The following table is based on the Sectional Densitiy (SD) of the bullets that hunters typically use for game of various weights. This information may be used as a starting point to select a specific bullet for a particular application. However, it must be noted that other criteria should also be considered to select the proper bullet. These include, but are not limited to, such factors as ballistic characteristics, expansion, penetration, weight retention, game animal characteristics, and where you hunt.

Bullets in most calibers don't come in enough weights to offer as wide and precise a selection of SD as the chart below implies. And game animals vary widely in weight. Whitetail deer may average about 125 pounds in live weight, but examples have been bagged that scaled 350 pounds! And an excited animal is typically much harder to put down than a calm one, regardless of size. Whenever in doubt, other things being equal, choose the bullet with the higher SD.

For example, the most common bullet weights in factory loaded .30-30 cartridges are 150 grains (SD .226) and 170 grains (SD .256). Various manufacturers also offer 55 grain/SD .157 (Remington), 125 grain/SD .188 (Federal), and 160 grain/SD .240 (Hornady) bullets. But no single manufacturer offers all of those bullet weights in their ammunition line.

The 55 grain projectile is a .224" bullet in Remington's Accelerator saboted load, and is intended only for shooting varmints. But the 125 through 170 grain .30-30 bullets all have some big game hunting potential. Judging by the chart below, and assuming that these bullets are properly designed for appropriate size big game animals, the 125 grain bullet should be acceptable for small deer and antelope; the 150 grain bullet should be acceptable for medium size and large deer and other thin-skinned game up to about 250 pounds; the 160 grain bullet should be suitable for all deer, as well as caribou and black bear; and the 170 grain bullet should be suitable for all deer, caribou, black bear, and even elk. Those are, in fact, reasonable expectations from .30-30 bullets of those weights.

Remember that not all game of the same weight is the same in terms of the penetration required. The big predators, for example cougar (150 pounds average weight) and black bear (300 pounds average weight), seem to require more penetration and thus heavier bullets than herbivores of the same size, since they are often shot from the front and they have very heavy chest muscles. In the real world things are messy and not very precise. Use enough gun is good advice; so is use enough bullet.