My take away on all this number crunching? Bolt gun fans are especially in luck because as of right now, the PRC is very limited in the gas-gun world. Recoil is slightly less than the PRC even though some loads surpass the PRC in velocity unless the PRC is pushed to the point accuracy falls off. With care and discipline, a 6.5 Grendel barrel will outlive a .308. Muzzle Velocity: MVs vary between 2,600 fps and 2,900 fps depending on projectile grain weight. However, the .50BMG bullet will reach the target with 143 less drop than the 6.5 Creedmoor, because it has more mass which leads to a higher BC, and that higher BC given the same velocity, makes it slow down less during flight. Mag. At 1,000 yards, the Creedmoor has 273 inches (22.75') of drop and the Nosler has 167 inches (13.92'). Was sad to not see the .300 H&H Magnum, though I doubt it would measure much different than the .300 Win Mag. It should be possible that a few savvy and disgruntled hunters/reloaders have stocked up in anticipation BEFORE the grab for those start after rifles are released. I was once hunting plains game in Africa when my PH told me, holding a rangefinder, that the wildebeest was 155 yards away. What is your goal? History: The .224 Valkyrie was the child of an experiment by Federal in 2017 to reach into the 1,000-yard competition circuit (which was dominated by the .30 caliber class cartridges) with a small .22 caliber projectile. Projectiles will be available but brass might not be. The ballistics coefficient of the bullet (a formula which considers the mass, diameter, and aerodynamic drag of a bullet to understand its ability to fight wind and continue on its path) greatly impacts time of flight because it keeps the bullet from slowing down due to inefficiency of flight. Ammo Availability: Due to the popularity of the cartridge, 6.5CM ammo can be found almost anywhere. http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator, 338 Lapua with a 300 grain projectile (you can run 250s in the Lapua as well, but most run a 300). The possibilities are endless with the .223. To experiment with load developments to craft the ultimate 6.5 bolt gun cartridge. Personally, I have been running a Savage 110 BA Chasis rifle for the past 5 years with no complaints besides its weight. Without a muzzle brake or suppressor, the .338 Lapua Magnum offers a challenging recoil experience. Its drop at 1,000 yards is 330.30 and at 500 yards its drop is 50.00. off-the-shelf ammo, most of the time you will not have the luxury of thumbing through several different BCs of the same caliber and ammo manufacturer. These cartridges all drop less than 255 at 1,000 yards. The .300 Winchester Magnum was developed in 1963 by Winchester itself. Again for the best LR option, 140gr Hybrid Target MV: 2,780 fps, Using above projectile, G1: 0.607 G7: 0.311. That being said, there are plenty of commercial options, but the price will be much higher than standard cartridges. Topped with a Sierra MatchKing bullet, it's one a handful of 6.5 . Its not the fastest, farthest, or most accurate roundbut it will certainly get the job done with less headache and wallet-ache. 1,500m: 306 ft-lbs. It is also the most popular caliber for the most popular and modular riflethe AR-15. I work at a very large and popular firearms dealer, and I have sold dozens (if not hundreds) if the 6.5, but I havent sold 1, or had anyone even ask about the top 3 in this list. This cartridge calls for a custom case. Thank you for the great content you provide. Take your time, watch some videos, and use the above parameters to make your decision. Just saying, excellent job to tell the nature of all calibers for hunting from 100 to 700 yards for medium game, Your email address will not be published. First, some boundaries. Prairie dogs?). Cross-Platform Use: .300 PRC is strictly a bolt action caliber at the moment. Some products out there exist for use in an AR-10 platform but the PRC is born within the bolt-gun family. The difference in the accuracy of store-bought ammo verse hand-loaded rounds is definitely noticeable. 500m: 2,115 ft-lbs 1,000m: 937 ft-lbs. This site contains affiliate links. With more case volume than a .308 and firing the same grain weight bullet, the .30-06 will have more felt recoil than a .308. MY 45 cal ball travels at 1633fps with a standard charge, and 74-5gr for a full charge (2040fps). Easy and fun to shoot. Modified from a .30.03 cartridge, the .30-06 was developed for military purposes in 1906. originating from a desire to be shooting at 1000 yards. With the 30-06, we can only overcome 12 yards of ranging error at the same range before we miss the 6 of vitals. This was a great article that puts a lot of good info out there that we average shooters would not have otherwise realized. Ammo Availability: Like the .308 Winchester, ammo availability and reloading components are everywhere. The .308 Win used 175s with a higher BC than the .30-06s 168 grain Sierra. LR performance is very impressive. Although I dont see this being an entry-level caliber, it could very well lead to a goal for new shooters. No other caliber on this list can perform more universally across multiple systems than the .308. The 308 is also used by many militaries as a sniping round as the (metric) 7.6251. .243 Winchester is still a viable option for most East Coast White Tails and Mid-West Prairie Dogs. Greatly extended range external and terminal ballistic performance at the cost of barrel life. They are great long-range guns, but not known by the our Armed Forces community. BUCK DOYLE Preferred Caliber For 500 To 1,000 Yards And Beyond: .260 Remington (130-grain Berger AR Hybrid OTM Tactical) 7 . You get excellent Long Range performance, with recoil slightly less than the .308 Winchester. No. Expect to see about 2,500 round barrel life. For hunters, the Grendel offers many different projectiles for different terminal effects. It makes no sense to me (since Im not a bench rest shooter) to pick a caliber that you intend to invest $2500+ in a barreled action if you cannot find the ammo to feed it. wanted to do a piece on how to design a wildcat cartridge. If you are going to shoot at 200, zero at 200. Somehow stumbled onto this article. Yep, no more, I put a brake on it. The 220 Swift would be my pick for coyotes, rodents, and probably pronghorn if it werent for the wind deflection issue. So its not like the flattest shooting rifle gives you a lot more leeway on ranging errors for super long range shots. No issue finding it. Most modern centerfire rounds will only have a MRT of around 1.5" if zeroed at 200, and the difference between the flattest shooing rounds possible and "fairly flat shooting" rounds at < 200 yards will be around an inch, and probably signifcantly less. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. Black Hills Ammunition 175-grain ELD-X SEE IT Remington 150-grain Core-Lokt Tipped Nosler 168-grain Accubond LR Hornady American Whitetail 139-grain SP Interlock Winchester 150-grain Ballistic Silvertip 6.5mm calibers 2. It shoots far and flat, it doesnt kick, and it doesnt break the bank. Outstanding job!! Very bad if shooting light bullets, not that great if shooting the heavier projectiles. I noticed the WSSM family was not on your list I assume because of the higher velocities they would be higher than the standard calibers. Barrel Life: Because of the smaller powder volume and lower MVs, you can expect to see about 3,000 rounds out of your barrel. No other caliber on this list can perform more universally across multiple systems than the .308. And it gets there with a lot less powder the either of the two Weatherbys. Somewhere in-between an AR-15 and AR-10. However, I fully admit that that a flat shooting cartridge is not nearly as important as a cartridge which is resistant to wind deflection. What caliber rifle shoots the farthest? (-200) Weight: 11.2 or 14.3 oz. A BC number can be represented in several different G values or standards. This last factor will doom the cartridge, in and of itself if no one else picks up the torch for brass production (which isnt likely). What advice would you add? A bullet traveling at supersonic speed pushes vapor in the air to create a cone around itself. numbers which are not quite as accurate as G7 numbers in predicting trajectories of todays wildly long, sleek bullets. bullets. Barrel Life: As with other magnum cartridges, the average barrel life is expected at 1,500-2,000 rounds. After seeing such success with its flagship cartridge, Hornady wanted to take the Creedmoor to the next level. Hunters can take advantage of flat shooting rounds to extend maximum point blank range, the distance over which a center-of-target aim results in the bullet remaining within the kill zone, never climbing above it at mid-range and remaining in it until maximum point blank range is reached. This website is not affiliated with the United States Marine Corps, and the information on this website does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Marine Corps as a whole. I appreciate the kind comment. This was and continues to be one of the top 1000 yard rounds out there, period. From what can be expected, the .224 wears a little bit more than the .223, approx. I still just dont understand why it isnt the 26 or 28 Nos. A lot of the newer, ultra-flat cartridges take a good deal of reloading knowledge to successfully harness their ability. What caliber rifle shoots the flattest? But what are the flattest shooting rifle cartridges? The military changed its need for the .30-06 as its primary infantry weapon cartridge. Its an excellent choice for shooting groundhogs out to 500 yards. Table 1: Flattest Shooting Loads By Caliber (ranked by least hold-over at 300 yards) Zero = 250 Yards; Cross Wind Speed = 10 MPH; Caliber Flattest Shooting Load BC; . bullets at faster speeds allows the projectile to get to the target sooner, minimizing the amount of time all three forces have to affect the bullets trajectory. Comfortable price point. Other than that, the projectiles will always be available. Since the beginning, the 6.5 has taken off as one of the best LR cartridges to date. Save your money and invest in training and supplemental gear. And while that pokey 300 grain 338 Lapua round drops quite a bit compared to the others in the list, its carrying a lot of energy: enough to take a deer at 1775 yards. This is with a 58gr charge of Hodgen 4831 powder. Created in 2007 by a ballistics team from Hornady, the 6.5 Creedmoor was designed as an improved Long Range target cartridge, based on the .308 Winchester .30 TC (Thompson Center). Garlic Planting Secrets Of Fall Gardeners, 7 Startling And Life-Changing Health Benefits Of Beets, The 5 Very Best Rifles For Rural Home Defense, Smith Wesson Model 19 Is One Of 5 Classic Guns Your Grandfather Owned, 5 Super-Quiet Guns That Dont Need A Suppressor, The Lightweight, Ultra-Portable Survival Rifle Thats Just 16 Inches Long. 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. For most amateurs, it is not feasible to swap barrels every 1,500-2,000 rounds. What is your goal? That same rifle can shoot my hand-loaded 175 grain Sierra Match Kings at 0.4-0.5 MOA at 100m. You still need excellent range finding equipment and preferably have tested drops in your rifle in case your bullets have exaggerated BC claims. Prior, only dedicated .338 Lapua Magnum receivers could handle the round. At a 100 yard zero sight in the 500 yard drop is 37. Rule of thumb: 30-50 fps for every inch of the barrel either gained or lost. Not very economically practical for the entry-level guys, but for those taking rifles down-range itll give you confidence if you get issued a rifle chambered in this cartridge. But lets take a quick look at a historically popular flat-shooting cartridge, the .270 Winchester. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'backfire_tv-box-4','ezslot_7',175,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-backfire_tv-box-4-0'); Spinning high B.C. History: Created in 2007 by a ballistics team from Hornady, the 6.5 Creedmoor was designed as an improved Long Range target cartridge, based on the .308 Winchester .30 TC (Thompson Center). The cartridge's belt--used to ensure proper . In essence, the 6.5284 Norma equals the performance of the .270 Winchester with projectiles having much higher BC and consuming slightly less powder. Even many hand gun calibers put in a carbine are not seeing that much drop at 100 yards. As it passes through Transonic Range, the vapor cone dissipates, leaving the bullet exposed to turbulent, dirty air. Recoil Condition: With a muzzle brake and/or suppressor, the .300WM can feel similar to a .308 Winchester. Real-world shooting of this round is even more impressive. [Answered]. This cartridge is the .270 GIBBS and is based on the 30.06 case with the shoulder moved forward and at a 35 degree angle. Shockingly, the average price per round is $4.75. Mag., according to Noslers Handloading Guide 9. He wanted an even lighter-recoiling cartridge with the same performance, so the 6mm Creedmoor was born. The rifle is my primary backcountry gun for deer, elk, bear and whatever else I think I may need to hunt. Those of you who reload can stretch the Valkyrie by playing with different powders, bullet seating depths, and projectile types. Ultimately, we cannot deny that this round was replaced by better options. Long Range Calibers Ballistics Comparison Chart, How to Unregister a Gun in your Name? I find it so interesting to see how this compares to the Lapua Magnum. Flattest at 1,000 yards Here's where things start to change. Kind regards. MVs range from 2,500 fps (130gr projectile) to 2,880 fps (90gr projectile). I would expect to see 6,000-8,000+. The sheer muzzle energy from these bigger calibers is beyond impressive. Just want to extend my sincere gratitude to you for all of the hard work, time, and incredible effort that you put into this, and so many other endeavors that you have undertaken to give us so much useful information and education, and doing so in a carefully detailed and professional manner! Very modular across nearly any rifle system. Its just human nature to celebrate and admire the biggest, bestest, and flattest. History: The .300 Norma Magnum comes to us from the .338 Norma Magnum, necked down to accept a .30 cal projectile. 6.5CM cases will fit an AR-10 magazine. Almost every rifle made has a flat trajectory at 100 yards. Programs like Applied Ballistics (by far the best) can easily chart out in a spreadsheet-like format, all sorts of information important to long-range shooters. These lists are awesome to go over. .284 Swift Scirocco 150 grains 3115 fps. Barrel Life: Because projectile options can range anywhere from 120gr to 230gr, projectile weights and MVs vary greatly. However, I have a question to ask you. Initial Thoughts: Just like any new and exciting caliber that is designed specifically for the LR community, I know the performance will be top-notch. With a muzzle brake and/or suppressor, the recoil is definitely manageable. One thing that makes the .308 Winchester one of the best Long Range cartridges ever, is that in a pinch, you can find ammo for it ANYWHERE. Love it Jim ! All in all, the .308 is certainly manageable by shooters of most ages. If not, this is one less thing you have to worry about. Recoil Condition: Very similar to the .243 Winchester. p.s. History: While the 6.5mm (0.264) projectile was incredibly popular in Europe, the US in the late 90s was still stuck on the .30 caliber range. History: One of the newer cartridges on the list, the .300 PRC comes to us from Hornady in 2018. Drift: 56 inches. However, for less bullet size, you can get a much better performing Long Range caliberand for a lot less money too. Much less than a .308, the 6.5 Lapua is pushing a much lighter bullet than the .308 at similar speeds. Thats what happened with Norma. This caliber is one of the most popular and widely used centerfire cartridges in the world. If we get another iteration of this article in the years to come, we may have the opportunity to see. 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. Which long-range rifle do you prefer? The biggest issue for calibers this new and this niche, is Hornadys ability to keep up with the demand. Muzzle: 4,677 ft-lbs. I too share your endorsement of Ron, his videos are a treat each week. The .300 PRC delivers phenomenal Long Range performance. As for targeting game at extreme distances, yes, I realize there are thousands of dedicated, well-trained long range shooters who are as good at 1,000 yards as many of us are at 500 yards and some of us at 200 yards. Yes, itis true that long-range shots can be made with typical rifle calibers such as 308 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield and 7.62 X 54R, but these calibers were not designed with extreme ranges in mind. Now by swapping a barrel, Long Action set-ups like the .300 Norma or Winchester magnums could not manage the overall cartridge length of the new .338 Norma. Barrel Life: Since the .260 is not firing heavy bullets over 2,900 fps, the barrel life can be similar to other 6.5mm cartridges in its classabout 2,500-3,500 rounds. A column writer for. Expect to see about 2,500 round barrel life. 6.5CM cases will fit an AR-10 magazine. Thanks 1,500m: 630 ft-lbs. Taking a quick look at how the 22 CM compares to some other cartridges will shine a light on its potential. To this day, the .300WM is still a very popular choice amongst Long Range hunters and military snipers. Why not mention the 7mm Remington Mag? Recoil Condition: This round is special just like the other 6.5mm projectiles in its class. Recoil Condition: A line can be drawn in the sand between the .30 cal class projectiles and the .338 and larger. I took multiple loads from each, but identical sources. The average cost per round of .260 Remington online will be around $1.70. This is the allure and benefit of a flat shooting bullet. A faster MV does mean the round is impacted LESS by the wind than a slower MV. Its an excellent choice for shooting groundhogs out to 500 yards. No. In what was probably the first round designed from the ground up as a sniper cartridge, 338 Lapua is our personal favorite long-range round. This is a GREAT cartridge, very flat shooting, better than even the .300WM IMO. Great article. Its very clear that you went through a huge amount of work to pull all of this info together. 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. For those PRS guys that prefer bolt-guns, the PRC is a great alternative to the CM. Mil/LE and Hunting communities need the RE factor for hard-hitting, threat/animal stopping performance. Do you have the equipment and knowledge to reload? Also a great option for novice or seasoned hunters who want a great flat shooting rifle that can take groundhogs or deer just by changing the ammo. So it ends up being a very fair comparison. The parent cases web and sidewall were beefed up to accommodate high-chamber pressures. Firing the 250gr Lapua Scenar projectile, MV: 3,030 fps. When you havent time to engage a laser rangefinder, knowing you can reach the kill zone with a dead-center hold at any distance out to 373 yards is pretty comforting. A 10 mph right angle wind at 500 yards can divert even a fast, high B.C. Likewise, what is the best caliber for 1000 yards? Unlike most rifle cartridges, the trajectory stays level out to about 300 yards. Also, experience firing large bore calibers is advised. Nosler's goal was to improve on the 7mm Rem Mag without creating a full magnum length cartridge. Reloading is also expensive because the brass isnt cheap. Also because of how popular and available it is, the 6.5 comes in around $0.75 to $1.25 per round, making it very affordable to shoot compared to other high-performing LR calibers. Ballistic Co-Efficient: 143 ELD-X G1: 0.625 G7: 0.315, Remaining Energy: Muzzle: 2670 ft-lbs 500m: 1439 ft-lbs 1,000m: 698 ft-lbs 1,500m: 335 ft-lbs. Flatter than a 220 Swift and still carries 1700-1800 lbs of energy at 500 yds. throwing a 55-gr. 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.