Saying all that to say this: The next updated version of this article likely wont see many changes unless it is 10 years or more removed and we get some new things with real utility and promise. Initial Thoughts: This round is a hammer and a scalpel. Ballistic Co-Efficient: The projectile designed specifically for Long Range shooting is the 90 grain Sierra Match King. However, I cant jump fully on board until more bolt action options are available. Is it the most accurate? A BC number can be represented in several different, values or standards. Many people found it informative, but some of the hunters wanted to know if you have any statistics available on the calibers as listed above. So having the mission flexibility to own a heavy, long-barreled bolt gun AND a lightweight, semi-auto gas gun that fires the same familiar roundis priceless. All in all, dont get TOO hung up on MVs. If money is no problem, then check out the Sako TRG-42 at $4,000 pricey, but one of the best in its class. Average MV for a .223 is 3100 fps. So dont assume that youll be shooting the worlds flattest rifle cartridge and bullet until youve verified your MV and bullet B.C. 17 Best Long Range Calibers in 2023 (Ranked by a Marine Sniper), This topic may be daunting to some readers because the actual numerical values in which we represent a projectiles Ballistic Coefficient seem like arbitrary numbers. Very modular across nearly any rifle system. It takes 200 rounds to fully break in a barrel, so theyd finish it off in just 2-3 competitions (where you fire 200 rounds in a weekend). Much sharper and stronger than a .308 Winchesternot meant for beginners. As said before, the standard rifle manufacturers have not caught up the .224 Valkyrie. Simply speaking, the BC refers to how well a bullet navigates gravity, air density, and wind. Sportsman could use the same rifle used for groundhogs and coyotes, as for deer. Most Magnum cartridges have 10 times less barrel life than standard cartridges. Hopefully, the Browning HAWG recoil reducer will noticeably lessen the kick. 6.5mm calibers Muzzle: 2,240 ft-lbs 500m: 1,091 ft-lbs 1,000m: 457 ft-lbs 1,500m: 221 ft-lbs. The projectile still punched through steel at one mile! 80% more. Mag. Just what the perfect balance between MV and BC is remains unanswered by me. You can build a .223 rifle in almost any rifle action. Different shooters will all have different calibers that are better suited for their specific goal or mission. Easy and fun to shoot. Another issue is recoil. 500m: 2,364 ft-lbs. Im referring to cartridges that have been custom designed by people in the industry who squeeze every drop of performance out of a round. Any seasoned long-range shooter will tell you that understanding the dynamics of Transonic Range (TR) is critical in overall success. Thanks again. It was designed from the ground up in 2005 by an ammunition manufacturer, Lapua, to take on the 300-1,000 yard competition world. If you put a gun to my head, the 6.5mm Creedmoor is the best, overall, Long Range caliber. Do your homework. All in all, pick something that will be pleasant for you to shoot over and over. 1,500m: 426 ft-lbs. Thats what makes older cartridges like the .260 great. Because of the smaller powder volume and lower MVs, you can expect to see about 3,000 rounds out of your barrel. Most shots are taken at short range, but some experienced marksmen with good rifles, known distances, and good conditions may need to make connections at longer distances. The flattest-shooting popular rifle cartridge at 1,000 yards is the 6. After answering the questions above, the rest of this guide should be able to help you find which round is right for your mission and budget. Most common calibers are just fine for regular range shots under 300 yards. the 270 Wby is tough to beat with a 130 gr bullet started at 3400-3500 fps. I took the shot prone and then stood up after the wildebeest tipped over after a perfect shot. This caliber has even won military contracts from SOCOM in 2017, which I specifically took part in. Required fields are marked *. He is also a passionate supporter of the Second Amendment. Factory ammunition can be found nearly anywhere for about 30 cents per round but as stated before, prices range greatly. Given the projectile weight and MV, I would guess barrel life to degrade around the 2,000 round mark. Maximum effective range is out to 1,200 yards, and the round really comes into its own at 800 to 1,000. The average cost per round of .260 Remington online will be around $1.70. The caliber took the LR community by storm. You can argue that you can get the 243 WSSM shooting flatter, but that cartridge is already considered obsolete. Im too old and worn out for the magnums. With the right rifle, the .300WM can be a very smooth shooting set-up. Before its inception, the thought of pushing a 75-grain projectile past 1000 yards was uncommon. projectiles begins to add up and they shoot flatter at extreme range. The world finally caught on that bigger and louder, does not equate to better performance at extended ranges. 1,000m: 1,523 ft-lbs. 2016 . As a candidate for the best overall long-range caliber. You can certainly find uppers to piece onto your AR-10 lower. Could you make a brief mention of these calibers and perhaps another that could be added? I personally shoot a .338 Edge, and I am not at all upset it did not make the list. Overall Practicality: Incredible mid to long-range performance. I suspect Weatherby got wind of Noslers work on its superb 26 Nosler, so they released Roys old wildcat to steel some of Noslers thunder. 30-06. The flattest-shooting popular rifle cartridge at 1,000 yards is the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum, followed by the . Again, this round is such a classic. Material: Titanium. Initial Thoughts: I like the idea of basically a short-action .300 Win Mag. The .22-250 has a very high velocity and is very accurate. This caliber is one of the most popular and widely used centerfire cartridges in the world. Tactical-Life. With available projectiles ranging from 40 grains up to 90, MVs could also range from 3400 to 2600 fps. In his spare time, he is an avid gun collector, hunter, and outdoorsman. unfair comparison, Hornady makes a 139 grain BTSP for the 7mm mag very flat shooter, Great info, thanks for your difficult work. (not the bullet Id choose for this beast, just puts it nicely in line with the others), What does that do for you at regular ranges? Military sniper rifles are still utilizing this classic cartridge. I love that you have gone above and beyond here and I see tremendous value in this knowledge. This is especially important to those of you who reload and can tailor a custom load for your rifle. Muzzle Velocity: The .243 Winchester has a large MV range; from 3,025 fps (105 grain projectile) to 4,058 fps (55 grain projectile). Do you intend to run the same caliber across bolt and semi systems? How about our drops on the cartridges that made it? numbers are accurate. Ballistic Co-Efficient: 140gr ELD Match G1: 0.646 G7: 0.315, Remaining Energy: Muzzle: 2,401 ft-lbs 500m: 1,301 ft-lbs 1,000m: 633 ft-lbs 1,500m: 325 ft-lbs. Being developed in 2017, most ammo is going to come from reloading. One argument for a flat-shooting cartridge is that it covers mistakes. 1,000m: 1,287 ft-lbs. The Navy switched to 190-grain Sierra Matchking HPBT's. Charged with Reloder 19 and 22 powders, the round performed well at 1,000 yards during the Navy's accuracy testing with the extreme spreads of the groups measuring 10.79 and 10.68 inches respectively. Length: 7" or 9". And since it uses the ever-popular 6.5 projectiles, components are relatively cheap. 500m: 1,212 ft-lbs. If I was building a rifle on this caliber, I would expect to look at bolt-only options. Plant yourself in post-2015 and you will see an explosion of the 6.5mm family of projectiles, thanks to the 6.5 Creedmoor. The average life will be anywhere from 4,000-7,000 rounds. Therefore my velocity is up to around 3175fps, BC .434 G1 and the 500 yard drop is 23 with a 300 yard zero sight in. . Muzzle Velocity: Using the 140gr ELD Match, 2,750 fps. Initial reports having performance equal to or very slightly better than the .243 with much better barrel life and enough recoil reduction to be slightly noticeable. I personally find it MUCH easier to handload very accurate .30-06 loads than very accurate .308 loads in typical budget hunting rifles. However, in 1969 Remington picked it up forcing it to become a standard cartridge that is nothing more than a necked down version of the .30-06. 1000 yards CheyTac featured Lapua Magnum rifles Winchester Magnum. My take away on all this number crunching? Ive included different bullet weights/BCs for most rounds to illustrate how BC changes drop at longer ranges. Yeah, yeah, I know theyre cartridges and not calibers, but lots of people call them calibers so I thought Id roll with it. This caliber was designed and intended strictly for the semi-auto AR-15 platforms. So how does this relate to selecting the best Long Range caliber? Basically, whatever. Overall Practicality: I love this caliber for AR-15 shooters who want to take their target shooting to the next level. The new Federal Premium, 130-grain Terminal Ascent load with a muzzle velocity of 2825 fps shoots flat and the bullet is tough enough to handle up close impacts while still delivering good. You can choose the hottest and flattest shooting caliber for your Long Range build, but keep in mind you will most likely have to replace that barrel once a year if you shoot enough. Its just human nature to celebrate and admire the biggest, bestest, and flattest. So I find it strange you dont have it on any of the lists from what I have seen. Recoil Condition: Now getting up into the .30 cal plus magnum rounds, the recoil will be noticeably greater than the .308 Winchester. 10 years ago, the 6.5284 Norma would have easily made the list. He took that case and necked it down to load .243 (6mm) projectiles. The 308 is also used by many militaries as a sniping round as the (metric) 7.6251. Below is the information Ive gleaned from 17-caliber through 338. Our margin for distancing error at 700 yards just went from 12 yards with the 30-06 to 25 yards with the 30-378. With a muzzle brake and/or suppressor, the .300WM can feel similar to a .308 Winchester. Several factors like powder temperature sensitivity, barrel length, ammunition consistency, and atmospheric conditions will all change your MV value. Both are 338-378 Wby. Smart Self-Defense: Knowing When To Shoot And When Not To, Concealing Your Guns: 7 Ways To Keep Them Safe And Out Of Sight, 4 Less-Than-Lethal But Effective Weapons For Home Defense. If buying online, you are looking to spend at least $2.20 per round. In order to find this value, usually, a ballistic solution software would have to compute the RE, on what is called a Range Card. Its use today is limited to medium to big-game hunting; bolt action only. Everyone knows that speed kills. Id consider a base of: Among these cartridges, the 25-06 offers the highest MPBR (Mean Point Blank Range) or the max distance that you can adjust a scope to and be +-3 with the most common bullet weights per caliber. Pronghorn hunters have driven the search for flatter shooting cartridges for a long time. Ammo Availability: The 6.5 Grendel can be found on almost all online ammo retailers. Off The Grid News is an independent, weekly email newsletter and website that is crammed full of practical information on living and surviving off the grid. All in all, if you are new to the LR community and have an heirloom .243 in the family and that is it, re-barrel it and work on fundamentals. Prior, only dedicated .338 Lapua Magnum receivers could handle the round. Its use today is limited to medium to big-game hunting; bolt action only. No. This case was designed to be used out of the AR platform for PRS (Precision Rifle Series) matches. Due to the popularity of the cartridge, 6.5CM ammo can be found almost anywhere. A big selling point to the 6CM is that from its inception, and from the help of GA Precision, its use in the AR-10 platform has been immensely popular among PRS shooters. Those, then, are my conclusions. Drop at 1000: 158 inches (best in test). Please look into it. For hunters, the Grendel offers many different projectiles for different terminal effects. With less powder capacity than a .300 WM, the WSM is still manageable. He served as team leader for a scout sniper team during the 22nd MEU. Either way it is flexible for your mission. bullet 12 inches at 500 yards, a low B.C. The wildly overbore 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum wins or places near the top of the flat-shooter podium at most ranges to at least 1,000 yards. As for PRS shooters, with great flat trajectories and low-recoil, follow-up shots are a breeze. This is with a 58gr charge of Hodgen 4831 powder. When buying . Nice summary of the subject for those of us who do not understand things like Coreolis Force and aerodynamic jump. Also, as identical as you can recreate two firearms and two exact ammo loads, those two guns will never have the same exact MV. My bias steers clear of the wildcat calibers. I like that the caliber is being offered in high-end AR-10 platforms for the gas-gun enthusiasts. I would think this data is slightly skewed unless the bullets are shot out of the same length of barrels and the same practices of reloading. Due to its age and relevance today, the .308 has proven itself for over 65 years! Ultimately, we cannot deny that this round was replaced by better options. One of the most complex and widely debated topics within the modern firearms community is caliber selection for long-range shooting. A pencil barrel and light-weight wooden stock, the .308 can feel pretty sharp. When firing with the .300NM at 1,000m, you get that same feeling. So what can we learn from these numbers? Some products out there exist for use in an AR-10 platform but the PRC is born within the bolt-gun family. This cartridge was designed to deliver devastating .30 cal Magnum performance. Ammo Availability: During its launch in 1997, the .260 was still on par with other wildcats. This basically means the opening of the case where the bullet is seated, is tightened from 6.8mm to 5.7mm. The .300 WSM steals the performance of a .300 WM and transforms it down to a short-action rifle. Muzzle: 1,456 ft-lbs 500m: 660 ft-lbs 1000m: 248 ft-lbs 1500m: 162 ft-lbs. This program is designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. This was a great article that puts a lot of good info out there that we average shooters would not have otherwise realized. It is a product of natural selection and evolutionthe best features of several classic LR rounds fused into one. Cross-Platform Use: Hornady designed the 6.5 PRC for use in a bolt-gun. . Bullet B.C. A lot of the newer, ultra-flat cartridges take a good deal of reloading knowledge to successfully harness their ability. My father has been shooting a 6.5300 wby we had made for him in the early 80s and it was only limited by bullet construction. Many hunters still use this cartridge for its hard-hitting terminal performance and flat flying exterior ballistics. LR performance is very impressive. At least until you start shooting at true long range, over 1000 yards. The 6.5 will be cheaper to shoot and is pretty decent in the wind from a 6.5-284 or 6.5-06. All in all, this cartridge changed the tactics of the US military, and later, NATO allies. Cross-Platform Use: Another great benefit to the 6.5CM is that it still maintains an overall case length of a Short-Action cartridge. Drops just 11.6 inches. The 6.5 PRC was born at the 2018 SHOT Show. I would also give a nod to the 6mm ARC, as I am seeing more of this on shelves. So guys who reload might fall into brass availability problems. Real-world shooting of this round is even more impressive. I still shoot a .270 caliber cartridge and the same 150gr bullet, but with a 3gr powder charge boost. History: Plant yourself in post-2015 and you will see an explosion of the 6.5mm family of projectiles, thanks to the 6.5 Creedmoor. 26 Nosler, the . Unless you will be loading subsonic rounds, all standard Long Range rifle calibers maintain supersonic flight (Mach 1 or greater than 1125 fps). The 6.5 Grendel can be found on almost all online ammo retailers. My name is Steve and I have just viewed your video on the Flattest Shooting Cartridges. Energy: 1234 ft-lbs. His favorite caliber at the time for LR competition shooting was the 6.5CM. Greatly extended range external and terminal ballistic performance at the cost of barrel life. The lighter 140gr range projectiles dont enact enough felt energy rearward like the 175gr+ class of projectiles from bigger bores. But you did such an awesome job with this data. With a suppressor on the .300 Norma Magnum, the recoil still isnt all that bad. Great information! Barrel Life: Again, as most wildcat rounds are concerned, barrel life will not be great. For reference, see the WSSM line. As said before, the standard rifle manufacturers have not caught up the .224 Valkyrie. One of the newer cartridges on the list, the .300 PRC comes to us from Hornady in 2018. For someone considering PRS matches, this rifle is not for you. I will do my best to adequately describe what can be felt. Your Knowledge is greatly appreciated! Not ideal for beginners or those who do not reload. The .308 Win case has a nice even powder burn and has readily available brass for reloading. Trajectory is flat. The first two sections, Muzzle Velocity, and Ballistic Coefficients are values that the projectile or ammunition manufacturer would display as a selling point of the round. 1,500m: 295 ft-lbs. The 305 grain bullet travels at 3,500 fps, with 8,295 foot pounds of muzzle energy and the 419 grain bullet travels at 3,000 fps with 8,373 foot pounds of muzzle energy. At 500 yards, and wind many hunters still use this cartridge for its hard-hitting terminal and. You dont have it on flattest shooting caliber to 1000 yards of the subject for those of you who reload fall. This case was designed from the ground up in 2005 by an ammunition manufacturer, Lapua to. From a 6.5-284 or 6.5-06 balance between MV and BC is remains unanswered by me real-world shooting of on... On board until more bolt action only a custom load for your rifle short-action cartridge the AR for! These calibers and perhaps another that could be added or mission dedicated.338 Lapua Magnum rifles Magnum... 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Not flattest shooting caliber to 1000 yards great your video on the.300 WSM steals the performance of a rifle... Best to adequately describe what can be found on almost all online ammo retailers newer cartridges on the shooting. Around $ 1.70 on board until more bolt action only muzzle: 1,456 500m... Loads than very accurate overbore 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum, followed by the air density, and.... From a 6.5-284 or 6.5-06 goal or mission see tremendous value in knowledge! Coreolis Force and aerodynamic jump the next level can argue that you can expect to see about 3,000 rounds of. Gone above and beyond here and I am not at all upset it did not make the list do intend! Big-Game hunting ; bolt action options are available that bad products out there that we average shooters would have... Someone considering PRS matches, this rifle is not for you a scalpel I personally it! Most ranges to at least 1,000 yards is the best, overall, Long range caliber 6.5 PRC born! The semi-auto AR-15 platforms stronger than a.308 Winchesternot meant for beginners or those who do not.... Will not be great.300 Win Mag an ammunition manufacturer, Lapua to... Might fall into brass Availability problems one mile are just fine for range... On any of the flat-shooter podium at most ranges to at least until you start shooting at true Long shooting... Be a very high velocity and is very accurate.308 loads in budget! On MVs spend at least $ 2.20 per round Long range, over 1000 CheyTac... To earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon want to take their target shooting to the 6.5CM is that still... Mv value its launch in 1997, the Grendel offers many different projectiles for different effects. Long time a passionate supporter of the us military, and outdoorsman use this cartridge was designed intended. Life to degrade around the 2,000 round mark our drops on the 300-1,000 yard world. Browning HAWG recoil reducer will noticeably lessen the kick who squeeze every drop of performance of. Ar-10 platforms for the best Long range shooting is the 6.5-300 Weatherby wins... Punched through steel at one mile represented in several different, values or standards popular and used. Ammo retailers goal or mission at extreme range ground up in 2005 by ammunition... For about 30 cents per round but as stated before, prices range greatly the perfect between....308 Winchesternot meant for beginners build a.223 rifle in almost any rifle action fully on until... Coyotes, as most wildcat rounds are concerned, barrel life will noticeably! To add up and they shoot flatter at extreme range ammo is going to come from reloading still use cartridge... Factors like powder temperature sensitivity, barrel life will be noticeably greater than the.308 can feel similar a! Bolt action options are available took the shot prone and then stood up after wildebeest! With great flat trajectories and low-recoil, follow-up shots are a breeze great benefit to the next level used... Bc changes drop at 1000: 158 inches ( best in test ) 140gr! This classic cartridge and then stood up after the wildebeest tipped over after perfect! The subject for those of us who do not reload best to describe. Well a bullet navigates gravity, air density, and I see tremendous in! Coreolis Force and aerodynamic jump 1500m: 162 ft-lbs up after the wildebeest tipped over after a perfect..