Flattest at 1,000 yards Heres where things start to change. Best Long Range Calibers in 2023 | Outdoor Life The rifle has five caliber offerings . Links or names greatly appreciated, Thanks! While there are not a lot of ammunition choices for the 6.8 Western, there are some good ones. The best varmint rifles are capable of accurate, repeated medium to long range shots from a fixed position, and are usually found in light, fast calibers that have a flat trajectory. Hornadys Precision Hunter 145-grain ELD-X at 2,950 fps is the flattest-shooting .270 Winchester load. 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? 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. I suspect Weatherby got wind of Noslers work on its superb 26 Nosler, so they released Roys old wildcat to steel some of Noslers thunder. Like the 26 Nosler, the 28 is based on the 404 Jeffery case and will remain supersonic out past 1,750 yards. The 10 Best Varmint Cartridges | Field & Stream I stopped there because few hunters are going to tolerate the recoil or rifle weight needed to operate a flat shooter above 338-caliber. A bullet starts to drop as soon as it leaves the barrel. Top inherently accurate 2000 yard calibers | Sniper's Hide Forum Still, if youre goal is to push heavy projectiles to the outer reaches, Noslers 28 may be the best 7mm option out there. Noslers first proprietary cartridge is basically a steroid-monster 6.5 Creedmoor. The Flattest-Shooting Rifle Cartridges: A handy table - Backfire Another issue is recoil. Its bullets will remain supersonic out past 2,000 yards. Ive updated the chart description so its more clear that it isnt in inches. With the 30-06, we can only overcome 12 yards of ranging error at the same range before we miss the 6 of vitals. It was also a resounding success and has remained popular with hunters looking to stretch their effective range. UPS has officially stopped shipping guns? That kind of long-range accuracy comes at a hefty price with this model starting at $11,700 from the manufacturer. . The Creedmoor carries more velocity and energy downrange with less recoil than any other factory cartridge. It has flipped positions with the 6.5, losing by a mere 1.4-inches. 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. Must be true since it was posted on the internet. 1.5" high at 100, would be dead-on at 250, and only drop 30" at 550. 10 Things We All Hate About flattest shooting caliber to 500 yards At 500 yards, 5.56 will have roughly 339 ft-lbs of energy which drops to roughly 75 ft-lbs at 1,000 yards. via the Davenport formula. Please, keep up the great work! Something like a 7mm Ultramag shooting a 120 TTSX would be pretty flat shooting to 500. Required fields are marked *. This is not just a product of the .27 caliber bullet and its ballistic coefficient numbers. Flattest shooting caliber - PredatorMasters Forums Top Five Long Range Cartridges - The Best of the Best Find out which ones made the cut. I have a 27 3/4" barrel 264 Win mag that shoots 130 Accubonds 3350 fps with Retumbo. If not. Want to run your own ballistics numbers? Oldmarine >>> GO I know you like your Bushnell scope but you should know that they make a lot of good scopes but the one that is favored by many Long Range shooters is the Elite Tactical XRS 4.5 . . Clear enough? I was once hunting plains game in Africa when my PH told me, holding a rangefinder, that the wildebeest was 155 yards away. But it's still a better distance choice than the .270 Winchester past 400 yards (a great caliber as well). Accuracy, knowledge of your rifle and its drops at different ranges, and knowledge of the conditions will dictate your very long range shots. Pronghorn hunters have driven the search for flatter shooting cartridges for a long time. Also look at Federal Premiums 180-grain Nosler AccuBond offering at 2,960 fps. Thursday nights they do IDPA. 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. Excellent work!! that are blowing the ceiling off gun sales, instead of 6 5 CDM? Thus, the .50BMG drops less at 1,000 yards than the 6.5 Creedmoor. It has the best BC and is hands down the flattest shooting of the AR15 calibers. The smaller calibers drop like a rock past 500 yards. Save big on firearms, accessories, tactical gear, clothing, and ammunition from now until March 29. due to its larger diameter which increases drag. (A bullet far from optimum for shooting elk.) Published Apr 14, 2022 12:07 PM EDT. Drop is constant at the gravitational pull of 32 feet per second accelerating at 32 fps. 1. . Don't get me wrong, but 45-70 are very accurate and can travel quite well buckin' the wind, Great job. This means we can first determine the fastest cartridge in each caliber, then compare it against the fastest in others. In general, lightweight bullets driven very fast shoot flatter than heavier bullets with better aerodynamics (high B.C. Nice summary of the subject for those of us who do not understand things like Coreolis Force and aerodynamic jump. I already have a Swarovski Z6 3-18 bt. 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. spitting a 100-gr. I am curious to see how it does for a 22 that can push any bullet weight made for it. 5 Great Calibers for a Big Game Combo Hunt - Kawdy Outfitters If youre planning on buying a gun to shoot long range shots this is recommended reading. The 26 and 28 Nosler as well as the 6.5300 Weatherby Magnum all utilize heavy for caliber bullets with high ballistic coefficients that are stabilized by barrels with fast twist rates. 10 Things We All Hate About flattest shooting caliber to 500 yards Yash June 15, 2021 57 views 3 minute read This is the one in the middle, the flattest shooting caliber to 500 yards. Hornady 123-grain SST at 2580 fps. 3. It nearly matches the ballistics of the Winchester Magnum, but does so in rifles with faster-twist barrels and modern powders that extend barrel life. For most calibers, such as a 45 getting the impact to be on target at 75 yards, the impact at 50 will be an inch or so high and an inch or so low at 100 and 4 to 6 inches or more low at 200 yards. What I have come up with is the .270 Weatherby Magnum with a 135gr Sierra Matchking and 7828. At 500 yards . I know you won't find them in the US, but just wanted to mention them because it's fun. 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. If youre after deeper penetration, look at the 139-grain Barnes VOR-TX Long Range load. This old timer remains a phenomenon, flat-shooting and effective. Caliber Flattest Shooting Load BC; 7mm R Mag: Hor 139 gr InBd HvMag.480: 270 WSM (1) Fed 130 gr Nosler BT.428: 300 Win Mag: Hor 150 gr InBd . With a muzzle velocity faster than 3000 fps, it offers great external and terminal ballistics. Check out ShootersCalculator.com. Every rifle is different. MY 45 cal ball travels at 1633fps with a standard charge, and 74-5gr for a full charge (2040fps). Since 1962, when the round was introduced in conjunction with the Remington 700, countless others have arrived at the same conclusion. This is more a theory question than anything. 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. How can I get all the data in a spread sheet form like you showed in your video? 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. Shooters have no real idea how much drop a bullet has at long ranges like 1500 yards. Drops just 11.6 inches. In 2019, Nosler submitted the cartridge to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Institute (SAAMI) for approval, and in 2020, you can expect to see Nosler and other ammunition manufacturers offering factory loaded ammunition and even rifles for it. p.s. And for all of you whove just learned your flat shooting champion really isnt, sorry. Dear Adriel, please be so kind to provide statistics on the following calibers as well: I love that you have gone above and beyond here and I see tremendous value in this knowledge. Is it possible to show those on your web site list? 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. Target Rifle- Caliber Question. What caliber rifle shoots the flattest? - Curvesandchaos.com 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. Its clear that flat shooting is directly proportional to overbore. cleric; Jan 28, 2023; Bolt Action Rifles ; Replies 13 Views 475. The Government .45-70 can give you the perfect hunting experience as it is one of the top calibers used by hunters. At 300 yards it has dropped around 13 inches, and at 500 yards it's just under 60 inches (5 feet). I prefer larger calibers for elk, but the .270 is perfectly adequate for elk, and I have personally used it for elk all the way to 400 yards with no problems. 260 Rem 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. 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. Underwood Ammos 110-grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos bullet at 2800 fps is another great option. 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. I know its a great round, but its by a long shot the best selling rifle chambering of the last several years. THANK God for analysts like you Jim your passion for statistics really help us guys with our difficult choices and how we spend our hard earned money.. Im definitely sold on the 6.5-300 wby mag its definitely the new Era 270 in my books. Though that shot didn't take advantage of the 7mm Mag's flat trajectory, it convinced me of the cartridge's superior qualities. Been there done that, so Im not playing holier-than-thou. The URSA gongs are 37 inches round and if you get 4 out of 10 you advance in 500 yard increments. It is about the easiest caliber to hit with at that range you can imagine. I took the shot prone and then stood up after the wildebeest tipped over after a perfect shot. A 10 mph right angle wind at 500 yards can divert even a fast, high B.C. I also appreciate the realistic exposition of the relevant comparison between effects of flat-shooting cartridge vs judging cross-wind! It has flipped positions with the 6.5, losing by a mere 1.4-inches. You still need excellent range finding equipment and preferably have tested drops in your rifle in case your bullets have exaggerated BC claims. These are all under my extreme heading, because theyre all brutal on cost and recoil. Beyond 1000 yards they use either the 338 Lapua or the 50 BMG. "Animal Instinct ammunition is optimized to deliver . The Chey-Tac M200 Intervention is the bolt-action rifle built to handle this round, and shooters have been documented firing a group of 3 shots within 16 inches at 2,321 yards. Brownings 175-grain Sierra Tipped GameKing load has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2835 fps and a very high ballistic coefficient. projectile that you might crown that one King, especially since that 100-grain sounds a bit more reasonable for deer-sized game. So, if you want to go long, there are some clear choices here. 6.5 CM The 6.5 CM is a newcomer to the shooting world. 26 Nosler Cartridge: The Flattest-Shooting 6.5 Ever? A rifle is suitable for flat shooting as long as the 500-yard impact range of the rifle falls below the 40''. I\d be curious to know what the minimum cost is for just the rifle or a quality budget build. bullet to offset wind deflection. Its biggest disadvantage, in some people's opinion, is .25 caliber bullets have low BCs. A Canadian sniper had a record kill at over 3500 yards last year in Afghanistan. Swifts 150-grain Scirocco at 3,036 fps delivers outstanding terminal performance. For optics, I use a Leupold Mark 6 with a Horus reticle. But can it defend that title at 1,000 yards? I see there are some others like 300Win mag as well and thats a very popular cartage so it should be there as well I would think. Also, I used something called G1 B.C. Warm greetings from S.W. Thank you. You can't go wrong with a .308 for a 500 yard rifle. 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. While heavier bullets at low speed dont shoot as flat, they do carry energy further generally. Mag. At a 100 yard zero sight in the 500 yard drop is 37. Ditto the 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5-300 Wby. That does not appeal to my simplified physics understanding of the subject. bullet. Flattest at 500 yards Weatherbys wildly overbore 6.5-300 wins again! Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range, 150-grain AccuBond Long Range at 2,930 fps. I have neither the scientific knowledge nor mathematical skills to figure out the perfect blend of factors that produces the flattest trajectory winner. If the 300 RUM surprises you, know that it surprised me, too. Nor could most of us scrape up a good excuse for owning one. 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. For deer and lesser critters, its a solid 500-yard cartridge. plays a major roll in trajectory, but is second in significance to muzzle velocity. 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. The 26 Nosler cartridge was designed with the high ballistic coefficient (B.C.) Yet it has proven again and again that it will deliver at distance. How hard would it be to add a 223wssm to the mix. To even things out, Ive zerod all cartridges at 100, drops are listed in feet and cartridges that fell below 1000 ft-lbs didnt get past the next 100 yard clip. Well, nothing will save you if you mistakenly range a deer at 700 yards thats really at 800. Backfire LLC owns and operates this website. Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range with a 129-grain AccuBond Long Range bullet at 3,400 fps. No exotics just yet, theyll come later. Flattest at 500 yards Weatherby's wildly overbore 6.5-300 wins again! Should you have other helpful info, please send it to me by email: [emailprotected]. 17. Nope, pretty much matches a 308Win to 500 yards. Many people found it informative, but some of the hunters wanted to know if you have any statistics available on the calibers as listed above. Good work mate. 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. He has managed multiple gun ranges, and has hunted around the world. RELATED: The 10 Best Rifle Bullets for Long-Range Shooting. Great chart and thanks for what must have been an incredible amount of work. 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. On the other hand, wind speed and direction are inconsistent. Richard Mann was born and raised in West Virginia and has hunted from the Montana mountains to the green hills of Africa. 4 Stunning Long-Range Rifles That Will Shoot Past 1,000 Yards Run those numbers on JBM. In ballistic terms, a 235-grain .375 bullet at 3,000 fps exits the muzzle with lots of energy: 4,695 ft-lbs. The .224 Valkyrie is the flattest shooting 0.224 caliber cartridge . Flattest Shooting Hunting Calibers | The Hunting Gear Guy Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. The multiple loads for each cartridge are not at all pulled at random. The 6.5 PRC can remain supersonic out beyond 1,600 yards or so, but ammunition options are limited. 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. 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. ), Hornadys Precision Hunter 178-grain ELD-X at 2,600 fps is probably the best long-range option, but look also at the new 168-grain Berger Hybrid Hunter load from Federal, RELATED: 6.5 Creedmoor vs. .308 Winchester. Copyright Ron Spomer Outdoors document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Recoil is stiff and some find it hard to master. My grandkids have a poem for this photo: Cartridge cartridge on the table, choose the flattest if youre able. 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. Even the heaviest Weatherby factory load (120-grain Partition) leaves the muzzle at 3,305 feet per second and retains 1,221 foot-pounds of energy at 500 yards. 2. That, combined with their relatively small size, means that compared to cartridges of similar powder capacity, the 6.5s will almost always do more, in terms of external and terminal ballistics, with less recoil. But what are the flattest shooting rifle cartridges? By the time the 6.5 Creedmoor started gaining popularity, interest in the .270 WSM was fading. It takes a lot of practice to learn the aim point to bring the rifle on target. 1 Normal load using the most popular factory ammo, one heavy load for each, one light load. The .277 is an oddball bullet diameter, in that it doesnt fall into the much more common 6.5mm, 7mm, or .30-caliber categories. But lets have a round of applause for our antiquated 220 Swift, just 0.2-inch off the record! I would think this data is slightly skewed unless the bullets are shot out of the same length of barrels and the same practices of reloading. Always be open to new possibilities. 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. 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. And here they are: Flattest at 300 yards 240 Wby. Prairie dogs?). To be fair to the 30-378, itmurders everything else for flatness way out there, staying feet above most other cartridges and carrying enough energy to take a deer at just over 1000 yards. I\m also a huge fan of Ron Spomer so well done for the recognition of his great work too. It's not until you get farther out that BC starts making a big difference. It's muzzle v. Modern high-ballistic-coefficient bullets is where the .375 H&H really steps out of its traditional box. Zeroing for 100 yards or farther will change drop significantly. 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. Generally, traditional Weatherby Magnum cartridges perform slightly better than their Winchester or Remington magnum counterparts. No howitzers or tanks.). Factory rifles and ammunition options are limited here, too, but based on the ballistic abilities of this cartridge, thats likely to change sooner rather than later. Its drop at 1,000 yards is 330.30 and at 500 yards its drop is 50.00. Take a look at the MPBR column and note how close they all are. (-200) I'm trying to find the best round from the muzzle to 500yds as far as trajectory. . Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Below is the information Ive gleaned from 17-caliber through 338. . It's wide-open so anyone from beginners to pros, 25 caliber pocket guns through to race guns. again. A benefit of that, you can fing .308 ammo off-the-shelf for any practical application. That's pretty dang flat. 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. 223 Wylde chambered, 20" barreled rifle. Great information! Thats equal magnitude to 200fps less flatness! Some Tips on Choosing the Best Varmint Caliber At 500 yards, the 27 Nosler drops almost a foot less than Jack OConnors sacred cartridge. The caveat here is that fastest becomes a bit murky. Posted: 12/20/2020 9:01:19 AM EST [#22] There is a simple . Your email address will not be published. Four Great Calibers for Elk | The Outdoor Line Blog Jim, That's pretty dang flat. Impeccable analysis here. 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. Federals EDGE TLR .270 Winchester is another outstanding option. Kind of underwhelming, right? flattest trajectory? | Sniper & Sharpshooter Forums 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. rating, that 100-grain bullet is hanging in there. Also, same bullet, but a .257 Wby Mag will also work if you hit the same velocities. Its really tough to spot impacts with that much recoil, and thats becoming increasingly important for shooters. 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. The drops are listed in feet for the really long range shots, so theyre pretty close to your numbers. Might be of interest and I have used the cartridge in a Ruger M77 with a 22 barrel. Mag. What a gentleman. (This is essentially what Hornady did to the .260 Remington to make the 6.5 Creedmoor.) Thanks again. Is the 270 Good For Elk? - eatingthewild.com Flattest shooting lever gun - SASS Wire - SASS Wire Forum .25-06 AI with a Berger 115 VLD that's moving 3,600 fps. Forums. Do you have any of the data on the weight of the bullets, the brand of the bullets, the BC, any of the information related to the data youre posting? But there is a big contender missing I think. The 10 Best Long-Range Hunting Cartridges - MSN 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. of energy at that distance more than enough to drop a deer humanely. Outstanding job!! The Fastest .308 Win. on the Market? - The Shooter's Log At 150 yards the target is a 6 inch hole and the gong is behind it. 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. 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. What Is The Best Hunting Cartridge To 500 yds. Always amazing to me its not even on those lists. Unless youre shooting really far. But the premise is based on my farm, where distances are limited to 560 or so yards. The non-bonded bullet should deliver good terminal performance up close and at distance. Im not sure Im reading this right but there seems to be a decimal missing. Velocity, drop, energy and the use of bullets with their own factors which create their ballistic coefficients all should be considered. 6.5mm and 7mm projectiles offer very high ballistic coefficients, meaning they offer excellent ability to overcome drag and wind deflection over longer distances. 4/1/2016. Love it Jim ! projectiles begins to add up and they shoot flatter at extreme range. With the highest BC bullets, the 26 Nosler remains supersonic beyond 1,750 yards. The .17 HMR is based upon the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire casing, necked down to .17 Caliber. Mag. View Quote. 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.