The final two cartridges above are mislabeled. The 6.5 PRC can remain supersonic out beyond 1,600 yards or so, but ammunition options are limited. From 600 to 1000 yards they use a 300 Winchester. The 243 Winchester and 6mm Remington have reputations for shooting flat, but the lesser known 240 Weatherby magnum fires the same bullets at higher velocities, so its the flattest of the 24-calibers. Again great job !!!!! 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. I had to calculate this one out, as Weatherbys ballistics charts dont go past 500 yards. Kind of underwhelming, right? But its so close to the 6.5-300 Wby. Nevertheless, flat shooting cartridges have long fascinated hunters and driven cartridge development and sales. Its bullets will remain supersonic out past 2,000 yards. 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. Swifts 150-grain Scirocco at 3,036 fps delivers outstanding terminal performance. The 257 Weatherby Mag. While there are not a lot of ammunition choices for the 6.8 Western, there are some good ones. I know its a great round, but its by a long shot the best selling rifle chambering of the last several years. Despite its relatively low B.C. For optics, I use a Leupold Mark 6 with a Horus reticle. 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. Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain ELDX at 2,960 fps. 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. Thursday nights they do IDPA. Thanks for the chart for bullet drop but for Big Game Hunting I would rather see the down range energy. Mag. Before we check that out, lets give a nod to the 240 Wby. This cartridge existed in a cloak of obscurity for a long time; only recently have hunters began to see the potential it offers. Four Great Calibers for Elk | The Outdoor Line Blog Trust but verify. 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. 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. numbers which are not quite as accurate as G7 numbers in predicting trajectories of todays wildly long, sleek bullets. Generally, a 300 Win Mag's 150 grain bullet delivers a 3,260 fps muzzle velocity, while its 180 grain bullet achieves approximately 3,000 fps. +Nick Strother, he TOLD you right up front he was only including cartridges that can be found chambered in most any rifle. Well placed shots seem to work and poorly placed shots tend to fail. First, some boundaries. 4 Stunning Long-Range Rifles That Will Shoot Past 1,000 Yards 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. Right now, shooters are obsessed with flat-shooting rifle cartridges. I have neither the scientific knowledge nor mathematical skills to figure out the perfect blend of factors that produces the flattest trajectory winner. Have fun hunting! The 6.5300 Weatherby magnum, as its name suggests, is based on the 300 Weatherby mag and has a case capacity of 98 grains of water. Please look into it. For flat shooting over a relatively close range you need a lot of velocity, BC doesn't matter that much over shorter distances. As magnums go, the .257 Weatherby is a mild kicker, and it's a great long-range cartridge for deer, pronghorn, sheep, and the like. Yes, the article most definitely included the 7mm Mag, but the specific cartridge mentioned by Nick is what the original article would have included as an exotic version, NOT something found chambered in most any rifle. 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. With a muzzle velocity faster than 3000 fps, it offers great external and terminal ballistics. Im not sure Im reading this right but there seems to be a decimal missing. Based on the old .404 Jeffery case, its the same length as the .30/06, which means it works in standard-length actions. The Amazing 22 Creedmoor: A Wildcat Worth a Hard Look Nor could most of us scrape up a good excuse for owning one. I truly don't believe a senseable person would use ANY .22 caliber rifle for deer hunting. The lesser charge is a flatter, close group load. The 300WM with the 210 VLDs at 2950fps is pretty good also. I believe the 6.8 SPC is that alternative. unfair comparison, Hornady makes a 139 grain BTSP for the 7mm mag very flat shooter, Great info, thanks for your difficult work. Accuracy, knowledge of your rifle and its drops at different ranges, and knowledge of the conditions will dictate your very long range shots. What is the flattest shooting cartridge for 200 yards? - Quora The drops are listed in feet for the really long range shots, so theyre pretty close to your numbers. However, the lead that the 25-06 has is pretty small. Wind also affects bullets differently, and a cartridges ability to overcome these three forces makes it better or worse for shooting flat and far. Yep, me too. bullet to offset wind deflection. At 300 yards it has dropped around 13 inches, and at 500 yards it's just under 60 inches (5 feet). Ron Spomer Outdoors 1.1M views 6 months ago Head-To-Head: 6.5. Yes I know its a barrel burner but so is the 300RUM and others on the list. If I am mistaken, I am sure someone will chime in and let us both know. It has flipped positions with the 6.5, losing by a mere 1.4-inches. Now, the .280 AI is finally a SAAMI-approved cartridge, and while ammunition options are sparse, its performance is right there with the 7mm Remington Magnum. What do you guys think the flattest shooting caliber would be for hunting I have heard 6.5x284 but the bullet CE appears better on a 270. Its like a shorter, beltless version of the .300 Winchester Magnum. 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. Is it possible to show those on your web site list? Why? In your question about Flattest shooting caliber in a Lever Gun, Winchester 1894 shooting a .25-35 caliber bullet. (Curiosity? Fantastic information. It was also a resounding success and has remained popular with hunters looking to stretch their effective range. The 10 Best Varmint Cartridges | Field & Stream Still, a flat-shooting cartridge will often perform well with wind as well, because it is in the air for less time between the shot and hitting the target. Dear James But the 7mm Remington Magnum will remain supersonic out to 1,400 yards or a bit more, making a good choice for cross-canyon hunting. bullet. The .224 Valkyrie is the flattest shooting 0.224 caliber cartridge . It's not until you get farther out that BC starts making a big difference. The 10 Best Long-Range Hunting Cartridges | Field & Stream It's still possible to get factory ammo for the cartridge, but current production .223 WSSM ammo normally uses heavier 50 or 55 grain bullets at . Thanks again. Just hoping my bad experiences might inspire you to avoid some of your own. For good reason. Equally, cutting through the air slows the projectile down, eating away at its energy. I still just dont understand why it isnt the 26 or 28 Nos. 17 Best Long Range Calibers in 2020 - Ranked by a Marine 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. 7 Best Deer Caliber Under 300 Yards - eatingthewild.com 30-378 weatherby (214). RELATED: The 10 Best Rifle Bullets for Long-Range Shooting. At a 100 yard zero sight in the 500 yard drop is 37. Mag. 8 Best Long-Range Magnum Cartridges Ever Made As much talk as there is about the .270 Winchesters ability to shoot flatly, it does not compare with these three flat-shooting options. This means we can first determine the fastest cartridge in each caliber, then compare it against the fastest in others. Do we compare the fastest factory loads or top end handloads from select handloading manuals? The company set out to push the limits with this thing, designing it as a flat-shooting 6.5mm cartridge with performance capable of taking full advantage of the newest long-range shooting reticles used in today's scopes. The amount of drop is directly influenced by velocity, energy, rifle barrel, and bullet design. It seems a bit odd to consider a .22-caliber cartridge of any design suitable for long-range hunting of even smallish big game. Nosler Trophy Grade with a 130-grain Nosler AccuBond at 2900 fps. All Rights Reserved, My Group Therapy: Shooting Log Book | 100 pages (6"x9") | Record Target Shooting Data & Improve your Skills and Precision Paperback June 13, 2019. Always be open to new possibilities. Mag. Good points, which are all things Ive considered. Recoil statistics are offered for reference. This is the darling diameter for American big-game hunters. I wonder if you could possibly make that load available to me, so I can compare which loads are the best? Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. 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. This is an example of how different loads in different rifles can produce different results. 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. Choosing the flattest shooting rifle cartridge in each caliber category seems fair, fun, and revealing, so well do that before identifying the all time top dog. It is a flat shooting cartridge, able to hit a target at 300 yards with negligible hold over. JOHN BUOL Preferred Caliber For 500 To 1,000 Yards And Beyond: 5.56mm NATO. The .204 will work quiet well at 500 yards with good shot placement. Thanks Jim! With a growing choice of ammo from 90-130 grain projectiles and the benefit of a great ballistic coefficient with the 6.5mm bullet, 500+ yard shooting can be almost boring. I was once hunting plains game in Africa when my PH told me, holding a rangefinder, that the wildebeest was 155 yards away. Case capacity is literally and figuratively the driving force here: Both Nosler offerings are based on the 300 Remington Ultra Magnum and both boast case capacities of 93.5 grains of water. gundata.org has done all this for you already. In fact, we may say that its the only thing that matters; however, factors that lead to time of flight changes are important to consider. 1.5" high at 100, would be dead-on at 250, and only drop 30" at 550. 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. But, as an extreme range competition shooter recently told me, the number of cold barrel, first round hits he sees at 1,000 yards in competition is well below 50%. Again, I, as well as so very many other folks Im certain, am very grateful! Just wondering where the 300 win mag ends up? Normas 180-grain BondStrike Extreme at 3,084 fps is new and very flat-shooting. 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? You are cordially invited to any of our matches. Only B.C. Want to run your own ballistics numbers? A highly accurate, easy to shoot rifle with a flat trajectory will make for confident hunting. The longer the bullet is in the air, the longer gravity can pull on the object. . If the hunter is looking for a flat shooting caliber with good energy and speed of distances around 400-yards, then the .270 would be the obvious choice. Also, youll find more ammo options for the .308 Winchester than any of the others. bullet twice that far. And it isn't just the 308 that the 25-06 can best at long range, I compared many other leading types of competition or "flat-shooting" rounds, such as .243, .243 WSSM, 6mm Rem, 6.5 Grendel, .270 Win, .260 Rem, 6.5 x 55 Swede. This lead-free copper monolithic, fragmenting hollow-point Liberty Ammunition round is the next generation of one of the most popular hunting and long range rounds in existence. Notice that it is only 3 grains lighter than the 150-grain .264 atop that Weatherby. If going after larger game is the preference and the hunter is looking for real stopping power within 300-yards, then the .308 would be the go-to caliber. Indeed, the .223 WSSM vies with the .220 Swift for the title of the centerfire rifle cartridge with the fastest bullet velocity. It is not always the caliber that is in question. But you wouldnt want to hunt with it. The best long-range cartridge in the world might be the .408 Chey-Tac. The .270 Winchester stays supersonic out to 1,400 yards, which is more than what 99 percent of hunters will ever need. Its clear that flat shooting is directly proportional to overbore. 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. But you did such an awesome job with this data. The flattest-shooting cartridges usually have Nosler or Weatherby in their name, and the top three flat-shooting cartridges were created by those respected companies. . That's pretty dang flat. Every rifle is different. Best Deer Hunting Calibers for 2022 | Outdoor Life Unfortunately, the .223 WSSM has fallen by the wayside in recent years. The .25-06 is the flattest shooting, hardest hitting, lowest recoiling cartridge available. 1 Normal load using the most popular factory ammo, one heavy load for each, one light load. Top inherently accurate 2000 yard calibers | Sniper's Hide Forum Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. 7 Best Long-Range Cartridges: Hit Stuff Really Far Away I ran the numbers with the 180 grain Ballistic tip at 3420 fps. I took the shot prone and then stood up after the wildebeest tipped over after a perfect shot. Im going to set a restrictive definition on common and only include cartridges that can be found chambered in most any rifle. Faster velocities mean flatter trajectories. What a great tool that you have built. A relatively flat-shooting cartridge, hunters with skill regular make shots out to 400 and 500 yards with the cartridge on small gamesome hunters even farther. And is it fair to include Risky Ralphs overstuffed, compressed-powder loads that exceed the highest handloading guides top loads by 400 fps and leave primers looking as if theyd been squashed on a train track? This old timer remains a phenomenon, flat-shooting and effective. Death in the Long Grass: A Big Game Hunter's Adventures in the African Bush .by Peter H. Capstick, Dino Paravano, Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders (Volume 1) Paperback, The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game: Volume 1: Big Game, Horn of the Hunter: The Story of an African Safari Kindle Edition, Use Enough Gun: On Hunting Big Game Hardcover, Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail: Upland Birds and Small Game from Field to Feast Hardcover March 1, 2018, The Easy Venison Cookbook: 60 Simple Recipes for Deer, Elk, and Moose Kindle Edition. BUCK DOYLE Preferred Caliber For 500 To 1,000 Yards And Beyond: .260 Remington (130-grain Berger AR Hybrid OTM . As soon as a projectile leaves the muzzle, the earths gravity instantly begins to affect the trajectory of the round. Well, theres really only one option in .22-caliber and thats the .224 Valkyrie. drops 6.7 inches at 300 yards and just under 20 inches at 400 yards. Gravity impacts all objects the same. They have 1 particular cartridge thats something of a hot-shot for flat shooting, long distance devastation; the Weatherby .30-378. bullet 12 inches at 500 yards, a low B.C. 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. Obviously Weatherby and Nosler, but are there other manufacturers, vendors, builders to consider? In ballistic terms, a 235-grain .375 bullet at 3,000 fps exits the muzzle with lots of energy: 4,695 ft-lbs. 10 Best Calibers for Deer Hunting - Gun News Daily I am impressed at all the data you went through to come up with the three chosen. 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. Also look at Federal Premiums 180-grain Nosler AccuBond offering at 2,960 fps. My grandkids have a poem for this photo: Cartridge cartridge on the table, choose the flattest if youre able. While at the High Bar Homestead with PSA, I was able to stretch their 6.5 Grendel out to 1,000 yards with Federal Premium 130 grain Bergers. At 1000 yards a .308 Winchester will have dropped around 400 inches (30 feet) where it has lost 55% of its velocity. Time of flight impacts bullet drop more than anything else. 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. I\m also a huge fan of Ron Spomer so well done for the recognition of his great work too. 3. 1.5" high at 100, would be dead-on at 250, and only drop 30" at 550. Something like a 7mm Ultramag shooting a 120 TTSX would be pretty flat shooting to 500. 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. The 6.5 Creedmoor will remain supersonic out to 1,400 yards and is quickly becoming the most popular long-range, big-game cartridge in the world. The .308 Winchester will win no ballistic awards; its simply a shorter version of the time-tested and beloved .30/06. . But it's still a better distance choice than the .270 Winchester past 400 yards (a great caliber as well). The 6 mm ARC flattens the curve, and as a 2020 introduction, it could be nicknamed the "Corona Cartridge." . For example, the .50BMG and the 6.5 Creedmoor both launch bullets at approximately the same muzzle velocity of 2,700fps. So, Winchester slightly modified the .270 WSM case so it was a bit shorter and then specified barrels with a faster twist. New Rifle Cartridges for the Modern Hunter - Game & Fish 17. 6.5mm calibers The way in which cartridge manufacturers develop rounds to overcome these forces is the twist rates of the barrels in the rifles the cartridges are chambered in, developing longer, more aerodynamic bullets with narrower ogives and case capacity. I was surprised at the distance, so I asked my PH Thats just 155 yards? He got a stunned look on his face and said, No, TWO hundred fifty-five yards! Our miscommunication during the shot sequence didnt matter a bit, because I was shooting a .28 Nosler, which put the shot only 2.8 low at that distance.