If you are looking for exceptional, hard-hitting, flat performance, you might want to consider the .300 PRC. That is the average barrel life of the Magnum cartridges. It gives you that extra boost in MV to cut the wind more effectively. 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? This cartridge was designed to deliver devastating .30 cal Magnum performance. And most of all, be safe and be fun. The flattest-shooting popular rifle cartridge at 1,000 yards is the 6. Getting into the magnum calibers, recoil is going to be noticeably more than the .308 Winchester. A good 1000-yard stock will feature a flat fore-end, 3 or so wide . 1,500m: 630 ft-lbs. Muzzle velocity certainly makes a difference in how fast the bullet reaches the target, but it is by no means the only factor to consider. Cross-Platform Use: This cartridge can be found in semi-auto AR-style rifles. Average price per round at $2.25. The numbers dont lie. Muzzle: 4,186 ft-lbs. Before its inception, the thought of pushing a 75-grain projectile past 1000 yards was uncommon. With that in mind, you don't need high end optics, a long range cartridge, and special support for shots that close. 500m: 2,755 ft-lbs. Danny. 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. . Initial Thoughts: Just like any new and exciting caliber that is designed specifically for the LR community, I know the performance will be top-notch. For all-around optimal performance, the projectile weight needs to be in the 140gr+ range. Somewhere in-between an AR-15 and AR-10. Rule of thumb: 30-50 fps for every inch of the barrel either gained or lost. A line can be drawn in the sand between the .30 cal class projectiles and the .338 and larger. Initial Thoughts: The .223 Remington offers an excellent choice for the novice weekend warrior who has limited distance range facilities. 6.5-300 WBY (-204) Flatter than a 220 Swift and still carries 1700-1800 lbs of energy at 500 yds. The ammo was considerably lighter, meaning the rifles could be lighter. This cartridge chambered three iconic US Service weapons; the 1903 Springfield rifle, M1 Garand, and the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). In this topic, I have to admit a certain level of bias. The projectile still punched through steel at one mile! After writing each of these parameters and reviewing each caliber, I could think of around much better suited than the 6.5 CM in a given categorybut it excels in almost every category. 1,500m: 610 ft-lbs. Muzzle Velocity: Firing the 250gr Lapua Scenar projectile, MV: 3,030 fps, Ballistic Co-Efficient: G1: 0.603 G7: 0.310. I was once hunting plains game in Africa when my PH told me, holding a rangefinder, that the wildebeest was 155 yards away. No one can deny how terrific a .300 WM performs at extended range. I asked around a few years ago and found 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum as the most overbore commercial cartridge. It offers exceptional accuracy and a decent range for shooters who do not have Long Range facilities available. I work at a very large and popular firearms dealer, and I have sold dozens (if not hundreds) if the 6.5, but I havent sold 1, or had anyone even ask about the top 3 in this list. Take another look. Some of those 26 and 28 Nosler rifles only have 600-900 shots of total barrel life. projectile that you might crown that one King, especially since that 100-grain sounds a bit more reasonable for deer-sized game. 1,500m: 776 ft-lbs. Ammo Availability: Shockingly, the average price per round is $4.75. Expect to see about 2,500 round barrel life. Excellent job. The .300 WSM steals the performance of a .300 WM and transforms it down to a short-action rifle. The .308 Win used 175s with a higher BC than the .30-06s 168 grain Sierra. By using the same overall magazine length dimension, the 6.5 could still use the STANAG (NATO dimension) magazine pattern. Notice that it is only 3 grains lighter than the 150-grain .264 atop that Weatherby. Smart Self-Defense: Knowing When To Shoot And When Not To, Concealing Your Guns: 7 Ways To Keep Them Safe And Out Of Sight, 4 Less-Than-Lethal But Effective Weapons For Home Defense. At 1000 yards a .308 Winchester will have dropped around 400 inches (30 feet) where it has lost 55% of its velocity. Mil/LE and Hunting communities need the RE factor for hard-hitting, threat/animal stopping performance. Now if you pulled all of your data from Nosler and they shot their bullets out of the same length of barrel then I would trust the ballistics youre speaking of. Because the .224 is so new, the market is still catching on. After going online and getting confused this article oriented me in the right direction(s). Drop is constant at the gravitational pull of 32 feet per second accelerating at 32 fps. 1000 Yard Shooting Part II Caliber Selection, Shooting Technique, Reloading and the Mental Game. Being developed in 2017, most ammo is going to come from reloading. The way in which cartridge manufacturers develop rounds to overcome these forces is the twist rates of the barrels in the rifles the cartridges are chambered in, developing longer, more aerodynamic bullets with narrower ogives and case capacity. This was not a significant problem at the time of introduction, as the .45-70 was a fairly flat-shooting cartridge for its time. 270. For the time being, I will stay with the 3006 Im familiar with but will take your input into consideration and will have to try out a 6.5 Creedmoor at your recommendation. Overall Practicality: I argue that you will not find a more practical Long Range caliber in this list. Like almost all other high powered rifle calibers, save the personal protection/defensive calibers, hollow points are generally reserved for precision and match usage only. The .30-06 is such a classic sniper rifle round, I could not leave it out of the running. I was particularly blown away by the range of the 6.5 Grendel. Unlike most rifle cartridges, the trajectory stays level out to about 300 yards. The ammo was considerably lighter, meaning the rifles could be lighter. Ammo Availability: This cartridge has been around for a while. Overall Practicality: I heavily recommend this caliber to those out there who want magnum performance without magnum recoil. Since the most common .223 projectile for LR performance is the Sierra Match King 77gr OTM, we will use that; G7 BC ~ 0.202. Again, this round is such a classic. Cross-Platform Use: Unfortunately being such an older caliber, new-age tactical guys will not see this cartridge on many platforms. Take a look at the MPBR column and note how close they all are. Any bolt gun can be custom chambered to any SAAMI cartridgebut the keyword is custom. Although I dont see this being an entry-level caliber, it could very well lead to a goal for new shooters. JON WEILER Preferred Caliber For 500 To 1,000 Yards And Beyond: 6.5 Creedmoor. It is also the most popular caliber for the most popular and modular riflethe AR-15. I do believe the market will catch up to this round. Those, then, are my conclusions. So lets roll with this! What is your mission? No. It makes sense. So I find it strange you dont have it on any of the lists from what I have seen. With the right rifle, the .300WM can be a very smooth shooting set-up. It makes no sense to me (since Im not a bench rest shooter) to pick a caliber that you intend to invest $2500+ in a barreled action if you cannot find the ammo to feed it. This topic of long-range calibers is debated across many different disciplines including PRS, Tactical, Military/Law Enforcement, Hunting, etc. 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. I mean, its the flattest shooting cartridge around, but you took a huge bump in recoil over the 300 win mag or even 270 WSM for 41 more usable yards of MPBR. Great info but my 7mm rem mag with Nosler 120 grain BT (.417bc) @ 3600fps has anything on this chart beat pretty soundly. At 150 yards the target is a 6 inch hole and the gong is behind it. Why even mention such an antiquated round? I also love that this cartridge can be fired from standard Long-Action receivers. Why is the 7 MM Ultra Mag also called the 7RUM not on your lists? The number of options for load-development and rifle rigs is unsurpassed. Best 1,000-Yard Rifles For Under $1,000. Velocity, drop, energy and the use of bullets with their own factors which create their ballistic coefficients all should be considered. . Its LR performance and retained energy will be a great option for taking down the larger games at distance. Bullet B.C. Barrel Life: Given the projectile weight and MV, I would guess barrel life to degrade around the 2,000 round mark. Several other .30 cal magnum rounds were designed at the time, but the .300 Winchester Magnum was the only one of the lot, to stand the test of time. Now when it comes to ammo, I already mentioned wildcat cartridges. 500m: 2,115 ft-lbs 1,000m: 937 ft-lbs. The multiple loads for each cartridge are not at all pulled at random. It should be possible that a few savvy and disgruntled hunters/reloaders have stocked up in anticipation BEFORE the grab for those start after rifles are released. Initial Thoughts: This cartridge will always hold a special place in my heart. This round is special just like the other 6.5mm projectiles in its class. It is meant for the traditional long-range projectile; featuring a long, slender ogive and a boat-tail rear end. Take the Lapua and shorten the case so it can be fired from a standard Long Action. 80% more. Muzzle: 1,456 ft-lbs 500m: 660 ft-lbs 1000m: 248 ft-lbs 1500m: 162 ft-lbs. At a 200 yard zero, I only have to dial to 4.6mils to get out to 1000 yards. The Savage retails for under $900 and the Winchester can be had for closer to $1,100. This concept relates exactly to how a projectile fired from a rifle achieves accurate, sustained flight. The round easily has enough energy to kill whitetail deer at 300 yards. This cartridge as it stands is perfect for a PRS shooter. The sheer muzzle energy from these bigger calibers is beyond impressive. Reproduction of any part of this website without direct permission is prohibited. Due to its age and relevance today, the .308 has proven itself for over 65 years! You can expect an average of 4,000 to 10,000 rounds of sustained accuracy. If you put a gun to my head, the 6.5mm Creedmoor is the best, overall, Long Range caliber. No one denies how incredibly devastating this caliber can be, but for the average tactical and competition guy, this caliber is overkill. Thanks Will! Both the 223, 223AI, and 6.5 Grendel will reach out to 1,000 yards given the right bullet and rifle. However, the 6.5 Lapua and .308 Winchester do share the same bolt face. 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. That changed in 1997 when Remington standardized many 6.5 wildcats based on the .308 Winchester. Muzzle Velocity: The .243 Winchester has a large MV range; from 3,025 fps (105 grain projectile) to 4,058 fps (55 grain projectile). It offers exceptional accuracy and a decent range for shooters who do not have Long Range facilities available. Cheers. 10 years ago, the 6.5284 Norma would have easily made the list. All 6mm projectiles are notorious for extremely fast throat erosion. I love your work and what you share with us. For some reason it pushed Noslers 125-gr. 1,500m: 306 ft-lbs. Cross-Platform Use: In the future, maybe the Over .30 Cal Club will find some traction in the AR- world. This is the allure and benefit of a flat shooting bullet. bullet 12 inches at 500 yards, a low B.C. Introduced to us in 1955, the .243 was designed as a sporting and target rifle round. The recoil is almost non-existent. Muzzle: 2,821 ft-lbs. I do not know of any systems running this caliber in gas guns. If you are inexperienced, youre in luckbecause todays Long Range shooting community is being flooded by great, streamlined, low-recoiling cartridges. The big advantage and why the .260 became so popular was that it could easily be necked up or down by using other standard rifle cartridges, making reloading a breeze. Save your money and invest in training and supplemental gear. For example, when the inception of the M110 came to the Army sniper community some guys hated leaving behind their trusty M24s. This round impresses the hell out of me. Slightly more than the .308 Winchester. In order to do so, their already proven case, the 6.8 SPC (Special Purpose Cartridge) was necked down to fit a .22 caliber projectile. Now, are these the only viable options for a long-range cartridge for you? With a suppressor on the .300 Norma Magnum, the recoil still isnt all that bad. To this day, the 7.62x51mm still has a place in the modern military sniper community. Ive posted your article on my wildlife and hunting group on FB. The 6.5 Grendel can be found on almost all online ammo retailers. Nevertheless, flat shooting cartridges have long fascinated hunters and driven cartridge development and sales. Low B.C. 103 in. My own personal Remington 700 chambered in .308 shoots a five-round shot group of Federal Gold Medal Match at 0.60-0.75 MOA at 100m. I've heard the .243 has less drop at 1000 yds than the .308 and it is also less effected by wind. The recoil is almost non-existent. In the future, maybe the Over .30 Cal Club will find some traction in the AR- world. It would serve as the main infantry cartridge for over 60 years, before being replaced by the 7.62x51mm NATO. However, the majority of builds will be designed for the bolt action system. The learning and spending curve is steep in the LR community, especially in the top tier. Overall Practicality: The .224 Valkyrie takes the benefits from the .223 and extends its range performance drastically. Vastly improved barrel life by having a good case volume to bore volume ratio, and pushing longer bullets through the tube. The Verdict: If you put a gun to my head, the 6.5mm Creedmoor is the best, overall, Long Range caliber. Remaining Energy: Muzzle: 4,186 ft-lbs. You will get more bang for your buck choosing the .308 Winchester as your next Long Range caliber. Not many of us can afford the ammo, let alone the rifles and scopes that chamber it, in such calibers as 375 CheyTac, 408 CheyTac, or 416 Barrett. By way of comparison, the .270 Winchester (based on the .30-06 Springfield) offers a case capacity of 67 grains. For the average shooter looking to get into Long Range shooting, turn away and run to the smaller guys. Might be of interest and I have used the cartridge in a Ruger M77 with a 22 barrel. Overall Practicality: I love this caliber for AR-15 shooters who want to take their target shooting to the next level. 1,500m: 630 ft-lbs. Do your homework. The .243 was also a great option for those living in countries that banned the use of military countries (.308 Win/7.62x51mm NATO). That is an on-the-spot selection. Tactical-Life. While that incredibly fast 6.5-300 Wby. Not to mention the custom actions and several Tier One barrel manufacturers available to create your own custom rifle. For average shooters wanting to plink at steel targets on their family farm, this round is far overkill. Ammo Availability: Again, being one of the forefathers of the Long Range shooting community, .308 is found everywhere. So for those of you seeking a bolt-gun build, keep in mind that your standard factory options will be very limited. But, as an extreme range competition shooter recently told me, the number of cold barrel, first round hits he sees at 1,000 yards in competition is well below 50%. Do you intend to run the same caliber across bolt and semi systems? Shooting Long Range. Muzzle: 2670 ft-lbs 500m: 1439 ft-lbs 1,000m: 698 ft-lbs 1,500m: 335 ft-lbs. Just like any new and exciting caliber that is designed specifically for the LR community, I know the performance will be top-notch. This caliber was designed and intended strictly for the semi-auto AR-15 platforms. If youre planning on buying a gun to shoot long range shots this is recommended reading. Are you operating a bolt or gas gun? It was designed from the ground up in 2005 by an ammunition manufacturer, Lapua, to take on the 300-1,000 yard competition world. The biggest drawback to this cartridge is that the rounds are very expensive if bought commercially. History: The 6.5 Grendel comes to us in 2003 from Alexander Arms. Additionally, it won't kick the snot of you when you touch one off. Is it the most accurate? Depending on how often you shoot, price range, and shooting range (distance) availability, some of these parameters will not be as important. A lot of the newer, ultra-flat cartridges take a good deal of reloading knowledge to successfully harness their ability. Unless you will be loading subsonic rounds, all standard Long Range rifle calibers maintain supersonic flight (Mach 1 or greater than 1125 fps). Mag. After seeing such success with its flagship cartridge, Hornady wanted to take the Creedmoor to the next level. All in all, this caliber is excellent for those of you who do not have the time, money, or training to dive into 1000m+ shooting. I have been considering something with more power and am willing to learn to reload. Again, being one of the forefathers of the Long Range shooting community, .308 is found everywhere. That same rifle can shoot my hand-loaded 175 grain Sierra Match Kings at 0.4-0.5 MOA at 100m. What a gentleman. 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. For all-around optimal performance, the projectile weight needs to be in the 140gr+ range. With low recoil and flat trajectories, the .260 is another great option for someone interested in Long Range shooting. Ammo Availability: One of the biggest drawbacks of this round is that ammunition is not readily available and its expensive. Now when it comes to ammo, I already mentioned. All of the big-name rifle companies manufacture a bolt-action, but two of our favorites are the Savage 110FP with Accutrigger and the Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS. Click to expand. 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