No matter the choice, theres no denying that we live in a golden era of rifle accuracy. But with some tuning of the magazine that issue can be mostly mitigated. 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. To take the 6.5CM and add MV to the equation, pure joy happens. got another cut at the plate thanks in large part to Jeff Hoffman, the owner of Black Hills Ammunition, who successfully advocated for loading the .300 with a 220-grain bullet at 2,800 fps. Stinnett stacked those bullets so perfectly that the shot-to-shot variance was only detectable by precision calipers. 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. If not, this is one less thing you have to worry about. Shooting a 180-grain bullet (.507 G1 BC) at 2,960 fps and sighted in 1.5 inches high at 100 yards, the .300 Win. Currently, G1 through G8 and GL is the only mathematical models to express BCs. Marine Approved is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program. Not to mention guys that still compete with and collect old military surplus riflesI see the .30-06 sticking around for a good while longer. Take the .308 Winchester at 500 for comparison, The level of confidence of a first-round hit at that range is extremely high. Im not going to dive too deep down that rabbit-hole, or even techniques to help. You can expect an average of 4,000 to 10,000 rounds of sustained accuracy. For the hunters in mind, the ability to take a .30 caliber projectile (which has the superior terminal performance to the smaller 6.5mm projectiles) and flatten its trajectory to achieve those longer shots in higher winds is crucial. Simply speaking, the BC refers to how well a bullet navigates gravity, air density, and wind. You most likely will have to compromise on certain aspects. Im not going to dive too deep into terminal ballistics for the purpose of this article. For starters, all the cartridges included below feature the following prerequisites: They are all readily available in quality, task-appropriate factory ammunition (i.e., their benefits are not limited to handloaders). Using Berger 140gr VLD projectiles G1: 0.593 G7: 0.304, Muzzle: 2,266 ft-lbs 500m: 1,174 ft-lbs 1,000m: 535 ft-lbs 1,500m: 296 ft-lbs. To find the ideal caliber youll have to ask yourself a few questions. The truth is that there is no one best long-range caliber for every job and there are many factors to consider. still possess remarkable capabilities. Because the ultra-light recoil allows them to spot their own hits and misses more consistently. Its use today is limited to medium to big-game hunting; bolt action only. Initial Thoughts: Coming from my military background, I was always reluctant to stray from the 7.62x51mm or .300 Winchester Magnum. Mag., from Sierras legendary 190-grain MatchKing to Hornadys cutting-edge 212-grain ELD Match. Even better, this caliber has taken off so fast, nearly every manufacturer is making products to accommodate it. Anecdotally, PRS shooters are having to change barrels once per year. Recoil Condition: This round is special just like the other 6.5mm projectiles in its class. Mag., and the story of its adoption and evolution in that role is what really lands it on the list of best long-range calibers. Little information is out there on 6.5 PRC barrel life. I think the 6.5 Grendel does a great job at that, however, as to be expected, the Grendel is limited in range and does not fit into the 800m+ world. The 6.5 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge) is another Hornady introduction and could be called the 6.5 Creedmoor Magnum. After seeing such success with its flagship cartridge, Hornady wanted to take the Creedmoor to the next level. It will also get a bullet to 1,000 yards faster than the 6.5 Creedmoor. An MOA rifle shoots a one-inch group at 100 yards; a 5-inch group shoots 500 yards. Competitive shooters traditionally pick a hollowpoint boattail bullet in the 168-grain range, such as Sierras obscenely accurate MatchKing. MOA vs MRAD Rifle Scopes Which is Best for Long Range? Like many standardized wildcat rounds, this cartridge excelled in bench rest, long range medium game hunting, and steel target shoots. is the proverbial cat with nine lives in the long-range cartridge market. Recoil Condition: Now that we are pushing a 140gr projectile up to nearly 3,000 fps, the recoil will slightly increase over the 6.5 Creedmoor. While absolute best-possible performance is usually achieved through handloading, the 6.5 Creedmoor typically provides unprecedented factory-load accuracy. Each can be proven to be above par either by history, by track record or by engineering features and calculated ballistics. 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 .308s biggest weakness is the lack of propellant capacity to push heavy-for-caliber, super-aerodynamic bullets at useful velocities. 1,000m: 585 ft-lbs. Muzzle: 2,401 ft-lbs 500m: 1,301 ft-lbs 1,000m: 633 ft-lbs 1,500m: 325 ft-lbs. G1 BC: .563 G7 BC: .274. Thread starter Schw15; Start date Nov 30, 2019; Forums. For those PRS guys that prefer bolt-guns, the PRC is a great alternative to the CM. Not ideal for beginners or those who do not reload. The haters claim it is over-hyped by the outdoor media (certainly true), that it is inadequate for game larger than deer (false), and that its no better than older classic cartridges (also not the case). 500m: 2,772 ft-lbs. However, for less bullet size, you can get a much better performing Long Range caliberand for a lot less money too. or .30/06 could make that claim was an age ago. Why even mention such an antiquated round? The caliber took the LR community by storm. The average price per round will be $1.25. The .30 Stewart, however, is based on the 6.5 Grendel necked up to .30 caliber. 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. Even though it is a relative newcomer, in light of its accuracy, shootability, and lethality it has earned its place as one of the best long-range calibers for hunting open country game like mule deer. 1000-Yard Benchrest Guide - AccurateShooter.com You get excellent Long Range performance, with recoil slightly less than the .308 Winchester. For the average shooter looking to get into Long Range shooting, turn away and run to the smaller guys. But after finally diving into the 6.5, its clear why it has become so popular. All Rights Reserved. The numbers are beyond impressive. 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. This cartridge was designed to deliver devastating .30 cal Magnum performance. The 6mmCM excels amongst the PRS community and even long-range hunting. Mag. As a serious LR shooter who intends on needing terminal performance or wanting a modern tactical build, I would leave the .243 behind in the 20, The 6mm Creedmoor can obviously be related to its slightly bigger brother; the 6.5CM. Case capacity matches the 300PRC and is not far off the 300 Norma that you like, but wouldnt cost $5/rd. Take the Lapua and shorten the case so it can be fired from a standard Long Action. They wanted a superior hunting and LR cartridge with similar trajectories as the .300 WM, but with less powder use and recoil. Please do a review on 7MM calibers. The two most common BCs used are G1 and G7 below: If you notice the G7 profile has a more streamlined design. He served as team leader for a scout sniper team during the 22nd MEU. The overall purpose of the Grendel was to deliver extended accuracy and range of the .223/5.56 NATO in the same AR-15 platform. So what does that mean? I see another wildcat come to the limelight. Hathcock, of course, went on to become the most storied Marine sniper in history in Viet Nam in the following years, though he didnt do it with a .300 Win. I like that the caliber is being offered in high-end AR-10 platforms for the gas-gun enthusiasts. To this day, the .300WM is still a very popular choice amongst Long Range hunters and military snipers. Very nice article. The projectile still punched through steel at one mile! Ammo Availability: Again, being one of the forefathers of the Long Range shooting community, .308 is found everywhere. Due to its age and relevance today, the .308 has proven itself for over 65 years! Its not the fastest, farthest, or most accurate roundbut it will certainly get the job done with less headache and wallet-ache. All in all, the .308 is certainly manageable by shooters of most ages. . Taurus Marketing Manager Caleb Giddings highlights the features of the new Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum, a purpose-built revolver with a 10.5-inch barrel and an effective recoil-taming brake, with Guns & Ammo Executive Editor Joe Kurtenbach. The engineering of these cartridges, which gets into the minutia of rifle twist (faster), chamber dimensions (tighter), case taper (less), shoulder angle (steeper), throat lede angle (shallower), and other details, is why they are inherently more accurate, and better, than the cartridges of yore. 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. All in all, dont get TOO hung up on MVs. It stays supersonic clear to 2,100 yards. More important is consistency, and the mild-mannered .308 demonstrates that in spades. Also, experience firing large bore calibers is advised. The picture is of one of our 2000 yard shooters who uses a 300 win mag with no issues. Overall Practicality: The .224 Valkyrie takes the benefits from the .223 and extends its range performance drastically. I initially did not put a brake on itafter the 14th round (during barrel break-in) my right peck muscle started to quiver. The long-time standard bearers are Federals two Gold Medal Match loads, the 168- and 175-grain BTHPs. Many shooters claim the .224 has about half of the felt recoil as a .308. Where are you getting 223 / 556 for 30 cent a round? 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. Many hunters still use this cartridge for its hard-hitting terminal performance and flat flying exterior ballistics. WELL DONE!!! Factory ammunition can be found nearly anywhere for about 30 cents per round but as stated before, prices range greatly. Barrel Life: Again, as most wildcat rounds are concerned, barrel life will not be great. It has less case volume, traditionally firing a heavier bulletBUT still retains energy over range better and maintains a longer Transonic Range than its bigger brother. Ben Voss FN Product Manager talks about the new FN SCAR 15P ultra-compact rifle-caliber pistol at SHOT Show 2023. Best overall caliber for long range shooting. Winning 1000-Yard Cartridges Daily Bulletin - AccurateShooter.com The new case was developed for years based on the T65 developmental cartridge. They considered the .338 Lapua as an option, but the .300 Win. Ammo Availability: As to be expected, the 6mm Creedmoor is still a young cartridge. Read Next: 8 of the Hottest New Hunting Cartridges for 2021 and Beyond, I was super excited that I hit the 3,592-yard plate, as that was the longest impact in a competition with a .338 caliber. Most off the shelf set-ups are going to be on the high end of the market so the 6mm CM is not ideal for a beginner shooter. A big selling point to the 6CM is that from its inception, and from the help of GA Precision, its use in the AR-10 platform has been immensely popular among PRS shooters. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. 1,000m: 437 ft-lbs. 1,000m: 1,523 ft-lbs. Average price per round$1.00. That being said, there are plenty of commercial options, but the price will be much higher than standard cartridges. 1,000m: 1,287 ft-lbs. Fortunately for them, older stalwarts like the .308 Win. Other Equipment headspaces off the belt and has a significant amount of slop at the shoulder (about .004 in. Ballistic Co-Efficient: For optimum LR performance, the 108 ELD Match projectile; G1: 0.515, G7: 0.268. 500m: 1,866 ft-lbs. Mag. Just like anything in life, each caliber you pick will have a list of pros and cons. quickly established itself as a go-to hunting round for Western big game and international hunting. Other than that, the projectiles will always be available. A BC number can be represented in several different, values or standards. But to choose the best long-range caliber for you, start with your own experience and interests. For hunters, the Grendel offers many different projectiles for different terminal effects. This is partly because of modern rifles and optical sights, but also partly because of the availability of laser range finders and very accurate, easy to operate, ballistic programs that work on smart phones. However, the propellant chamber is more or less the same size as that of the 6.5mm version, making the 6mm Creedmoor just a bit overbore for ideal efficiency. I like the idea of basically a short-action .300 Win Mag. You can expect an average of 4,000 to 10,000 rounds of sustained accuracy. The new case was developed for years based on the T65 developmental cartridge. The history lesson was GREAT! The average price per round will be around $2.00. Expect about $5.50 per round. Simply speaking, the BC refers to how well a bullet navigates gravity, air density, and wind. You can expect to pay about $1.00 per round at most online retailers. The .338 Lapua Magnum offers very impressive external and terminal ballistic performancebut at a steep cost. 1,000m: 1,345 ft-lbs. Ammo Availability: The biggest drawback to this cartridge is that the rounds are very expensive if bought commercially. Much sharper and stronger than a .308 Winchesternot meant for beginners. For the average shooter looking to get into Long Range shooting, turn away and run to the smaller guys. You can certainly find uppers to piece onto your AR-10 lower. The correct response is, for what? You need to get the best long-range rifle caliber for competitions. Mag. If you are inexperienced, youre in luckbecause todays Long Range shooting community is being flooded by great, streamlined, low-recoiling cartridges. The 6.8 Western sounds like a great idea, except that in the .277 genre, even the 175 grain Sierras lag behind in BC compared to lighter bullets in the 6.5 arena. A line can be drawn in the sand between the .30 cal class projectiles and the .338 and larger. We all have scores of 5.56 mags laying aroundwhy not beef up that system? The newest variants of all service sniper rifles have options chambered in the classic Long Range caliber. Now when it comes to ammo, I already mentioned. are all capable of fine accuracy and game-killing power at these distances. The recoil is almost non-existent. With help from the civilian market led by Winchester, the .308 took the world by storm. When talking about long-range calibers and their best applications, the immediate question pops up: For what? Not long ago, the .308 was king. Overall Practicality: I argue that you will not find a more practical Long Range caliber in this list. Essentially a legitimization of a great bench rest competition cartridge called the 6 mm PPC, the new Hornady 6 mm ARC will get to 1,000 yards faster and hit harder than any other cartridge that can be chambered in the platform. Its too much cartridge to be practical in PRS or sniper-type competitions. This is especially important to those of you who reload and can tailor a custom load for your rifle. You may see something like this: 6.5mm 140-grain VLD G1 BC: 0.593 G7 BC: 0.304. With proper handloading technique, the Dasher delivers muzzle velocities with minimal shot-to-shot SD (standard deviation) and ES (extreme spread). Most .243 rifles are chambered in older, wooden sporting stocks like the Winchester Model 70 and older Remington 700s. Ammo Availability: Due to the popularity of the cartridge, 6.5CM ammo can be found almost anywhere. And that factor alone will make a person a more competent field marksman and a better, more ethical hunter. 7 Best Long-Range Cartridges: Hit Stuff Really Far Away Does it go the farthest? Now getting up into the .30 cal plus magnum rounds, the recoil will be noticeably greater than the .308 Winchester. Now, this parameter may not be too important to most of you out there, searching for the best Long Range caliber. Best Long-Range Cartridges 1. Ballistic Co-Efficient: Using Berger 140gr VLD projectiles G1: 0.593 G7: 0.304, Remaining Energy: Muzzle: 2,266 ft-lbs 500m: 1,174 ft-lbs 1,000m: 535 ft-lbs 1,500m: 296 ft-lbs. You can certainly find uppers to piece onto your AR-10 lower. Looking at the .308 Winchester, most loads will reach TR on average at 900-1,000m, making shots past 1,000m inconsistent. Federal was tapped to produce the ammo in 1992, and so the military had a sniper round that slotted between the .308 Win. While we always focus our coverage on standout productsbecause we want our readers to be aware of the latest and greatest gearwe also cover the flaws and quirks of any given product. You will get more bang for your buck choosing the .308 Winchester as your next Long Range caliber. Remington 700 PCR 9. The rifle that made the record-setting 4,137-yard shot is chambered in 33XC. 1,000m: 1,345 ft-lbs. Expect to see about 2,500 round barrel life. Many of the contenders are based on the 6mm Benchrest cartridge. hit its first major stumble. Like the classic 06 did during the Great War, this efficient, mild-mannered, high-performance 6.5mm has opened the eyes of shooters to a new realm of possibilities. The components for reloading are also readily available. But putting the emotional draws to the cartridge aside, there are still plenty of pragmatic reasons for the choice. Any shooter of any age can comfortably shoot the Valkyrie without feeling recoil fatigue. Also, terminal performance on larger targets has proven weak at best (one large reason the .243 never caught on with the military). They get down range faster and this diminishes the time that gravity and wind have to act upon them. I would also be interested to see how the .280 AI with 180 Bergers stacked up to, say, the .300 Win Mag with selected 190 grain SMK. Mag. Instructional Tools for Modern Sight Alignment Training. Ammo Availability: During its launch in 1997, the .260 was still on par with other wildcats. Joe Kurtenbach and Caleb Giddings also look at the first-ever optics-ready carry revolvers with the new Taurus 605 and 856 T.O.R.O. I also love that this cartridge can be fired from standard Long-Action receivers. Then theres the matter of personal preference. We will be discussing: Muzzle Velocity, Ballistic Co-efficient, Remaining Energy, Transonic Range, Recoil Condition, Cross-Platform Use, Ammo Availability, Barrel Life, and Overall Practicality. The numbers dont lie. A good hunting cartridge. A lot of the newer, ultra-flat cartridges take a good deal of reloading knowledge to successfully harness their ability. During its launch in 1997, the .260 was still on par with other wildcats. No one can deny how terrific a .300 WM performs at extended range. The jack-of-all-trades long-range caliber. This basically means the opening of the case where the bullet is seated, is tightened from 6.8mm to 5.7mm. But thats not the case. The case body is slightly smaller and more efficient than the 7mm WSM, and slightly larger and more capable than the .284 Winchester. A good muzzle brake or suppressor is advised. Barrel life is excellent, even when 10-shot rapid-fire strings are run over and over during a weekend match. Home Tactical Gear Reviews 17 Best Long Range Calibers in 2023 (Ranked by a Marine Sniper). 17 Best Long Range Calibers in 2023 (Ranked by a Marine Sniper), This topic may be daunting to some readers because the actual numerical values in which we represent a projectiles Ballistic Coefficient seem like arbitrary numbers. The cartridge was designed for reliable feeding in battle rifles, not efficient powder burns for consistent accuracy. It is the Madonna of long-range rounds. Its not uncommon in the sniper community to see MVs differ by up to 150 fps (feet per second) across two different M110s both shooting M118LR ammunition of the same lot. Either way it is flexible for your mission. Certain accessories like muzzle brakes and suppressors drastically reduce recoil (up to 70% reduction). Rule of thumb: 30-50 fps for every inch of the barrel either gained or lost. The .243 can be a great beginner gun because of its low recoil and ammo availability. 0. Reloading is also expensive because the brass isnt cheap. Plant yourself in post-2015 and you will see an explosion of the 6.5mm family of projectiles, thanks to the 6.5 Creedmoor. Anecdotally, PRS shooters are having to change barrels once per year. Well, now they do. All the big players in ammo offer at least one and often several match-grade, long-range-appropriate factory loads: Barnes, Black Hills, Nosler, Federal, Hornady, Remington, Winchester and more. I still think this cartridge might be a bit on the wildcat side of the market (expensive to shoot and a barrel burner). For reference, see the WSSM line. 500m: 2,755 ft-lbs. While there are exceptions, the best of these are too long to feed through the magazine of the M16-type, match-tuned service rifles used for these matches and must be single-fed. The 338LM at 4000+ rounds a great rifle and round but wanted more consistency past 2000 yards. Bob Meinert, FN Marketing Director, introduces FN's first commercial pistol suppressor, the FN Rush 9Ti. Federal smartly shortened the 6.8 SPC case and gave it a 30-degree shoulder. 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. A new .244 Valkyrie 90-gr Sierra Matchking projectile yields a 0.563 ballistic coefficient. Extreme-distance shooters typically opt for obscenely powerful cartridges such as the .338 Lapua, .375 Cheytac and .416 Barrett, but I crunched the ballistics of the 7mm SAUM pushing a 180-grain Berger VLD at 3,000 fps in sea-level atmospherics and again at my home elevation of 5,000 feet. Mossberg MVP Precision 13. No. Winchester designed the .300 WSM in 2001 with the idea of a hybrid. For the hunters in mind, the ability to take a .30 caliber projectile (which has the superior terminal performance to the smaller 6.5mm projectiles) and flatten its trajectory to achieve those longer shots in higher winds is crucial. The Best Calibers for Long-Range Shooting - stealthvision.com Mag. I personally find it MUCH easier to handload very accurate .30-06 loads than very accurate .308 loads in typical budget hunting rifles. About 30 minutes later, after the other shooters had cycled through, I was able to get back on my gun and try for the long plate. Recently, I have been in the dilemma of trying to decide which caliber to use for 1000 yards. The numbers are beyond impressive. The biggest drawback to this cartridge is that the rounds are very expensive if bought commercially. Again, this round is such a classic. It would serve as the main infantry cartridge for over 60 years, before being replaced by the 7.62x51mm NATO. . Yeah, itll work in a bolt gun, but in the AR-15 it is the undisputed best cartridge for stretching distance. All 6mm projectiles are notorious for extremely fast throat erosion. This cartridge calls for a custom case. Buying a $1000 rifle and a $1500 optic will bring you more success than a $2000 rifle and $500 scope. 6.5 projectiles hold a reputation of great BCs. The .338 Norma did what the Lapua did. The US military decided that the average rifle squad was more effective by accurately delivering rounds on target with a 5.56mm rifle than the heavier recoiling 7.62 platforms.