The .17 Winchester Super Magnum 20-gr. He just never made it official. This cartridge existed in a cloak of obscurity for a long time; only recently have hunters began to see the potential it offers. 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. Best Ive been able to do is run ballistic charts on many combinations, knowing that muzzle velocity is of major importance and bullet B.C. The drops are listed in feet for the really long range shots, so theyre pretty close to your numbers. Besides recoil, the downside is the limited availability of factory ammunition and rifles. A relatively large case capacity enabled the 6.5 Creedmoor to use very long, high BC bullets, without projectiles base intrusion into powder capacity. However, the lead that the 25-06 has is pretty small. The 22 Nosler (the 224V's big bother) will get you ostracized A 20 inch barrel, handloads, and 60/62 grain bullets in the correct twist will also do the job. Trust but verify. This is the allure and benefit of a flat shooting bullet. Every farm kid had a .22 LR (or wanted one). And here they are: Flattest at 300 yards 240 Wby. . Its also based on the 220 Russian/7.62x39mm Russian cartridge, but unlike the Valkyriewhich uses a 0.223-caliber bulletthe Grendel is yet another 6.5. When the .300 Norma Mag launches a 220 grains bullet at 3,200 fps, it will generate a whopping 4,400 ft/lbs of energy. Somehow stumbled onto this article. 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. A highly accurate, easy to shoot rifle with a flat trajectory will make for confident hunting. For bigger game, I could easily hunt with either the 240 or 6.5-300 Weatherbys. The amount of drop is directly influenced by velocity, energy, rifle barrel, and bullet design. | My take away on all this number crunching? Ive seen the cartridge flatten whitetails and caribou, and tight tolerances make it capable of excellent accuracy. throwing a 55-gr. Most common calibers are just fine for regular range shots under 300 yards. With the highest BC bullets, the 26 Nosler remains supersonic beyond 1,750 yards. All in all, here are six bonus cartridge, all highly capable of reaching way out there. The result is that the 6.5 PRC drives those same bullets about 250 feet-per-second faster than the Creedmoor, and that equates to more energy and a flatter trajectory. At 500 yards, the 27 Nosler drops almost a foot less than Jack OConnors sacred cartridge. in this thread in this sub-forum in the entire site. No exotics just yet, theyll come later. It was also a resounding success and has remained popular with hunters looking to stretch their effective range. Yeah, 6.5s are all the rage, and their blinding popularity has taken some shine off the old .270, but the latter is still one of the very best long-range hunting cartridges. So lets roll with this! Thats true, but the bullets have been vetted. Though loaded in standard 6.8 SPC magazines, the .224 Valkyrie will require installing a new bolt and barrel to fit into your AR-15. So you got started in long range precision shooting and you're looking for the best precision rifle calibers with outstanding performance and accuracy. The 220 Swift would be my pick for coyotes, rodents, and probably pronghorn if it werent for the wind deflection issue. However, it was somewhat a bad timing, since the frenzy for long-range shooting and everything in 6.5mm exploded a couple of years later. Plus, this round is very accurate. I also want to give credit to a couple of long-range AR cartridges that deserve honorable mention. Considered by many to be the optimum long-range, large-game cartridge, the .300 Winchester Magnum has proven itself worldwide. The 26 Nosler (no decimal point) cartridge was launched at the 2014 SHOT Show as a part of the Noslers new platform rifle, the Patriot. I ran some drop numbers on some of the flattest shooting calibers in the world and how much drop they have at 1500 yards will amaze you. etc. unfair comparison, Hornady makes a 139 grain BTSP for the 7mm mag very flat shooter, Great info, thanks for your difficult work. Hornadys PRCs 212gr hunting bullet is listed at 2,860fps and 225gr match bullet is rated at 2,810 fps keeping it supersonic to almost 2,000 yards. Appropriate hunting bullets may not reach these levels of B.C. Thats comparing apples to apples with the others up above, using a 6 vitals zone. Brownings 175-grain Sierra Tipped GameKing load has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2835 fps and a very high ballistic coefficient. My grandkids have a poem for this photo: Cartridge cartridge on the table, choose the flattest if youre able. Kimber's Hunter Pro Desolve Blak takes the firm's more affordable mountain rifle to new heights. 535-yard plates in the shadows are no challenge for the 22 CM. To make the .224 Valkyrie compatible with the AR-15 platform, Federal based it on the 6.8 SPC case, which is necked down to accept .224-caliber bullet. Firing the 129gr bullet with a Ballistic Coefficient of 0.530 at 3,400 fps velocity, the 26 Nosler is designed to be one of the fastest, flattest-shooting mid-calibers on the market. .300 Win. BadAssOptic.com is a participant in the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates, AvantLink, Impact Radius & ShareASale Affiliate Programs, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees. Just $1 per month , These rounds have the reach and the power to put down big-game animals way out there, By A powerful cartridge that shoots fast, flat and far, the .300 Win Mag is a powerful long-range caliber. Though frequently compared to the .308 Win., the 6.5 Creedmoor is ballistically superior to the legendary "three-oh-eight" largely because of the 6.5mm aerodynamic bullets with an excellent sectional density and ballistic coefficient. The 6.5 140gr bullets really retain their velocity. Mag. A firing of lightly constructed 75-grain bullets allows relatively high muzzle velocities exceeding 3,700 fps, with less felt recoil than a .30-06 in a similar weight rifle. bullet boasts a blistering 3,000-fps muzzle velocity making it a laser beam compared to 2,400fps from its slightly older .17 HMR counterpart. At 500 yards the 165-grain load carries 1,856 foot-pounds of energy, more than Winchester .300 WSM or .300 Win. The Remington's belted, bottleneck 7mm magnum cartridge is known as "one of the great all-around rifle rounds" due to the vast selection of genuinely outstanding bullets, in weights from 100 to 180+ grains. 270 and 30-06 carry enough power out to 700 yards, 7mm pulls a bit further, and 300 win mag pulls a bit further still. The article has really peaked my interest. Todays top seven long-range cartridges get the job done on big game and targets at great distances. But lets take a quick look at a historically popular flat-shooting cartridge, the .270 Winchester. RELATED: How the Brand-New 27 Nosler Revives the .277. It may be a bit rough on barrels, but this cartridge shoots so flat you probably wont care. bullet. 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. Is flatest of all youve listed. The .300 PRC is based on the .375 Ruger, and the neck design allows for the use of these heavy bullets. Mag. Accuracy, knowledge of your rifle and its drops at different ranges, and knowledge of the conditions will dictate your very long range shots. The .17 WSM delivers the accuracy and flat trajectory necessary for reliably varmint hunting at ranges beyond 200 yards with very low recoil and minimal noise. Do we compare the fastest factory loads or top end handloads from select handloading manuals? While Remington's Seven-Mag is not necessarily a go-to cartridge for target match shooters, it has excellent ballistics and shoots flat like the 6.5 Creedmoor. By the way, while the 6.5-300 has been on the market just five years, Roy was shooting it in the mid-20th century. That's nearly 10% more compared to the .338 Lapua. Ballistically, the cartridge is very similar to the 6.5 PRC, but unlike the PRC it uses a standard 0.473 rim diameter like the .308 Winchester. We look at the cartridg. Learn More: Top Ballistic in-Flight Behaviors [With Pictures]. Even an average shooter can reliably hit a target from hundreds of yards away using this caliber, and the flat-shooting ability of the cartridge makes it a fan-favorite amongst hunters of varying experience levels. 25-06. Run those numbers on JBM. For starters, its another cartridge thats built for high-BC bullets. Thanks While few authors claimed that the .300 Norma Mag is capable of 20-round groups as small as four inches at 1,100 yards, some ballistics testing showed that the .300NM equaled the .338 Lapua Magnum out to 2,000 yards. Was intended to be "the most powerful" among the rounds whose overall length allows the use of a standard (.30-06) length action. always means more wind deflection. Depending on the caliber you are using, a long-range shooting may be at 1,000 and more yards, but if you are committed to rimfires than 200-300 yards is very long-distance shooting. modifies results at some point. So dont assume that youll be shooting the worlds flattest rifle cartridge and bullet until youve verified your MV and bullet B.C. This newer Weatherby 6.5 combines plenty of gas with manageable recoil. Mag. Besides hunting and military use, .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge is mostly used for long-range cross-country disciplines and 1,000-yard slow fire matches. As for the wind drift, at 200 yards, the .17 WSM has almost reduced in half wind drift compared to the popular .17HMR. It was introduced by Remington in 1962 to the commercial market in an age of "magnum-mania,". The Creedmoors detractors will say that it wont do anything that existing cartridges wouldnt do as well or better, but thats not exactly true. J. Scott Rupp takes a first look at the Springfield M1A Loaded rifle chambered in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. Moreover, a manufacturer advertises at 400 yards their 6.5mm projectiles maintain the same velocity as the .260 Remington generates at the muzzle. As we all know, the long-range accuracy is a combination of the rifle, the ammunition, and the shooter. How about our drops on the cartridges that made it? Often theyre inflated. Its no accident this round became so popular. Another one or two probably should have made the original list. The bullet has a BC of .648, and when sighted in 1.2-inches high at 100 yards its dead-on at 200 yards and strikes just 5.6 inches low at 300 yards. The 300 PRC will cruise above the speed of sound out to 1,650 yards. There are several Nosler cartridges now ranging from .22 to .33 caliber, but the .28 has been a standout in terms of popularity. 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. But as with the 6.5 PRC, there are not a lot of factory-ammo options to choose from. Im going to bookmark your website and keep checking for new details about once a week. The .277 bullet earns a lower B.C. Also, youll find more ammo options for the .308 Winchester than any of the others. When considering cartridges for their ability to shoot flat, overcoming drag is critical. A 100-grain .243 bullet with a G1 ballistic coefficient around .400 at a muzzle velocity of 2,960 carries just over 800 foot-pounds of energy at 500 yards. If it makes you feel better to hate the 6.5 Creedmoor, go ahead. However, the heavy bullets with high BC available today are Hornady 208-grain ELD-Match, offering the ballistic coefficient of incredible .670. .223 Remington/5.56 NATO - Old Faithful. For example, at 1,000 yards, the 6.5 CM 140-grain ELD bullet with ballistic coefficient 0.646 has 4 feet less drop when you compare it to the .308 Winchester a .308 Win 168-grain ELD bullet with 0.523 BC. Be aware that many of these bullets could have been target bullets. However, some people believe that the flattest shooting rifle caliber is the .308 Winchester. For example, using a 168-grain VLD bullet with BC of 0.640 and launching it at 3,050 fps, the 7RM will retain more velocity at 1,000 yards than the 165-grain 300 RUM with BC of 0.410. Thank you for the time it took to work all this data up in an easy to absorb article, where are you getting your information for the bullet drop? 1. Although its going to be easier to estimate drop for a 700 yard shot with a 30-378, compared to a 30-06, you still need to range your animal within +/-25 yards using the 30-378 to hit vitals. The wise longer range shooter errs on the side of a higher B.C. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Heres a look at the top seven long-range cartridges to arrive since 2007. Kind of underwhelming, right? Love it or hate it, the 6.5 Creedmoor was a game-changer. The best long-range rounds are flat shooting, feature long, aerodynamic bullets and have enough power to go the distance. Jim Harmer is a host of the Backfire Youtube channel. The Nosler's family of new generation rounds includes 26 Nosler, 27 Nosler, 28 Nosler, 30 Nosler, and 33 Nosler. 6.5mm and 7mm projectiles offer very high ballistic coefficients, meaning they offer excellent ability to overcome drag and wind deflection over longer distances. If there was ever a cult cartridge, the .280 Ackley Improved is it. As an excellent 1,000-yard cartridge with low wind drift and super-flat/straight trajectory, the two-sixty flies faster over longer distances. Barrel Break-In: What It Is. A 25 yard miscalculation at that distance will vary your hit by half a foot and outside our 6 imaginary circle of vitals. Obviously this list doesnt include every possible bullet/BC/MV combination, but it gives us a pretty good picture of the likely winners at three distances. Though it's primarily a hunting round, the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum will also work for shooting long-range targets. I have not identified bullet make and type because that doesnt change impact drop. Bullet selection means alot. The .308 Winchester is a very popular caliber and is . You can argue that you can get the 243 WSSM shooting flatter, but that cartridge is already considered obsolete. 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 original chambering for the AR-15, it's a near twin to the 5.56 NATO. The 338-378 Weatherby Magnum started as the wildcat cartridge using the .378 Weatherby Magnum as a parent case by necking it down to .338 inches. Below is a chart indicating the three best flat-shooting cartridges and their muzzle velocity, drop, energy levels, and felt recoil. Its just human nature to celebrate and admire the biggest, bestest, and flattest. Copyright Ron Spomer Outdoors document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) At 600 yards, most common cartridges are running out of juice to take down larger game like Elk or Moose, though the 300 win mag/300 WSM still have a bit left in the tank. The final two cartridges above are mislabeled. Deciding on the three best flat-shooting cartridges does not come down simply to one statistic, but a combination of all the factors inherent to a cartridge. At the time, "Gunsmoke," "Bonanza," "The Rifleman," and dozens of Western films were celebrating horses, lever-actions, and revolvers. Yeah, yeah, I know theyre cartridges and not calibers, but lots of people call them calibers so I thought Id roll with it. throwing a 55-gr. So, if you want to go long, there are some clear choices here. Shot from SAAMI-mandated 1-8 twist barrels, the 6.5s long, slender bullets seem to almost defy wind and gravity and allow this cartridge to deliver clean kills at distance. The 257 Weatherby Mag. Does it matter if there are -30 of drop or -40 of drop if the answer is simply to spin the turret a few extra clicks? Using this very-low-drag (VLD) .308 diameter bullets, the .300 PRC represents the ultimate .300 round for long-range competition. If you use a very good long range 6mm bullet like the 115 DTAC with a BC of .585 and a velocity of 2950fps, which is easy to get, it wipes the floor with the .308 with a 175 at 2700fps. These numbers indicate that one of the flattest shooting commercial cartridge at sensible hunting ranges is the 220 Swift. So what if we shoot further than 300? The .270 Winchester created the .277-inch cartridge market, and its been a popular choice among hunters since 1925. When youre shooting a .260 Rem loaded with the ultra-streamlined VLD (Very Low Drag) bullets weighing from a 105- to 110-grain, you can quickly gain velocities around 3,000 to 3,100 fps. The PRC will fit in short-action rifles and has become popular with mountain hunters, and there are those who swear by its merits as an elk and moose cartridge, too. If youre after deeper penetration, look at the 139-grain Barnes VOR-TX Long Range load. There are EXCEPTIONS to almost EVERYTHING with the huge wide range of ballistic specs due to EXCEPTIONAL things people/companies do with cartridge loads these days, but the article was referencing the NORMS for these rifles, not the EXCEPTIONS based on unusual or exotic cartridges a FEW people will use. By the time the 6.5 Creedmoor started gaining popularity, interest in the .270 WSM was fading. The .224 Valkyrie is the flattest shooting 0.224 caliber cartridge you can put in an AR-15. Now, you might think this cartridge is new and unproven. No, this is merely a fun exercise in ferreting out the cartridge/bullet combination that shoots the flattest at reasonable hunting distance with a bit of extreme range (1,000 yards) thrown in for spice. Should you range and animal and accidentally strike and object just ahead of or behind the target with your laser rangefinder, the Noslers laser-flat trajectory means there wont be as much variation in elevation as youll get with a slower bullet. The main reasons are very flat trajectory coupled with a supersonic speed out beyond 1,650 yards. All the following data was computer generated as if all loads were fired from a (simulated) dead flat (level) barrel, so these are pure drops. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Notice that it is only 3 grains lighter than the 150-grain .264 atop that Weatherby. The 6.5 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge) is another Hornady creation, and like the Creedmoor it is loaded with 103-grain ELD-X bullets and 108-grain ELD Match bullets. It also clings to energy. The Berger VLD Target Rifle Bullet is one of the flattest shooting Rifle Bullets on the market today. Nor could most of us scrape up a good excuse for owning one. With the 6.5 PRC, Hornady has created a better version of the old barrel-burner. Depending on the caliber you are using, a long-range shooting may be at 1,000 and more yards, but if you are committed to rimfires than 200-300 yards is very long-distance shooting. The non-bonded bullet should deliver good terminal performance up close and at distance. He is a well-known entrepreneur, having started many successful online brands, and lives in St George, Utah. Not a lot of difference in drops between the cartridges though; you need accurate yardage readings to get your drop correct. bullet to offset wind deflection. I had to calculate this one out, as Weatherbys ballistics charts dont go past 500 yards. Not only are new loads being offered, new ARs and even bolt action rifles for the Grendel are being introduced. There is a lot more to it than inital velocity. Our margin for distancing error at 700 yards just went from 12 yards with the 30-06 to 25 yards with the 30-378. at the same distance. A good ballistic coefficient depends on many variables such as bullet type and shape, weight, or muzzle velocity. At greater distances the variation in wind drift is even more pronounced. EuroOptic has the best prices and ultra-fast shipping! 264 Winmag The reason why 6.5mm cartridges are exploding in popularity is because they are ultra-efficient. wins again with just 218.5 inches of drop, the 27 Nosler moves into second place with its 150-grain bullet falling only 225.8 inches. The .224 Valkyrie (5.641 mm) is a modern long-range predator hunting cartridge designed primarily to be used in semiautomatic AR platform firearms. It seems a bit odd to consider a .22-caliber cartridge of any design suitable for long-range hunting of . You can compare these numbers with your favorite cartridge using Backfires own table of flat shooting cartridges and you will see that the numbers indicated are in the absolute upper tiers. It outperforms the .280 Remington (also known as the 7mm-06 and the 7mm Express), and for years wildcatters and handloaders have been singing its praises. If you like the idea of a six-five for going long, but hate the Creed and want something a bit different, the 6.5-284 Norma is the way to go. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. The cartridge headspaces off its 30-degree shoulder, and since Hornady has designed cartridge drawing with tight tolerances accuracy is extremely good. numbers which are not quite as accurate as G7 numbers in predicting trajectories of todays wildly long, sleek bullets. The least expensive 17 HMR ammo will . Mag. 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. Utilizing the heavier, slender and more aerodynamic bullets than the .223 Rem, the Valkyrie best performs outside 500 yards. I have found that when talking about these large caliber hunting rounds, there is not a tremendous difference in bullet drop. For example , the chart I used showed about 67-70 drop for .270 at 600 yd.. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Just dont try to enumerate its downsides to anyone who knows anything, because there arent any that matter. 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. I have neither the scientific knowledge nor mathematical skills to figure out the perfect blend of factors that produces the flattest trajectory winner. A 30-06 will take any game on the NA Continent. Comparing the two of the same caliber but different shapes projectiles, one heavier and a long-for-caliber bullet with a boat tail at the end will have a better ballistic coefficient. With those thoughts in mind, it is easy to see why the 26 Nosler, 28 Nosler and the 6.5300 Weatherby Magnums are the best flat-shooting cartridges offered to rifle shooters today. Dear Adriel, please be so kind to provide statistics on the following calibers as well: That makes it an ideal choice for those who want to hunt large game like elk at extended ranges, but it also makes this a more forgiving cartridge than slower rounds. 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. These different models rate the aerodynamic qualities of a bullet from which the drag and BC can be measured. HOLOSUN HS510C 2 MOA Dot Or A 65 MOA Ring Open Sig Sauer SOR52001 Romeo5 1x20mm Compact 2 Moa Red HOLOSUN HS507C X2 Circle Dot Solar Failsafe. Mag. 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. In brief, the ballistic coefficient is a mathematical representation of how streamlined a bullet is, i.e., projectile's ability to resist air drag. 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. Want to run your own ballistics numbers? It seems a bit odd to consider a .22-caliber cartridge of any design suitable for long-range hunting of even smallish big game. plays a major roll in trajectory, but is second in significance to muzzle velocity. Nosler is loading the 27 with their famous AccuBond, which is one of the best big-game bullets ever crafted.
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