projectile that you might crown that one King, especially since that 100-grain sounds a bit more reasonable for deer-sized game. bullet faster than did the larger volume 30-378 Wby. (not the bullet Id choose for this beast, just puts it nicely in line with the others), What does that do for you at regular ranges? Hey there from Melbourne, Australia. Best Ive been able to do is run ballistic charts on many combinations, knowing that muzzle velocity is of major importance and bullet B.C. Its biggest disadvantage, in some people's opinion, is .25 caliber bullets have low BCs. Your email address will not be published. It shoots as flat as a Kansas prairie and holds its velocity way out there. A few specialty matches, such as the Farr trophy at Camp Perry, are fired at 1,000 yards. Something like a 7mm Ultramag shooting a 120 TTSX would be pretty flat shooting to 500. Most common calibers are just fine for regular range shots under 300 yards. The RPM does not have a belt or the customary Weatherby radiused shoulder, and it was designed to go with an ultra-light hunting rifle. Not to mention the different variations in grains in each individual caliber,Ogive and BC. Of course, the .270 Win was developed in 1925 when 1000 yard shots were effectively unheard of. This means we can first determine the fastest cartridge in each caliber, then compare it against the fastest in others. All three cartridges also offer ample case capacity, allowing enough powder to send bullets at drag-defying velocities. It is a flat shooting cartridge, able to hit a target at 300 yards with negligible hold over. When a bullet is fired, many forces are immediately working against it: gravity, wind, and atmospheric drag. I stopped there because few hunters are going to tolerate the recoil or rifle weight needed to operate a flat shooter above 338-caliber. By way of comparison, the .270 Winchester (based on the .30-06 Springfield) offers a case capacity of 67 grains. 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. But lets have a round of applause for our antiquated 220 Swift, just 0.2-inch off the record! .45-70 shoots like a Rainbow compared to even a Win 30-30. But truth be told, every Weatherby cartridge is a long-range cartridge. Its drop at 1,000 yards is 330.30 and at 500 yards its drop is 50.00. That's pretty dang flat. .25-06 AI with a Berger 115 VLD that's moving 3,600 fps That should be pretty close to flat. numbers which are not quite as accurate as G7 numbers in predicting trajectories of todays wildly long, sleek bullets. Appropriate hunting bullets may not reach these levels of B.C. (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. Our margin for distancing error at 700 yards just went from 12 yards with the 30-06 to 25 yards with the 30-378. 2023 Backfire LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Utah, USA. On the other hand, wind speed and direction are inconsistent. Shooters have no real idea how much drop a bullet has at long ranges like 1500 yards. Its a top choice of military snipers and can launch heavy bullets with high speed and exceptional precision. The 6 mm ARC flattens the curve, and as a 2020 introduction, it could be nicknamed the "Corona Cartridge." . I took the shot prone and then stood up after the wildebeest tipped over after a perfect shot. Yet it has proven again and again that it will deliver at distance. JavaScript is disabled. Flattest Shooting Hunting Bullet 257 Weatherby Vanguard 26" pipe. Before we check that out, let's give a nod to the 240 Wby. Don't want it too heavy. For all practical purposes, the 25-06 would be a better competition round at 1000 yards. The 257 Weatherby Mag. flat-shooting, and light recoiling cartridge was extremely effective on deer-sized game. Dear James 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. This cartridge existed in a cloak of obscurity for a long time; only recently have hunters began to see the potential it offers. i've heard the .17 hmr are real flat shooting. 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. Think 30-30 necked down to a .25 cal. The smaller calibers drop like a rock past 500 yards. The reason why 6.5mm cartridges are exploding in popularity is because they are ultra-efficient. For optics, I use a Leupold Mark 6 with a Horus reticle. You cant pull data from different sources with different lengths of barrels and different loading methods and expect to get true results. 1.5" high at 100, would be dead-on at 250, and only drop 30" at 550. 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 .223 Remington will easily take care of any varmint out to around 500 yards, but at extreme distances loses its punch. throwing a 55-gr. inherent in 6.5mm (.264) caliber bullets. Really enjoy your youtube channel. I wonder if you could possibly make that load available to me, so I can compare which loads are the best? In 2015, Mann began contributing to Field & Stream to cover guns, ammunition, ballistics, and hunting. Why is the 7 MM Ultra Mag also called the 7RUM not on your lists? They are normalized within caliber. Warm greetings from S.W. Check out their concise ballistics charts. projectiles begins to add up and they shoot flatter at extreme range. My grandkids have a poem for this photo: Cartridge cartridge on the table, choose the flattest if youre able. Yep, me too. No exotics just yet, theyll come later. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Enforcermj, Im not sure if your comment is sarcastic or not. Mag. plays a major roll in trajectory, but is second in significance to muzzle velocity. With the exception of the 7mm Remington Magnum, cartridges of this diameter have never been as popular in America as they should bemaybe because this was the caliber of the Imperial German Army and the Nazis. 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. lotsa guys on the internet claim 500 yards is no problem . again. I realize that you looked at several different loads for each cartridge to figure out which one was the flattest shooting. 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. I\d be curious to know what the minimum cost is for just the rifle or a quality budget build. . I thought Id run an article on the flattest shooting rifle cartridges to compare and contrast both whats popular, as well as a few of the high performance options out there. Fast and flat shooting b#%ds. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Not sure if the OP is considering them or not. 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. 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. 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. 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. Thanks, 26 Nosler 127 gr LRX 3602 Ft./Sec. For good reason. Just $1 per month , These rounds have the reach and the power to put down big-game animals way out there, By Well, theres really only one option in .22-caliber and thats the .224 Valkyrie. Good video! But to do this, it must launch a heavy bullet and that means recoil can be stiff; from an 8-pound rifle, it generates more than 33 foot-pounds of recoil, which is more than twice that of the 6.5 Creedmoor. The muzzle velocity is a plus in windy conditions, with the bullet arriving on target with minimal drift. You can argue that you can get the 243 WSSM shooting flatter, but that cartridge is already considered obsolete. 95% of your shots will be inside 500 yards, and probably 80% inside 300. . Norma offers a 156-grain Oryx load that wont shoot as flat but provides great terminal performance. Your email address will not be published. A flat shooting cartridge matters. Answer (1 of 5): Trajectory flatness is a function of muzzle velocity. It combined flat-shooting ballistics with hard-hitting bullets in a package with lighter recoil than the .300 Weatherby Magnum, which debuted in 1944. 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 If there was ever a cult cartridge, the .280 Ackley Improved is it. It's still possible to get factory ammo for the cartridge, but current production .223 WSSM ammo normally uses heavier 50 or 55 grain bullets at . 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. Most often you just have to buy a Weatherby rifle to get one, and while that used to be an expensive proposition, its not anymore. As with Hornadys two recent 6.5 caliber introductions, it has found favor with long-range competitors, but also with hunters who like to hit at distance with heavy bullets. What caliber rifle shoots the flattest? With the popularity of this cartridge due to America's favorite rifle, the AR15, more and more people are stretching the . Jim, There's currently no better option for the AR-15 when the range extends much past 500 yards. Why? Thanks again. I asked around a few years ago and found 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum as the most overbore commercial cartridge. . Considered by many to be the optimum long-range, large-game cartridge, the .300 Winchester Magnum has proven itself worldwide. rating) driven more slowly. 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. 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. But there is a big contender missing I think. 17. Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain ELDX at 2,960 fps. 2. I've heard that too! But it's still a better distance choice than the .270 Winchester past 400 yards (a great caliber as well). Know your trajectory curve and nail the shot distance with a range finder and you can offset huge rates of drop. Well placed shots seem to work and poorly placed shots tend to fail. Therefore the .17 Remington is the round for you. The Barrett 416 or CheyTac exceeds this - I have witnessed it first hand - then you get into the wildcat cartridges. If youre after critters deer-size and up, the field is dominated by .30-caliber, 6.5mm, and 7mm cartridges, with the best long-range options remaining supersonic out to at least 1,400 yards. It takes a lot of practice to learn the aim point to bring the rifle on target. 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. 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. The .22-250 is accurate, fast and delivers devastating performance at long ranges. Based on the old .404 Jeffery case, its the same length as the .30/06, which means it works in standard-length actions. 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. 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. Generally, traditional Weatherby Magnum cartridges perform slightly better than their Winchester or Remington magnum counterparts. However, I fully admit that that a flat shooting cartridge is not nearly as important as a cartridge which is resistant to wind deflection. 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. J. 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. However, it proved to be mostly a flash in the pan. The good news is that these bullets might shoot even a tad flatter than these numbers indicate. MY 45 cal ball travels at 1633fps with a standard charge, and 74-5gr for a full charge (2040fps). If I am mistaken, I am sure someone will chime in and let us both know. 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. Underwood Ammos 110-grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos bullet at 2800 fps is another great option. If youre after deeper penetration, look at the 139-grain Barnes VOR-TX Long Range load. I blog often and I truly appreciate your content. Most of the calculators out there show larger drop rates then your table. 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. The spin rate helps to stabilize the projectile along its path, cut through drag and higher case capacities give the projectile more velocity thus delivering the bullet to the target more quickly. A rifle is suitable for flat shooting as long as the 500-yard impact range of the rifle falls below the 40''. It really is the best all-around hunting rifle caliber. Time of flight impacts bullet drop more than anything else. Prairie dogs?). Based on the 7.6239/220 Russian cartridge case, the Valkyrie changes the personality of the AR-15. rating, that 100-grain bullet is hanging in there. At 500 yards, 5.56 will have roughly 339 ft-lbs of energy which drops to roughly 75 ft-lbs at 1,000 yards. +Nick Strother, he TOLD you right up front he was only including cartridges that can be found chambered in most any rifle. The 26 Nosler cartridge was designed with the high ballistic coefficient (B.C.) Check out ShootersCalculator.com By Adriel The story of an old humpback Browning that's Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. Mag. Drops just 11.6 inches. Im not sure Im reading this right but there seems to be a decimal missing. etc. Love it Jim ! Mag. That's why the three best rifles we have sorted have a 500-yard impact range below 40''. Its like a shorter, beltless version of the .300 Winchester Magnum. Aug 31, 2013. 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. With the highest BC bullets, the 26 Nosler remains supersonic beyond 1,750 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! With todays ammunition, its even better. What about the guy who wants to go long with his AR-15? 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. Despite its relatively low B.C. At 300 yards, the hold over (assuming a 250 yard zero) is only 2.6 inches. 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! Gravity impacts all objects the same. Just dont try to enumerate its downsides to anyone who knows anything, because there arent any that matter. At 300 yards it has dropped around 13 inches, and at 500 yards it's just under 60 inches (5 feet). 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. Thats equal magnitude to 200fps less flatness! Forums. Don't get me wrong, but 45-70 are very accurate and can travel quite well buckin' the wind, bullet to offset wind deflection. 264 Winmag RELATED: The 10 Best Rifle Bullets for Long-Range Shooting. Hello Jim, That kind of long-range accuracy comes at a hefty price with this model starting at $11,700 from the manufacturer. And that light recoil not only makes you a better shot in the field; it also makes practicing more fun and productive. This is the darling diameter for American big-game hunters. Hornady's Precision Hunter 145-grain ELD-X at 2,950 fps is the flattest-shooting .270 Winchester load. 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. Best .270 Rounds He just never made it official. 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. Ive posted your article on my wildlife and hunting group on FB. He has managed multiple gun ranges, and has hunted around the world. Its just physics. Then look at the available options for reloaders, nearly endless, bullets for every application imaginable. Dear Adriel, please be so kind to provide statistics on the following calibers as well: 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. Terry Cross. I noticed in your video that your chart also listed energy and recoil. And they can change in your rifle and will change at different velocities. 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. Again, I, as well as so very many other folks Im certain, am very grateful! Nosler Trophy Grade with a 150-grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range at 3300 fps. This cartridge is the .270 GIBBS and is based on the 30.06 case with the shoulder moved forward and at a 35 degree angle. My take away on all this number crunching? It's muzzle v. The round is on the cusp of energy at 300 yards, but it is a favorite among short to mid-distance deer hunters. A 100 yard miscalculation short or long will vary your hit by a vertical of 2.3-2.9 feet, enough to completely miss or wound the deer. The 300WM with the 210 VLDs at 2950fps is pretty good also. Hunters and shooters should also know that wind deflection of bullets is a more challenging part of hitting what you shoot at than is drop. Hornady 123-grain SST at 2580 fps. 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. At a 100 yard zero sight in the 500 yard drop is 37. Should you have other helpful info, please send it to me by email: [emailprotected]. Second, we are not encouraging extreme-range shooting at game. But its so close to the 6.5-300 Wby. Thats true, but the bullets have been vetted. I subscribed to your Feed as well. Great chart, I appreciate all your work on this. Is flatest of all youve listed. I still just dont understand why it isnt the 26 or 28 Nos. Below is a chart indicating the three best flat-shooting cartridges and their muzzle velocity, drop, energy levels, and felt recoil. But the premise is based on my farm, where distances are limited to 560 or so yards. is the fastest at 3,500 FPS, and exits a rifle with a muzzle energy of 2,700 FPE. The .204 will work quiet well at 500 yards with good shot placement. 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. Links or names greatly appreciated, Thanks! bullet. Zeroing for 100 yards or farther will change drop significantly. Im going to set a restrictive definition on common and only include cartridges that can be found chambered in most any rifle. It is not always the caliber that is in question. 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. Copyright Ron Spomer Outdoors document.write(new Date().getFullYear())