie in this collection. If you’re using fluorocarbon as your main line, you can tie that directly to the mushroom jig head of the ned rig and you’re ready to start fishing. If you’re using braided line as your main line, it’s best to use a 2 to 4 foot fluorocarbon leader, since that’s much less visible in the water.

When to use it: You can use this rig whenever trout are feeding close to the bottom, and it works equally well in lakes, rivers, and streams. The only situation when you shouldn’t use this rig is if you’re fishing in a lake with a lot of vegetation on the bottom, which is likely to get your ned rig snagged.

How to use it: Cast it out and let it sink to the bottom, then retrieve it for 3 or 4 feet with a jigging motion, and let it settle on the the bottom again. Repeat this until you get a bite.

What are the best trout rigs?

The 3 best trout rigs are:

• Slip bobber rig
• Slip sinker rig
• Spinner rig

Between them, these three setups cover all the three main types of rigging for trout, and if you can set each of them up and fish them effectively, you’re off to a great start.

The slip sinker rig is perfect for presenting a bait close to the bottom, which is the best depth to target trout in most situations.

The slip bobber rig, on the other hand, can be used to present a bait suspended underneath a bobber, which is great when fishing for trout that are active higher in the water column.

And the spinner rig is a great basic setup for active trout fishing with lures, which is an ideal way to cover a lot of water in search of hungry trout.

If you’re currently looking for a new trout rod, check out our article on what is the best rod for trout fishing?

What are the best trout bait rigs?

The 3 best trout bait rigs are:

• Slip sinker rig
• Slip bobber rig
• Fixed bobber rig

Each of these fishing rigs is well suited for baiting your hook with natural baits like worms, maggots, minnows, corn, salmon eggs, or scented baits like powerbait.

In addition, all of them can be used for fishing passively, by casting out your fishing rig and then waiting for a trout to pass by and take the bait.

Trout worm rigs

The best rigging for trout to use with worms is either the slip sinker rig, or the slip bobber rig. The former rig is the ideal choice if you know that trout are feeding close to the bottom, and the latter rig is better if trout are feeding higher in the water column.

When using a slip sinker with a worm as bait, it’s important to make sure that your baited hook floats in the water, as trout will not eat it if it’s lying directly on the bottom. Traditionally, this has been done by injecting air into the worm with a worm syringe (which you can get in most tackle shops).

More recently, many anglers are fishing with floating jig heads baited with worms to make their bait presentation float in the water, and another great trick is to put a small marshmallow on the tip of your hook, which also makes it buoyant.

Finally, no matter which trout worm rig you use, it’s usually best not to use a whole nightcrawler on your hook, as this is too big to fit into the mouth of a trout. Instead, cut off a 1 or 2 inch piece of the worm, and thread it onto the hook.

The best hook type to use for this rig is a baitkeeper hook, which prevents the worm from sliding down the shank of the hook.

Minnow rigs

The best trout rig to use with minnows is either the slip bobber rig, or the fixed bobber rig. Your hook size should be between size 8 and 12 (depending on the size of the minnow). The best way to hook a minnow for trout is through the upper lip.

Small fish form a large part of the diet of many trout species, which is why they can be such a good bait.

Bobber rigs are great for fishing with live minnows, since you can easily spot a trout bite when the bobber goes down, and this allows you to delay your hook set long enough to give the trout a little extra time to get the minnow fully inside its mouth.

Which one of the two bobber fishing rigs you choose depends on the depth of the water you want to fish in, and on the depth at which trout are active.

When fishing with live minnows as trout bait, it’s important to weigh them down with split shots, so they stay at the right depth.

Salmon egg rig

The best trout rig setup to use with salmon eggs is one of the following:

• Slip bobber rig
• Fixed bobber rig
• Drop shot rig

Your hook size should be between size 8 and 14, and if you use a larger hook, you can thread several salmon eggs onto your trout hook. No matter which fishing rig you choose, you need to cast very gently in order to avoid ripping the eggs off the hook during the casting process.

If you’re trout fishing in a lake or pond, the best choice is a bobber rig, as that allows you to present the salmon eggs suspended in the water. But if you’re trout fishing in a stream or river, you can use a bobber rig to drift the salmon eggs with the current.

Alternatively, you can also use a split shot rig to drift the salmon eggs right on top of the bottom of the stream. The latter approach is better for getting it right in front of the trout, but it’s harder to detect bites with this style of fishing.

Egg rigs also work very well for steelhead fishing, and it that’s something you’re into, check out our article on how do you rig for steelhead bank fishing?

Final remarks

This concludes our article on rigging for trout, and hopefully we’ve helped you find exactly the right rig for your fishing technique.

Different trout rigs are ideally suited for different trout fishing tactics – bait fishing, lure fishing, trout fishing from shore, trout fishing from a boat, as well as fishing in diverse bodies of water, ranging from small streams to big lakes.

Now that you understand the basics of what each of these fishing rigs is designed for, this should help you to choose the best trout setups to help you to catch more fish in your local trout fishery.

We’re not sure if Bob Carnes knew what he had immediately when he created the Arkie Jig. But we do know what he had was something incredibly special to bass fishing. Carnes was building baits in Arkansas and was looking for a way to make jigs more weedless and attractive to bass. He thought if he could make a balanced head for his bucktail jigs and add a brush guard to protect the hook he could fish his jig in more places.

He saw a TV show where they were using a jig with a fiberguard. At the time he was looking at wire guards for his jigs but the demand for the fiberguard after that TV show aired forced his hand, and he had to figure out a way to mold a fiberguard into leadhead. All the while he was tweaking on the shape of the head to keep it from snagging. It started more like a banana head, then he shortened it and flattened and widened it to make keep it level and upright which was critical to avoiding snags.

Once he got the jig head design and fiberguard correct he began tying the first jigs with bucktail. But he saw the Gilmore Lure Company Spinnerbait had some sort of rubber bands hanging off of it. He wasn’t sure what it was exactly or even how to get a hold of the rubber. He knew underwear had elastic in it as did women’s girdles. They actually traced the girdle’s rubber back to a rubber company and got them to color some rubber for them.

The rest as they say is history, but the lasting effect of some simple necessity has continued for more than 50 years. A skirted snagless jig has arguably won more national tournaments than any other lure. There for a time in the 80s, every tournament of any significance was being won on them. In the early days of the B.A.S.S. Tour, there were something like five tournaments in a row won on Carnes jigs and no one told anyone. They were keeping it secret.

Bo Dowden won the Classic in 1980 on a brown and orange Arkie Jig and the boom for Carnes’s snagless jig was going full steam ahead. The jig was carried in Walmart Stores in the early 70s when it was still just a regional chain. And after word spread and Walmart grew, access to his Arkie jig was much easier.

Now just about every jig manufacturer and component shop carries the Arkie style head for flipping. It was a lasting innovation that is every bit as good today as it was 50 years ago.

Our Skirted Jig Reviews

• Freedom Tackle Football Jig
• Nichols Lures Skipper Jig
• Jewel Baits Pro Spider Jig
• Strike King Hack Attack Fluoro Flip Jig
• Z-Man CrosseyeZ Flipping Jig
• Bill Lowen Finesse Flipping Jig
• Buckeye Balling Out Jig
• Strike King Tour Grade Skipping Jig
• V&M Flatline Football Jig
• Greenfish HD Flipping Jig
• M-Pack Lures Football Jig
• Missile Jigs Mini Flip Jig
• Strike King Structure Jig
• Buckeye Lures Mop Jig
• Cumberland Pro Caster Jig

Trolling fishing is a popular technique used by anglers to catch this prized freshwater game fish. The method involves dragging one or more baited lines or lures behind a moving boat at varying speeds and depths until a walleye takes the bait.

Trolling for walleye can be done on freshwater lakes or rivers, and requires specialized equipment and techniques to be successful. Walleye trolling can be a fun and challenging way to target these elusive fish and is a favorite among many anglers.

Trolling Fishing A Historical Overview

Walleye trolling has been practiced for many years, with the first recorded use of this technique dating back to the early 1900s.

At the time, anglers used hand-cranked reels to drag baited lines behind their boats.

As technology improved, the method became more efficient with the development of electric trolling motors and other specialized equipment.

Today, walleye trolling is a popular sport enjoyed by anglers all over the world, and has even led to the development of specialized boats and equipment designed specifically for this type of fishing.

Despite the advancements in technology, the basic principles of trolling fishing for walleye remain the same – drag a baited line or lure behind a moving boat to attract and catch walleye.

Essential Gear for Successful Walleye Trolling Fishing

To be successful at trolling fishing for walleye, you’ll need a few key pieces of equipment.

The first is a trolling rod and reel setup, which should be strong enough to handle the weight of your lures and the fight of a walleye.

Look for a trolling rod that is at least 7 feet in length and has a medium-heavy power rating. Using a sensitive fishing rod can aid in detecting bites and setting the hook properly

Opting for a reel with a smooth drag system can assist in wearing down a walleye and reducing the risk of line breakage. A drag system that is rated for at least 10-12 pounds can help you handle a larger walleye.

The Penn Fathom Lever Drag 2 is an excellent option to consider.

With its user-friendly design and lever drag system, this reel provides a smooth and intuitive experience.

A level wind reel is ideal for trolling, as it distributes line evenly across the spool and can help prevent tangles.

A downrigger or planer board can help you get your lures to the right depth and keep them there.

Investing in a quality trolling rod and reel setup can make a big difference in your success when trolling for walleye.

You’ll also need a trolling motor or an outboard motor that is powerful enough to move your boat at a slow and steady pace.

Boats Suitable For Trolling Fishing

Having the right boat can make a big difference in your success.

Ideally, you’ll want a boat that is stable, maneuverable, and has plenty of space for you and your gear.

A flat-bottomed boat, such as a jon boat or a bass boat, can be a good choice for trolling, as they offer good stability and maneuverability in calm waters.

Alternatively, a larger boat with a deep-V hull can be a good choice if you plan to fish in rougher waters or if you need more space and storage for your gear.

Equipping your boat with a trolling motor and depth finder can assist you in navigating the water and identifying the prime locations for trolling fishing.|

To ensure a successful fishing trip, it’s crucial to have a high-quality net and cooler on hand.

Trolling Motors For Walleye Trolling

There are many great trolling motors available in the market, but one of the best options for trolling for walleye is the Minn Kota Endura C2 55. This motor is known for its reliability, durability, and quiet operation. It has a 55-pound thrust, making it powerful enough to handle rough water conditions and strong currents. Additionally, it features a telescoping handle, allowing for easy control and maneuverability. Overall, the Minn Kota Endura C2 55 is an excellent choice for any angler looking for a quality trolling motor for walleye fishing.

Best Lures and Baits for Walleye Trolling

Walleye are often attracted to lures that mimic the movements of their natural prey, such as minnows or leeches.

The best walleye lure baits can vary depending on factors such as water temperature, time of day, and the specific body of water you’re fishing

Recommended baits are crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and spoons. Designed to attract walleye.

A depth finder or fish finder is also useful for locating schools of walleye.

It also helps determining the depth at which they are feeding.

Recommendations For Lures Based On Water Depth

Less than 15 feet a floating crankbait or spinner rig can be effective.

These lures can be trolled at a slow speed near the surface, which can attract walleye that are feeding on smaller baitfish.

15-30 feet. A deep diving crankbait or a jig and plastic tail can work well in medium depth water.

These lures can be trolled at a moderate speed to get them down to the right depth and keep them there.

Use a downrigger for depths over 30 feet.

A deep diving crankbait or a spoon can work well in deep water, as they can replicate the movements of larger baitfish that walleye may be feeding on.

Speed And Depth For Walleye Trolling

Speed and depth are critical factors to consider when trolling for walleye.

Generally, a speed of 1.5 to 2.5 miles per hour is a good starting point for trolling.

You may need to adjust your speed based on the behavior of the fish and the conditions of the water.

If you’re not getting bites, try slowing down or speeding up your trolling speed to see if that makes a difference.

As a general rule, walleye tend to be found at deeper depths during the day and shallower depths in the early morning or evening.

Using a depth finder can be helpful in determining the ideal depth for your lure.

Once you’ve found the right depth, be sure to maintain a consistent speed and depth as you troll to maximize your chances of getting a bite.

Tips for Avoiding Snags and Tangles

Snags and tangles are a common problem when trolling for walleye, and can quickly become frustrating if you’re constantly having to untangle your lines or retrieve snagged lures.

One of the best ways to avoid snags is to keep your lure at the right depth for the conditions of the water you’re fishing in.

Using a line counter reel can be helpful in keeping track of the depth of your lure and reducing the risk of snags.

Locations for Trolling Fishing for Walleye

Wisconsin is home to some of the best walleye trolling locations in the United States.

One of the most popular destinations for walleye fishing in the state are Green Bay & Lake Winnebago.

Green Bay is located in northeastern Wisconsin.

The bay covers an area of over 1,600 square miles and has an average depth of only 20 feet.

Ideal habitat for walleye. Some of the most productive areas for walleye trolling in Green Bay include the waters around the Fox River, the Pensaukee River, and the Oconto River.

Known for producing some of the largest walleye catches in the country.

Other notable lakes for walleye trolling in Wisconsin include Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior.

When choosing a location to troll for walleye, it’s important to consider factors such as water temperature, depth, and structure.

Walleye tend to be most active in water temperatures between 55-68°F and are often found near structures such as drop-offs, weed beds, and submerged rock piles.

It’s also important to pay attention to weather conditions, as changes in wind and cloud cover can affect the feeding patterns of walleye.

Enjoy Your Trip Walleye Trolling Fishing

Don’t forget to take in the scenery and appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors while you’re out on the water.

Anglers are required to obtain a fishing license and follow specific size and bag limits for different fish species.

It is important to avoid damaging habitats and follow proper waste disposal methods to avoid polluting waterways. Grab your gear, head out to your favorite fishing spot, and enjoy the thrill of trolling for walleye.

Guided Walleye Fishing With Captain Lonney

For 25 years Green Bay Trophy Fishing has guided and provided helpful information to anglers in and around Door County. We are some of the most experienced fishing guides in Green Bay and pride ourselves on being experts on everything related to fishing in the area.

If you are interested in booking a walleye fishing charter, you can view our rates or contact us here.

Do you prefer vacuum-sealing your meat as it is less likely to become oxidized and discolored? But what about freezing it again after thawing. Will it remain tender and juicy?

Refreezing is a complicated process, and you might hesitate to place your meat back in the freezer as it is in a delicate state. We are here today to uncover this myth for you and let you discover, can you refreeze vacuum-sealed meat?

You can refreeze different meat kinds after vacuum-sealing them in bags/containers. If you leave it to thaw in the fridge, it will refreeze for five to six months without turning rancid. Ensure to check and seal the meat properly when you finally twice freeze it. You can also opt for heavy-duty freezer bags to maintain freshness. Avoid letting it sit at room temperature for a longer span.

Before you start to refreeze the meat, there are certain aspects that you need to know. It is crucial to perform the procedure with the correct technique. Else, all the blood and sweat you put into it will waste away. Let’s discover together the pros and cons of refreezing sealed meat.

Refreezing Vacuum Sealed Meat; Is It Safe?

When it comes to keeping your meat for long-term storage, vacuum sealing is the most effective option. It prevents the formation of ice crystals, and it remains tender for a decent amount of time. Vacuum sealing removes most of the excess air from the packaging that can cause the food to spoil. It also prevents the build-up of bacteria that can ruin food.

By looking at the benefits, vacuum sealing is a go-to option for many people for bulk storing meat in the freezer. Once you thaw the required amount, you can refreeze without worrying about spoilage. Yes, vacuum-sealed protein freezes, thaws, and freezes again as it has minimal exposure to air contamination.

You might notice a quality loss in the meat, but it is still edible and won’t go to waste. Besides, refreezing requires careful handling. If you keep it at room temperature for longer durations after thawing, it might not be fit for refreezing. So, it is necessary to thaw vacuum-sealed meat in the fridge if you intend to freeze it again.

Can You Refreeze Meat That Is Vacuum-Packed At Home?

Nowadays, many people prefer sealing their food with a vacuum-sealing machine. This method is easy, effective, and provides satisfactory results. When you vacuum-seal meat, it lasts fresh for longer and takes up less space inside the freezer.

Let’s suppose some guests arrive, and you defrost meat in a hurry for preparing a delicious steak. Later you realize the quantity is far more than you require. No worry, you can place the leftover back in the freezer as long as it thaws in the refrigerator. But, if you leave it to defrost on the kitchen counter, the meat might not survive twice freezing.

When the meat comes in contact with air, it is prone to degrade faster due to the spread of bacteria. So, if you seal it properly afterward, it might serve no purpose and will spoil ultimately. Thus, in such a situation, you should toss the meat and drop the idea of refreezing.

Can You Refreeze Meat In Vacuum-Sealed Supermarket Package?

If your store-bought meat comes in vacuum-sealed packaging, you can refreeze it right away and place it directly in the freezer. The packaging design allows it to remain intact in the harsh freezer environment and keep your meat as good as new.

But, in case you have already opened the packaging, you can still refreeze the meat. Ensure to wrap it in a high-quality freezer bag to protect it from forming ice crystals. Also, if your meat thaws on the way back home, transfer it immediately to the freezer without delay.

When the meat stays in the open environment for more than two hours, bacteria might start lurking inside, and it is no longer safe for storage. The vacuum-sealed packaging can slow down the spread to some degree, but it is still on the verge of spoilage.

Thus, you need to thoroughly check the meat to observe a change in the smell and texture. If you notice such changes, it is better to discard them immediately.

The Right Method To Refreeze Vacuum-Sealed Meat

If you decide to refreeze the meat that you vacuum sealed before, all you need to do is

• Gently take the meat out from its vacuum packing. As vacuum-sealed beef usually comes in large, folded packages, it might stick with the packaging.
• Avoid causing any damage to the packaging as you will require it later on for storing the meat.
• Once you remove the vacuum seal, wrap the meat in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
• Cover and fold all the edges securely and put the meat back in the original packaging.
• The additional layer of protection will prevent the meat from getting freezer burns and keep it fresh for a longer span.
• You can directly refreeze the store-bought meat if the packaging was unopened previously. If it is open, you need to cover it in freezer bags.
• Ensure to label the bag with the date of refreezing and place it in the safest corner of the freezer. It will remain there for as long as you prefer.

How Long Can Meat Remain Refrozen After Vacuum Sealing?

Although vacuum-sealing your meat is an effective way to increase its shelf life and keep it fresh and flavorful. But, to achieve the desired results, you need to consider a few things. Firstly, it is vital to thaw the meat in the refrigerator, not other techniques. The fridge provides a safe environment for the meat and reduces the chances of air contamination.

If you thaw vacuum-sealed meat in a refrigerator, it will refreeze with ease for more than five months. Other methods, including thawing on the counter, cold water, or a microwave, do not complement the refreezing process. Even if the meat is in vacuum packaging, there is still a high probability it spoils after freezing, and your efforts go to waste.

Secondly, leaving your raw/cooked meat at room temperature is like inviting the microbes to infest it, and you do not want it to happen. So, to avoid the outcome of unnecessary food wastage, shift the meat to the freezer after thawing as quickly as possible.

How Many Times Can You Refreeze Vacuum-Sealed Meat?

Generally, people prefer sealing their protein-based food for long-term storage, and the same rule applies to your meat.

If you regularly thaw and freeze it, the benefits of vacuum-sealing get limited.

No matter how cautious you are, there is still a chance of contamination. Thus, once you refreeze vacuum-sealed meat, avoid doing it again. Besides the food safety problem, there is also a noticeable degradation in the overall quality.

Food safety and inspection authorities do not recommend freezing meat repeatedly, even if vacuum-sealed. A much better alternative is to freeze it in portions according to your requirement and thaw only that specific amount. It will save time and also reduce the occurrence of spoilage.

Conclusion

To sum up, you can refreeze meat that you store in vacuum-sealed bags. As vacuum sealing food means removing the excess air, it minimizes the chances of spoilage. Thus, refreezing meat is a safe option, but you need to thaw the meat in the refrigerator.

Other defrosting methods do not go well with the refreezing process. For instance, if you thaw meat by running hot water over it, freezing it again is not ideal. To yield the exact results you are looking for, follow all the mentioned steps in this article and do not skip them.

Refreezing can alter the tenderness of the meat and turn it somewhat bland and chewy. Thus, it is better to avoid constant thawing and freezing. Also, always check if you sealed food properly, or else it might be prone to freezer burns and loss of flavors.

Freezing is a great way to prevent leftovers from wastage and maintain the cleanliness of the environment.

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Editor’s Note: Bob Judkins, an experienced crappie fisherman and member of the Oregon Bass & Panfish Club, offers his favorite equipment and tackle choices as well as some tips about where to catch local crappie, especially in the spring.

Recommended Crappie Rod: Cascade Pro Series

5′-6″ light-action spinning1/8 – 1/4 ounce lure, 2 – 6 pound line

This rod is really light, so you can fish all day without much arm fatigue. That’s a great plus for older anglers like me.

My other rod is a Wally Marshall Signature Series WM80CP-2, 8′ light-action, 1/16 – 1/4 ounce lure weight, 2 – 6 pound line. That rod is good for fishing brush piles because it has a longer reach and a good backbone for lifting big slab crappie out of the nastiest brush pile.

Ultra-lights and micro-lights are fun rods for crappie fishing. I don’t use them anymore. I’ve lost too many big fish such as bass and channel cats while fishing for crappie with those rods, and you will probably hook one of these monsters while crappie fishing.

If you are a first-time crappie angler, you don’t have to go out and buy a dedicated crappie rod. The rod that you may have been using for trout fishing will work just fine.

Recommended Crappie Reel: Wally Marshall Pro WP30 Spinning Reel

Weight: 7.6 ounces; 6 bearingsLine capacity: 160 yards / 6-pound line

This reel has a larger spool than most small reels. The larger spool helps reduce line twist, a common occurrence when using monofilament line and light jigs. The drag of this reel is really smooth and it will handle the largest of fish.

Recommended Crappie Line: Bass Pro Shop Premium Excel Monofilament Line

6-pound test, clear blue fluorescent (for high visibility)This is the fishing line I always end up using. It’s easy to see and “line watching” is important when you fish for crappie. Also, the memory of this line is not bad at all.

As far as super lines are concerned, I have used the Fireline Crystal in 6-pound test. It handles great and casts a long distance with no line twist, but I recommend that you tie on a clear monofilament leader.

The reason is as follows: A few years ago, I was fishing for crappie at Brownlee Reservoir with a friend. We were fishing the same depth, using identical jigs and bobbers, but we had on different fishing lines – mine was monofilament and his was a “superline.”

I was catching fish on every cast, but my friend was not. We then switched rods to see if that would make a difference. It did – no fish for me, but a fish on every cast for my friend. The conclusion was very clear to us: If you use a “superline,” tie on a clear leader.

Recommended Crappie Bobber: Weighted Torpedo Foam

Length: 1 ½” or 2”

There are so many types of floats to choose from – balsa, plastic, foam – and they all work well. I prefer the weighted torpedo foam for a longer cast.

Recommended Crappie Lure: Northland Fire-Fly Feather Jig

Sizes: 1/16, 1/32 and 1/64 ouncesColor: Parakeet.

This Northland jig is my favorite “go to” jig in color and size. I like its slow fall and small profile. It is a good jig for all panfish. My second “go to” jig is a Northland Gypsi Jig with crystal-flash in chartreuse and in 1/16 to 1/32-ounce sizes.

I use this jig in late summer and fall. It has a bigger profile with lots of flash. Soft plastic crappie jigs of different shapes and colors work well, too. If that’s what you have, use them.

COLOR?I’ve asked lots of crappie anglers, “What color is your favorite?” Their answers covered so many different colors. It may be that when crappie are on the bite, color may not be that important. But, when the fishing is tough, I “go to” the small Fire-Fly and white Crappie Nibble.

Recommended Crappie Bait: Berkley Crappie Nibbles

Color: White.

Crappie Nibbles come in other colors – pink, chartreuse, glow-in-the-dark. I’ve used them all. But WHITE nibbles are the ones to use and “I don’t leave home without them!”

Crappie Nibbles are really soft. If you take them out of the jar, spread them out and let them air-dry for 24 hours, they will firm up a bit and stay on your jig longer when used. But, if you dry them too long, they will become rock hard and you would not want that to happen. I keep two jars of “cured” nibbles ready to go.

When and Where to Catch Crappie in Oregon

For the beginner, the best time to fish for crappie is during spawning time in the spring. This is one of the easiest times to catch crappie. Spawning takes place when the water temperature is 62 – 65 degrees. Around Portland, this may be in May and June (give or take a couple of weeks). Small shallow ponds and lakes warm first.

My favorite small body of water is Vernonia Lake, located just south of the town of Vernonia, Oregon. To get there, take Highway 26 west to Highway 47; turn right; follow Highway 47 to Vernonia. Continue driving through town and you will find the lake to your right.

The travel distance from downtown Portland is about 50 miles. This lake is very people friendly. It has wheelchair accessibility, a small gravel boat ramp (boats with electric motors are allowed). Special Regulation: The limit is 10 crappie per day; no minimum length.

When I fish Vernonia, I go to the left of the parking lot and down to the wheelchair dock.

Most anglers will be fishing for trout in the main lake. I turn around and fish back toward the bank. I also fish the shade under the dock.

Use a 1/64 ounce Fire-Fly with Crappie Nibbles, a bobber, and jig it 2-3 feet down. This is a good place to start. If you don’t catch fish here, just move around the lake and try different spots.

In the Portland area, Swan Island Lagoon (on the lower Willamette River) can be a good spot. It’s a popular place and if your timing is right, you will have lots of company! It has good bank access.

Fish the west side of the Lagoon. Look for logs, pilings, docks and shade. They are all good spots to fish.

The Oregon Bass & Panfish Club is involved in a variety of angler education and fisheries enhancement activities. See their club page on this website.

By Beyond Seclusion

In today’s article, Beyond Seclusion uses a Springfield Armory SAINT Victor to try to determine what the effective range of a 9mm carbine is. While a 9mm pistol is suitable at 0-25 yards, the ballistics of the cartridge make shooting the handgun at 50 or 75 yards a trickier proposition. Yet, rifles and carbines are expected to provide excellent accuracy at 100 yards or 100 meters. Does shooting a 9mm round from a carbine offer a significant long-range advantage over a pistol?

When it comes to guns and shooting, what do most of us like to do? Sure, we all consider self-defense, but what do we truly like to do more than anything? Send rounds down range, “BANG THE STEEL”, test our skills, have a reason to spend time with friends outside, and just enjoy shooting without breaking the bank.

Many of us also like the challenge of shooting at distance, not just up close at 50 yards and under. But what if we took a pistol caliber carbine (PCC), which is normally intended for closer-in distances, and pushed it out to longer ranges? Springfield’s SAINT Victor 9mm may just be the solution we are looking for regarding this project.

Let’s see just how far we can shoot a 9mm carbine.

The Platform: SAINT 9mm Carbine

Why the SAINT Victor 9mm? This is where the time-tested 9mm chambering comes into play. It has been in service with militaries around the world for more than 100 years in pistol, carbine and submachine gun forms. It is also a very pleasant-shooting round. You can carry a lot of rounds and accurately put them on target quickly, efficiently, and most important, accurately. The FBI even went back to the 9mm after many years with the .40, an endorsement particularly attractive to the civilian market.

The Springfield SAINT Carbine is an excellent gun that feeds reliably from industry-standard stick magazines. It uses top quality materials and construction. As an industry-leading pistol-caliber carbine, it should be an excellent platform to test the maximum effective range of the 9mm.

We are not here to debate the effectiveness of the 9mm hollow point compared to other calibers — that is an entirely different debate. I will say it is my preferred choice for concealed carry and home/self-defense. Remember, we are not talking in the military sense here folks; we are talking about the civilian world. So, with that in mind, addressing the desires mentioned above regarding going to range, practice, fun, accuracy, cost of ammo, distance, etc., the 9mm is definitely a top contender in my opinion.

For most of its history with the military, the 9mm was primarily chambered in pistols and submachine guns. It was about 20-30 years ago we started really seeing PCC’s introduced into the civilian market. They really took hold and are now incredibly popular. The reasons why are everything we just mentioned. One of the biggest reasons is the cost and availability of ammo, not to mention accuracy out of a rifle and the extra velocity you get with the longer barrel.

I typically get at least an extra 200+ fps of muzzle velocity from a 16” rifle barrel compared to a pistol-length barrel. That also typically gets you 100+ ft/lbs of energy from the rifle and puts us in and around 500+ ft/lbs of energy, which is nothing to turn your nose up at. It’s shy of a 5.56 NATO carbine’s power, but easily surpasses that of the standard 115 gr. 9mm ammo.

So What Is the Effective Range of a PCC?

So, what does that mean for us? We can have our cake and eat it too.

We can shoot more for less than any other caliber other than the .22 LR, and we get an audible “BANG” on the steel out to 200 yards — and even 300. I actually tested this once — I was able to punch through 3” of pine wood and ring the steel at 400 yards with 16”-barreled PCC with a scope. That’s pretty reasonable penetration for a pistol caliber past 100 yards.

At 50 yards, we can achieve MOA groups and easily bang the steel out to 200 yards.

Not long ago, Springfield introduced the SAINT VICTOR 9mm Carbine. Their SAINT line has been very successful with an outstanding reputation for quality and accuracy. It made perfect sense to add the 9mm to that line.

With a 16” barrel and SAINT AR quality, we should easily be able to reach out to 200 yards. I included the link below to the SAINT Carbine for all the specs & tech. With an optic with a bullet drop compensator (BDC) reticle, I was actually able to reach out to 300 yards. I will be completely honest, it is a real challenge at 300. The hold-over is somewhere around 6-12 feet depending on the ammo and bullet weight. With absolutely no wind, it is very repeatable. The bullet is going really slow at that distance, and any wind will really move it. 200 is ridiculously easy and with little hold-over with a 50-yard zero.

I used a Primary Arms GLx 2x Compact Prism Scope with the ACSS Gemini reticle and BDC. It was absolutely perfect for this gun. We zeroed at 50 yards just like described in the manual, and the BDC took us out to 200 yards without difficulty.

The SAINT 9mm is light and streamline. It just feels comfortable in the hands both for bench shooting and standing. If you are shooting from the bench with a bag, you may find the 32-round mag challenging. You will have to have a pretty tall bag, or simply get a 10- or 20-round mag so it is not digging into the table. I was very surprised how easily I was able to consistently hit the steel at 200 yards standing. The 16” barrel really helps with that.

Conclusion on 9mm Bullets from the AR Platform

The 9mm PCC has very little recoil. You literally could shoot all day with no notable effect on your shoulder — maybe your wallet, but not your shoulder. It’s just fun to shoot and, with the ability to reach out to 200 yards, which compared to a pistol, offers a better experience. What’s not to like?

The bottom line? 9mm is cheap, and you can shoot more for less. That lends the pistol cartridge to be a very fun shooter that is still practical and effective. And, as I’ve hopefully demonstrated here more accurate than many people would assume.

Editor’s Note: Please be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the “Go To Forum Thread” link below to jump in and discuss this article and much more!

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Featured in this video

What should you choose for hunting, the .270 or the .308 cartridge? Some within the hunting community say you can make a decision with a coin toss. Both are outstanding and have have stood the test of time for decades.

Having said that, the .270 and .308 have their differences, and a good hunter should know them. Our goal is to set out what these differences are and why you may choose one over the other when hunting.

I’ll begin with the main points before diving into our cartridge comparison below for the ballistics aficionados among us.

.270 vs .308: Which for Hunting?

We spent a lot of time comparing and measuring the performance of these two cartridges against each other. Overall, there is not a huge amount of difference between them – they both have similar recoil and are supersonic all the way to 500 yards. Competent shooters have had a great deal of success using either to dispatch a variety of medium and large game across the world.

Having said that, there are some advantages to choosing one over the other, depending on the scenario in which you’re hunting.

Hunting in Thick Brush?

As the .308 is a heavier cartridge with a larger diameter, it requires a long action rifle. This can add a couple extra inches to your barrel. The downside of this is that if you’re navigating thick brush or holed up in a deer hunting tree stand, you can find yourself more restricted when zeroing in quickly and quietly for your kill shot. In this case, a shorter, lightweight rifle chambered for the .270 is a much more effective hunting companion. Plus, a .270 (particularly at the lower grain end) has less recoil.

Require a Longer Shot?

As I said, both the .270 and .308 remain supersonic at 500 yards. However, the .308 has a higher average bullet drop than the .270 even at short ranges (-14.5 inches vs -11.91 inches at 300 yards – see our data below). At 500 yards the difference is a full 10 inches. This may sound insignificant, but this can be the difference between success and failure, particularly at greater distances.

The flatter trajectory and greater resistance to wind drift makes the .270 the better choice. Of course, an advanced hunter may not consider this a huge challenge but as a rule, we recommend the .270.

Shooting Large Game?

At 100-200 yards both the .270 and .308 have the stopping power to dispatch an elk, brown bear or moose. However, as the .308 has a larger diameter and is sold at higher grain levels, it will outperform the .270 particularly with thick-skinned or larger, tougher animals. Having said that, you must ensure you purchase a quality cartridge that leverages controlled expansion to ensure an effective and ethical kill.

We also saw in our comparison that the .308 consistently outperformed the .270 on average for bullet momentum (up to 500 yards) which is a good indicator for improved penetration, despite the .270 having a higher average sectional diversity.

Shooting Medium Game (whitetail deer, feral hogs, etc) within 100-200 yards?

Both the .308 and the .270 can be used at this range. However, we’d argue that the .270 is preferable particularly for lighter-skinned game, such as whitetail deer. Dispatching medium game using a .308 can be overkill, particularly if you’re a meat hunter – you’ll find the .308 can cause significant damage. Certainly, at this range you want to ensure you’re on the lower end of the grain spectrum for the .308 to counter this. The .270 will be perfectly efficient for you.

Affordable Hunting

Both the .308 and .270 are popular and readily available at all ammo stores online and offline. Additionally, they are both less prone to the panic buying you experience with other rounds. However, when it comes to affordability, it is worth mentioning that the .308 tends to be on the cheaper side. If cost is an important factor, you may want to investigate the 6.5 Creedmoor as another alternative.

.270 vs .308 Cartridge Comparison

Category.270.308 Bullet weights (gr)120-160125-70 Average Muzzle Velocity (ft/s)2963.32733 Average Recoil (ft.lb)19.5622.15 Average Supersonic limit (Yards)1101.251023.70 Average Ballistic Coefficient0.4380.434 Average Sectional Density0.2690.248

Both are fantastic cartridges that have been tried and tested in the field for decades. We will take a look at the history and specifications of these cartridges as well as look in detail at the ballistic categories. We will also take a look at other categories such as recoil, accuracy, and availability of the ammunition.

Our objective is not to name one cartridge as being better than the other. By looking at this information, we hope to better tease apart which cartridge is better suited for specific hunting situations. If you know the hunting you want to take part in, this article will make your decision easier.

Specs 270 vs 308

.308 Winchester.270 Winchester Parent Casing0.3.30-03 Bullet Diameter0.308”0.277” Neck Diameter0.3433”0.308” Case Length2.015”2.540” Overall Length2.8”3.340” Case Capacity56gr67gr Max Pressure (SAAMI)62,000psi65,000psi

Just from looking at the casing and overall cartridge specs we can begin to garner some information about the .270 vs .308. The first difference that we see between these two cartridges are the bullet diameters. The .308, as the name implies, has a 30 cal bullet with a .308″ diameter bullet. The .270 is fitted with a .277″ diameter bullet. These diameters play a role in the weight of the bullets that are used by the two cartridges and in other performance specs that we will look at later in the article.

You can see that the .270 is a much longer and skinnier cartridge than the .308. And even though the .270 is skinnier, its .5 inch increase in the casing length allows it to hold more powder and can withstand 3,000 more units of pressure than the .308. Obviously, just from this little bit of information, we can already guess that the two cartridges are going to show some differences in their ballistics and other We will see how these specifications influence the ballistic and other properties of the cartridges shortly.

To compare, we have selected five rounds of each cartridge that are popular for hunting and general shooting in the US. The list below shows these rounds. And though we think that we have a good selection of rounds with different grain weight bullets and performance specs, we are aware that it is still a relatively small sample size with the number of options that are available. Unfortunately, we are limited in our available space and decided to cut the samples off at ten. We know there are other great rounds that are available and some of these might be rounds you have been using for years. Their omission here does not reflect our attitude towards those rounds.

AmmunitionPrice (20 Rounds) 270 Hornady SST Superperformance 130gr$41.99 270 Federal Vital-Shok Nosler Partition 150gr$57.99 270 Remington Core-Lokt PSP 115gr$26.99 270 Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 130gr$41.99 270 Federal Sierra GameKing BTSP 150gr$33.99 308 Hornady BTHP Match 168gr$37.99 308 Winchester Super-X 180gr$27.99 308 Nosler Ballistic Tip 165gr$43.99 308 Federal Vital-Shok Ballistic Tip 150gr$39.99 308 Federal Gold Medal Sierra Matchking 175gr$36.99

To compare these ten rounds, we have gathered data from the manufacturer as well as generated a good deal from trusted ballistic calculators. Where ballistic calculators are used we kept as many variables the same between rounds of the same cartridge. Where calculations are made, we will be sure to make clear our variables. When we come to these situations we will make clear what is going on and the variables that we used.

And again, we realize the possible errors and the biases that come with using a small sample size. To combat that and provide a little more confidence to the numbers, we have compiled a much larger data set. All of these rounds can be found at the end of the article. With the larger data set of factory loads for each of these cartridges, we can be more confident that the conclusions drawn represent the full set of round options for each cartridge. It will also give us some more piece of mind when we do look at the trends found in the graphs. And if we do find some discrepancies, it will give us some more interesting talking points.

There is something to be said about computer-generated data when it comes to comparing two cartridges. The first is that these numbers are not set in stone. If you fired these rounds from your platform, you would more than likely you’re going to see numbers that vary from what you will find here. Each gun has its own unique qualities that are going to influence the numbers. Regardless, from a comparison perspective, computer-generated data is perfect for looking objectively at two cartridges and it removes environmental influences.

Recoil

The recoil of a cartridge is going to be important to a lot of shooters, especially those with not a lot of shooting experience. For more experienced hunters, most hunting cartridges, including the .270 and .308, the recoil is going to be manageable. It is important to note that what we are comparing here is straight recoil energy. The “felt recoil” involves a lot more factors than just the type of cartridge used. Still, looking at the actual energy still gives you a lot of valuable information and it loosely correlated to felt recoil.

If we simply look at the average recoil energy generated by these two cartridges and given by the ballistic calculator software, we see that the .270 and .308 are very similar (Graph 1).

While the .308 produces slightly more recoil energy (21.7ft.lb compared to 19.6ft.lb), it probably isn’t anything significant, especially to more experienced shooters.

Of course, with different types of rounds for these two cartridges, there will be certain rounds that might be more significantly different. Let’s take a look at the ten rounds we have selected for this article and see if the trend continues (Graph 2).

We took some liberties in making this graph. We used a common grain powder load for each cartridge type that we determined from Nosler load data as well as assumed that the cartridge was being fired from a 7lb weapon. So, these numbers could fluctuate a little based on changing those variables, and we do not have the powder charge that is used by the manufacture of the round. Even with these various variables, we have kept everything as constant as possible, and the trends that we see should hold up. For the muzzle velocity, we used the data provided by the manufacturer so take that with a grain of salt as well.

Just from looking at these ten different rounds, it’s pretty obvious that there is not a whole lot of difference between the two different cartridges. We see a significant drop in recoil with the lower grain bullets than the heavier bullets which is expected, for both cartridge types. If we look at the heavier grains for each, we still see that the recoil energy is pretty similar. All of the .308 rounds do show a slight increase in recoil energy than the .270 rounds, but again, we don’t think these differences are enough to choose one cartridge over the other based on recoil. Though the differences are slight overall, we can pick out certain rounds where there is a 4 or 5ft.lb increase in recoil energy from a .270 to .308 round.

Let’s take a look at the recoil numbers with more rounds added to the group and see if the same results present themselves.

Average Recoil (ft.lb)

.308 Winchester.270 Winchester 22.1519.56

We see that the averages of the two cartridges is still pretty close with less than 3ft.lb of force difference between the two. If you look at the individual rounds (not shown) you would see a lot of overlap between these cartridges around the 20ft.lb area. There are definitely more .308 Win rounds above that mark and there are definitely more .270 Win rounds below that mark, as the averages imply. With so much overlap, we don’t think there is any significant difference between these two cartridges when it comes to recoil. If you’re dead set on choosing a cartridge or specific round to get a little recoil as possible, there are more options for lighter rounds with the .270 Win but the majority of the factory loads for both cartridges are in the 20ft.lb plus or minus 2 range.

Ballistics

In this section, we will look at several ballistic properties of these two cartridges. What we will see is that there are quite a few similarities between these two cartridges as well as some small but significant differences. This information will allow us to begin teasing apart which situations will be better suited for a particular cartridge.

We will take compare the velocity, ballistic coefficients, and the short and long-range trajectories of the two cartridges. Though we will look at each of these categories separately from the other, in reality, all of them influence and play off of one another. That not only pertains to the ballistic categories but other performance categories as well. So while this method for comparing the .270 vs .308 is cleaner, all of these different aspects should be taken together to give you an idea of which cartridge is going to be better suited for specific applications. We hope to bring all this together more clearly in the application discussion later in the article.

For now, let’s jump into these ballistic categories.

Velocity

The velocity of the bullet is going to play a major role in the trajectory, which in turn, is going to determine the number of adjustments needed to make when taking shots at extended ranges. Velocity is also important to hunters because it also influences terminal ballistics and how well the bullet will expand and transfer kinetic energy to the target.

If we look at our comparison of the ten different rounds we have used we can see some general trends (Graph 3).

For the most part, the .270 rounds have a higher average muzzle velocity than the .308 rounds with close to 330ft.s more than the .308 rounds. Several of the .270 rounds have quite a bit higher velocity, especially the 130gr rounds, and that makes sense given the casing capacity. With similar powder loads and lighter bullets, you would expect higher velocities. While there are some rounds from each cartridge that are pretty similar in velocity, the trend of the .270 rounds having an average of 200-300ft.sec more velocity than the .308 rounds extends out to the 500-yard mark.

Another important concept to take away from this graph is that all of these rounds remain supersonic all the way out to 500 yards. Furthermore, if we were to extend this range we would see this trend continue for several hundred more yards. This tells us that these rounds are going to have enough velocity for efficient terminal ballistic characteristics.

While we might give the edge to some of the .270 rounds for velocity, especially muzzle velocity, we will see that this similarity doesn’t always translate to other ballistic characteristics and we will look at those stats and discuss the reasoning in the next several sections.

Let’s see if the higher muzzle velocities of the .270 Win rounds holds up when we add more rounds to the group.

Average Velocity (ft/s)

Yards.308 Win.270 Win Muzzle27332963.3 1002521.52731.45 20023202517.8 30021822309.85 4001946.52114.6 50017751930

With the larger data set, we still see the same trend of the .270 Win rounds bringing higher velocities than the .308 Win rounds. While the difference between the averages is not as great, we are still seeing close to 200fps or a little less than that from the muzzle out to the 500-yard mark. The rate at which both cartridges bleed velocity doesn’t seem to be significant.

While we are discussing velocity, we also want to take a look at how long the bullets of these cartridges can remain in supersonic flight. Both of these cartridges have been used for long-range shooting scenarios though they might not be the most popular rounds in today’s competitions. And from a hunting perspective, we have already seen that both remain supersonic through the distances that are applicable to hunting shots.

Still, for the sake of being thorough, we wanted to see how the two compare in this category. A lot of marksmen want to know this metric because when a bullet falls below supersonic speeds, their flight becomes more unstable, and the difficulty of being accurate increases substantially.

Average Supersonic Limit (Yards)

.308 Winchester.270 Win 1023.71101.25

From the averages above, we see that the .270 Win rounds stay at supersonic speeds for about 80 yards further than the .308 Win rounds. We’re not sure if this is a big enough difference for you to start leaning one way or the other. We do know that there is a lot of variance between the individual rounds, but the top-performing rounds in this category are .270 Win factory loads. There are several .308 Win rounds that break the 1000 yard mark, but much less often when compared to the .270 Win.

Ballistic Coefficient (BC)

The ballistic coefficient (BC) is a term that elicits a lot of attention from hunters and marksmen, or it’s a term that they don’t know a whole lot about. The theories and physics behind the ballistic coefficient can get a little out there, so we are going to simplify it in this article.

The BC is simply a rating that is derived from an equation that uses multiple cartridge/bullet variables. What this number tells you is how well the bullet resists wind drag and wind drift throughout its flight path and gives you an idea of how well a bullet will be able to cut through air and wind resistance. The higher the ballistic coefficient, the less drag, and influence this resistance will have on the traveling bullet. For shots taken at extended ranges, a higher BC often means fewer adjustments will have to be made to get the bullet on target. The ballistic coefficient is not everything when it comes to having a true flying bullet. While we think it has a large role in making difficult shots easier, don’t make the error of thinking that if a bullet has a high BC, that it is going to do all the work for you or replace experience and skill.

So, let’s take a look at the ballistic coefficients of the ten rounds we are comparing (Graph 4).

Again, there can be a lot of variance on the BC from one round to the next of the same cartridge depending on bullet design. Both of these cartridges have rounds that exhibit BCs around the .5 range and also low BCs in the .3 range. It’s a good example of how bullet design is the driving factor in this category. There are some trends between cartridge types though. The .270 is a more aerodynamic round but the .308 rounds a slightly heavier which helps them resist drag and crosswinds.

If we take the average of the given rounds, we see that the .270 has a slight advantage with only a hundredth of a difference. We also have selected some pretty high-performing .308 rounds. This is also an example of how bringing in more rounds might give us a clearer picture. From our research, the general trend of .270 rounds having higher ballistic coefficients on average holds up.

What you should take away from this section is what the BC means, as stripped-down as we made it, and the understanding that between these two cartridges, the BC can vary pretty wildly with high and low-performing rounds for each.

To be more confident that this trend is the norm, let’s take a look at the average BC for these two cartridges with larger sample groups.

Average Ballistic Coefficient

.308 Winchester.270 Winchester 0.4340.438

These two numbers are pretty dang similar. With only four thousandths of a difference between the two averages, it doesn’t make much sense to make a choice between these two cartridges based solely on the ballistic coefficient. We will say that if you look at each individual round for each cartridge, you’re going to find quite a range in the BCs for both. There are high and low BC rounds for both the .308 Win and the .270 Win. If you’re planning on shooting either of these at more extreme ranges, you will need to take into account other performance factors other than the BC alone.

Trajectory

For hunters and competition shooters alike, the trajectory of a round is characteristic that garners a lot of attention and scrutiny. As most of you know, the laws of physics work on a flying bullet and rather than fly in a perfectly straight line, the flight path takes on a parabola shape. As the bullet moves downrange, it loses altitude. The more pronounced this bullet drop, the more difficult it is to make adjustments to shot placement.

For any round of any cartridge type, you want to see a flat trajectory with minimal bullet drop. Before we look at the short and long-range trajectories of these two cartridges, we wanted to take a broad outlook at the trajectory of only two rounds. We selected a round from each cartridge that are from the same manufacturer, have the same bullet design, are of similar bullet weights, and have similar ballistic coefficients (Graph 5).

We can see in this graph that there is no noticeable difference between the two rounds to the 200-yard mark. From the 200 to 400-yard mark we see the .270 round show a flatter trajectory though even here, there are only 5 inches of difference at its greatest margin.

Moving on to to the 500-yard mark, the difference increases with the .270 round showing 10 inches less bullet drop than the .308 round. Let’s expand upon this and see if we continue to see this trend when we examine more rounds with various bullet weights, designs, and BCs.

Short Range Trajectory 270 vs 308

The short-range trajectory is always important to look at. Especially when it is coming from a hunting perspective where a lot of shots are taken at 300 yards or less.

We have gathered the bullet drop data from the various manufacturers where the zero variable was set at 100 yards. Measurements were taken out to the 300-yard mark (Graph 6).

At the 200-yard mark, we do see the rounds from each cartridge begin to group with the .270 rounds showing a slightly flatter trajectory than the .308 rounds. There is a little overlap between the two cartridges here, and the averages of both show a difference of one inch. Even if we look at the two rounds with the largest difference in bullet drop between the .270 and .308, that difference is only 2.7 inches.

This difference in trajectory widens slightly as the bullets move out to the 300-yard mark. At this distance, the average drop of the .270 rounds is 11.6 inches while the average drop of the .308 rounds is 14.68 inches. And while there are still some rounds for both cartridges that hang around the middle of the pack, the difference in trajectory between individual rounds expands quite a bit from the 300-yard mark.

From this graph, it does seem that the .270 rounds show a flatter trajectory at short range than the .308. The extent of this difference may or may not be enough for you to decide one way or the other. In our eyes, both of these cartridges would be more than effective at 300 yards.

Average Bullet Drop (Inches) at Short Range

Yards.308 Win.270 Win 50-0.125-0.175 10000 200-4-3.14 300-14.5-11.91 400-32.8-27.38

While the differences are not too dramatic between these two cartridges, we still see the trend of the .270 Win having a flatter trajectory than the .308 Win. While less than an inch difference at 200 yards, nearly four inches at 300 yards, and a little more than five inches at 400 yards, might not seem like much, it can easily be the difference between success and failure. Of course, these are just averages and there are definitely .308 rounds that perform above the average. These numbers do corroborate the trends we saw in our graph.

Long Range Trajectory

When looking at the .270 vs .308, we have to examine the long-range trajectory of these cartridges. Both of these have a history in long-range performance in an assortment of applications. Like the short-range trajectory, this data originates from the manufacturer where the zero setting was set at 200 yards and the measurements taken out to 500 yards (Graph 7).

The general trend of the long-range data between these two cartridges is very similar to what we saw with the short-range trajectory. At the 300 yard mark, the difference between the average bullet drop of these two cartridges is nearly identical. If we look at individual rounds, there are several .270 rounds that show two to three inches less bullet drop than some of the .308 rounds.

At 400 yards, the margin widens with a four-inch difference in bullet drop between the .270 and .308 rounds. It is more clear at this range where the rounds for each cartridge begin to group. You can see that the flattest shooting rounds belong to the .270 while the rounds showing the steepest drop are .308 cartridges. There is some middle ground where the .270 and .308 have rounds that behave very similarly.

At the 500 yard mark, we see the same pattern but it is much more distinct. At this point the difference between the two cartridges is right at 10 inches. If you begin picking out individual rounds, you can find some huge differences between .270 and .308 rounds where the .308 round shows between fifteen and twenty more inches of bullet drop

While it appears that the .270 has rounds with a distinct advantage in long-range trajectory, there are .308 rounds that are more than capable of being used at these ranges. And if you have hunting in mind, the trajectory doesn’t mean much if the bullet can’t bring down the game quickly which leads us to our next section.

Average Bullet Drop (Inches) at Long Range

Yards.308 Win.270 Win 10021.6 20000 300-8.5-7.21 400-24.7-21.4 500-50.3-42.7 700-137.6-111.3 1000-401.6-347

When we look at the numbers for our larger data set, we see the same trends as previously. The .270 Win, on average, has less bullet drop than the .308 Win. In this table, we have actually extended the range out to a 700 and 1,000-yard marker. At these ranges, the difference between these two cartridges really becomes apparent. With 26 inches of difference at the 700-yard mark and 54 inches of difference at 1,000 yards, the .270 has the advantage in trajectory. And as we state in just about every category, this doesn’t mean there are not .308 factory loads out there that will perform above the average, but it might be hard to find a factory load that can match the average of the .270 at 500+ yards.

Stopping Power

For hunting cartridges, the stopping power is one of the more important performance characteristics. You don’t want to spend the night tracking through the woods after an injured animal because the bullet didn’t have enough power to drop it cleanly. For those who are more interested in long-range shooting, this section might not carry the weight the ballistics section has. Regardless, there is no harm in knowing as much about your cartridge of choice as possible.

There are several components to stopping power of a particular cartridge. Two of these components that we will look at are the kinetic energy that is associated with the bullet as it travels downrange and the how well the bullet penetrates the target.

Energy

The energy or force (ft.lb) that is associated with a bullet on its flight path is transferred to the target on impact and can cause a tremendous amount of damage to surrounding tissue and organs which makes this component of stopping power important to examine. You will often see the loose guidelines for how much energy is needed to harvest specific animals. For most medium-size game, 1,000ft.lbs of energy is the recommended amount, and this increases the larger the animal gets. While we agree that energy is important, we also think shot placement is as important if not more. It’s also important to remember that expansion of the bullet is also important is this allows the maximum amount of energy to transfer to the target.

Let’s examine the stopping power of our ten rounds and see if we can spot any major talking points (Graph 8).

Both cartridges have a tremendous amount of energy at shorter distances, over 2,500ft.lb average muzzle energy for both. They also tend to bleed energy at the same rate as they move downrange as the differences between the averages remain within 50ft.lbs of energy throughout the 500 yards. Both cartridges and their five rounds have over 1,000ft.lbs of energy out at the 500-yard mark, and we also see that there is not really any patterns when it comes to each cartridge grouping together. There is a lot of overlap between the two cartridges with both of them having rounds that carry a significantly more amount of energy while others fall behind.

This is one of the main reasons when looking at the .270 vs .308, why the .270 is favored for hunting large game where shots are taken at increased distance. With the flatter trajectory and stopping power that is nearly identical to the larger .308 bullets at long range, a lot of people feel more confident in taking shots at game at a distance with the .270 over the .308.

But, before we take that to the bank, let’s see if those trends hold up when we take a look at a larger sample of rounds for these cartridges.

Average Bullet Kinetic Energy (ft.lbs)

Yards.308 Win.270 Win 027232676.4 1002319.92276.6 2001966.51932.65 3001657.91623.88 4001389.71372.45 5001109.51117.6

For the most part, we see a lot of the same results with the larger data set. The .308 Win has anywhere between 30 to 50 more ft.lbs of energy from the muzzle out to 300 yards. What is a little different now that we have more rounds is that the rate at which the .308 Win rounds bleed KE is a little steeper than the .270 Win rounds. We see this the most at the 400 and 500 yard marker where the .308 Win only has about 17 more ft.lbs of KE and then less KE than the .270 Win rounds at the 500 yard mark.

Penetration (Sectional Density)

Testing rounds on ballistic gels are one method of testing the penetration between two cartridges though how well a gel simulates a bull elk is up for debate. How we will compare the penetration of these two rounds is to look at the sectional densities (SD) of the bullets as it allows us to look at the two cartridges rather than the differences between bullet styles. These numbers are not going to tell you how deep a bullet will penetrate. It is going to give us an idea of the potential of each round had has for penetration.

The sectional density of a bullet is derived from the bullet’s weight and diameter and correlates to its penetration. The higher the SD of a bullet, the deeper penetration it will show. Other factors such as velocity and bullet design also play a role in penetration, but we will mostly keep the conversation on sectional density.

So, let’s take a look at the sectional densities of the ten rounds we have been using for comparison and see if any trends emerge (Graph 9).

Before we discuss any differences and trends that we see between the .270 vs .308 in sectional density we want to take a look at two rounds of the different cartridges that share the same bullet weight to show how sectional density can differ based on the variables that go into calculating the sectional density.

The 150gr .270 round shows a higher sectional density and depending on the bullet type, better penetration than the 150gr .308 rounds. The reason for this is the smaller diameter of the .270 allows more force to be localized to a smaller area and helps push the bullet deeper.

If we step back and look at the two cartridges, we see some pretty interesting results. The first is how varied the sectional densities of the .270 rounds appear. If you notice, the two rounds with SDs of .279 are the heavier 150gr bullets. Overall, the heavier bullet weights of the .308 rounds are what give the .308 cartridge a slightly higher average when it comes to the sectional density. Though the .308 on average has a higher SD here, there are .270 rounds, as we have highlighted, that have similar or better SD numbers.

Let’s take a look at the average SDs for our larger data set.

Average Sectional Density

.308 Winchester.270 Winchester 0.2480.269

Interestingly, when looking at more rounds, we see that the .270 Win takes a pretty big leap over the .308 Win. We already know that the .270 Win rounds have a smaller diameter than the .30 cal cartridge and when we added in more rounds, they contained quite a few heavier rounds that bumped up the average. What should be taken away here is that both of these cartridges have rounds that are going to range in sectional density. And there is a reason that sectional density is not used as the sole metric to determine potential penetration. Let’s move on and look at a second metric for this category,

Penetration (Momentum)

Bullet momentum is another factor that goes into stopping power and is always involved in the arguments for the best indicator for stopping power. When we look at these numbers, we are addressing how well a bullet is able to stay in motion when faced with resistance. Whether that is an obstacle in the flight path or the hide and bone of a game animal, momentum gives you an idea of how well the bullet can overcome these obstacles.

From a hunting perspective, momentum is a good indicator for potential penetration, like sectional density, and really goes hand in hand with it. Bullets with the same momentum and same mass but different sectional densities will have different penetration results. Smaller diameter bullet is going to penetrate deeper because less resistance is encountered. This scenario is also omitting bullet design, which in real-world scenarios, is just as important as any of the data we are looking at.

Momentum is a function of the bullet’s mass and its velocity and since we have looked at both, you should already have an idea of how these two cartridges will look in comparison to each other.

We have calculated the bullet momentum for our ten selected rounds and graphed them below from the muzzle out to 500 yards (Graph 10).

There is quite a lot to talk about after looking at the graph. The first is that the .308 Win rounds, at least the majority of them, leave the muzzle with a around an average of 6lb/ft.s more momentum than the .270 Win rounds. As the rounds move downrange, we do see the .308 Win rounds start to lose momentum at a faster rate than the .270 Win rounds.

By the time the rounds reach the 300-yard mark, there is only 4lb/ft.s of momentum difference between the rounds of the different cartridges. By the 500 yard marker, there is right at 3.5lb/ft.s difference in momentum between the two cartridges.

The rounds of each cartridge do group together pretty tightly until they get out to the 500-yard marker. But even before then, we do see some rounds that deviate a little from the rest of the rounds of their respective cartridge.

Let’s take a look at the averages of our larger sample size and see if the same trend persists.

Average Bullet Momentum (lb/ft.s)

Yards.308 Win.270 Win Muzzle64.158 10059.153.3 20054.449 30049.945.5 40045.741.5 50041.738.6

The data that we have from the large sample is almost exactly the same as the averages from the smaller sample size. We see the .308 Win rounds carrying on average more momentum than the .270 but as they move downrange, we see the .270 Win rounds gaining ground. More like the .308 Win rounds are losing ground.

Accuracy

Accuracy has more to do with the quality of the firearm and the user more so than the cartridge. And while we don’t think ballistics can rectify user error, we do think that certain ballistic characteristics can help you be more accurate on a consistent basis.

We have seen the flatter trajectory of the .270 versus the .308, and that may play a role in it being more accurate, especially at ranges over 300 yards. Within that range, there will be little if any difference in the accuracy of the two based on bullet drop from the .270 v. .308. And if you go back and look at the differences in bullet drop at long ranges you will see that there are .308 rounds that are more than capable of 400 and 500-yard shots.

We have also examined the ballistic coefficients of the two cartridges. From looking at that information, we saw that while the .270 had a slightly higher average BC than the .308, the .308 had rounds with similar and even higher BCs than the .270. In this case, it seemed that the BC relied more on the individual round than a difference between cartridges.

Regarding recoil, we have seen that both cartridges generate a similar amount of energy, so we don’t think that distinguishes either of the two cartridges regarding accuracy.

Price and Availability

Both of these cartridges are pretty popular in the United States. You might have a little better selection of .270 rounds when searching around a retail store than the .308, but generally, you are not going to have an issue finding these rounds and finding various types of ammunition for each.

As for price, it can vary pretty wildly depending on the make of the ammunition. Just take a look at the ten rounds that we have looked at in this article. You can find a case of .308 for twenty bucks and a box down the aisle might be forty dollars. The same can go for the .270. Based on their hunting use, we don’t see any real difference in price between the two. Not enough for you to choose one over the other anyway.

AmmunitionPrice (20 Rounds) 270 Hornady SST Superperformance 130gr$41.99 270 Federal Vital-Shok Nosler Partition 150gr$57.99 270 Remington Core-Lokt PSP 115gr$26.99 270 Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 130gr$41.99 270 Federal Sierra GameKing BTSP 150gr$33.99 308 Hornady BTHP Match 168gr$37.99 308 Winchester Super-X 180gr$27.99 308 Nosler Ballistic Tip 165gr$43.99 308 Federal Vital-Shok Ballistic Tip 150gr$39.99 308 Federal Gold Medal Sierra Matchking 175gr$36.99

Applications

As we come to a close with this comparison, we want to bring all the information we have examined and use it to start trying to figure out if there are scenarios where one cartridge might be better suited than the other, or maybe applications where you can’t really go wrong with either of them. For convenience, we have also included the average tables for the various performance categories below.

We think that both of these cartridges make excellent hunting options though there are hunting situations where one might be better suited than the other. So, in regards to the .270 vs .308 debate, let’s look at some of these applications.

For recoil, it’s a wash between these two cartridges. Both have a bit of a kick, but for hunters and marksman with a little experience it’s nothing you haven’t felt before, and it shouldn’t impact your shot in the field. Besides, with that adrenaline pumping, you’re not going to feel it anyway.

For small game hunting, the .270 is a much better option. This is just due to the availability of lighter grain bullets. Hitting small game with a heavy grain .308 is not going to leave anything behind and is just overkill and a waste of money.

For large game, both cartridges have the stopping power to take large game at under 300 yards and even further when in the right hands. They can both take medium-sized game at 500 yards without an issue in regards to energy. As for the penetration potential of these cartridges, the .270 Win rounds had slightly better SDs than the .308 Win rounds but the .308 Win rounds brought a little more momentum, especially at the more common hunting ranges out to 400 yards. With both cartridges excelling slightly at different categories, we don’t think there is really much of a difference in how well the two will penetrate from the standpoint of these numbers. You will definitely need to take it round by round regardless of the cartridge and pay a lot of attention to how the bullet is going to react on impact.

For larger game such as deer and elk, both cartridges have enough stopping power at short range to drop animals cleanly. The .270 might be a better option when dealing with shots that are over 400 yards. There are some .308 rounds out there that perform well at these distances as well, but generally, the .270 would be the better choice. And this has nothing to do with energy or penetration, but rather the ballistics.

The big reason why the .308 is not favored in long-range shooting is the heaviness of the bullets and the trajectory. For large game at increased distances, the .308 is just harder to put on target in the kill zone. If you can, it will drop game, but for all but the best marksman, you are more than likely only going to wound the animal and never find it. And when we are talking about extended ranges we mean 400+ yards. And as we have stated several at several points, it’s not that we are saying it is impossible, we are just saying that the ballistics lean towards the .270 in this situation.

For general long-range shooting, a lot of the above discussion is pertinent here as well. The .270, on average, has higher velocities than the .308 which a lot of long-range shooters will be key on. Like all the other categories there are some .308 rounds that are similar, but there are several .270 rounds that outperform all of the .308 rounds we have looked at. The same goes for the BCs of these rounds. While the .270 rounds might have a slightly higher BC on average than the .308, it seems to depend on the individual round. Both have rounds with high enough BCs for some long-range action.

Best Rounds

Before we wrap up this article, we want to re-examine the ten rounds we have been comparing and pick a round from each cartridge that we think will excel in certain situations. This is just our opinion, and it doesn’t mean that we think our picks are the only option out there to take care of your business.

Top Hunting Round

The Federal Vital-Shok Nosler Partition 150gr is one of our favorite hunting rounds for the .270 cartridge. This round has nearly 2,000ft.s velocity at 500 yards which is more than enough to get the correct terminal ballistics. That paired with bullet energy greater than 1,500ft.lbs at 400 yards give this round excellent stopping power. We also like the heavier grain bullet that can get penetration on larger game. The long-range trajectory for this round is not as flat as other .270 rounds but it is still manageable at 400 yards and to be honest, any range after that we are not concerned with when it comes to hunting.

For the .308 Win, we like the Nosler Ballistic Tip 165gr. This is another excellent option for medium to larger game. The bullet energy is the highest of the selected .308 rounds with 1,300ft.lbs of energy at the 500-yard mark which is enough for even larger game at that range. With proper shot placement, this round still has the energy and the velocity to make a clean kill. Anything within that yard mark is no issue. For the .308 rounds, it has one of the best long-range trajectories where a 300-yard shot is no problem in the right hands, and 400 yards is even manageable.

Top Range Round

Our tope range round for the .270 is the 130gr Winchester SST Superperformance. This round excels in the velocity category with over 2,200ft.sec at 500 yards and will remain supersonic for several hundred yards beyond that mark. The BC of this round might not be as high as long-range shooters would like to see, but the flat trajectory might compensate for this with a bullet drop of only 33 inches at 500 yards. That’s pretty impressive for a factory load. This round is a bit more expensive compared to the other .270 factory loads that we have looked at, but it gives you the best long-range performance.

For our top .308 Win range round we like the 168gr Hornady BTHP Match. This round is affordable which is an important consideration when you plan burning through quite a few out on the range. This round has a great BC for .308 rounds (.45), and when paired with the velocity and long-range trajectory, you have an excellent round for precision shooting. The bullet drop is more pronounced than the small weight .270 rounds, but when compared to other .308 rounds, you can easily handle the 80 and 120-inch drop at the 600 and 700-yard mark.

Conclusion

When looking at the .270 vs .308, it’s difficult to draw a firm conclusion on which is the better cartridge. While they have some similar characteristics, there are differences that make them better in certain situations.

It’s a new world out there. You don’t have to be relegated to only one cartridge and feel it deserves all of your loyalty. To be a great hunter, you might need to turn to more than one cartridge on your adventures.

We hope that this article has given a clearer understanding of the two cartridges and also made clear that both are tremendous hunting cartridges that are readily available. When used in the right scenario, both the .270 and .308 are effective cartridges for bringing home game or smoking the competition on the range.

Ammunition List

A Brief History

.308 Winchester

The .308 Winchester/.308 Win/.308 was introduced in 1952 in the United States. From this cartridge, the 7.62×51 NATO round was also designed and saw brief use in the US military in Vietnam with the M14 Garand. Though its military career was short-lived, the .308 has become an extremely popular round in civilian use from its conception to modern day. And that is not to say that it cannot still be found in military or police force circles today, it certainly is, but not as ubiquitous as it once was.

The .308 shows certain performance capabilities, which we will get into in this article, that has given it a place in many sharpshooting capacities, including use with the police and some military forces. Where this cartridge has gained a strong following though is in the hunting world. This is a larger bullet with excellent range and stopping power. It’s a great medium to large game rifle and can be used for just about any large game animal in the world, barring a few.

There are a plethora of options when it comes to the .308. Cartridge and bullet design give it a lot of versatility, and it is also readily available. You will find the bullet weights of .308 cartridges to fall between 125 and 170 grain with a few outliers in both directions.

.270 Winchester

The .270 Winchester/.270 Win/.270 made its appearance in the hunting world in 1925 where it would stay in relative obscurity for a time. For several years, the .270 did not have a significant following of users. Jack O’Connor, a famous writer of firearms and hunting, really pushed this cartridge and its abilities in the field and brought it to the forefront of hunting cartridges, where it remains to this day.

The .270 has gained a huge following in the world of hunting from small varmints and predators to large American game such as sheep and deer. With a leap in bullet technology, the .270 is much better suited for taking larger game such as elk.

The .270 came from the .30-03 which saw very brief use in the United States in the early 1900’s. Another cartridge that comes from this parent case is the .30-06 which are very similar to the .270. The .270 can be thought of as a necked down version of the .30-06.

As far as bullet weights go with the .270, most ammunition is going to fall between 120-160. There are smaller weights that are available for small game. Like the .308, there is a lot of options regarding bullet weight and design, and they are readily available and affordable.

Given the ever-increasing proximity of neighbors due to suburban sprawl and the boost in sales of .22 caliber sound suppressors for range and field use, it’s little wonder why subsonic .22 Long Rifle (LR) loads have grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. In fact, MidwayUSA currently lists more subsonic .22 LR options than supersonic on its website. There are several reasons for this shift: Beyond maintaining positive relationships with nearby residents, subsonic .22 LR loads also don’t frighten livestock or game, and their use helps preserve one’s hearing—especially when coupled with a quality suppressor, and they’re often more accurate than their supersonic brethren, too.

To qualify as “subsonic,” the projectile mustn’t break the speed of sound, and that rate varies greatly. Depending on the temperature, humidity, air pressure and elevation, it’s reported to range between 1087 fps and 1129 fps. For extra “cushion,” I opt for loads with velocities at (or less than) 1050 fps. At such speeds, the ammunition doesn’t produce the associated “crack” of supersonic ammo across a host of climates and locations.

Within the realm of subsonic .22 LR ammunition, there exists a multitude of configurations, and not all are well-suited for hunting small game. Outside of a restrained marksman who can consistently make head shots on squirrel-size game, lead, round-nose subsonic loads should be relegated to range work. Even lethal hits will often result in a lost animal. This is particularly true of squirrels, which will quickly scurry into a nest or hole in a tree.

To counteract the loss of energy and terminal performance due to lower velocities, you need a bullet that maximizes the wound channel(s). The most lethal bullet designs for use at subsonic velocities will be a traditional hollow-point or specialized, segmenting hollow-point. I’ve experienced good results with both designs.

Beyond terminal performance, the loads must function flawlessly in the rifle, too. Due to their low velocities—and, at times, low bullet weights—cycling can be particularly problematic for semi-automatic rifles. Such is not the case with bolt-, pump- and lever-action rifles.

For this article, I selected six current, subsonic .22 LR loads suitable for small-game hunting and subjected them to a barrage of tests to evaluate relative sound, accuracy (five-consecutive, five-shot groups at 50 yards), functioning, velocity and terminal performance (in modeling clay at 25 yards). The rifle employed was a Ruger 10/22 fitted with a 16 ½-inch Tactical Solutions barrel with a YHM Mite suppressor, topped with a Weaver Grand Slam 4-16x44mm riflescope. In addition to the particulars of each load and the test results, I also identified the advantages and drawbacks, if any. Please keep in mind that these results are from a single rifle, and each rifle has different preferences. Nevertheless, hopefully this will ease your decision-making process.

1. Winchester Subsonic 42 Max• Particulars: Manufactured in Australia, Winchester’s Subsonic 42 Max features—unsurprisingly—a cavernous, truncated-nose, hollow-point, 42-grain lead bullet propelled to 1065 fps. That equates to 106 ft.-lbs. of energy. MSRP: $5.39 per 50-rnd box; midwayusa.com.

• Test: Across a Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital Chronograph at five feet, Subsonic 42 Max loads averaged 1001 fps, and were fairly loud. I ranked them as the third loudest. Concerning accuracy, the Aussie loading was disappointing; for five consecutive, five-shot groups at 50 yards, the average was 1.63 inches—the largest of the batch. That being said, functioning in the semi-automatic test rifle was flawless, and the bullets delivered devastating terminal ballistics in the clay. Beyond a large cavity, the bullet traversed the full length of the clay block.

• Advantages: Noteworthy terminal ballistics, flawless cycling, reasonable price

• Drawbacks: Disappointing accuracy, fairly loud

2. Winchester Super-X 22 Long Rifle Subsonic

• Particulars: Available on a somewhat inconsistent basis, Winchester‘s Super-X 22 Long Rifle Subsonic load features a 40-grain lead, truncated-cone, hollow-point bullet propelled to 1065 fps. Also manufactured in Australia, the bullet has five less ft.-lbs. of energy than the abovementioned load. MSRP: $4.99 per 50-rnd. box; midwayusa.com.

• Test: Posting an average velocity of 1042 fps, Winchester’s Super-X 22 Long Rifle Subsonic load was the fastest of the bunch, and it was the loudest, too. Moreover, it produced the second largest groups; for 25 shots, the mean was an unremarkable 1.53 inches. There was one failure to eject. As for terminal performance, the 40-grain bullet created a massive wound channel and traveled nearly the length of the block of clay.

• Advantages: Impressive terminal ballistics, fast, relatively inexpensive

• Drawbacks: Unsatisfactory accuracy, loud

3. ELEY Subsonic Hollow

• Particulars: A true premium-grade .22 LR load, Subsonic Hollow is manufactured by ELEY in England and features a 38-grain lead, hollow-point bullet propelled to 1040 fps. Energy is 96 ft.-lbs. MSRP: $9.29 per 50-rnd. box; midwayusa.com.

• Test: With a mean velocity of 993 fps, ELEY’s Subsonic Hollow was third fastest, but second loudest. In addition to delivering flawless functioning, the load also proved to be the most accurate; in fact, five, five-shot groups averaged 0.89-inch. In a match-grade rifle, it’d be scary accurate. Despite a great showing in the accuracy department, its terminal performance was somewhat lacking. Although ample to deliver a quick, fatal blow to small varmints and game, larger species might travel a bit further before succumbing.

• Advantages: clean, accurate

• Drawbacks: expensive, smallish wound channel, somewhat loud

4. CCI Quiet-22 Segmented HP

• Particulars: Propelled to a modest 710 fps, what the CCI Quiet-22 copper-plated 40-grain segmented hollow-point bullet lacks in energy—45 ft.-lbs.—it makes up for in terminal performance. During penetration, the projectile breaks into three pieces to increase damage to vital organs and structures. MSRP: $5.93 per 50 rnd. box; midwayusa.com.

• Test: From the 16 ½-inch barrel of the 10/22, Quiet-22 Subsonic HP ammunition averaged a modest 664 fps—little wonder why it didn’t cycle in the semi-automatic rifle. Nonetheless, it was incredibly quiet—the least report of any tested—and acceptably accurate. For 25 shots, it had a mean of 1.30 inches. Concerning terminal performance, the Segmented HP created a large initial cavity before splitting into three pieces, each of which penetrated deeply. It’s a devastating design, and the sound it produces when striking is equally eye opening.

• Advantages: Remarkable terminal performance, reduced risk of ricochet and over penetration, copper-plated, good accuracy

• Drawbacks: Won’t cycle most semi-automatic actions

5. CCI Suppressor 22 LR

• Particulars: Designed for flawless functioning in semi-automatic rifles, CCI’s Suppressor 22 LR propels a non-plated, 45-grain lead hollow-point bullet to 970 fps. Energy is 94 ft.-lbs. MSRP: $5.12 per 50-rnd. box; midwayusa.com.

• Test: Despite propelling the heaviest bullet in the test, CCI’s Suppressor 22 LR load still averaged 931 fps, and its perceived report was the second quietest. As for accuracy, it was the only real competitor for the ELEY Hollow load; its mean was a respectable 1.17 inches. The 10/22 cycled without issue when loaded with Suppressor 22 LR. Moreover, the heavy bullet created a sizable cavity in the clay before exiting. This load has a lot going for it.

• Advantages: Excellent terminal performance, modest cost, quiet, reliable cycling, good accuracy

• Drawbacks: None

6. RWS Subsonic HP

• Particulars: Manufactured in Germany, RWS’ Subsonic HP load has a traditional-style 40-grain lead hollow-point bullet travelling 1033 fps, for 95 ft.-lbs. of energy. MSRP: $6.99 per 50-rnd. box; midwayusa.com.

• Test: With an average velocity of 977 fps, RWS Subsonic HP was middle-ground, and so too was its report. Accuracy wise, the round had a mean of 1.25 inches—not too bad. Cycling, however, was unreliable. While lacking in functioning, it was extraordinary with regards to terminal performance; in fact, this round produced the largest wound channel of all tested. Quarry won’t travel far (if not stopped outright).

• Advantages: Impressive terminal performance (largest cavity), mild report

• Drawbacks: costly, wax coating easily gets on hands, unreliable functioning in semi-automatic rifles

If you’re not using subsonic loads, you’re really missing out. Go ahead and give some of these loads a try when hunting small game, and if you’re like me, you’re likely to stick with them.