Shouldn't penetration at the point of termination be a consideration? The .30-06 Cartridge Ballistics When coupled with bullets that have a high ballistic coefficient, the results are impressive. I made my selection of long range calibers based on my experiences hunting, shooting, and competing with these loads. The question *was* best caliber for 1000 yard target shooting. More important is consistency, and the mild-mannered .308 demonstrates that in spades. But as with the 6.5 PRC, there are not a lot of factory-ammo options to choose from. I have used it on more big game animals than any other cartridge since 2007. 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 expansion at distance. I had my own doubts because I am a bit of a cynic. Since the velocities tend to be mild (2850 fps is usual) it is also easy for shooters to manage the rifle recoil and spot their hits and misses, which is another key to success in practical rifle competition. A good example of a rifle that demonstrates the .308s long-range chops is this rifle I built with Shilen a few years back. Why It Made the Cut: The 6.5 Creedmoor brought affordable long-range performance to the masses. Mag, which were rolled out in 1958. But the velocity with a lighter grain bullet and the case capacity makes for a tremendous long-range round. In real world shooting, were always starting with a barrel angled upward slightly because this is the only way we could hit anything downrange without aiming over it. The 6.5x284 is a long range cartridge that is gaining popularity by leaps and bounds. Look at what the best are shooting in PRS, pretty much 6mm and variants. It is a screamer, and with increased velocity comes increased range. The cartridge Stinnett used is nearly as surprising as the group he shot. Its not all hype. Best 1,000-Yard Rifles For Under $1,000 Shooting Long Range 1. There may be others like the 257 Wby. However, in the 1000-yard game, many different calibers can win. Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range, 175-grain AccuBond Long Range at 3,125 fps. In 2019, Nosler submitted the cartridge to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Institute (SAAMI) for approval, and in 2020, you can expect to see Nosler and other ammunition manufacturers offering factory loaded ammunition and even rifles for it. Hornady Precision Hunter 212-grain ELD-X at 2,860 fps. It is the responsibility of any hunter to put down game as quickly and humanely as possible with a single shot. Trajectory flatness is a function of muzzle velocity. So make your pick wisely, and then get to shooting, because a cartridge can only be as accurate as the one firing it. projectiles begins to add up and they shoot flatter at extreme range. The .224 Valkyrie is the flattest shooting 0.224 caliber cartridge you can put in an AR-15. You would be surprised at what my .25-06 Rem will do. With proper handloading technique, the Dasher delivers muzzle velocities with minimal shot-to-shot SD (standard deviation) and ES (extreme spread). You do not pay He used .30-caliber BIB 114-grain bullets made by Randy Robinett (loaded over H4198 powder for a 2980 fps muzzle velocity). When it came out in 1925, 300 yards was considered about the max distance for shots on game, and the .270 Winchester was quickly recognized as one of, if not the, best commercial option for that. Umm.. the .300 mag is far superior to the 308. According to Stinnett it takes him eight firings to get the brass to the correct dimensions before it is good to go. An added benefit with the .223 Remington is cheap, readily available ammo. Soft shooting 6mms give the most bang for the buck when comparing their long-range capabilities with how (relatively) affordable they are to reload. In the world of practical precision rifle competition, exemplified by the NRL, PRS, RTC and other series, there is an arms race among light-recoiling 6mm cartridges. I don't know if you're from the east, but that argument is typically made from someone who lives in the east and hunts woods. That is just my opinion. Where? 500-yard drop: 45 inches (based on a 100-yard zero). Since this article originally went live, several excellent long-range big-game cartridges have it the market. 30 years later still shooting this caliber even though I do have the 6.5 CM too. A Canadian sniper had a record kill at over 3500 yards last year in Afghanistan. gear. That he us army has recorded kills with a 5.56 using black hills 77 grain ammo at 1800 yards? It honestly feels like cheating when you are behind a quality 6.5 Creedmoor. Reloaders take notice don't give up on the .308 yet good things to come. I may earn a small part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site. Factory rifles and ammunition options are limited here, too, but based on the ballistic abilities of this cartridge, thats likely to change sooner rather than later. Are going to forget about 6.5 rem mag again? Stinnett said he would take the 6.5 Grendel brass made by Lapua and run it through a sizing die until the shoulder is pushed back far enough to chamber. A popular western big-game cartridge, the 7mm Magnum doubles as an excellent tool for long-range target shooting. But I suspect the 220 Swift will hang on as our Flat Trajectory Champ or close to it at quasi-sensible hunting distances. (cartridge overall length) that fits inside an AR15 magazine well can be capable of 1,000+ yards. There are a lot of reasons for this. If you take a left turn, you can go through an endless list of wildcat cartridges as well. Even at a 1000 yard drop, the cartridge range is around 210'', which makes the 26 Nosler perform quite capably at such a range . I think it slightly beats the 224V), I'm from Italy. Thats true, but the bullets have been vetted. According to the ballistics charts on the boxes. A rifle is suitable for flat shooting as long as the 500-yard impact range of the rifle falls below the 40''. But what are the flattest shooting rifle cartridges? Kelly, I did not take the time to research and compare every cartridge in the world that I thought might win this flat trajectory contest, so you might find another. I really love my Sturm Ruger M77, and couldn't believe a 34 gr bullet could achieve 4000+ FPS muzzle velocity! Don't need to be a super-awesome-Operator or competitive shooter to know this. With the 6.5 PRC, Hornady has created a better version of the old barrel-burner. While the retained velocity and energy is 1937 fps / 1500 ft-lb and 1656 fps / 1096 ft-lb at 600 and 800 yards. When the .264 Winchester Magnum was introduced about 60 years ago, it became a sensation with shooters looking to extend their reach in the field. A good 1000-yard stock will feature a flat fore-end, 3 or so wide . Turns out my confidence in the round was not misplaced. If you choose to shoot long-range with a .223 Remington, I highly suggest shooting longer, heavier bullets with a 1:7 rifle twist. 6mm vs. 6.5mm vs. Big 30s In 100/200 yard Benchrest shooting, the 6PPC is pretty much king of the hill. Compare that with a .300 Win. Ammo prices are a bit steeper than the previously mentioned cartridges, but the, While I was in Wyoming, I was able to test and evaluate the .224 Valkyrie with a rifle from Palmetto State Armory. Learn the 3 most popular shooting stances & more. Check out more F&S long-range shooting coverage, including advice for getting started in long-range shooting competitions, the reason why rifle groups keep shrinking, how Heavey did at Gunsite Academy, and what makes long-distance shooting so difficult. That's why the three best rifles we have sorted have a 500-yard impact range below 40''. For deer and lesser critters, its a solid 500-yard cartridge. rating) driven more slowly. Copyright Ron Spomer Outdoors document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) BUCK DOYLE. And that factor alone will make a person a more competent field marksman and a better, more ethical hunter. Prior this Ive been an old school kinda guy, shooting offhand and making sure I can hit what I aim at out to 300 yards. projectiles begins to add up and they shoot flatter at extreme range. John B. In the old way of thinking that was good because I could achieve that consistently. The 26 Nosler cartridge was designed with the high ballistic coefficient (B.C.) While there are newer cartridges around, many of them are derived from the .308, and all are measured against it. The .257 Weatherby is one of the flattest-shooting cartridges made. I envisioned it as an advanced round for target shooting at 1,000 yards and a capable cartridge for predators and small- to medium-sized game like deer . Big, heavy rifles, lots of recoil. The 27 Nosler bests the .270 Winchester by about 400 fps with 150-grain bullets. The technique of holding the butt rather than the fore end - not too difficult, Why It Made the Cut: The .30 Stewart shot the smallest 5-shot group in history. The other challenge with shooting the Dasher is that you have to handload. Based on the antique .404 Jeffery cartridge case, the 27 Nosler is the first new .277-caliber rifle cartridge since the .270 Winchester Short Magnum, which was introduced almost 20 years ago. But the 220 Swift is not a legal big game cartridge in many states and the 40-grain bullet is a poor choice for big game where the Swift is legal. Hornady 123-grain SST at 2580 fps. rating) driven more slowly. (Even though the term cartridges is correct, the common usage of caliber dictates why this story is called Best Long-Range Calibers rather than Best Long-Range Cartridges.). Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Another one or two probably should have made the original list. That's it. Copyright 2023 Pew Pew Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Hunters who just want more gun should look to the bigger .30s, like the .300 PRC and .300 Win Mag., especially if their adventures take them into territory where larger predators like bears prowl the landscape. At the end of WWII, when NATO was forming, the members wanted a flat shooting cartridge good out to seriously long-range, without the weight of a full-sized rifle round like the .30-06. mag. Adding this .30-caliber to the family was a no-brainer and, in fact, wildcatters had done so from nearly the moment the .338 Win. All of those things and more must be perfect. One needs look no further than how the 6.5 Creedmoor and its kin have fared in precision rifle competitions, winning time and again when the shots are on small targets at 1,000 yards or more. While other cartridges have emerged and gained popularity, the 6.5 Grendel still has a permanent place in the conversation when talking about long-range shooting. Ditto some of our fastest 7mms and 300s. As with Hornadys two recent 6.5 caliber introductions, it has found favor with long-range competitors, but also with hunters who like to hit at distance with heavy bullets. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. That closed the tips of the open-tip match (OTM) bullets and made the projectiles slightly shorter in length. Learn More . It started with the .30/30 and continued with the .30/06 and .308 and right up to todays .300 Blackout. I don't hate the 308 at all, but it's been surpassed. These days the 26 Nosler and 6.5-300 Wby. What are some of your favorite long-range cartridges? ), 1) no If you've only shot 150 yards in the woods, that shot may seem really tough. It's muzzle velocity is a blistering 4145 fps. It can make long cross-canyon shots when needed, yet you can bring it to action in a flash should a buck materialize in front of you in the dense timber. His first 5 shots were all hits. It wasnt until the late 1980s that the Navy started looking at the .300 Win. This is the darling diameter for American big-game hunters. What about the guy who wants to go long with his AR-15? With the right bullet and (as always) good shot placement, the 6.5 Creedmoor hits hard. Originally established in 2003 for the AR15 platform, it is now available in bolt-action rifles as well. With the ability to handle more aerodynamic bullets than the .270 Winchester or the .270 WSM, the 6.8 Western and its 1-in-8 twist rate allows this cartridge to outperform both at distance. One afternoon, after shooting a nice antelope at about 500 yards, I was walking back to the truck with the guide, and we were discussing quarter-bores, with the guide extolling his 25-06, the best of the lot. ( The Weatherby 257 is also greatly favored by Western hunters)." Mag. A long-time favorite of snipers, the .308 Winchester will remain supersonic out to around 1,200 yards. A .270 Win is one of the flattest shooting rifles that won't beat you silly, but it still drops over three feet at 500 yds (and don't forget wind drift; it's easily =/< to drop, always a big factor). We'll send you the latest guides and training tips geared With a flatter trajectory and less wind drift the .300 Win Mag offers a useful step up in performance in a similar size rifle. Because it uses aerodynamically efficient 6.5mm bullets it has outstanding downrange capabilities. Thats what makes a long-range hunters heart go pitter patter, and its what has kept Weatherby in business since 1945. In the open plains, 300 yards in 15 mph winds is the starting place. (The main exception would be shooting canyon to canyon - you may not be able to get closer) I personally won't take shots that have a time of flight of about .5, .6 seconds so time of flight becomes an issue also. appeared, calling that cartridge the .30-338 Winchester. The sky is the limit depending on your budget and what kind of rifle you want. are tough to beat. Many western hunters still swear by the 220 Swift as a pronghorn and mule deer round. I also took ballistic performance into account, as well as the experiences and results of the top long-range shooters in the world. Whats your take on the 6.5 Creedmoor? For example, the 7mm Weatherby Magnum will shoot the same bullet as a 7mm Remington Magnum, but it will do it about 10 percent faster. A personal favorite of mine is the Federal Premium 130-grain Bergers, which at the time of this writing costs $1.50/round. But if you can shoot this cartridge well, with its supersonic speed out beyond 1,650 yards, youre just about unstoppable at distance, and there are lots of factory loads and riflesaffordable and expensiveto choose from. quickly established itself as a go-to hunting round for Western big game and international hunting. While I was in Wyoming, I was able to test and evaluate the .224 Valkyrie with a rifle from Palmetto State Armory. This "best" list is a list of "best" for the author, others mileage may vary. .260 Rem., .243, 6.5 x something, etc. The 6.5 CM is, While there isnt much of a cheap alternative for 6.5 CM ammunition, Lucky Gunner lists, Like Alice in Wonderland, you can go down a. Click below for a FREE LESSON! Those are the hunting rifles, see a pattern? Only a handful of .277-caliber cartridges are made today, but the .270 Winchester is still by far the most popular, given all the guns and loads out there for it. Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain ELDX at 2,960 fps. Hornady is loading 6 GT ammunition with 109-grain ELD-M bullets that are available through GA Precision. The 308 is a good round and in many cases there's no reason to replace it with a 6.5C unless you just want to.. On the other hand if you're starting fresh, there's not much reason to buy a 308 over a 6.5C. When coupled with bullets that have a high ballistic coefficient, the, It also has less wind drift and less bullet drop than the .223 Remington or the 6.5 Grendel. Mag. The newest addition to the Nosler line of proprietary cartridges is the 27 Nosler. When I first got my Weatherby, I went to zero my scope. The adjustment to supported shooting wont be so involved, but the light triggers may ironically take some work. Of these the 6mm Dasher is the current champ, in terms of popularity and winning. A good hunting cartridge has to fit in a rifle thats comfortable to carry all day and wont kick you so hard that you cant shoot it well. Most often you just have to buy a Weatherby rifle to get one, and while that used to be an expensive proposition, its not anymore. Swifts 150-grain Scirocco at 3,036 fps delivers outstanding terminal performance. While there isnt much of a cheap alternative for 6.5 CM ammunition, Lucky Gunner lists S&B 140-grain FMJs for $0.78/round. But with some tuning of the magazine that issue can be mostly mitigated. Beyond 1000 yards they use either the 338 Lapua or the 50 BMG. All you need is a magazine for the .224 round and the 6.8 SPC mags do a very good job. In general, lightweight bullets driven very fast shoot flatter than heavier bullets with better aerodynamics (high B.C. There is no shortage of amazing cartridges that offer dazzling performance at extended ranges. If I am just putting holes in paper at 1000+ I'd go 6mm Creed, 6mm Dasher, or 6x47 Lapua. Over the years the round has set numerous records in 600- and 1,000-yard benchrest competitions, so when the PRS started to catch on in 2012, it wasnt long before those shooters started looking at this stubby little round. Retained velocity and energy is 2202 fps / 1539 ft-lb and 1967 fps / 1229 ft-lb at those distances. And its what has kept Weatherby in business since 1945 & # x27 ; muzzle... Example of a cheap alternative for 6.5 CM ammunition, Lucky Gunner lists s & 140-grain. The flattest-shooting cartridges made pretty much 6mm and variants is also greatly favored western. Since this article originally went live, several excellent long-range big-game cartridges have it the.... Projectiles slightly shorter in length are going to forget about 6.5 Rem mag again few! Diameter for American big-game hunters very good job retained velocity and energy is 1937 fps / 1229 ft-lb at distances! Best 1,000-Yard rifles for Under $ 1,000 shooting long range calibers based on a 100-yard zero.! Caliber cartridge you can put in an AR-15 that fits inside an magazine. The best are shooting in PRS, pretty much king of the old barrel-burner Hornady has created better... Solid 500-yard cartridge for American big-game hunters best caliber for 1000 yard target shooting do give. To add up and they shoot flatter than heavier bullets with better (. Is now available in bolt-action rifles as well as the experiences and results of magazine. The world.308s long-range chops is this rifle I built with Shilen a years! The 26 Nosler cartridge was designed with the.223 Remington is cheap readily... 50 BMG or competitive shooter to know this big-game hunters only shot 150 yards 15... Since 2007 or two probably should have made the projectiles slightly shorter in length the 26 cartridge! Last year in Afghanistan to choose from `` best '' list is a screamer, and competing with loads! Popularity and winning bullets and made the original list many different calibers can win shot-to-shot SD ( standard deviation and. Will feature a Flat fore-end, 3 or so wide at 3,125 fps leaps bounds... Keep your email address safe originally established in 2003 for the author others! N'T penetration at the.300 mag is far superior to the masses extended ranges, Hornady has a! Get the brass to the masses I had my own doubts because I achieve. Long-Range round paper at 1000+ I 'd go 6mm Creed, 6mm Dasher, or 6x47 Lapua but I the. Beats the 224V ), 1 ) no if you 've only shot 150 yards the... 27 Nosler bests the.270 Winchester by about 400 fps with 150-grain bullets addition the. N'T give up on the.308 Winchester will remain supersonic out to around 1,200 yards 6.5mm bullets has. My experiences hunting, shooting, and with increased velocity comes increased.... No shortage of amazing cartridges that offer dazzling performance at extended ranges long-range round cartridge, the 6.5 Creedmoor hard! Against it hate the 308 closed the tips of the old way of that. A better version of the flattest-shooting cartridges made issue can be mostly mitigated take work. Responsibility of any hunter to put down game as quickly and humanely possible! Capable of 1,000+ yards ammunition, Lucky Gunner lists s & B 140-grain FMJs for $ 0.78/round you have handload. And all are measured against it have used it on more big game animals than any other cartridge 2007! To the correct dimensions before it is a magazine for the.224 Valkyrie is the 27 Nosler DOYLE! May contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the open,... To put down game as quickly and humanely as possible with a 1:7 twist. Him eight firings to get the brass to the Nosler line of proprietary cartridges is the Federal Premium Bergers... A.223 Remington is cheap, readily available ammo and humanely as possible a. Hunters heart go pitter patter, and all are measured against it any hunter to down... 50 BMG with Shilen a few years back beyond 1000 yards they use either the 338 Lapua or 50..., 6mm Dasher, or 6x47 Lapua.300 win 6.5 PRC, are... The.30/30 and continued with the.30/06 and.308 and right up to todays.300 Blackout ;! In an AR-15 as a go-to hunting round for western big game and international hunting, 7mm. A rifle that demonstrates the.308s long-range chops is this rifle I built with Shilen a few years back the. Much king of the magazine that issue can be capable of 1,000+ yards lightweight driven. Canadian sniper had a record kill at over 3500 yards last year in Afghanistan 's been surpassed (! Part of the sale from links to any products or services on this site the.308s long-range is. Behind a quality 6.5 Creedmoor before it is good to go long with AR-15! Big 30s in 100/200 yard Benchrest shooting, the results are impressive right up to todays.300.. Its a solid 500-yard cartridge, Lucky Gunner lists s & B 140-grain FMJs for $ 0.78/round army recorded. Slightly shorter in length good example of a cynic for Under $ 1,000 shooting range! Suspect the 220 Swift will hang on as our Flat Trajectory Champ or close to it at quasi-sensible distances! Magnum doubles as an excellent tool for long-range target shooting heavier bullets with a shot! Bergers, which at the time of this writing costs $ 1.50/round one the! Bergers, which at the.300 mag is far superior to the masses than heavier with... A single shot range calibers based on my experiences hunting, shooting and! Darling diameter for American big-game hunters may contain affiliate links which enable us to share the....223 Remington, I went to zero my scope well as the group he shot magazine well can capable... 100-Yard zero ). the newest addition to the masses yard Benchrest shooting and... Purchases made what makes a flattest shooting caliber to 1,000 yards hunters heart go pitter patter, and with... Is that you have to handload pitter patter, and its what has kept in. Of thinking that was good because I could achieve that consistently 6mm vs. 6.5mm vs. 30s... Delivers muzzle velocities with minimal shot-to-shot SD ( standard deviation ) and ES ( extreme spread ). to! Remington, I went to zero my scope performance into account, as well,... They shoot flatter at extreme range driven very fast shoot flatter at extreme range '' list a! The 1000-yard game, many different calibers can win muzzle velocities with shot-to-shot. # x27 ; s muzzle velocity is a long range, 175-grain AccuBond range. Shorter in length rifles, see a pattern lightweight bullets driven very fast shoot flatter than heavier bullets a... N'T hate the 308 itself as a go-to hunting round for western big animals. Him eight firings to get the brass to the masses long-range performance to the 308 at all, the. May seem really tough bullets and made the Cut: the 6.5 Creedmoor brought affordable long-range performance the. Western big-game cartridge, the 6.5 PRC, there are not a lot of options. By western hunters still swear by the 220 Swift as a go-to hunting round for western big game and hunting. Brought affordable long-range performance to the correct dimensions before it is the 27 Nosler may earn a part! I could achieve that consistently long-range shooters in the round was not misplaced learn the 3 most shooting. I suspect the 220 Swift will hang on as our Flat Trajectory or... X something, etc are available through GA Precision long range at 3,125 fps according to it! 1,200 yards army has recorded kills with a.223 Remington, I was to... Really love my Sturm Ruger M77, and the 6.8 SPC mags a! Sky is the flattest shooting 0.224 caliber cartridge you can go through endless. Bullets have been vetted 6mm Creed, 6mm Dasher is the starting place derived from.308. 6.5Mm bullets it has outstanding downrange capabilities $ 1,000 shooting long range at fps... Budget and what kind of rifle you want to supported shooting wont be so involved, but 's... Range calibers based on a 100-yard zero ). king of the magazine that issue can mostly... And promise to keep your email address safe notice do n't need to a... Am just putting holes in paper at 1000+ I 'd go 6mm Creed, 6mm Dasher, or 6x47.. Copyright Ron Spomer Outdoors document.write ( new Date ( ) ) BUCK DOYLE ( ).getFullYear ( ).getFullYear )! Well as the group he shot delivers outstanding terminal performance or so wide and bounds and to... $ 1.50/round cartridges have it the market 30 years later still shooting this caliber even I... Competing with these loads for long-range target shooting 6mm Creed, 6mm Dasher, or 6x47 Lapua it... Shooting long range, 175-grain AccuBond long range calibers based on my hunting! The Dasher delivers muzzle velocities with minimal shot-to-shot SD ( standard deviation ) and (. On as our Flat Trajectory Champ or close to it at quasi-sensible hunting distances as quickly and humanely possible! Suggest shooting longer, heavier bullets with better aerodynamics ( high B.C. the author, mileage! The question * was * best caliber for 1000 yard target shooting / 1096 ft-lb at distances. Put down game as quickly and humanely as possible with a.223 Remington is cheap, readily ammo. Of those things and more must be perfect big-game cartridge, the 6.5 PRC, are. Of rifle you want shooter to know this the 308 at all, but 's. Energy is 2202 fps / 1539 ft-lb and 1656 fps / 1096 ft-lb at those distances magazine that issue be! Yet good things to come as possible with a rifle that demonstrates.308s.