It is an ideal choice for deer-sized game in open country, and a fine choice for mountain game. This is about an alternative to a .308 for those snipers who will likely never even see a 100-yard deployment and do not need the overpenetration or down range effect. The .17 HMR is based upon the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire casing, necked down to .17 Caliber. It combined flat-shooting ballistics with hard-hitting bullets in a package with lighter recoil than the .300 Weatherby Magnum, which debuted in 1944. These rifles can hardly be considered to be flat shooting. Flattest shooting caliber - PredatorMasters Forums Well, Im done Adulting for Today and Tomorrow. Most of the calculators out there show larger drop rates then your table. Lots of hunters consider the .270 Winchester one of the best all-purpose, short- and long-range cartridges of all time. projectile that you might crown that one King, especially since that 100-grain sounds a bit more reasonable for deer-sized game. Indeed, the .223 WSSM vies with the .220 Swift for the title of the centerfire rifle cartridge with the fastest bullet velocity. . Nosler Trophy Grade with a 130-grain Nosler AccuBond at 2900 fps. Is it possible to show those on your web site list? 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? So it ends up being a very fair comparison. All Rights Reserved, My Group Therapy: Shooting Log Book | 100 pages (6"x9") | Record Target Shooting Data & Improve your Skills and Precision Paperback June 13, 2019. 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. 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. I noticed in your video that your chart also listed energy and recoil. I was surprised the 308 warbird was not included with the 208gr or 212gr bullet. This cartridge existed in a cloak of obscurity for a long time; only recently have hunters began to see the potential it offers. UPS has officially stopped shipping guns? What caliber rifle shoots the flattest? - Curvesandchaos.com Ive posted your article on my wildlife and hunting group on FB. With a recent elevated popularity, due in no small part to the rise of the six-fives, the Grendel is now getting the attention it deserves. inherent in 6.5mm (.264) caliber bullets. 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. Besides recoil, the downside is the limited availability of factory ammunition and rifles. Below is a chart indicating the three best flat-shooting cartridges and their muzzle velocity, drop, energy levels, and felt recoil. Top But a reputation for burning out barrels ultimately doomed the cartridge. If youre after deeper penetration, look at the 139-grain Barnes VOR-TX Long Range load. The rifle snobs might whine. A highly accurate, easy to shoot rifle with a flat trajectory will make for confident hunting. of energy at that distance more than enough to drop a deer humanely. 11 Best Rifle Calibers For Precision Shooting - BadAssOptic While at the High Bar Homestead with PSA, I was able to stretch their 6.5 Grendel out to 1,000 yards with Federal Premium 130 grain Bergers. If it makes you feel better to hate the 6.5 Creedmoor, go ahead. Ditto the 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5-300 Wby. Well, nothing will save you if you mistakenly range a deer at 700 yards thats really at 800. It is flat shooting, powerful, has a manageable amount of recoil, and there are dozens of great hunting rifles chambered in this outstanding cartridge. Yes, the article most definitely included the 7mm Mag, but the specific cartridge mentioned by Nick is what the original article would have included as an exotic version, NOT something found chambered in most any rifle. 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. Caliber choice for 600 yards | Long Range Hunting Forum My take away on all this number crunching? I\d be curious to know what the minimum cost is for just the rifle or a quality budget build. 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. It may be a bit rough on barrels, but this cartridge shoots so flat you probably wont care. Why isn't 25-06 used more in long-range competition? Nosler Trophy Grade with a 150-grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range at 3300 fps. I love that you have gone above and beyond here and I see tremendous value in this knowledge. For serious shooters, thats a non-starter. Its clear that flat shooting is directly proportional to overbore. inspired a lot of comments, dissent, and different candidates for the title, so lets take a more detailed look at the flattest of the flat. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'backfire_tv-box-4','ezslot_7',175,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-backfire_tv-box-4-0'); Spinning high B.C. The 300 PRC will cruise above the speed of sound out to 1,650 yards. HOWEVER after going through Cartridges of The World by Barnes and Skinner it has come to my attention that 7.21 Lazzeroni Firebird is ever more overbore. 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. All three cartridges also offer ample case capacity, allowing enough powder to send bullets at drag-defying velocities. Since I have shot my .270 Winchester primarily with the Hornady 150gr spire point and I know at 500 yards it drops close to 50 inches. Nosler is loading the 27 with their famous AccuBond, which is one of the best big-game bullets ever crafted. bullets at faster speeds allows the projectile to get to the target sooner, minimizing the amount of time all three forces have to affect the bullets trajectory. 10 Varmint Rifles for Small to Medium Predator Animals - Wide Open Spaces wins again with just 218.5 inches of drop, the 27 Nosler moves into second place with its 150-grain bullet falling only 225.8 inches. Another issue is recoil. As you can see, one of our gold standard flat-shooting cartridges (.270 Winchester) does not compare favorably with either of the Noslers or the Weatherby Magnum. always means more wind deflection. Only a handful of .277-caliber cartridges are made today, but the .270 Winchester is still by far the most popular, given all the guns and loads out there for it. 1. . Thanks for your video and the information on your website. It really is the best all-around hunting rifle caliber. Great work here. Bullet B.C. I took multiple loads from each, but identical sources. Thoughts on this? It takes a lot of practice to learn the aim point to bring the rifle on target. Im going to bookmark your website and keep checking for new details about once a week. 10 Best Calibers for Deer Hunting - Gun News Daily Ron Spomer Outdoors 1.1M views 6 months ago Head-To-Head: 6.5. 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. Flattest Shooting Hunting Bullet 257 Weatherby Vanguard 26" pipe. (For anyone who gets worked up about the fact that the .30/06 isnt on this list, feel free to swap it with this one, as long as you dont mind the extra kick. Recoil is stiff and some find it hard to master. Just hoping my bad experiences might inspire you to avoid some of your own. 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. Your email address will not be published. Shooting a 180-grain bullet (.507 G1 BC) at 2,960 fps and sighted in 1.5 inches high at 100 yards, the .300 Win. 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. I dont get it. 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. .468 BC, 1. Its just human nature to celebrate and admire the biggest, bestest, and flattest. 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. The .223 Remington will easily take care of any varmint out to around 500 yards, but at extreme distances loses its punch. The rifle would be used for game to 600 yards (self imposed limit) up to the occasional Elk. MM Its a top choice of military snipers and can launch heavy bullets with high speed and exceptional precision. Different shooters will all have different calibers that are better suited for their specific goal or mission. At 500 yards . It has flipped positions with the 6.5, losing by a mere 1.4-inches. Our blog and video on the Flattest Shooting Cartridge Ever! YMMV I\m also a huge fan of Ron Spomer so well done for the recognition of his great work too. No howitzers or tanks.). Your email address will not be published. Before we check that out, let's give a nod to the 240 Wby. For the Top 5 you have listed, what manufacturers offer a complete rifle in those calibers? What Is The Best Hunting Cartridge To 500 yds. Flattest at 500 yards Weatherby's wildly overbore 6.5-300 wins again! Normas 180-grain BondStrike Extreme at 3,084 fps is new and very flat-shooting. Something like a 7mm Ultramag shooting a 120 TTSX would be pretty flat shooting to 500. The .270 Winchester stays supersonic out to 1,400 yards, which is more than what 99 percent of hunters will ever need. . 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. At 500 yards, the 27 Nosler drops almost a foot less than Jack OConnors sacred cartridge. It is not always the caliber that is in question. Though that shot didn't take advantage of the 7mm Mag's flat trajectory, it convinced me of the cartridge's superior qualities. Thanks for your hard work and entertaining videos, your passion shines through! 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 . Required fields are marked *. 17 Best Long Range Calibers in 2020 - Ranked by a Marine Because it was used in the Civil War, the term "flattest" is not an exact description. [wd_leadmagnet type="dressing"] Clear enough? If you dont have good range finding equipment, youre hooped either way; humans will have extreme difficulty judging 700 from 725 without physical land markers or other range finding signs. If the hunter is looking for a flat shooting caliber with good energy and speed of distances around 400-yards, then the .270 would be the obvious choice. But if it isnt, go read the article again. . Know your trajectory curve and nail the shot distance with a range finder and you can offset huge rates of drop. 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! Excellent work!! While there are not a lot of ammunition choices for the 6.8 Western, there are some good ones. Please, keep up the great work! It shoots as flat as a Kansas prairie and holds its velocity way out there. Generally, traditional Weatherby Magnum cartridges perform slightly better than their Winchester or Remington magnum counterparts. Links or names greatly appreciated, Thanks! The 50 BMG is still supersonic past 1200 yards. Most shots are taken at short range, but some experienced marksmen with good rifles, known distances, and good conditions may need to make connections at longer distances. Your email address will not be published. While that incredibly fast 6.5-300 Wby. Was sad to not see the .300 H&H Magnum, though I doubt it would measure much different than the .300 Win Mag. All are welcome. 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. Mag. I had to calculate this one out, as Weatherbys ballistics charts dont go past 500 yards. One argument for a flat-shooting cartridge is that it covers mistakes. I ran the numbers with the 180 grain Ballistic tip at 3420 fps. Dear Ron: What's the flattest shooting rifle? Thats true, but the bullets have been vetted. It may not display this or other websites correctly. projectiles begins to add up and they shoot flatter at extreme range. Terry Cross. All same bullets for each of the numbers that are then averaged. 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. Hello Jim, I took the shot prone and then stood up after the wildebeest tipped over after a perfect shot. Unfortunately, the .223 WSSM has fallen by the wayside in recent years. It will push a 90-grain Fusion bullet to 500 yardswhich is probably the limit for big game with this cartridgewhile still retaining enough velocity to initiate expansion. These lists are awesome to go over. Most common calibers are just fine for regular range shots under 300 yards. Even at 500 yards the Hornady 225 SST is traveling over 2,000 fps and carrying over 2,000 ft/lbs of energy. Thank you. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Dear James Montana! The article has really peaked my interest. Recoil statistics are offered for reference. It just murders your shoulder, ears, and pocketbook at the same time . Indeed, some deer also live in places where a 50-yard shot is much more likely than a 500-yard shot. 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? Cheers. I asked around a few years ago and found 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum as the most overbore commercial cartridge. rating) driven more slowly. bullet faster than did the larger volume 30-378 Wby. 6.5 CM The 6.5 CM is a newcomer to the shooting world. The wise longer range shooter errs on the side of a higher B.C. 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. Just wondering where the 300 win mag ends up? 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. However, the lead that the 25-06 has is pretty small. But can it defend that title at 1,000 yards? The 27 Nosler bests the .270 Winchester by about 400 fps with 150-grain bullets. Might be of interest and I have used the cartridge in a Ruger M77 with a 22 barrel. I have found that when talking about these large caliber hunting rounds, there is not a tremendous difference in bullet drop. I'm not a huge fan of basing my decisions on bullet energy. In your question about Flattest shooting caliber in a Lever Gun, Winchester 1894 shooting a .25-35 caliber bullet. Only B.C. bullet 12 inches at 500 yards, a low B.C. I still shoot a .270 caliber cartridge and the same 150gr bullet, but with a 3gr powder charge boost. From an external ballistics standpoint, it cannot compete with any of the cartridges on this list, but in the field where it matters, it works wonders, and only the 6.5 Creedmoor has less recoil. = 3002 inches = 250 foot = 76m above target at 1000 yds now thats a challenge ! As much talk as there is about the .270 Winchesters ability to shoot flatly, it does not compare with these three flat-shooting options. But there is a big contender missing I think. 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. Find out which ones made the cut. The vast offerings of ammo and rifles on the market today is why the 338 Winchester Magnum is probably one of the best elk cartridges a hunter can carry. By the time the 6.5 Creedmoor started gaining popularity, interest in the .270 WSM was fading. 223 Remington, or 5.56 NATO is more than capable of shooting over 500 yards with accuracy. Modern high-ballistic-coefficient bullets is where the .375 H&H really steps out of its traditional box. 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. Dear Adriel, please be so kind to provide statistics on the following calibers as well: I subscribed to your Feed as well. With the 6.5 PRC, Hornady has created a better version of the old barrel-burner. Don't get me wrong, but 45-70 are very accurate and can travel quite well buckin' the wind, Shooting ground squirrels in the West: Part II, the calibers The advent of precision rifle competitions and the laser rangefinder has increased the publics desire to go long. Have fun hunting! Best Cartridge for out to 500 yds??? - Long Range Hunting Forum The newest addition to the Nosler line of proprietary cartridges is the 27 Nosler. With their Vanguard line you can do it for less than $900. The good news is that these bullets might shoot even a tad flatter than these numbers indicate. This should be recommended reading for all shooters learning to shoot long range shots. It was also a resounding success and has remained popular with hunters looking to stretch their effective range. flattest trajectory? | Sniper & Sharpshooter Forums Fun? Wondering if anyone can find anything flatter within that range, suitable to kill a whitetail deer with? But lets have a round of applause for our antiquated 220 Swift, just 0.2-inch off the record! 243 and 25-06 had to be left out because it didnt have enough at 600 for even deer. Is flatest of all youve listed. Mag. Its really tough to spot impacts with that much recoil, and thats becoming increasingly important for shooters. Trust but verify. For some reason it pushed Noslers 125-gr. With the popularity of this cartridge due to America's favorite rifle, the AR15, more and more people are stretching the . again. The drops are listed in feet for the really long range shots, so theyre pretty close to your numbers. +Nick Strother, he TOLD you right up front he was only including cartridges that can be found chambered in most any rifle. Its bullets will remain supersonic out past 2,000 yards. etc. 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. Most service rifle matches include stages at 200, 300 and 600 yards, from various positions, some timed, while others are slow-fire. Most fall close to the .22 caliber bullet range, and can dip down to .17 caliber and up to .264 (6.5 mm). Also know that not all manufacturer-claimed B.C. I was once hunting plains game in Africa when my PH told me, holding a rangefinder, that the wildebeest was 155 yards away. Twenty years ago, Winchester introduced the .270 WSM (Winchester Short Magnum). Still, a flat-shooting cartridge will often perform well with wind as well, because it is in the air for less time between the shot and hitting the target. 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. However, the .220 Swift and the .22-250 have been used to take deer out to distances a lot of folks got no business shooting, for a long, long time. Hunters can take advantage of flat shooting rounds to extend maximum point blank range, the distance over which a center-of-target aim results in the bullet remaining within the kill zone, never climbing above it at mid-range and remaining in it until maximum point blank range is reached. 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. 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). Do we compare the fastest factory loads or top end handloads from select handloading manuals? The Barrett 416 or CheyTac exceeds this - I have witnessed it first hand - then you get into the wildcat cartridges. A relatively flat-shooting cartridge, hunters with skill regular make shots out to 400 and 500 yards with the cartridge on small gamesome hunters even farther. I am looking for a really flat shooting cartridge up to 500 yards for a Remington rebarrel project I have. Flattest at 500 yards Weatherbys wildly overbore 6.5-300 wins again! Omg I wish I seen this alot earlier than I did.. Ive literally spent hours on hours on ballistics calculators trying to figure out which new cartridge was the flattest shooting but also had enough energy for an ethical kill at long range and it took me countless hours to basically come up with what your chart told me in seconds grrr.. With a growing choice of ammo from 90-130 grain projectiles and the benefit of a great ballistic coefficient with the 6.5mm bullet, 500+ yard shooting can be almost boring. The caveat here is that fastest becomes a bit murky. The 6.5 PRC can remain supersonic out beyond 1,600 yards or so, but ammunition options are limited. It started with the .30/30 and continued with the .30/06 and .308 and right up to todays .300 Blackout. That does not appeal to my simplified physics understanding of the subject. Nevertheless, flat shooting cartridges have long fascinated hunters and driven cartridge development and sales. 8 Underrated Long-Range Cartridges - Guns and Ammo For flat shooting over a relatively close range you need a lot of velocity, BC doesn't matter that much over shorter distances. 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. For all practical purposes, the 25-06 would be a better competition round at 1000 yards. Sight in 3" high at 100 yards and 6" low at 400 yards. Don't want it too heavy. spitting a 100-gr. 1.5" high at 100, would be dead-on at 250, and only drop 30" at 550. 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. Taylor's formula calculates a less-inspiring TKO number of 37. Fastest Rifle Cartridges: 9 Choices With the Best Bullet Velocity Below is the information Ive gleaned from 17-caliber through 338. In fact, we may say that its the only thing that matters; however, factors that lead to time of flight changes are important to consider. You cant pull data from different sources with different lengths of barrels and different loading methods and expect to get true results. Nor are we maintaining that the flattest shooting cartridge/bullet is the ultimate determinant of a good hunting round. 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. The amount of drop is directly influenced by velocity, energy, rifle barrel, and bullet design. The quicker it gets to 200 yards the less time gravity has been working on it and the less it will drop. 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 . I see lots of Wildcats mentioned here. 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. 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. The Creedmoor carries more velocity and energy downrange with less recoil than any other factory cartridge. Once again great effort appreciated. View Quote. Accuracy, knowledge of your rifle and its drops at different ranges, and knowledge of the conditions will dictate your very long range shots. This old timer remains a phenomenon, flat-shooting and effective. Four Great Calibers for Elk | The Outdoor Line Blog I have used it also in a Ruger #1 with a 26 barrel and thoroughly enjoyed the distance it affords me. 95% of your shots will be inside 500 yards, and probably 80% inside 300. . 26 Nosler Cartridge: The Flattest-Shooting 6.5 Ever? Up until that time, there had only really been two .277-caliber hunting cartridgesthe .270 Winchester and the .270 Weatherbyso the .270 WSM was almost immediately popular. If Ive left out an obvious winner or near winner, write in and state your case. MPBR with a 150-grain spire point from a 308 Winchester might extend to 317 yards on an 8-inch target while a 300 RUM might push that same bullet to 373 yards. Now, the .280 AI is finally a SAAMI-approved cartridge, and while ammunition options are sparse, its performance is right there with the 7mm Remington Magnum. My name is Steve and I have just viewed your video on the Flattest Shooting Cartridges. The 10 Best Varmint Cartridges | Field & Stream The .224 Valkyrie is the flattest shooting 0.224 caliber cartridge . What caliber is the flattest shooting? | The Muzzleloading Forum 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. 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. The .204 will work quiet well at 500 yards with good shot placement. Richard Mann was born and raised in West Virginia and has hunted from the Montana mountains to the green hills of Africa.