The best long-range cartridge in the world might be the .408 Chey-Tac. The difference in the accuracy of store-bought ammo verse hand-loaded rounds is definitely noticeable. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Im referring to cartridges that have been custom designed by people in the industry who squeeze every drop of performance out of a round. in earnest, awarding a contract to Federal Cartridge Co., in 1987 to produce .300 Win. An MOA equals one inch per 1000 yards. Its an excellent choice for shooting groundhogs out to 500 yards. The 6 mm Creedmoor is simply another telling of the 6.5 Creedmoor story, but with different cartridges. You have so much faith that your round will hit your target. One big drawback to the Valkyrie is the same as the .223. As for PRS shooters, with great flat trajectories and low-recoil, follow-up shots are a breeze. The info on barrel life added a lot of depth. Out to 600 yards, the .308 is very capable, and by finessing the load and holding your tongue just right, 1,000 yards is doable. A big selling point to the Grendel is its ease on barrels. I could definitely see a splash from my 300-grain Hornady A-Tip on the steel. Soft shooting 6mms give the most bang for the buck when comparing their long-range capabilities with how (relatively) affordable they are to reload. Its a thankless job, but somebodys got to point you toward the best of the best. It could be argued the 6.5 Creedmoor started the current long-range shooting craze. Muzzle Velocity: Using the 140gr ELD Match, 2,750 fps. A few years back I took a very nicely built AR-15 to Buck Doyles training facility where a group of us shot out to 1,100 yards on steel targets. Projectiles can be found anywhere with nearly any grain-weight in its class, for those of you who reload. For those lucky enough to be able to own and fire a .338 rifle, you know what I mean. Definitely a great overall cartridge for any skill range in the Long Range shooting community. The .308 Win. Our rifles were dinged, we sometimes were issued machine gun ammo instead of match. The .308 is no different. The name .30-06 refers to the caliber, .30, and the year, 1906when this round was developed by the US Army. 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. 500m: 1,212 ft-lbs. With the projectile variability and network of knowledge on this cartridge, I think its a great option to build a classic hunting rifle. As for its effectiveness on game, theres little doubt about its track record there. History: The history and service-record behind the .308 goes all the way back to the 1950s. Cross-Platform Use: Since this caliber is somewhat antiquated, the modern tactical platforms have not maintained product lines for the .243. Muzzle: 4,677 ft-lbs. ), neither of which is conducive to good accuracy. After the match we went downrange to check the plates, and sure enough, there was a single, beautiful lead splash on both targets. Muzzle: 2,821 ft-lbs. The new case was developed for years based on the T65 developmental cartridge. During benchrest competition the targets have a paper backer that is moving placed behind them. As more and more interest in the Long Range community, one thing has become apparent. Unlike the previous cartridges, this is the first one that has no parent case. Youve already come here, which shows you are willing to read. Savage Model 10/110 FCP HS Precision 11. The only affordable model, the Winchester XPR, is neutered with a 24 barrel. Also, experience firing large bore calibers is advised. At about the 1,500-2,000 round mark, magnum calibers will start to see spikes in muzzle velocity variation and a decrease in sustained accuracy. Overall Practicality: If you had the money to spend on it, and were not needing a semi-auto rifle for competitions, the .300 Norma Magnum is possibly the best performing round on this list. But isnt that what makes it awesome? Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, 7 Best New Cartridges for Long-Range Precision, First Look: Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint. 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. 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. LR performance is very impressive. Winchester designed the .300 WSM in 2001 with the idea of a hybrid. Average MV for a .223 is 3100 fps. When firing with the .300NM at 1,000m, you get that same feeling. Minimal. Since it was undisputed that the .30-06 has a higher powder capacity and the same maximum chamber pressure, it should be entirely possible to replace the 168 grain Sierra with either a 185 grain Berger or 190 grain Sierra with more modern powders and out-pace the .308 Wins best trans sonic distance by at least 50 yards, taking the 06 to 1000yds or better. Snipers were forced to choose a limited range bolt-action rifle or the completely overpowered M82/M107. The goal was to standardize a wildcat cartridge that married the .338 Winchester Magnum and the .375 H&H Magnum. Coming from my military background, I was always reluctant to stray from the 7.62x51mm or .300 Winchester Magnum. Most .243 rifles are chambered in older, wooden sporting stocks like the Winchester Model 70 and older Remington 700s. The numbers are beyond impressive. Mag. Well, with the right bullets (70 grains and up) and the right barrel twist (1:7 is best), the 5.56 is capable of shooting impressive distances, including the elusive 1,000-yard mark. And the AR-10 was designed SPECIFICALLY for the .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO. In physics, gyroscopic stability explains that the rotational spin on a projectile will keep it on its initial course. Also, terminal performance on larger targets has proven weak at best (one large reason the .243 never caught on with the military). The average price per round will be $1.25. Adding this .30-caliber to the family was a no-brainer and, in fact, wildcatters had done so from nearly the moment the .338 Win. In essence, the 6.5284 Norma equals the performance of the .270 Winchester with projectiles having much higher BC and consuming slightly less powder. Remaining Energy: Muzzle: 4,186 ft-lbs. This also means barrel life will vary greatly. Comfortable price point. As said before, the standard rifle manufacturers have not caught up the .224 Valkyrie. The day started off late. Not to mention the custom actions and several Tier One barrel manufacturers available to create your own custom rifle. Semi-automatic pistols for self-defense continue to be extremely popular, but there is a surprising amount of new double-stack 1911s and revolvers released this year. Surprisingly due to the case volume to bore area ratio, barrel life is impressive for a cartridge of this size. Ultimately, we cannot deny that this round was replaced by better options. Mag. Created in 2007 by a ballistics team from Hornady, the 6.5 Creedmoor was designed as an improved Long Range target cartridge, based on the .308 Winchester .30 TC (Thompson Center). What I can tell you is that choosing the right caliber in relation to recoil can make or break your performance as a shooterespecially if youre new to the game. Since 1898, OL has been a leading authority in testing and reviewing hunting gear, fishing tackle, guns and shooting equipment, and much more. My background comes from the military sniper community where our gear was never the best. Other Equipment Since this caliber is somewhat antiquated, the modern tactical platforms have not maintained product lines for the .243. 500m: 1260 ft-lbs. 1,500m: 306 ft-lbs. You could say that the 6 mm Creedmoor story started in 1955 with the introduction of the .244 Remington, which was a .257 Roberts cartridge necked down to 6 mm. Does it go the farthest? Overall Practicality: With things like barrel life and ammo availability into consideration, the 6mm Creedmoor is a perfect option for the more seasoned and able LR shooter who doesnt mind reloading consistently and replacing barrels often. It was squirrely, pushing the bullets high or dropping them low because of the hilly, uneven terrain. All in all, dont get TOO hung up on MVs. The history and service-record behind the .308 goes all the way back to the 1950s. You have more knowledge in your non-dominant pinky than I have. 1,000m: 786 ft-lbs. Other than some boutique businesses that will load ammo for you, there is currently no factory 6mm Dasher offered, which is a significant barrier to entry for many shooters. Based off of the .375 Ruger Compact Magnum, the PRC tries to deliver the best performance in its case range. I would be interested to see how the 6mm GT compares to the .243 and 6 Creed and even the 6.5 Creed. I predict the 6.5 Weatherby RPM and 6.8 Western to be busts. Ballistic Co-Efficient: 143 ELD-X G1: 0.625 G7: 0.315, Remaining Energy: Muzzle: 2670 ft-lbs 500m: 1439 ft-lbs 1,000m: 698 ft-lbs 1,500m: 335 ft-lbs. 6.5CM cases will fit an AR-10 magazine. Without, this cartridge should be shot by older more experienced enthusiasts. Some products out there exist for use in an AR-10 platform but the PRC is born within the bolt-gun family. For the reloading enthusiasts, this gives another round to be excited for. Unless you are a military sniper, this round has almost zero practicality. Thinking that its deficiencies compared to newer calibers are mainly its moderate BC bullets due to cartridge length, I thought I might try reloading long with something like the 225gr ELDM. The .308 Win used 175s with a higher BC than the .30-06s 168 grain Sierra. Recoil is harsh. Bergara B-14 HMR. Barrel life and ammo prices. Overall Practicality: For the Long Range hunting community, I would argue that the .30-06 still has a place in this world. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. In this topic, I have to admit a certain level of bias. Time of Flight (ToF) (the time it takes between squeezing a trigger and the round impacting the desired target) helps describe a scenario in which a shooter can put a round on target in a shorter amount of time, but does not describe the profound damage done to the barrel. Before its inception, the thought of pushing a 75-grain projectile past 1000 yards was uncommon. Initial Thoughts: Coming from my military background, I was always reluctant to stray from the 7.62x51mm or .300 Winchester Magnum. The 6 mm Creedmoor will not quite equal .243 Winchester muzzle velocities, but because of its specified 1:7.5-inch twist rate, it will handle more aerodynamic bullets, which makes it perform better at distance. For hunters, medium-game will be the limit of this caliber. The 6.5 PRC was born at the 2018 SHOT Show. But you wouldn't want to hunt with it. He took that case and necked it down to load .243 (6mm) projectiles. Their high muzzle velocity and heavy projectile weights greatly increase erosion of the lands and grooves that make up the barrel rifling. The moly does extend the cleaning interval a little bit, probably 20 percent or so. With a muzzle brake and/or suppressor, the recoil is definitely manageable. Basically, whatever. Now, are these the only viable options for a long-range cartridge for you? Most of these calibers are also fairly expensive to shoot in both ammo and barrel replacements. Anecdotally, PRS shooters are having to change barrels once per year. The numbers dont lie. Another ballistic value that has importance is the Remaining Energy (RE) of the round at any given range. Ammo Availability: Shockingly, the average price per round is $4.75. .300 PRC is strictly a bolt action caliber at the moment. We have put together a table for you to compare values side by side, and below the table, we go more in-depth on each caliber. Some products out there exist for use in an AR-10 platform but the PRC is born within the bolt-gun family. You may see something like this: 6.5mm 140-grain VLD G1 BC: 0.593 G7 BC: 0.304. This cartridge is one of the most capable rounds I have ever shot. Simply speaking, the BC refers to how well a bullet navigates gravity, air density, and wind. Do you intend to run the same caliber across bolt and semi systems? In 2008, the cartridge was introduced not to expand upon the capabilities of the .338, but the possibilities. Ammo is available online, however, it is not cheap. Expect about $5.50 per round. To this day, the .300WM is still a very popular choice amongst Long Range hunters and military snipers. 6.5 projectiles hold a reputation of great BCs. History: Unlike the previous cartridges, this is the first one that has no parent case. The .300 Winchester Magnum was developed in 1963 by Winchester itself. 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. No problem. The market has followed. MOA vs MRAD Rifle Scopes Which is Best for Long Range? appeared, calling that cartridge the .30-338 Winchester. still possess remarkable capabilities. Then theres the matter of personal preference. This caliber has even won military contracts from SOCOM in 2017, which I specifically took part in. Day 1: Teams wouldn't usually receive an "average" grade for taking a running back in the top 10, but it's hard to dislike this pick too . It has been a proven competitor in the PRS circuit. 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The truth is that there is no one best long-range caliber for every job and there are many factors to consider. The .224 Valkyrie takes the benefits from the .223 and extends its range performance drastically. A standard 6BR, after all, set the ten-shot 1000-yard world record. You are looking at the 1,500 to 2,000 round mark for consistent accuracy. My bias steers clear of the wildcat calibers. As for PRS shooters, with great flat trajectories and low-recoil, follow-up shots are a breeze. 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. Sierras 80-grain MatchKing is a profoundly good choice for extreme-range shooting with the .223/5.56, a fact borne out by a glance at a list of National Match winners. Meet the all-new Taurus Judge Executive Grade, a revolver featuring a hand-polished satin finish, presentation-grade wood grips, a brass rod front sight and an exceptional hand-tuned trigger. G7 is the most current and most accurate measurement of the predicted flight of a long-range projectile. Slightly more than the .308 Winchester. Sportsman could use the same rifle used for groundhogs and coyotes, as for deer. You cannot pick a better round for the beginner Long Range shooter. With proper handloading technique, the Dasher delivers muzzle velocities with minimal shot-to-shot SD (standard deviation) and ES (extreme spread). Lastly, I noticed the .308 Win. You can expect an average of 4,000 to 10,000 rounds of sustained accuracy. Best hunting caliber for barrel length 16.5-20" tex68w; Oct 31, 2022; Bolt . No one denies how incredibly devastating this caliber can be, but for the average tactical and competition guy, this caliber is overkill. Assuming you have a decent .300 Win. They will also fit any .308 Winchester bolt face; meaning that to obtain a 6.5CM, all you need to do is swap a barrel, making this cartridge extremely modular across bolt and gas guns. That being said if you plan to take your Long Range game seriously, I would invest the time and money into reloading. ammo is readily available, which is probably because of its history as a military sniper cartridge for distances where the .308 cant get it done but the .338 Lapua and .50 BMG are unnecessary. It is also the most popular caliber for the most popular and modular riflethe AR-15. Reproduction of any part of this website without direct permission is prohibited. However, were interested in long range, and those bullets are usually considered mid-range projectiles. However, the majority of builds will be designed for the bolt action system. A few years back when I was planning a hunt for blacktails in Oregon I ran through a mental checklist of all the big-game cartridges I could choose from. Not very economically practical for the entry-level guys, but for those taking rifles down-range itll give you confidence if you get issued a rifle chambered in this cartridge. 80% more. Put the two together and you have a great shooting LR round. A good muzzle brake or suppressor is advised. They wanted a superior hunting and LR cartridge with similar trajectories as the .300 WM, but with less powder use and recoil. 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 I was building a rifle on this caliber, I would expect to look at bolt-only options. 6.5 projectiles hold a reputation of great BCs. I am stuck between 308 Win and 300 Win Mag or WSM. 1,000m: 1,287 ft-lbs. Thats what happened with Norma. The 6mm ARC Cartridge: Why the Military Needed It, Springfield Armory Hellion 5.56 NATO Bullpup Rifle: Tested, Buyer Beware: Buying 'Bargain' Guns Can Be Risky. I ended up going with a 6.5 PRC for target shooting, and this article was a factor in that decision. The main issue with the latter is that there are few rifles so chambered. We often hear about the average self-defense scenario, but the truth is every encounter is unique. When loading the cartridges the bullets were only seated .12 inches into the cases. Its use today is limited to medium to big-game hunting; bolt action only. 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. When the Remington 700 and similar actions start chambering in .224, I think the caliber will be a viable option for more experienced re-loaders who are seeking a low-recoiling 1,000-yard build. Without a muzzle brake or suppressor, the .338 Lapua Magnum offers a challenging recoil experience. It was dark and, at 17-power, that 6-foot plate at 4,100 yards was very small. Overall Practicality: The .224 Valkyrie takes the benefits from the .223 and extends its range performance drastically. I see this more for the shooter that needs terminal performance. No one can deny how terrific a .300 WM performs at extended range. No matter the choice, theres no denying that we live in a golden era of rifle accuracy. He served as team leader for a scout sniper team during the 22nd MEU. Great Article!! Lapua has offered cases off and on for several years, enabling accuracy-obsessed shooters to make the most of the 7mm SAUM. I think the .375 & .408 Chey Tac and 416 Barrett suffer from ammo cost and availability? Not ideal for beginners or those who do not reload. The .30-06 is such a classic sniper rifle round, I could not leave it out of the running. Initial Thoughts: I see another wildcat come to the limelight. I had to zoom out to about 17x in order to do that, putting the 11-mil mark on my Mil-C reticle right at the bottom of the image. Muzzle: 2,832 ft-lbs. I was particularly blown away by the range of the 6.5 Grendel. Bro, do you even long range? Since the beginning, the 6.5 has taken off as one of the best LR cartridges to date. This, generally speaking, means less error due to poor wind judgment will occur when firing long distances. But these niche cartridges are expensive (to put it mildly) to shoot and build guns for and arent practical for everyday shooters.For shooting out to 1,000 yards, the 6mm Creedmoor is about ideal. This caliber was designed and intended strictly for the semi-auto AR-15 platforms. However, because of the lack of interest in the market, ammo is pretty expensive and interest in the caliber is limited to bench rest shooters. Barrel Life on the .243 can range anywhere from 1,500 rounds to 3,000. At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks For Long Range Calibers in 2022. For hunting at extended ranges, the 6.5 PRC and .300 Win. But when you consider the specific task at hand, the field of options narrows. For that blacktail hunt I ended up creating a rifle with the now-defunct Legendary Arms Works with my friend Mike Hudgins. The new case was developed for years based on the T65 developmental cartridge. Budget speaking, the 6.5 Grendel is much more of a value in rifle and ammo costs than the AR-10 class of calibers. Back in 2013, Mike Stinnett bested a benchrest record that stood for nearly 40 years when he shot a 5-shot group in competition at 100 yards that measured .0077 inches. 1,000m: 1,523 ft-lbs. The components for reloading are also readily available. One of the classic LR projectiles is the 175 Sierra Match King @ 2,700 fps. .300 PRC. For average shooters wanting to plink at steel targets on their family farm, this round is far overkill. 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. The .300 Norma Magnum comes to us from the .338 Norma Magnum, necked down to accept a .30 cal projectile. Since its inception, the .308 has remained the most popular choice of Long Range shooters, snipers, and hunters. Some compare it to the .260 or 6.5 Creedmoor, the 6.5x47mm Lapua is known to be very accurate. Mag.s accuracy at these distances were changes to the chamber reamers used. His favorite caliber at the time for LR competition shooting was the 6.5CM. Im referring to cartridges that have been custom designed by people in the industry who squeeze every drop of performance out of a round. 0. To take the 6.5CM and add MV to the equation, pure joy happens. 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. The lighter 140gr range projectiles dont enact enough felt energy rearward like the 175gr+ class of projectiles from bigger bores. Is your rifle shooting steel or live targets? It is meant for the traditional long-range projectile; featuring a long, slender ogive and a boat-tail rear end. My bias steers clear of the wildcat calibers. Such bullets provide a good balance of best BC/best velocity out of the .308. Recoil Condition: Getting into the magnum calibers, recoil is going to be noticeably more than the .308 Winchester. The intended use and shooters budget play a major role in determining which is best. Dont want to handload?
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