At 50 yards broadside just about anything will kill a deer if you hit it right. But for most hunting scenerios, larger caliberswill have their advantages. I personally wont use anything less than a .270 for deer, using a small caliber is like handicapping yourself in a sense. There is more room for error with larger calibers, I'm not saying to take marginal shots but if you happen to hit where you didnt intend chances are better you'll find your deer dead if you wereshootingabigger bullet with more energy.