Now, this parameter may not be too important to most of you out there, searching for the best Long Range caliber. I am not here to say that this round or that round is the best for a military sniper or a bench rest shooter. And since it uses the ever-popular 6.5 projectiles, components are relatively cheap. Ben Voss FN Product Manager talks about the new FN SCAR 15P ultra-compact rifle-caliber pistol at SHOT Show 2023. All in all, this cartridge changed the tactics of the US military, and later, NATO allies. Ballistic Co-Efficient: Using Berger 140gr VLD projectiles G1: 0.593 G7: 0.304, Remaining Energy: Muzzle: 2,266 ft-lbs 500m: 1,174 ft-lbs 1,000m: 535 ft-lbs 1,500m: 296 ft-lbs. Ammo Availability: .338 Lapua is readily available online. The average barrel life will be 1,500-2,000 rounds. You can expect an average of 4,000 to 10,000 rounds of sustained accuracy. Now by swapping a barrel, Long Action set-ups like the .300 Norma or Winchester magnums could not manage the overall cartridge length of the new .338 Norma. Now they use special loads and heavy 77 or 80 grain bullets which the. This round is special just like the other 6.5mm projectiles in its class. (Well that largely depends on the shooter). Taurus Marketing Manager Caleb Giddings highlights the features of the new Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum, a purpose-built revolver with a 10.5-inch barrel and an effective recoil-taming brake, with Guns & Ammo Executive Editor Joe Kurtenbach. Is it the fastest? The other challenge with shooting the Dasher is that you have to handload. Expect about $5.50 per round. He served as team leader for a scout sniper team during the 22nd MEU. Its LR performance and retained energy will be a great option for taking down the larger games at distance. It has been a proven competitor in the PRS circuit. Barnes, Hornady, Federal, and Berger all make loads ranging from $0.60-$1.30 per round. So keep this in mind when choosing an LR round for you. Muzzle: 1316 ft-lbs 500m: 470 ft-lbs 1000m: 165 ft-lbs 1500m: 108 ft-lbs. As for its effectiveness on game, theres little doubt about its track record there. Ammo Availability: .243 Winchester is still a viable option for most East Coast White Tails and Mid-West Prairie Dogs. Barrel Life: Given the projectile weight and MV, I would guess barrel life to degrade around the 2,000 round mark. Overall Practicality: The .224 Valkyrie takes the benefits from the .223 and extends its range performance drastically. Mag. Now when it comes to ammo, I already mentioned wildcat cartridges. Gyroscopic Stability is lost in the Transonic Range and the bullet begins to pitch and yaw and ultimately tumble. For hunters, medium-game will be the limit of this caliber. Then theres the matter of personal preference. For optimum LR performance, the 108 ELD Match projectile; G1: 0.515, G7: 0.268. Might try that 6.5 Creedmoor as well. Recently, I have been in the dilemma of trying to decide which caliber to use for 1000 yards. I do not know of any systems running this caliber in gas guns. This site contains affiliate links. | With a muzzle brake and/or suppressor, the recoil is definitely manageable. If landing in the top 10 at a major PRS match is high on your bucket list, the 6mm Creedmoor is probably your best cartridge bet. So for those of you seeking a bolt-gun build, keep in mind that your standard factory options will be very limited. 1. All of these factors will ultimately decide if you will be sticking with ole reliable the .308 Winchester or reaching deeper into your pockets for the new and improved .300 Norma Magnum. What is your mission? Currently, G1 through G8 and GL is the only mathematical models to express BCs. The average barrel life will be 1,500-2,000 rounds. Vastly improved barrel life by having a good case volume to bore volume ratio, and pushing longer bullets through the tube. Other Equipment 500m: 1,212 ft-lbs. The short case body allows long, aerodynamic bullets to be seated far out, eliminating bullet-base intrusion into powder capacity, while still fitting comfortably in standard short-action magazines. Now when it comes to ammo, I already mentioned. The .243 does not have enough. Vaulted to discreet stardom when used to win a 1,000-yard open-class championship at the National Matches at Camp Perry several years ago, this cartridge is a proper short-action round that offers an edge when aggressive wind conditions plague a match. For the reloading enthusiasts, this gives another round to be excited for. Mil/LE and Hunting communities need the RE factor for hard-hitting, threat/animal stopping performance. Initial Thoughts: This caliber excites me for several reasons. 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. The .300 WSM steals the performance of a .300 WM and transforms it down to a short-action rifle. Initial Thoughts: I find it so interesting to see how this compares to the Lapua Magnum. Another ballistic value that has importance is the Remaining Energy (RE) of the round at any given range. From what can be expected, the .224 wears a little bit more than the .223, approx. It is a wildcat custom-build-only proposition that has no ammo available and has to have brass formed unless you are lucky enough (and rich enough) to find some ADG made for this round and even then, variations will exist in reamer design to render the ADG brass only marginally more useful than formed 300 Ultra brass. With the right bullet and (as always) good shot placement, the 6.5 Creedmoor hits hard. Average price per round$1.00. The world finally caught on that bigger and louder, does not equate to better performance at extended ranges. However, for less bullet size, you can get a much better performing Long Range caliberand for a lot less money too. I had dialed all the elevation in my scope, 33 mils above my zero, and had an extra 35 mils thanks to the prism. With available projectiles ranging from 40 grains up to 90, MVs could also range from 3400 to 2600 fps. If you are investing $800 on a Proof Research, carbon-wrapped barrelreplacing that every 1,500 rounds will be costly. The only affordable model, the Winchester XPR, is neutered with a 24 barrel. This sizzling descendant of the 6.5 Creedmoor offers a couple of PRS-match-winning advantages but at a cost. cartridges. I fear that is about all this round is targeted for. Since its inception, the .308 has remained the most popular choice of Long Range shooters, snipers, and hunters. Jeff Bradley shows off the Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR) from Christensen Arms at SHOT Show 2023. The research is out there if you need it. MasterPiece Arms BA Lite PCR 5. Even though I love my Creedmoors, my 7mm Rem. Initial Thoughts: This cartridge will always hold a special place in my heart. The intended use and shooters budget play a major role in determining which is best. Lets look at the last point, first. 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. You dream it, and it can be done. A line can be drawn in the sand between the .30 cal class projectiles and the .338 and larger. Im not going to dive too deep into terminal ballistics for the purpose of this article. With low recoil and flat trajectories, the .260 is another great option for someone interested in Long Range shooting. The average price per round will be around $2.00. .300 PRC. To take the 6.5CM and add MV to the equation, pure joy happens. 80% more. When I wrote about the event, many commenters called me a liar for suggesting that a .223 Rem./5.56 NATO could shoot that far. A 6.5 PRC build certainly will not be cheap, so if you are a beginner or limited on budget, this is not the caliber for you. Likewise, there are .338 projectiles available, even during the Great Shortage, that hit the .800 BC mark that should have the big .338s looking even better. But to choose the best long-range caliber for you, start with your own experience and interests. Mag. That handy rifle is an excellent expression of the subtle nature of the .308. Hopefully, the Browning HAWG recoil reducer will noticeably lessen the kick. All 6mm projectiles are notorious for extremely fast throat erosion. This cartridge chambered three iconic US Service weapons; the 1903 Springfield rifle, M1 Garand, and the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). 500m: 2,772 ft-lbs. The .243 can be a great beginner gun because of its low recoil and ammo availability. This website is not affiliated with the United States Marine Corps, and the information on this website does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Marine Corps as a whole. My bias steers clear of the wildcat calibers. Why even mention such an antiquated round? If you are looking at Long Range shooting as a serious hobby, instead of something to depend your life upon, I would say barrel life is almost just as important as ammo availability when choosing a long-range caliber. Thank you for this information so helpful in helping me decide on my new rifle/caliber. Multi-platform builds do exist in the .260 Remington. 1,000m: 1,523 ft-lbs. 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. Will have to buy a 6.5 after reading your article. MY DAD raised me on 30-06, and I have a hard time looking elsewhere. Also, as identical as you can recreate two firearms and two exact ammo loads, those two guns will never have the same exact MV. MOA vs MRAD Rifle Scopes Which is Best for Long Range? With low recoil and flat trajectories, the .260 is another great option for someone interested in Long Range shooting. It shoots far and flat, it doesnt kick, and it doesnt break the bank. A metal grip frame, slide ports and a red dot cut are just some of the new features. The 6.5 PRC was born at the 2018 SHOT Show. Offering superb accuracy coupled with very light recoil, the 6mm Creedmoor is a favorite amongst PRS shooters needing to spot their own impacts at long range. Rule of thumb: 30-50 fps for every inch of the barrel either gained or lost. Nowlet's get on to our best long range rifle scopes! Case capacity matches the 300PRC and is not far off the 300 Norma that you like, but wouldnt cost $5/rd. Reproduction of any part of this website without direct permission is prohibited. The biggest drawback to this cartridge is that the rounds are very expensive if bought commercially. The .284 Winchester (7MM) is very popular with bench rest shooters. With the right rifle, the .300WM can be a very smooth shooting set-up. G1 BC: .563 G7 BC: .274. Different shooters will all have different calibers that are better suited for their specific goal or mission. Before undertaking presumptuous claims such as Im about to make, its worth laying down a few guidelines. Of these the 6mm Dasher is the current champ, in terms of popularity and winning. The bench rest shooting community usually pushes the boundaries and concocts the wildcats. Myriad projectile options are available and perform superbly in the .300 Win. Overall Practicality: The .223 is an excellent choice for an inexperienced and/or younger shooter. G1 BC: .563 G7 BC: .274. With help from the civilian market led by Winchester, the .308 took the world by storm. This is especially important to those of you who reload and can tailor a custom load for your rifle. However, given the choice, there are drastically more capable cartridges. History: The .338 Lapua comes to us in the 80s as an extreme Long-Range rifle caliber intended to extend the snipers capabilities in desert and mountainous terrain. To find the ideal caliber youll have to ask yourself a few questions. Recoil is polite, making it easy to focus on correctly executing the shot instead of clenching your teeth in anticipation. Like I said, each discipline and personality will favor a certain caliber. Marine Approved is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program. Yeah, itll work in a bolt gun, but in the AR-15 it is the undisputed best cartridge for stretching distance. While its not as efficient as the 6.5 Creedmoor, and recoils harder and burns barrels faster, it is indubitably more effective at bucking wind. The jack-of-all-trades long-range caliber. Factory ammunition can be found nearly anywhere for about 30 cents per round but as stated before, prices range greatly. I like the 300 win mag for above reasons. Its not the fastest, farthest, or most accurate roundbut it will certainly get the job done with less headache and wallet-ache. But the military also discovered the benefits of the .300 Win. He is also a passionate supporter of the Second Amendment. I made my selection of long range calibers based on my experiences hunting, shooting, and competing with these loads. Its a thankless job, but somebodys got to point you toward the best of the best. quickly established itself as a go-to hunting round for Western big game and international hunting. I initially did not put a brake on itafter the 14th round (during barrel break-in) my right peck muscle started to quiver. While we always focus our coverage on standout productsbecause we want our readers to be aware of the latest and greatest gearwe also cover the flaws and quirks of any given product. Recoil Condition: This caliber is known for providing excellent Long Range performance with very light recoil. You will get more bang for your buck choosing the .308 Winchester as your next Long Range caliber. I also love that this cartridge can be fired from standard Long-Action receivers. You are definitely going to feel less recoil than a .308. 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. Advanced Marksmanship Unit. Could you make a brief mention of these calibers and perhaps another that could be added? That family includes the 6mm BRA, 6mm BRX and 6mm Dasher. Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical Optic-Ready Autoloading Shotgun: First Look, Non-Lethal Personal & Home Defense with Byrna, Range Tested: EAA Girsan Pistols & Shotguns, New for 2023: Christensen Arms Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR), New for 2023: All-American RIA 5.0 Sporting Pistol, New for 2023: FN Rush 9Ti Pistol Suppressor, New Big Bore Pistols for 2023: FN 510 Tactical and FN 545 Tactical, New for 2023: FN SCAR 15P Rifle Caliber Pistol, First Look: Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum Revolver With 10.5-Inch Barrel, New-for-2023 Taurus Judge Executive Grade 410/.45 Colt Revolver, Smith & Wesson Equalizer and the Brand New M&P 5.7 Pistol, Most useful for: PRS & 1,000-yard slow-fire matches, Most useful for: Service rifle and .223-only PRS matches, Most useful for: Matches regulated to .308 only, Most useful for: 1,000-yard slow-fire matches, Most useful for: Cross-country long-range & 1,000-yard slow- fire matches. Mag. Expect to see about 2,500 round barrel life. APRIL 29 ROSCHON TO BEARS The Cowboys want to take a running back somewhere in this Day 3 of the NFL Draft, but that guy won't be a favored Longhorn. I would expect to see 6,000-8,000+. On the downside, the Dasher can be finicky with respect to feeding since it is so short and has a steep 40-degree shoulder. Somewhere in-between an AR-15 and AR-10. Take the .308 Winchester at 500 for comparison, The level of confidence of a first-round hit at that range is extremely high. Easy and fun to shoot. The Verdict: If you put a gun to my head, the 6.5mm Creedmoor is the best, overall, Long Range caliber. to maintain sustained Long Range flight. No issue finding it. You will get more bang for your buck choosing the .308 Winchester as your next Long Range caliber. This round impresses the hell out of me. Muzzle Velocity: A standard projectile weight for optimum performance out of the 6CM would be a 105 grain Berger Target VLD @ 3,100fps. If you are inexperienced, youre in luckbecause todays Long Range shooting community is being flooded by great, streamlined, low-recoiling cartridges. 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. We were always trained to overcome our shortcomings. 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. Unfortunately, the better the long-range bullet (read: heavy and streamlined with a stretched-out profile), the longer it intrudes into the .308s powder chamber. 500m: 1,123 ft-lbs 1,000m: 394 ft-lbs. I personally find it MUCH easier to handload very accurate .30-06 loads than very accurate .308 loads in typical budget hunting rifles. There are many different kinds of pistols out there, and whats right for one person might not be right for you. Barrel Life: Again, as most wildcat rounds are concerned, barrel life will not be great. I would expect to see 6,000-8,000+. Fortunately for them, older stalwarts like the .308 Win. All in all, proven through years of ballistic testing, the 6.5 Creedmoor fills the gap between extended-Long Range performance and cost-effective and barrel-safe MVs. The macho days of showing off to your friends by shooting the .50 AE Desert Eagle or even being lucky enough to fire the M107 in the military are over. That still is a general rule of thumb today. Many hunters still use this cartridge for its hard-hitting terminal performance and flat flying exterior ballistics. After the film it skyrocketed to stardom. model is used, will be the standard bullet profile shape to compare off of. The 6.5 Grendel comes to us in 2003 from Alexander Arms. The .300 WSM is going to be a bolt-action-only build. Your magazine length will help determine that: A longer-than-spec mag allows handloaders to seat those long bullets out farther than standard overall length (OAL) so they dont intrude into powder capacity. The new 9mm suppressor can mount easily to any pistol barrel threaded x28 inches and doesn't compromise on sound suppression, gas blowback or recoil. This cartridge was designed to deliver devastating .30 cal Magnum performance. After going online and getting confused this article oriented me in the right direction(s). History: The .224 Valkyrie was the child of an experiment by Federal in 2017 to reach into the 1,000-yard competition circuit (which was dominated by the .30 caliber class cartridges) with a small .22 caliber projectile. But when you consider the specific task at hand, the field of options narrows. brass is all neck turned to .0125-inch thickness." Unique loading process: "I load my ammo on a Dillon 650. During benchrest competition the targets have a paper backer that is moving placed behind them. Just $1 per month , The story behind Ryan Cheneys record 4,134-yard shot, By Very similar to the .243 Winchester. they have come a long way. A rifle's precision depends on the tightness of the groupings it shoots or the MOA (Minute of Angle) it holds. If not, this is one less thing you have to worry about. For example, my Allterra Arms 6.5 PRC shoots Hornady 143-grain ELD-X bullets at 2950 fps. The cartridge is essentially a .270 SAUM pushing bullets way too heavy with lower BC than comparable 6.5 and 7mm iterations while having only Winchester brass (the worst of the bunch) available. Steve has sorted the data by bore diameter. Cross-Platform Use: Multi-platform builds do exist in the .260 Remington. The .224 Valkyrie was the child of an experiment by Federal in 2017 to reach into the 1,000-yard competition circuit (which was dominated by the .30 caliber class cartridges) with a small .22 caliber projectile. One cartridge needs to be crowned the most accurate and it just happens to be one youve probably never heard of. I think this cartridge will prove useful to the long range community in the future. I shot this out of the new Barrett ASR at 1,600m. You have more knowledge in your non-dominant pinky than I have. An AR-10 firing with a suppressor, the .308 will recoil slightly more than an AR-15. Overall Practicality: If you are looking for exceptional, hard-hitting, flat performance, you might want to consider the .300 PRC. Among his requirements were that the cartridge for the rifle should be able to kill a 1,000-pound animal with one shot, that the ammunition should be widely available, that the practical field accuracy of the rifle, which should weigh seven pounds or less with scope and sling and be no longer than 39 inches from butt to muzzle, should be 2 MOA, demonstrated by the shooter placing 3-shot groups on a 200 yard target that measure four inches or less. 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. The Lapua .243 Win. Over the years the round has set numerous records in 600- and 1,000-yard benchrest competitions, so when the PRS started to catch on in 2012, it wasnt long before those shooters started looking at this stubby little round. Ive also dabbled in the world of ELR shootingmeaning Extreme Long Rangeshooting to 2,000 yards and beyond with the Remington Custom Shop 300 PRC I had built for that purpose. Unfortunately, most (all) of you will not be able to head to the local range and rent a rifle in each of the aforementioned calibers. To comply with the rules of warfare that prohibited the use of hollow-point ammunition, Federal had to burnish the tips of the 180-grain Sierra Matchkings they were loading. The caliber took the LR community by storm. If you are inexperienced, youre in luckbecause todays Long Range shooting community is being flooded by great, streamlined, low-recoiling cartridges. Again, being one of the forefathers of the Long Range shooting community, .308 is found everywhere. Hardly a week goes by without the introduction of a new productwhether a bullet, a type of gun powder, a riflescope, an electronic gizmo, or what have youthat doesnt help shooters put projectiles on target with greater precision. Now lets break down some bullets. The .224 Valkyrie takes the benefits from the .223 and extends its range performance drastically. If I was building a rifle on this caliber, I would expect to look at bolt-only options. is not typically viewed as a competition cartridge. But putting the emotional draws to the cartridge aside, there are still plenty of pragmatic reasons for the choice. 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. Luckily, Steve Ream and Rusty Newton worked together to spot for me, and brought me onto the plate to make a fourth-round impact. Ive made five-in-a-row 1,400-yard hits on a 24-inch round steel gong with my favorite 6.5 Creedmoor match load (a 142-grain SMK pushed to 2,750 fps with H4350 powder). Ammo can be found at most sporting goods stores. There is definitely a point of diminishing returns with the .308. Recoil Condition: With a muzzle brake and/or suppressor, the .300WM can feel similar to a .308 Winchester. 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. got another cut at the plate thanks in large part to Jeff Hoffman, the owner of Black Hills Ammunition, who successfully advocated for loading the .300 with a 220-grain bullet at 2,800 fps. It is also the most popular caliber for the most popular and modular riflethe AR-15. For all-around optimal performance, the projectile weight needs to be in the 140gr+ range. 1,500m: 610 ft-lbs. The overall intended target range for the 6.5 Grendel was between 200-800 yards. And most of all, be safe and be fun. Ammo Availability: One of the biggest drawbacks of this round is that ammunition is not readily available and its expensive. Buying a $1000 rifle and a $1500 optic will bring you more success than a $2000 rifle and $500 scope. If that describes you, then definitely give this caliber another look, because its performance rocks. What Caliber Is An AR-15? Now getting up into the .30 cal plus magnum rounds, the recoil will be noticeably greater than the .308 Winchester. You had to hit T6 at 2,203 to advance to the far plates. Corporal McMahon is a former 0317 Scout Sniper with 1st BN 2nd Marines. Several factors like powder temperature sensitivity, barrel length, ammunition consistency, and atmospheric conditions will all change your MV value. Barrel Life: Sadly, a .300 NM barrel will only live to 1,200-1,500 rounds. Thank you for your service. All 6mm projectiles are notorious for extremely fast throat erosion. Thats what makes older cartridges like the .260 great. Like many standardized wildcat rounds, this cartridge excelled in bench rest, long range medium game hunting, and steel target shoots. All in all, if I had to make the same pick in the same fashion as the author, AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, I would pick the 6mm Creedmoor simply for the availability of ammo and brass, reasonably long trans sonic range, ease of loading accurately (forgiveness factor). Cross-Platform Use: You can build a .223 rifle in almost any rifle action. It was a great option at the time for those wanting long range performance with very low recoil. Not ideal for beginners or those who do not reload. For close range, PMC Bronze at about $0.50/round is great for practicing. Basically, if you click on a product link on this site and buy that product we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. One reason for the .300 Win. No. Extreme-distance shooters typically opt for obscenely powerful cartridges such as the .338 Lapua, .375 Cheytac and .416 Barrett, but I crunched the ballistics of the 7mm SAUM pushing a 180-grain Berger VLD at 3,000 fps in sea-level atmospherics and again at my home elevation of 5,000 feet. There are a lot of reasons for this. 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. Currently, G1 through G8 and GL is the only mathematical models to express BCs. Definitely a dark horse in the competition cartridge realm, the 7mm SAUM is quietly used by competitors who know it and love it to trounce those who dont. The haters claim it is over-hyped by the outdoor media (certainly true), that it is inadequate for game larger than deer (false), and that its no better than older classic cartridges (also not the case). Cowboys Miss On Kicker; Sign Gould? Jerry Reveals Plan