That was the first gun I fired other than a .22 calibre. Mag. 243. Below is a chart indicating the three best flat-shooting cartridges and their muzzle velocity, drop, energy levels, and felt recoil. Based on the now almost-forgotten .284 Winchester, the 6.5-284 Norma was originally a wildcat cartridge and a very popular one, especially in bench-rest competitions. throwing a 55-gr. It also clings to energy. Plus, this round is very accurate. A flat shooting cartridge matters. While this feature enables .300 PRC to accommodate heavy-for-caliber bullets with a high ballistic coefficient, the extended cartridge overall length of a 3.7 requires a magnum length rifle action. This means we can first determine the fastest cartridge in each caliber, then compare it against the fastest in others. Yep, me too. With an Accu-Fit stock and left hand adjustable bolt, this rifle is a perfect choice for anyone! Hornady's Precision Hunter 145-grain ELD-X at 2,950 fps is the flattest-shooting .270 Winchester load. And that light recoil not only makes you a better shot in the field; it also makes practicing more fun and productive. 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. 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. At greater distances the variation in wind drift is even more pronounced. A 100 yard miscalculation short or long will vary your hit by a vertical of 2.3-2.9 feet, enough to completely miss or wound the deer. The flattest-shooting popular rifle cartridge at 1,000 yards is the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum, followed by the .26 Nosler, the .28 Nosler, the .22 Creedmoor, and the 6.5 Weatherby RPM. Normas 180-grain BondStrike Extreme at 3,084 fps is new and very flat-shooting. For deer and lesser critters, its a solid 500-yard cartridge. Your email address will not be published. 6.5mm calibers It seems a bit odd to consider a .22-caliber cartridge of any design suitable for long-range hunting of even smallish big game. Bullets of this diameter are easily configured to have extremely high ballistic coefficients. Below is the information Ive gleaned from 17-caliber through 338. Mag. These different models rate the aerodynamic qualities of a bullet from which the drag and BC can be measured. Yet it has proven again and again that it will deliver at distance. To show viewers how to succeed at long range, J. Guthrie gears up for a challenging shot while chasing Colorado pronghorn at long range with DPMS' Panther 6.5 Creedmoor. On the other hand, wind speed and direction are inconsistent. Its just human nature to celebrate and admire the biggest, bestest, and flattest. bullet 12 inches at 500 yards, a low B.C. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. 22 Caliber. 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 article has really peaked my interest. I hope this report clears up some trajectory confusion and perhaps settles some old arguments. He is a well-known entrepreneur, having started many successful online brands, and lives in St George, Utah. The .17 Remington, introduced in 1971, was the first .17-caliber cartridge offered in both factory rifles and commercial ammunition. Nesa Ristic is a military historian enthusiast and hobbyist, war veteran and an avid hunter with more than 30 years of experience. Ive included different bullet weights/BCs for most rounds to illustrate how BC changes drop at longer ranges. If youre after critters deer-size and up, the field is dominated by .30-caliber, 6.5mm, and 7mm cartridges, with the best long-range options remaining supersonic out to at least 1,400 yards. Considered by many to be the optimum long-range, large-game cartridge, the .300 Winchester Magnum has proven itself worldwide. The advent of precision rifle competitions and the laser rangefinder has increased the publics desire to go long. For years the bullet weighing 160 grains was optimum for all-around use, but today ammo makers offer heavier, high-BC match bullets like Berger 180gr VLD bullet with a 0.684 BC. It was also a resounding success and has remained popular with hunters looking to stretch their effective range. 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. Heck, I cant even find agreement on maximum muzzle velocities in handloading manuals from Speer, Hornady, Nosler, Berger, Swift, Hodgdon, Norma, Sierra, Barnes Furthermore, just because the manual lists those speeds does not mean your rifle will deliver them. (not the bullet Id choose for this beast, just puts it nicely in line with the others), What does that do for you at regular ranges? If looking to acquire an automated powder-charge dispensing unit to speed up precision reloading, don't judge the RCBS ChargeMaster Lite powder scale and dispenser by its name; the Little Green machine packs a heavy-weight punch with speed and accuracy. Kimber's Hunter Pro Desolve Blak takes the firm's more affordable mountain rifle to new heights. 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 .300 Win Mag initial loading was 180-grain, and whereas it remains today, shooters use the same weight but with modern bullet construction and improved ballistic coefficient (BC). Mag. Copyright Ron Spomer Outdoors document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Here's a chart from my Popular Hunting Cartridges Compared article. Any cartridge that drops less than 40 inches at 500 yards or close to 200 inches at 1000 yards should be considered a flat shooting cartridge. It started with the .30/30 and continued with the .30/06 and .308 and right up to todays .300 Blackout. But the 220 Swift is not a legal big game cartridge in many states and the 40 . However, some people believe that the flattest shooting rifle caliber is the .308 Winchester. You may be an outstanding expert rifleman using a match grade ammo. The Creedmoor carries more velocity and energy downrange with less recoil than any other factory cartridge. 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. Wir teilen auch Informationen ber Ihre Nutzung unserer Website mit unseren Social Media-, Werbe- und Analysepartnern. While the .338-378 round will still be capable of supersonic velocity at 1,500 yards, it will have 831 foot-pounds of retained energy at the same distance. Notice that it is only 3 grains lighter than the 150-grain .264 atop that Weatherby. inspired a lot of comments, dissent, and different candidates for the title, so lets take a more detailed look at the flattest of the flat. It may be a bit rough on barrels, but this cartridge shoots so flat you probably wont care. When considering cartridges for their ability to shoot flat, overcoming drag is critical. Updated Apr 6, 2023 1:34 PM EDT, We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. But to do this, it must launch a heavy bullet and that means recoil can be stiff; from an 8-pound rifle, it generates more than 33 foot-pounds of recoil, which is more than twice that of the 6.5 Creedmoor. Noslers first proprietary cartridge is basically a steroid-monster 6.5 Creedmoor. 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. Its just physics. The spin rate helps to stabilize the projectile along its path, cut through drag and higher case capacities give the projectile more velocity thus delivering the bullet to the target more quickly. He has continuously improved his firearms skills and knowledge, which is a never-ending journey. He began reviewing firearms for publications in the mid 1990s and have been fortunate to make many friends in the industry. However, I fully admit that that a flat shooting cartridge is not nearly as important as a cartridge which is resistant to wind deflection. But it's so close to the 6.5-300 Wby. The .264 (6.5 mm) caliber bullets are known as extremely long and sleek projectiles featuring remarkable ballistic coefficients. Im going to bookmark your website and keep checking for new details about once a week. The name undoubtedly plays in part on the success of the 6.5s, but this cartridge is an exceptional long-range and hunting round. This cartridge existed in a cloak of obscurity for a long time; only recently have hunters began to see the potential it offers. loads. It gives you an MPBR of 336 yards. I have not identified bullet make and type because that doesnt change impact drop. Barnes Vortex | .300 Winchester Magnum. The .308 Winchester will win no ballistic awards; its simply a shorter version of the time-tested and beloved .30/06. And it gets there with a lot less powder the either of the two Weatherbys. The .300 PRC was developed in 2018 when the US Army announced a competition for the new sniper system that will provide a 50-percent hit chance on a man-size target at 2,000 yards. 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. The non-bonded bullet should deliver good terminal performance up close and at distance. There is a lot more to it than inital velocity. Kind regards. Kind of underwhelming, right? My third point is to remind you that this is not a scientific, Newtonian examination of all possible permutations of cartridges, bullets, muzzle velocities, and Ballistic Coefficients that determine bullet drop over all distances. It does this from short-action rifles and while producing recoil that is on par with a 7mm Rem. Jim Harmer is a host of the Backfire Youtube channel. If there was ever a cult cartridge, the .280 Ackley Improved is it. All Rights Reserved. For some reason it pushed Noslers 125-gr. Only a handful of .277-caliber cartridges are made today, but the .270 Winchester is still by far the most popular, given all the guns and loads out there for it. Hunters and shooters should also know that wind deflection of bullets is a more challenging part of hitting what you shoot at than is drop. Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range with a 129-grain AccuBond Long Range bullet at 3,400 fps. Yeah, yeah, I know theyre cartridges and not calibers, but lots of people call them calibers so I thought Id roll with it. etc. Accordingly, the higher ballistic coefficient is better than lower, meaning the bigger the ballistic coefficient number, the better. He just never made it official. Its accurate and recoil is mild, which is an important consideration when calling shots in a shooting match. 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. If you're shooting a military surplus rifle with a worn-out barrel with internal parts that went out of tolerance, precision will remain mere luck and chance. However, the lead that the 25-06 has is pretty small. Still, if youre goal is to push heavy projectiles to the outer reaches, Noslers 28 may be the best 7mm option out there. I just wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! It shoots as flat as a Kansas prairie and holds its velocity way out there. (Curiosity? Remington officially introduced a .260 Remington in 1997, but we can trace its roots in the wildcat 6.5-08, well-known cartridge in competition circles. Mag. bullet faster than did the larger volume 30-378 Wby. 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. At 500 yards the 6.5 PRC drops about three feet when zeroed at 200 yards, eight inches less than the Creedmoor. Just saying, excellent job to tell the nature of all calibers for hunting from 100 to 700 yards for medium game. Ive posted your article on my wildlife and hunting group on FB. He has managed multiple gun ranges, and has hunted around the world. There are a number of a common long-range, dual-purpose rifle chambered in calibers fully capable of making shots at distances up to 1,000 yards and regularly harvest big game with right shot placement. Drops just 11.6 inches. 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. Of course, the .270 Win was developed in 1925 when 1000 yard shots were effectively unheard of. This excellent .25-caliber round was the first wildcat to have been based on the .30-06 Springfield cartridge preceding the development of much more popular the .270 Win round. Richard Mann in 7.62x54, which gives you no ballistic advantage over .308 Win or 30-06 (or just about any common 7mm/.28 through .30 cal from the US). Mag. Hornadys Precision Hunter 145-grain ELD-X at 2,950 fps is the flattest-shooting .270 Winchester load. Always be open to new possibilities. 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. I thought Id run an article on the flattest shooting rifle cartridges to compare and contrast both whats popular, as well as a few of the high performance options out there. 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. The .22-250 has a very high velocity and is very accurate. 6.5 PRC vs 6.5 RPM What You Need to Know, .45-70 vs .450 Bushmaster Cartridge Clash. Roy Weatherby was one of the pioneering cartridge designers of the 20th century, and his line of ultra-fast cartridges have been popular with long-range hunters for decades. Dear Adriel, please be so kind to provide statistics on the following calibers as well: Mag., a cartridge that the Western also outperforms ballistically. If you think that's the product of the latest technology, know that Winchester introduced this cartridge in 1935! While many authors describe it as a 6.5 Creedmoor on steroids, the .26 Nosler wasnt designed as a long-term target cartridge because of short barrel life and more noticeable recoil. 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. Appropriate hunting bullets may not reach these levels of B.C. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. With a history that dates back to almost 100 years ago from today, the .270 Winchester is still used. Using .30-caliber bullets known for a wide variety and stability, the .300 Norma Magnum shoots flatter than the .338 Lapua with considerably less recoil. However, the .220 Swift and the .22-250 have been used to take deer out to distances a lot of folks got no business shooting, for a long, long time. For more information, please check out "best precision long-range rifles.". 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. OLIGHT PL-2, PL2, PL II Valkyrie 1200 Lumen Rail Streamlight 69424 TLR-7A Flex 500-Lumen Streamlight 69260 TLR-1 HL 1000-Lumen Weapon Light Streamlight 69400 TLR-7 Sub 500-Lumen Pistol Light OLIGHT Javelot Tac M 1000 Lumens Tactical Streamlight TLR7 Sub VS TLR7A [Side By Side Comparison]. 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. Subscriber Services. The .25-06 is developed by simply narrowing down the case neck of the .30-06 to fit a .257-inch caliber bullet. Unless youre shooting really far. bullet. Contributing Editor for RifleShooter Magazine, Brad Fitzpatrick gives us a review of this modernized version of an iconic favorite. again. The best long-range cartridges are those that are flat shooting, feature aerodynamic projectiles and have enough power to go the distance. 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? I have found that when talking about these large caliber hunting rounds, there is not a tremendous difference in bullet drop. +Nick Strother, he TOLD you right up front he was only including cartridges that can be found chambered in most any rifle. This is the darling diameter for American big-game hunters. This newer Weatherby 6.5 combines plenty of gas with manageable recoil. This high-performance magnum cartridge loaded with the most popular Weatherby factory hunting 250-grain bullet with a BC of .482 can reach a muzzle velocity of 3,060 fps and muzzle energy 5,197-foot-pounds. In the shortest terms, you can conceive 7mm Remington Magnum as flat- shooting .270 and hard-hitting .30-06 round. It seems a bit odd to consider a .22-caliber cartridge of any design suitable for long . If youre after deeper penetration, look at the 139-grain Barnes VOR-TX Long Range load. Recoil is stiff but not at all unmanageable or even unpleasant for experienced shooters. 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. The .17 Rem. The .270 Winchester stays supersonic out to 1,400 yards, which is more than what 99 percent of hunters will ever need. Second, we are not encouraging extreme-range shooting at game. #22 stelonbeene said: I am new to black powder and i've been curious about what caliber is the flattest shooting between .45-.58. The .28 Nosler is a refined cartridge, but its also very fast, and that is one reason that it performs so well at long distances. My take away on all this number crunching? And here they are: Flattest at 300 yards 240 Wby. Also know that not all manufacturer-claimed B.C. Its a top choice of military snipers and can launch heavy bullets with high speed and exceptional precision. But dont waste your time trying to convince us a slower cartridge in any caliber can shooter flatter than the ones weve identified as category leaders. 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? With a muzzle velocity of 2,860 fps the .300 PRC 212-grain ELD-X load generates 3,850 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle and carries over 2,200 foot-pounds of punch at 500 yards. As the old system for measuring BC, the G1 model is based on a short, flat-bottomed bullet, while the G7 model is based around longer, boat-tailed bullets. Now, you might think this cartridge is new and unproven. Recoil is negligible, making it a great option for hunter with sensitive shoulders. Swifts 150-grain Scirocco at 3,036 fps delivers outstanding terminal performance. The longer the bullet is in the air, the longer gravity can pull on the object. A 10 mph right angle wind at 500 yards can divert even a fast, high B.C. But again, that just my opinion. Despite modest early acceptance the shooting world eventually went crazy for the Creedmoor. Thats what makes a long-range hunters heart go pitter patter, and its what has kept Weatherby in business since 1945. 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. Thus, the .50BMG drops less at 1,000 yards than the 6.5 Creedmoor. Ive seen the cartridge flatten whitetails and caribou, and tight tolerances make it capable of excellent accuracy. Loaded with a 130-grain bullet, it will carry more than 1000 foot-pounds of energy out past 600 yards. unfair comparison, Hornady makes a 139 grain BTSP for the 7mm mag very flat shooter, Great info, thanks for your difficult work. This is the allure and benefit of a flat shooting bullet. 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. Hornady offers it with 190-grain CX bullets, 212-grain ELD-X bullets, and 225-grain ELD Match bullets. We are not going to include here the esoteric military sniping rounds engineered for 1,000 yards, 2,000 yards, even 3,000 yards. A highly accurate, easy to shoot rifle with a flat trajectory will make for confident hunting. Although the .25-caliber bullets belong to a lighter category, they typically have high ballistic coefficients resulting in a perfect wind bucking ability as well as retaining kinetic energy down-range. And they can change in your rifle and will change at different velocities. Enforcermj, Im not sure if your comment is sarcastic or not. But its so close to the 6.5-300 Wby. Hello there, I think your web site may be having browser compatibility problems. And here they are: Flattest at 300 yards 240 Wby. 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. So what makes this round a real standout? Lots of hunters consider the .270 Winchester one of the best all-purpose, short- and long-range cartridges of all time. The .300 Win. A bullet with bigger BC will fly farther and faster than one with a lower coefficient. Is flatest of all youve listed. But if you can shoot this cartridge well, with its supersonic speed out beyond 1,650 yards, youre just about unstoppable at distance, and there are lots of factory loads and riflesaffordable and expensiveto choose from.
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