due to its larger diameter which increases drag. I also appreciate the realistic exposition of the relevant comparison between effects of flat-shooting cartridge vs judging cross-wind! MY 45 cal ball travels at 1633fps with a standard charge, and 74-5gr for a full charge (2040fps). Hornady 123-grain SST at 2580 fps. A flat shooting cartridge matters. Nope, pretty much matches a 308Win to 500 yards. The best long-range cartridges are those that are flat shooting, feature aerodynamic projectiles and have enough power to go the distance. It propels a 17 Grain bullet at 2,550 feet per second. Since nearly all long-distance shooters today use a laser rangefinder, does it even matter which cartridges shoot the flattest? Wind also affects bullets differently, and a cartridges ability to overcome these three forces makes it better or worse for shooting flat and far. Great chart and thanks for what must have been an incredible amount of work. How can I get all the data in a spread sheet form like you showed in your video? Just wondering where the 300 win mag ends up? Should you have other helpful info, please send it to me by email: [emailprotected]. I've heard that too! I'm not a huge fan of basing my decisions on bullet energy. The non-bonded bullet should deliver good terminal performance up close and at distance. But can it defend that title at 1,000 yards? Yeah, 6.5s are all the rage, and their blinding popularity has taken some shine off the old .270, but the latter is still one of the very best long-range hunting cartridges. REX'S INDOOR RANGE - 77 Upward Rd, East Flat Rock, NC - Yelp Unless youre shooting really far. It will be built on a stiller predator action, carbon wrap or #4 fluted stainless at 26 inches. Since this article originally went live, several excellent long-range big-game cartridges have it the market. Misjudging a 5mph crosswind as 8mph will make a 5.3 difference at 500yd with my favorite varmint load (BC0.400/MV3,400). 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. But lets take a quick look at a historically popular flat-shooting cartridge, the .270 Winchester. More hunters should get to know this fantastic round. throwing a 55-gr. As magnums go, the .257 Weatherby is a mild kicker, and it's a great long-range cartridge for deer, pronghorn, sheep, and the like. A few specialty matches, such as the Farr trophy at Camp Perry, are fired at 1,000 yards. What is the flattest shooting rifle? - RWrefuge You can't go wrong with a .308 for a 500 yard rifle. All three cartridges also offer ample case capacity, allowing enough powder to send bullets at drag-defying velocities. Top muzzle velocities with the same combination of powder, primer, and bullet can vary by 100 to 200 fps. 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. 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? Just curious if you included the 300 Norma or maybe I missed it. 10 Best Long-Range Cartridges of All Time (2023) - Gun Digest If not. .45-70 shoots like a Rainbow compared to even a Win 30-30. Based on the antique .404 Jeffery cartridge case, the 27 Nosler is the first new .277-caliber rifle cartridge since the .270 Winchester Short Magnum, which was introduced almost 20 years ago. Drops just 11.6 inches. With the 6.5 PRC, Hornady has created a better version of the old barrel-burner. Weatherbys Not to mention the different variations in grains in each individual caliber,Ogive and BC. So since it doesnt work AT ALL for serious shooters, it doesnt get much air time, and then the average hunter who only shoots 2-3 boxes per YEAR never hears about it. For example a 308 dropping 429 at 1000 yards is ridiculous, thats 10 meters! Flattest-Shooting Cartridges Ever Backfire 641K subscribers Subscribe 4.2K 173K views 1 year ago The flattest shooting rifle cartridges are listed in this video to help shooters determine. Forums. Nor are we maintaining that the flattest shooting cartridge/bullet is the ultimate determinant of a good hunting round. numbers are accurate. What a gentleman. The reason why 6.5mm cartridges are exploding in popularity is because they are ultra-efficient. 10 Best Long-Range Rifle Cartridges Ever Made - Game & Fish A long-time favorite of snipers, the .308 Winchester will remain supersonic out to around 1,200 yards. I appreciate the kind comment. Its trajectory is awesome. . (A bullet far from optimum for shooting elk.) Whether or not thats true, my own success rate at 1,000 yards informs me to always stalk closer if I can and to forego shots at any distance unless Im supremely confident I can make them. I still just dont understand why it isnt the 26 or 28 Nos. Find out which ones made the cut. 26 Nosler. But the premise is based on my farm, where distances are limited to 560 or so yards. Perhaps you, dear reader, can provide the formula! No exotics just yet, theyll come later. .468 BC, 1. The actual rain is pretty old-school, not digital distances and whatnot, but it's cheap and the people who work there are great. Best .270 Rounds Its biggest disadvantage, in some people's opinion, is .25 caliber bullets have low BCs. Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range, 150-grain AccuBond Long Range at 2,930 fps. 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. This is the allure and benefit of a flat shooting bullet. I know it is very uncommonly talked about. Twenty years ago, Winchester introduced the .270 WSM (Winchester Short Magnum). You still need excellent range finding equipment and preferably have tested drops in your rifle in case your bullets have exaggerated BC claims. At 500 yards, the 27 Nosler drops almost a foot less than Jack OConnors sacred cartridge. I hope this report clears up some trajectory confusion and perhaps settles some old arguments. 11 Best Rifle Calibers For Precision Shooting - BadAssOptic i've heard the .17 hmr are real flat shooting. Enjoying many of your video\s whilst stuck in lockdown. What I have come up with is the .270 Weatherby Magnum with a 135gr Sierra Matchking and 7828. ), 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. 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. 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. 6.5-300 WBY (-204) bullet. http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator, 338 Lapua with a 300 grain projectile (you can run 250s in the Lapua as well, but most run a 300). Flattest shooting caliber - PredatorMasters Forums 8 Underrated Long-Range Cartridges - Guns and Ammo Underwood Ammos 110-grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos bullet at 2800 fps is another great option. I normally go for high BC and heavy for cal but one place I do run light is I'll shoot a Barnes 110 TTSX 3600 fps in my 270 WSM, for light game and coyotes it's very effective! 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? 3. Appropriate hunting bullets may not reach these levels of B.C. Excellent job. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Bullets of this diameter are easily configured to have extremely high ballistic coefficients. 7 Top Modern Long-Range Cartridges - RifleShooter For the Top 5 you have listed, what manufacturers offer a complete rifle in those calibers? The .270 Winchester stays supersonic out to 1,400 yards, which is more than what 99 percent of hunters will ever need. And for all of you whove just learned your flat shooting champion really isnt, sorry. Why is the 7 MM Ultra Mag also called the 7RUM not on your lists? Also know that not all manufacturer-claimed B.C. Target Rifle- Caliber Question. Aug 31, 2013. How hard would it be to add a 223wssm to the mix. Clear enough? Thus, the .50BMG drops less at 1,000 yards than the 6.5 Creedmoor. (Curiosity? It seems a bit odd to consider a .22-caliber cartridge of any design suitable for long-range hunting of even smallish big game. Just want to extend my sincere gratitude to you for all of the hard work, time, and incredible effort that you put into this, and so many other endeavors that you have undertaken to give us so much useful information and education, and doing so in a carefully detailed and professional manner! What caliber is the flattest shooting? | The Muzzleloading Forum the max load is the distance load. Barrel twist rates spin the bullet out of the muzzle in a spiral much akin to a quarterback throwing a football. Its not all hype. How about our drops on the cartridges that made it? Dear James Again great job !!!!! The .277 bullet earns a lower B.C. I already have a Swarovski Z6 3-18 bt. A bullet starts to drop as soon as it leaves the barrel. If I am mistaken, I am sure someone will chime in and let us both know. Take another look. The .277 is an oddball bullet diameter, in that it doesnt fall into the much more common 6.5mm, 7mm, or .30-caliber categories. I am looking for a really flat shooting cartridge up to 500 yards for a Remington rebarrel project I have. 26 Nosler Cartridge: The Flattest-Shooting 6.5 Ever? What Is the Flattest Shooting Caliber? - MG Arms Inc 1 Normal load using the most popular factory ammo, one heavy load for each, one light load. The 220 Swift would be my pick for coyotes, rodents, and probably pronghorn if it werent for the wind deflection issue. The .308 Winchester round shoots pretty flat out to 200 yards when it starts to drop. 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. Not only are new loads being offered, new ARs and even bolt action rifles for the Grendel are being introduced. 7 Best Long-Range Cartridges: Hit Stuff Really Far Away 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. From 600 to 1000 yards they use a 300 Winchester. The caveat here is that fastest becomes a bit murky. It may be a bit rough on barrels, but this cartridge shoots so flat you probably wont care. cleric; Jan 28, 2023; Bolt Action Rifles ; Replies 13 Views 475. The flattest shooting caliber and load I could find was the .300 RUM shooting a 150 grain bullet. Our blog and video on the Flattest Shooting Cartridge Ever! 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 know you won't find them in the US, but just wanted to mention them because it's fun. A good hunting cartridge has to fit in a rifle thats comfortable to carry all day and wont kick you so hard that you cant shoot it well. Thats comparing apples to apples with the others up above, using a 6 vitals zone. Also, same bullet, but a .257 Wby Mag will also work if you hit the same velocities. The 27 Nosler bests the .270 Winchester by about 400 fps with 150-grain bullets. 4/1/2016. At 300 yards, the hold over (assuming a 250 yard zero) is only 2.6 inches. At 500 yards even the flattest shooting rounds are going to be dropping somewhere around 30". Accuracy, knowledge of your rifle and its drops at different ranges, and knowledge of the conditions will dictate your very long range shots. .25-06 AI with a Berger 115 VLD that's moving 3,600 fps That should be pretty close to flat. But lets have a round of applause for our antiquated 220 Swift, just 0.2-inch off the record! After Weatherbys 6.5-300 Magnum did not win as many hearts and minds as theyd hoped, Weatherby rethought the 6.5mm cartridge and developed the 6.5 RPM (Rebated Precision Magnum). Since 1962, when the round was introduced in conjunction with the Remington 700, countless others have arrived at the same conclusion. Just $1 per month , These rounds have the reach and the power to put down big-game animals way out there, By Its also based on the 220 Russian/7.62x39mm Russian cartridge, but unlike the Valkyriewhich uses a 0.223-caliber bulletthe Grendel is yet another 6.5. Accuracy, knowledge of your rifle and its drops at different ranges, and knowledge of the conditions will dictate your very long range shots. Another issue is recoil. I see lots of Wildcats mentioned here. This old timer remains a phenomenon, flat-shooting and effective. always means more wind deflection. 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. Was sad to not see the .300 H&H Magnum, though I doubt it would measure much different than the .300 Win Mag. Trust but verify. However, I fully admit that that a flat shooting cartridge is not nearly as important as a cartridge which is resistant to wind deflection. One argument for a flat-shooting cartridge is that it covers mistakes. Low B.C. 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. The wise longer range shooter errs on the side of a higher B.C. Just hoping my bad experiences might inspire you to avoid some of your own. again. I just want to quickly thank you for the great videos and for producing this table of bullet drop data. Barrel length will change MV. However, it proved to be mostly a flash in the pan. If it makes you feel better to hate the 6.5 Creedmoor, go ahead. I've been looking at the .257 weatherby that drops about 34" with a 100gr bullet at 500 yards and the .22-250 is another at around 36" with a 50gr bullet. I dont get it. Introduced by Remington in 1962 along with their Model 700 bolt-action rifle, Remingtons Seven-Mag was the beginning of the end of Winchesters .264. Just saying, excellent job to tell the nature of all calibers for hunting from 100 to 700 yards for medium game. Flattest Shooting Hunting Bullet 257 Weatherby Vanguard 26" pipe. At 500 yards . BUCK DOYLE Preferred Caliber For 500 To 1,000 Yards And Beyond: .260 Remington (130-grain Berger AR Hybrid OTM . You are cordially invited to any of our matches. Flattest shooting to 500 yds. | Long Range Hunting Forum Obviously Weatherby and Nosler, but are there other manufacturers, vendors, builders to consider? 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. Want to run your own ballistics numbers? It really is the best all-around hunting rifle caliber. With a flatter trajectory and less wind drift the .300 Win Mag offers a useful step up in performance in a similar size rifle. The .17 HMR is based upon the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire casing, necked down to .17 Caliber. And it isn't just the 308 that the 25-06 can best at long range, I compared many other leading types of competition or "flat-shooting" rounds, such as .243, .243 WSSM, 6mm Rem, 6.5 Grendel, .270 Win, .260 Rem, 6.5 x 55 Swede. 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. As much talk as there is about the .270 Winchesters ability to shoot flatly, it does not compare with these three flat-shooting options. Jim Harmer is a host of the Backfire Youtube channel. Not sure if the OP is considering them or not. Your Knowledge is greatly appreciated! Thanks Jim. This is the darling diameter for American big-game hunters. 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. Have fun hunting! The 300WM with the 210 VLDs at 2950fps is pretty good also. Thursday nights they do IDPA. Fast and flat shooting b#%ds. 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. Right now, shooters are obsessed with flat-shooting rifle cartridges. And while that pokey 300 grain 338 Lapua round drops quite a bit compared to the others in the list, its carrying a lot of energy: enough to take a deer at 1775 yards. The Creedmoor carries more velocity and energy downrange with less recoil than any other factory cartridge. What are some of the most flat shooting calibers at 500 yards? We like the 257 STW we're loading 115 gr bullets around 3600fps with 1/2" groups.We can run it hotter and a Berger vld would be pretty flat. Your email address will not be published. The .224 Valkyrie is the flattest shooting 0.224 caliber cartridge . What about the guy who wants to go long with his AR-15? For example , the chart I used showed about 67-70 drop for .270 at 600 yd.. Im going to include a few in here, and my basis for including them is going to be inclusion in Federals 2013 catalog, because thats what Im basing my numbers off. Check out their concise ballistics charts. Just what the perfect balance between MV and BC is remains unanswered by me. . 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. My take away on all this number crunching? But if it isnt, go read the article again. Gravity impacts all objects the same. The following table averages multiple loads for each cartridge and shows an average amount of drop at 500 yards and 1,000 yards for each cartridge. 4 Stunning Long-Range Rifles That Will Shoot Past 1,000 Yards These cartridges all drop less than 255 at 1,000 yards. Best Cartridge for out to 500 yds??? - Long Range Hunting Forum Before we check that out, lets give a nod to the 240 Wby. Posted: 12/20/2020 9:01:19 AM EST [#22] There is a simple . Shane Olson, nope, no sarcasm involved, simply pointing out a straight fact, which I stand by. Unfortunately, the .223 WSSM has fallen by the wayside in recent years. Yes I know its a barrel burner but so is the 300RUM and others on the list. Your email address will not be published. The drops are listed in feet for the really long range shots, so theyre pretty close to your numbers. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You cant pull data from different sources with different lengths of barrels and different loading methods and expect to get true results. He is a well-known entrepreneur, having started many successful online brands, and lives in St George, Utah. Based on the old .404 Jeffery case, its the same length as the .30/06, which means it works in standard-length actions. . 223 Wylde chambered, 20" barreled rifle. Why isn't 25-06 used more in long-range competition? Best Long Range Calibers in 2023 | Outdoor Life The .308 Winchester will win no ballistic awards; its simply a shorter version of the time-tested and beloved .30/06. Our margin for distancing error at 700 yards just went from 12 yards with the 30-06 to 25 yards with the 30-378. If youre planning on buying a gun to shoot long range shots this is recommended reading. 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. The Best Long Range Caliber For Any Situation in 2022 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. He has managed multiple gun ranges, and has hunted around the world. 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. If the 300 RUM surprises you, know that it surprised me, too. 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. projectile that you might crown that one King, especially since that 100-grain sounds a bit more reasonable for deer-sized game. The company set out to push the limits with this thing, designing it as a flat-shooting 6.5mm cartridge with performance capable of taking full advantage of the newest long-range shooting reticles used in today's scopes. Thanks for your video and the information on your website. That does not appeal to my simplified physics understanding of the subject. Now I have some facts for my creedmoor pal to chew on. While that incredibly fast 6.5-300 Wby. Thats equal magnitude to 200fps less flatness! Below is the information Ive gleaned from 17-caliber through 338. Most common calibers are just fine for regular range shots under 300 yards. Recoil is stiff and some find it hard to master. It will push a 90-grain Fusion bullet to 500 yardswhich is probably the limit for . But what are the flattest shooting rifle cartridges? Equally, cutting through the air slows the projectile down, eating away at its energy. Also, I used something called G1 B.C. 95% of your shots will be inside 500 yards, and probably 80% inside 300. . flattest trajectory? | Sniper & Sharpshooter Forums Links or names greatly appreciated, Thanks! Therefore the .17 Remington is the round for you. 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. Mag. The 6 mm ARC flattens the curve, and as a 2020 introduction, it could be nicknamed the "Corona Cartridge." . These lists are awesome to go over. numbers which are not quite as accurate as G7 numbers in predicting trajectories of todays wildly long, sleek bullets. Save big on firearms, accessories, tactical gear, clothing, and ammunition from now until March 29. I ran the numbers with the 180 grain Ballistic tip at 3420 fps. But you did such an awesome job with this data. The rifle has five caliber offerings . Flattest-Shooting Cartridges Ever - YouTube The goal with the 6 mm ARC was to provide the flattest-shooting cartridge compatible with an AR-15. Id consider a base of: Among these cartridges, the 25-06 offers the highest MPBR (Mean Point Blank Range) or the max distance that you can adjust a scope to and be +-3 with the most common bullet weights per caliber.