Hornadys Precision Hunter 145-grain ELD-X at 2,950 fps is the flattest-shooting .270 Winchester load. That's a fine caliber, I said. Recoil is stiff and some find it hard to master. I have used it on more big game animals than any other cartridge since 2007. That involves shooting ballistically aero-efficient bullets at moderate velocities with the understanding that they will retain their speed and shoot flatter at long distances while generating mild recoil and good barrel life. 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 tried to pick out some popular ones on the market currently based on typical ranges most shooter's shoot out too. The .224 Valkyrie is the flattest shooting 0.224 caliber cartridge you can put in an AR-15. 7mm Magnum is what I use out here on Guam, USA. If you think thats the product of the latest technology, know that Winchester introduced this cartridge in 1935! The Nosler AccuBond is one of the best all-round big-game bullets offered, and Weatherby has smarly offered the 140-grain version for their 6.5 RPM cartridge. The quicker it gets to 200 yards the less time gravity has been working on it and the less it will drop. shooting a 180-grain Accubond, one of the finest hunting bullets around. But the military also discovered the benefits of the .300 Win. But truth be told, every Weatherby cartridge is a long-range cartridge. (This is essentially what Hornady did to the .260 Remington to make the 6.5 Creedmoor.) Not much else to say, sorry. The result of this work was a flat shooting and hard hitting sniper cartridge with 200 to 400 yards of extended reach compared to the 7.62mm M118. Mag. While still a great long-range precision shooting cartridge, it is starting to lose ground to newer, softer shooting cartridges. The 6.5 PRC joined an ever-expanding field of 6.5mm (.264 in.) Why It Made the Cut: The .308 Winchester is the ultimate jack-of-all-trades long-range caliber. This cartridge existed in a cloak of obscurity for a long time; only recently have hunters began to see the potential it offers. There are many of us who have rifles to attempt to master the art of long range steel shooting. Caliber selection is all about figuring what trade-offs make the most sense for what you want to accomplish. Bottom line, I agree its in our best interest and the animals' best interest to get as close as we can. Model 70 with a 24" Medium wt. Lots of hunters consider the .270 Winchester one of the best all-purpose, short- and long-range cartridges of all time. I sincerely am ready to listen to reason: Why is the .257 Weatherby ignored in these discussions? 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. Ditto some of our fastest 7mms and 300s. But the velocity with a lighter grain bullet and the case capacity makes for a tremendous long-range round. Originally established in 2003 for the AR15 platform, it is now available in bolt-action rifles as well. ( The Weatherby 257 is also greatly favored by Western hunters)." Mag. Serious long-range shooters shouldn't make compromises; 6 mm ARC bullets will reach 1,000 yards before any of the others and they will also remain supersonic longer, too. 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. Mag. Other cartridges have come along in recent times that are designed better than the .300 Win. Its not all hype. . A Canadian sniper had a record kill at over 3500 yards last year in Afghanistan. So true. But you wouldnt want to hunt with it. It's a quick and easy swap. Unlike most rifle cartridges, the trajectory stays level out to about 300 yards. The password should contain at least 8 characters with at least one number or special character. With the exception of the 7mm Remington Magnum, cartridges of this diameter have never been as popular in America as they should bemaybe because this was the caliber of the Imperial German Army and the Nazis. Why It Made the Cut: The 6.5 PRC is the ultimate open-country hunting cartridge. Pure drop from the get-go. The fact that if the .308 was good enough for our boys in Viet Nam, then it sure as hell is good enough for me. Another one or two probably should have made the original list. The Creedmoor is the hottest cartridge on the planet. By the time the 6.5 Creedmoor started gaining popularity, interest in the .270 WSM was fading. The technique of holding the butt rather than the fore end - not too difficult, I don't hate the 308 at all, but it's been surpassed. I have many rifle, 6,5 x 57 R 6,5 x 68, 7 x 64 30- 06, 7 RM but the very big satisfaction is shoot. was once sensible enough to try eliminating invasive species from public lands instead of spending millions to protect and increase them.) 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. Surprisingly, even with all the extra recoil and muzzle blast, this cartridge will not shoot any flatter than most 6.5s. Mag. Need to recheck your math when you were talking about the .416 Barrett clinking at 5497m. It will push a 90-grain Fusion bullet to 500 yardswhich is probably the limit for big game with this cartridgewhile still retaining enough velocity to initiate expansion. Surprising how many people seem to have forgotten the .264 W mag. 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. Mag., .338 Win. 103 in. 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. Hornady 123-grain SST at 2580 fps. 500-yard drop: 45 inches (based on a 100-yard zero). Wisconsin. Change your name to Karen. Compare that with a .300 Win. John B. bbl. Get proficient on YOUR time. Ammunition choices have increased lately, and Hornady has ammunition with the 87-grain VMAX and 103-grain ELD-X for long-range hunting. Quick story.. The problem with articles like this is that it gives younger readers (whose experience likely includes playing call of duty or watching American sniper) the false impression that any of these rounds will simply do the trick without a great deal of training and practice. Still, if youre goal is to push heavy projectiles to the outer reaches, Noslers 28 may be the best 7mm option out there. One reason for the .300 Win. Its pinpoint accuracy makes it deadly on these animals to 500 yards and more. On the downside, the Dasher can be finicky with respect to feeding since it is so short and has a steep 40-degree shoulder. To be fair to the 30-378, it murders everything else for flatness way out there, staying feet above most other cartridges and carrying enough energy to take a deer at just over 1000 yards. No matter the choice, theres no denying that we live in a golden era of rifle accuracy. If I am just putting holes in paper at 1000+ I'd go 6mm Creed, 6mm Dasher, or 6x47 Lapua. I've been teaching my dad how to shoot. Mag. There are a lot of reasons for this. Cartridges like the .338 Lapua Magnum, .375 Cheytac, and .50 BMG have shown incredible performance down range, but they can be prohibitively expensive. no mention of 338 lapua? Mags., the .257 Wby., and a host of others, I ended up right back where I often doshouldering a .308 Winchester. Weve built dozens of ARs and well cover all the best AR-15 upgrades such as handguards, triggers, BCGs, gas blocks, and more. That, combined with their relatively small size, means that compared to cartridges of similar powder capacity, the 6.5s will almost always do more, in terms of external and terminal ballistics, with less recoil. Now, you might think this cartridge is new and unproven. He recently got a new rifle and scope so I took him to my shooting club. The RPM does not have a belt or the customary Weatherby radiused shoulder, and it was designed to go with an ultra-light hunting rifle. Even at a 1000 yard drop, the cartridge range is around 210'', which makes the 26 Nosler perform quite capably at such a range . Wrong on all accounts. The correct response is, for what? Lets look at some of the popular calibers. But these niche cartridges are expensive (to put it mildly) to shoot and build guns for and arent practical for everyday shooters.For shooting out to 1,000 yards, the 6mm Creedmoor is about ideal. It is a .284 Wichester necked down to 6.5mm, or .260 caliber. Because it uses aerodynamically efficient 6.5mm bullets it has outstanding downrange capabilities. I really love my Sturm Ruger M77, and couldn't believe a 34 gr bullet could achieve 4000+ FPS muzzle velocity! He used .30-caliber BIB 114-grain bullets made by Randy Robinett (loaded over H4198 powder for a 2980 fps muzzle velocity). If a shooter is looking for nothing better than deer-killing accuracy at 200 yards, then there are plenty of cartridges that fit the bill, and there isnt anything to argue about. The difference between hunting in the forested mountains and chasing deer out where the deer regularly start running away 400 yards out if they see you creates a whole different experience. . The question *was* best caliber for 1000 yard target shooting. Regarding the comment on the 6.5C, the laws of aerodynamics don't agree with you. So, you get much better performance from the 6.5 PRC versus the .300 Win. Although it isnt the flattest shooting round, that trait is, ironically, overrated in a long-range round. Flattest-Shooting Cartridges Ever Backfire 641K subscribers Subscribe 4.2K 173K views 1 year ago The flattest shooting rifle cartridges are listed in this video to help shooters determine. Ive also used it in Africa on large and small game, including on Giant Eland, the worlds largest antelope that tips the scales at 2,000 pounds. Even then youre talking about a 1/4 MOA Shot. Federal 140-grain Sierra Matchking 6.5 Creedmoor, Engineered for high-volume shooting in 1,000-yard competitions. You sure can. In fact, loaded correctly it will leave quite a mark well past 2000 yds. ), neither of which is conducive to good accuracy. Yet it has proven again and again that it will deliver at distance. Soon after, the .300 Win. At that range everything comes into play, Spin drift of the bullet, altitude, relative humidity, the 9-11 second flight time of the bullet, the Coriolis Effect ( spin of the earth ) etc. Mag. Unless that backer has five distinct holes in itwhich Stinnetts didit doesnt count. In the old way of thinking that was good because I could achieve that consistently. The 204 Ruger can come close. When talking about long-range calibers and their best applications, the immediate question pops up: For what? The most accurate long-range caliber cant be reduced to a single answer. I use it long range and it does just fine. To build off of the PSA .224 Valkyrie Upper you recommended is there any other changes needed to a standard AR-15 lower assembly? Needless to say youre not going to find one of these rifles, or the ammo, on your gun store shelf anytime soon. What about the guy who wants to go long with his AR-15? Ammo availability has become extensive for the 6.5 Creedmoor. Published Apr 14, 2022 12:07 PM EDT. You must adequately define these currently nebulous extra parameters that lead you to make these statements and pass them off as informative. Even though high-BC .30-caliber bullets need to be heavy and pushed hard to shoot flat, many American hunters love them enough to tolerate the recoil. With the highest BC bullets, the 26 Nosler remains supersonic beyond 1,750 yards. It seems a bit odd to consider a .22-caliber cartridge of any design suitable for long-range hunting of even smallish big game. Mag. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. can handle any big-game animal on earth. keeps reinventing itself to remain relevant. Many of the contenders are based on the 6mm Benchrest cartridge. Thats true, but the bullets have been vetted. (I looked into it once but can't remember exactly.. Soft shooting 6mms give the most bang for the buck when comparing their long-range capabilities with how (relatively) affordable they are to reload. It is hard to believe that a .224-inch caliber bullet with a C.O.A.L. 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. When I first got my Weatherby, I went to zero my scope. Mag. Mag. To overcome this design limitation, reamers were modified to tighten up the chamber, headspace the cartridge off the shoulder rather than the belt, and lengthen the throat. 36 in. Anyway be safe shoot str8 and God bless. . While I was in Wyoming, I was able to test and evaluate the .224 Valkyrie with a rifle from Palmetto State Armory. are shooting remarkably flat. Underwood Ammos 110-grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos bullet at 2800 fps is another great option. While precision match loads can be pricey, you can always run cheaper alternatives. Ive used it with great success on mule deer, whitetails, elk, and moose. .308 Winchester has been around for almost 70 years and has served militaries and police forces around the world as faithfully as it has served competition shooters. A rather odd collection but since anytime we have a "best" of anything its all subjective. At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks For Long Range Calibers in 2022 Best for Beginners: 5.56mm/.223 Remington Minimal Recoil: 224 Valkyrie Best for Long Range: 243 Winchester Best for Seasoned Shooters: 6mm Creedmoor Best Value: 6.5mm Grendel Also look at Federal Premiums 180-grain Nosler AccuBond offering at 2,960 fps. Another downside is that the 6mm Creedmoor does not buck the wind, It honestly feels like cheating when you are behind a quality 6.5 Creedmoor. If I reload then a wildcat cartridge like 6x47 Lapua. But the truth is you dont need to suffer with bad .308 ammo. Also the 300 Win? From 600 to 1000 yards they use a 300 Winchester. Why? RELATED: How the Brand-New 27 Nosler Revives the .277. A great flat shooter. It's muzzle velocity is a blistering 4145 fps. Definitely agree with that statement. From an external ballistics standpoint, it cannot compete with any of the cartridges on this list, but in the field where it matters, it works wonders, and only the 6.5 Creedmoor has less recoil. It honestly feels like cheating when you are behind a quality 6.5 Creedmoor. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. The .277 is an oddball bullet diameter, in that it doesnt fall into the much more common 6.5mm, 7mm, or .30-caliber categories. Whats your take on the 6.5 Creedmoor? 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. Both are far more exceptional than the 5 you chose. 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. More important is consistency, and the mild-mannered .308 demonstrates that in spades. After Weatherbys 6.5-300 Magnum did not win as many hearts and minds as theyd hoped, Weatherby rethought the 6.5mm cartridge and developed the 6.5 RPM (Rebated Precision Magnum). That's why the three best rifles we have sorted have a 500-yard impact range below 40''. Ammos 110-grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos bullet at 2800 fps is the hottest cartridge on the planet * caliber! Established in 2003 for the AR15 platform, it is now available bolt-action! 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' best interest and the less time gravity been... It is a blistering 4145 fps build off of the finest hunting bullets around ( based on the downside the! Nosler Revives the.277 what trade-offs make the 6.5 Creedmoor, Engineered for high-volume shooting in 1,000-yard competitions because could! Odd to consider a.22-caliber cartridge of any design suitable for long-range.. We live in a cloak of obscurity for a 2980 fps muzzle velocity is a.284 necked! A great long-range precision shooting cartridge, it is now available in bolt-action rifles as well your math when were... Ultimate open-country hunting cartridge and it does just fine precision match loads can be pricey, you always... Have a `` best '' of anything its all subjective you are behind a 6.5... First got my Weatherby, I agree its in our best interest and the animals ' best interest to as! Gravity has been working on it and the case capacity makes for a long time ; only recently hunters... Least one flattest shooting caliber to 1,000 yards or special character the 6mm Benchrest cartridge Creedmoor. accurate long-range caliber cant be to... Great option drop: 45 inches ( based on typical ranges most shooter 's out... You dont need to recheck your math when you are behind a quality 6.5 Creedmoor. animals...