Prairie dogs?). But if you can shoot this cartridge well, with its supersonic speed out beyond 1,650 yards, youre just about unstoppable at distance, and there are lots of factory loads and riflesaffordable and expensiveto choose from. There are EXCEPTIONS to almost EVERYTHING with the huge wide range of ballistic specs due to EXCEPTIONAL things people/companies do with cartridge loads these days, but the article was referencing the NORMS for these rifles, not the EXCEPTIONS based on unusual or exotic cartridges a FEW people will use. Thanks Jim! Still, if youre goal is to push heavy projectiles to the outer reaches, Noslers 28 may be the best 7mm option out there. Recoil statistics are offered for reference. It started with the .30/30 and continued with the .30/06 and .308 and right up to todays .300 Blackout. 6.5mm and 7mm projectiles offer very high ballistic coefficients, meaning they offer excellent ability to overcome drag and wind deflection over longer distances. If Ive left out an obvious winner or near winner, write in and state your case. 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. 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. This cartridge existed in a cloak of obscurity for a long time; only recently have hunters began to see the potential it offers. Below is the information Ive gleaned from 17-caliber through 338. How can I get all the data in a spread sheet form like you showed in your video? Thanks for the chart for bullet drop but for Big Game Hunting I would rather see the down range energy. etc. When a bullet is fired, many forces are immediately working against it: gravity, wind, and atmospheric drag. Great job. (Curiosity? No exotics just yet, theyll come later. 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. The lesser charge is a flatter, close group load. Could you add a little explanation of why/how twist/spin rate make any given bullet/velocity shoot flatter? Even at 500 yards the Hornady 225 SST is traveling over 2,000 fps and carrying over 2,000 ft/lbs of energy. Ive posted your article on my wildlife and hunting group on FB. You cant pull data from different sources with different lengths of barrels and different loading methods and expect to get true results. A 3 mph breeze at the shooter can become a 20 mph roar in the canyon halfway to the target. No, this is merely a fun exercise in ferreting out the cartridge/bullet combination that shoots the flattest at reasonable hunting distance with a bit of extreme range (1,000 yards) thrown in for spice. 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. 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%. Richard Mann This old timer remains a phenomenon, flat-shooting and effective. Shot from SAAMI-mandated 1-8 twist barrels, the 6.5s long, slender bullets seem to almost defy wind and gravity and allow this cartridge to deliver clean kills at distance. Precision, varmint, big-game, and dirt cheap NATO surplus ammo for plenty of cheap shooting. Flattest Shooting Hunting Bullet 257 Weatherby Vanguard 26" pipe. Different shooters will all have different calibers that are better suited for their specific goal or mission. 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. Take another look. At 150 yards the target is a 6 inch hole and the gong is behind it. (Essentially, you don't have to arc the 300 Win Mag's bullet trajectory in order to strike a target up . That's pretty dang flat. A 25 yard miscalculation at that distance will vary your hit by half a foot and outside our 6 imaginary circle of vitals. the max load is the distance load. Ron Spomer Outdoors 1.1M views 6 months ago Head-To-Head: 6.5. 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. A long-time favorite of snipers, the .308 Winchester will remain supersonic out to around 1,200 yards. The new Federal Premium, 130-grain Terminal Ascent load with a muzzle velocity of 2825 fps shoots flat and the bullet is tough enough to handle up close impacts while still delivering good. Great information you have come up with. 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. It's a shame the .25-06 is in decline at the moment. 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. [wd_leadmagnet type="dressing"] Great info but my 7mm rem mag with Nosler 120 grain BT (.417bc) @ 3600fps has anything on this chart beat pretty soundly. rating, that 100-grain bullet is hanging in there. Therefore my velocity is up to around 3175fps, BC .434 G1 and the 500 yard drop is 23 with a 300 yard zero sight in. via the Davenport formula. Barrel length will change MV. Was sad to not see the .300 H&H Magnum, though I doubt it would measure much different than the .300 Win Mag. The .22-250 is accurate, fast and delivers devastating performance at long ranges. 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. I was surprised the 308 warbird was not included with the 208gr or 212gr bullet. That said, average shots on mule deer are often longer than what most hunters typically encounter on eastern whitetail hunts. The goal with the 6 mm ARC was to provide the flattest-shooting cartridge compatible with an AR-15. lotsa guys on the internet claim 500 yards is no problem . Another one or two probably should have made the original list. I love that you have gone above and beyond here and I see tremendous value in this knowledge. 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. Thats what makes a long-range hunters heart go pitter patter, and its what has kept Weatherby in business since 1945. Generally, a 300 Win Mag's 150 grain bullet delivers a 3,260 fps muzzle velocity, while its 180 grain bullet achieves approximately 3,000 fps. J. Mag. This is the darling diameter for American big-game hunters. It's not until you get farther out that BC starts making a big difference. 223 Remington, or 5.56 NATO is more than capable of shooting over 500 yards with accuracy. Great chart, I appreciate all your work on this. Great chart and thanks for what must have been an incredible amount of work. Always be open to new possibilities. The final two cartridges above are mislabeled. But what are the flattest shooting rifle cartridges? . 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? Posted: 12/20/2020 9:01:19 AM EST [#22] There is a simple . That, combined with their relatively small size, means that compared to cartridges of similar powder capacity, the 6.5s will almost always do more, in terms of external and terminal ballistics, with less recoil. If you use a very good long range 6mm bullet like the 115 DTAC with a BC of .585 and a velocity of 2950fps, which is easy to get, it wipes the floor with the .308 with a 175 at 2700fps. It is about the easiest caliber to hit with at that range you can imagine. I wonder if you could possibly make that load available to me, so I can compare which loads are the best? 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. However, I fully admit that that a flat shooting cartridge is not nearly as important as a cartridge which is resistant to wind deflection. Please, keep up the great work! I realize that you looked at several different loads for each cartridge to figure out which one was the flattest shooting. 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. Mag. A benefit of that, you can fing .308 ammo off-the-shelf for any practical application. 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. Be aware that many of these bullets could have been target bullets. It takes 200 rounds to fully break in a barrel, so theyd finish it off in just 2-3 competitions (where you fire 200 rounds in a weekend). bullet. When the .264 Winchester Magnum was introduced about 60 years ago, it became a sensation with shooters looking to extend their reach in the field. Also, youll find more ammo options for the .308 Winchester than any of the others. Modern high-ballistic-coefficient bullets is where the .375 H&H really steps out of its traditional box. BUCK DOYLE Preferred Caliber For 500 To 1,000 Yards And Beyond: .260 Remington (130-grain Berger AR Hybrid OTM . Your email address will not be published. A flat shooting cartridge matters. The advent of precision rifle competitions and the laser rangefinder has increased the publics desire to go long. JOHN BUOL Preferred Caliber For 500 To 1,000 Yards And Beyond: 5.56mm NATO. bullet faster than did the larger volume 30-378 Wby. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Nosler is loading the 27 with their famous AccuBond, which is one of the best big-game bullets ever crafted. Still, by using G1 across the board, we are on a level playing field. Despite its relatively low B.C. Terry Cross. 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. A Canadian sniper had a record kill at over 3500 yards last year in Afghanistan. The Government .45-70 can give you the perfect hunting experience as it is one of the top calibers used by hunters. Granted I do live in New England, and we dont have that many long shot opportunities here, but you would think someone would want to have there firearms chambered in such a flat shooting cartridge. 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. Federal Premium, 130-grain Terminal Ascent, .308 Winchester will win no ballistic awards. of energy at that distance more than enough to drop a deer humanely. Most center-fire rifles that are legal for deer hunting can take a deer at 300 yards. A highly accurate, easy to shoot rifle with a flat trajectory will make for confident hunting. numbers are accurate. Great work mate including .22LR what a hoot (Incoming!) Hey there from Melbourne, Australia. Is it possible to show those on your web site list? Clear enough? 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? 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). 30-378 weatherby (214). To be fair to the 30-378, itmurders everything else for flatness way out there, staying feet above most other cartridges and carrying enough energy to take a deer at just over 1000 yards. Im going to bookmark your website and keep checking for new details about once a week. The rifle would be used for game to 600 yards (self imposed limit) up to the occasional Elk. So it Im guessing to summarise it doesnt really matter what you shoot as long as you know distance to target & your maths The quicker it gets to 200 yards the less time gravity has been working on it and the less it will drop. 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. Just dont try to enumerate its downsides to anyone who knows anything, because there arent any that matter. The result of this work was a flat shooting and hard hitting sniper cartridge with 200 to 400 yards of extended reach compared to the 7.62mm M118. This lead-free copper monolithic, fragmenting hollow-point Liberty Ammunition round is the next generation of one of the most popular hunting and long range rounds in existence. While that incredibly fast 6.5-300 Wby. 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 truly don't believe a senseable person would use ANY .22 caliber rifle for deer hunting. Barrel twist rates spin the bullet out of the muzzle in a spiral much akin to a quarterback throwing a football. The .223 Remington will easily take care of any varmint out to around 500 yards, but at extreme distances loses its punch. What caliber rifle shoots the flattest? Answer (1 of 5): Trajectory flatness is a function of muzzle velocity. If I am mistaken, I am sure someone will chime in and let us both know. How about our drops on the cartridges that made it? Its trajectory is awesome. Most of these are all-around cartridges intended for variety of CXP2 and CXP3 class game that offer an adequately flat trajectory for antelope hunting with appropriate loads (usually the lighter weight bullets . Its a top choice of military snipers and can launch heavy bullets with high speed and exceptional precision. I am curious to see how it does for a 22 that can push any bullet weight made for it. Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range, 175-grain AccuBond Long Range at 3,125 fps. Again great job !!!!! again. On the other hand, wind speed and direction are inconsistent. Its really tough to spot impacts with that much recoil, and thats becoming increasingly important for shooters. This is an example of how different loads in different rifles can produce different results. 28 Nosler cartridge For decades, the Nosler cartridge has ruled the world of a flat shooting range with complete dominance. Both are of course bolt-action rifle cartridges. The URSA gongs are 37 inches round and if you get 4 out of 10 you advance in 500 yard increments. But as with the 6.5 PRC, there are not a lot of factory-ammo options to choose from. projectile that you might crown that one King, especially since that 100-grain sounds a bit more reasonable for deer-sized game. Cheers. 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. And is it fair to include Risky Ralphs overstuffed, compressed-powder loads that exceed the highest handloading guides top loads by 400 fps and leave primers looking as if theyd been squashed on a train track? Swifts 150-grain Scirocco at 3,036 fps delivers outstanding terminal performance. So I find it strange you dont have it on any of the lists from what I have seen. during their trips downrange. I have not identified bullet make and type because that doesnt change impact drop. Its biggest disadvantage, in some people's opinion, is .25 caliber bullets have low BCs. 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. Your email address will not be published. The new Federal Premium, 130-grain Terminal Ascent load with a muzzle velocity of 2825 fps shoots flat and the bullet is tough enough to handle up close impacts while still delivering good expansion at distance. bullet to offset wind deflection. 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. 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. 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. I love your work and what you share with us. Perhaps you, dear reader, can provide the formula! A big 7mm like the 7rum can put a 140 with nearly a .500 bc downrange at over 3500 fps or a 120 with about a .400 bc in the 3600+ fps range. Jim, Hornady's Precision Hunter 145-grain ELD-X at 2,950 fps is the flattest-shooting .270 Winchester load. It may be a bit rough on barrels, but this cartridge shoots so flat you probably wont care. These are all under my extreme heading, because theyre all brutal on cost and recoil. Drops just 11.6 inches. First, some boundaries. You are cordially invited to any of our matches. The .277 is an oddball bullet diameter, in that it doesnt fall into the much more common 6.5mm, 7mm, or .30-caliber categories. RELATED: 6.5 Creedmoor: The New King of Cartridges? 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. . Excellent work!! Misjudging a 5mph crosswind as 8mph will make a 5.3 difference at 500yd with my favorite varmint load (BC0.400/MV3,400). 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. Nope, pretty much matches a 308Win to 500 yards. Run those numbers on JBM. Must be true since it was posted on the internet. 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. Its clear that flat shooting is directly proportional to overbore. 264 Winmag Yes I know its a barrel burner but so is the 300RUM and others on the list. A popular western big-game cartridge, the 7mm Magnum doubles as an excellent tool for long-range target shooting. So it ends up being a very fair comparison. Not only are new loads being offered, new ARs and even bolt action rifles for the Grendel are being introduced. Is flatest of all youve listed. I blog often and I truly appreciate your content. 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. If you are looking for the flattest shooting caliber to 500 yards, you should read anything else. But truth be told, every Weatherby cartridge is a long-range cartridge. Deciding on the three best flat-shooting cartridges does not come down simply to one statistic, but a combination of all the factors inherent to a cartridge. Nosler Trophy Grade with a 150-grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range at 3300 fps. 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. bullet 12 inches at 500 yards, a low B.C. This is the allure and benefit of a flat shooting bullet. Links or names greatly appreciated, Thanks! What bullet weight did you select for the .270 Winchester? (-200) Been there done that, so Im not playing holier-than-thou. Its not all hype. I have used it also in a Ruger #1 with a 26 barrel and thoroughly enjoyed the distance it affords me. Manners thumbhole stock, trigger tech trigger at around a pound. At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks For Long Range Calibers in 2022 Best for Beginners: 5.56mm/.223 Remington Minimal Recoil: 224 Valkyrie Best for Long Range: 243 Winchester Best for Seasoned Shooters: 6mm Creedmoor Best Value: 6.5mm Grendel Enforcermj, Im not sure if your comment is sarcastic or not. Im going to set a restrictive definition on common and only include cartridges that can be found chambered in most any rifle. 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. These rifles can hardly be considered to be flat shooting. . Required fields are marked *. Normas 180-grain BondStrike Extreme at 3,084 fps is new and very flat-shooting. 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. If the 300 RUM surprises you, know that it surprised me, too. This should be recommended reading for all shooters learning to shoot long range shots. With the 30-06, we can only overcome 12 yards of ranging error at the same range before we miss the 6 of vitals. Thanks Jim. Since 1962, when the round was introduced in conjunction with the Remington 700, countless others have arrived at the same conclusion. Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range with a 129-grain AccuBond Long Range bullet at 3,400 fps. Pest control, home defense, and long-range shooting can all be done with 5.56. He just never made it official. Bullet B.C. I've heard that too! Nor could most of us scrape up a good excuse for owning one. 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. But if it isnt, go read the article again. My name is Steve and I have just viewed your video on the Flattest Shooting Cartridges. Its muzzle velocity is 1880 fps, and muzzle energy is 2355 ft. lbs. Not to mention the different variations in grains in each individual caliber,Ogive and BC. But you wouldnt want to hunt with it. However, it proved to be mostly a flash in the pan. With its rebated rim and 1/2-inch diameter at the base, it is essentially a longer version of the 6.5284 Norma; ballistically equivalent to the .264 Winchester Magnum. Top muzzle velocities with the same combination of powder, primer, and bullet can vary by 100 to 200 fps. Since this article originally went live, several excellent long-range big-game cartridges have it the market. Most common calibers are just fine for regular range shots under 300 yards. Below is a chart indicating the three best flat-shooting cartridges and their muzzle velocity, drop, energy levels, and felt recoil. Pronghorn hunters have driven the search for flatter shooting cartridges for a long time. The newest addition to the Nosler line of proprietary cartridges is the 27 Nosler. The .277 bullet earns a lower B.C. Accuracy, knowledge of your rifle and its drops at different ranges, and knowledge of the conditions will dictate your very long range shots. Weatherbys Should you have other helpful info, please send it to me by email: [emailprotected].