Since its inception, the .308 has remained the most popular choice of Long Range shooters, snipers, and hunters. Nostalgia for my earliest days in deer camp. For target shooting, the lighter recoiling Creedmoor is probably a better choice, but for hunting and tactical application at distance, the PRC hits harder. Availability in stores could be troublesome unless shopping at a Cabelas/Bass Pro Shop. With a suppressor on the .300 Norma Magnum, the recoil still isnt all that bad. One thing that makes the .308 Winchester one of the best Long Range cartridges ever, is that in a pinch, you can find ammo for it ANYWHERE. We prioritize field testing and objective data when reviewing products. 15 Best Long Range Rifles in 2023 | Ranked by a [Marine Sniper] 500m: 1,123 ft-lbs 1,000m: 394 ft-lbs. Rather than the 3,000 to 5,000 rounds a careful shooter gets out of a 6.5 Creedmoor, most 6mm Creedmoors are burned out by the 2,000-round mark, and many last fewer than 1,500 rounds. Muzzle: 2402 ft-lbs. G1 BC: .563 G7 BC: .274. This round was developed in conjunction with the AR-15 rifle in the early 60s. Expect to see about 2,500 round barrel life. 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. Remington 700 5R 10. However, the propellant chamber is more or less the same size as that of the 6.5mm version, making the 6mm Creedmoor just a bit overbore for ideal efficiency. In order to do so, their already proven case, the 6.8 SPC (Special Purpose Cartridge) was necked down to fit a .22 caliber projectile. is the proverbial cat with nine lives in the long-range cartridge market. 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. One good thing about switching between the M24 to the M110 was that snipers were already familiar with the M118LR round. Military sniper rifles are still utilizing this classic cartridge. 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. Mag. Other cartridges have come along in recent times that are designed better than the .300 Win. Definitely a great overall cartridge for any skill range in the Long Range shooting community. All in all, if you are new to the LR community and have an heirloom .243 in the family and that is it, re-barrel it and work on fundamentals. 500m: 2,364 ft-lbs. rifle, you can find a factory load that shoots well in it. Remaining Energy: Muzzle: 2,158 ft-lbs 500m: 1,047 ft-lbs 1,000m: 436 ft-lbs 1,500m: 222 ft-lbs. Weve never had it so good when it comes to picking among the best long-range calibers to shoot. Ryan Cheney The Specs Rifle: GA Precision Custom Cartridge: 33XC Action: Defiance Deviant Tactical Stock: Manners F-Class Trigger: Triggertech Diamond Two-Stage Barrel: 35-inch Bartlein with a 9.5 twist Muzzle brake: Terminator T4 You cannot pick a better round for the beginner Long Range shooter. (1,269) combining for more than 2,000 yards . Unless that backer has five distinct holes in itwhich Stinnetts didit doesnt count. Now when it comes to ammo, I already mentioned. 1,500m: 306 ft-lbs. Sierras 80-grain MatchKing is a profoundly good choice for extreme-range shooting with the .223/5.56, a fact borne out by a glance at a list of National Match winners. Im not going to dive too deep down that rabbit-hole, or even techniques to help. The biggest issue for calibers this new and this niche, is Hornadys ability to keep up with the demand. So having the mission flexibility to own a heavy, long-barreled bolt gun AND a lightweight, semi-auto gas gun that fires the same familiar roundis priceless. LR performance is very impressive. Cross-Platform Use: Since this caliber is somewhat antiquated, the modern tactical platforms have not maintained product lines for the .243. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. The Best 22 Rifles: Reviews & Recommendations Savage Mark II FV SEE IT Specs Barrel Length: 21 inches Weight: 5.5 Pounds Capacity: 5+1 Pros Affordable Lightweight Great for youth hunters Cons. This cartridge as it stands is perfect for a PRS shooter. I had to zoom out to about 17x in order to do that, putting the 11-mil mark on my Mil-C reticle right at the bottom of the image. Just $1 per month , Depending on the task at hand, the best long-range cartridge might be a big boomer or a soft-shooting pussycat. 2023 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams | NFL Draft | PFF Overall Practicality: Unless you are a military sniper, this round has almost zero practicality. For those looking to leverage the latest innovations in cartridge design and bullet technology there is a whole world of goodies to choose from. I can already hear the snarls and gnashing teeth of offended readers. Bob Meinert, FN Marketing Director, introduces FN's first commercial pistol suppressor, the FN Rush 9Ti. The Navy switched to 190-grain Sierra Matchking HPBTs. As said before, the standard rifle manufacturers have not caught up the .224 Valkyrie. Recoil Condition: Now getting up into the .30 cal plus magnum rounds, the recoil will be noticeably greater than the .308 Winchester. Recoil Condition: Like most calibers with projectiles lighter than 150 grains, the recoil can be considered light. While the retained velocity and energy is 1937 fps / 1500 ft-lb and 1656 fps / 1096 ft-lb at 600 and 800 yards. If you want to shoot flat and hit hard, this is the cartridge; at 1,000 yards it hits with more than 1,500 foot-pounds of energy. With regard to time-of-flight and trajectory, out to 1,000 yards its right on the heels of the 6 mm ARC. Recoil Condition: A line can be drawn in the sand between the .30 cal class projectiles and the .338 and larger. 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. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. 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. Rule of thumb: 30-50 fps for every inch of the barrel either gained or lost. And since it uses the ever-popular 6.5 projectiles, components are relatively cheap. Overall Practicality: The .223 is an excellent choice for an inexperienced and/or younger shooter. 300 WinMag, 338 Lapua Mag., etc.). in earnest, awarding a contract to Federal Cartridge Co., in 1987 to produce .300 Win. Competitive shooters traditionally pick a hollowpoint boattail bullet in the 168-grain range, such as Sierras obscenely accurate MatchKing. Just like any new and exciting caliber that is designed specifically for the LR community, I know the performance will be top-notch. Although they exist, it is not very feasible or common to find gas systems that will feed the longer, magnum cartridges (i.e. A big selling point to the Grendel is its ease on barrels. For reference, see the WSSM line. Even better, this caliber has taken off so fast, nearly every manufacturer is making products to accommodate it. Much sharper and stronger than a .308 Winchesternot meant for beginners. Savage Model 10/110 FCP HS Precision 11. As a serious LR shooter who intends on needing terminal performance or wanting a modern tactical build, I would leave the .243 behind in the 20, The 6mm Creedmoor can obviously be related to its slightly bigger brother; the 6.5CM. The average price per round will be $1.25. When we think of benchrest, our minds instantly go to the 6 PPC, which has been a dominant cartridge in benchrest since the 1980s. What do I mean by that? The 6.5 PRC was born at the 2018 SHOT Show. The 6.5 Lapua is primarily a bolt-gun only caliber. The best long-range cartridge in the world might be the .408 Chey-Tac. For optimum LR performance, the 108 ELD Match projectile; G1: 0.515, G7: 0.268. Mag., notably the .300 PRC and .300 Norma Mag., but for now, the .300 Win. This topic of long-range calibers is debated across many different disciplines including PRS, Tactical, Military/Law Enforcement, Hunting, etc. When loading the cartridges the bullets were only seated .12 inches into the cases. The downfall? However, because of the lack of interest in the market, ammo is pretty expensive and interest in the caliber is limited to bench rest shooters. Put the two together and you have a great shooting LR round. You will get more bang for your buck choosing the .308 Winchester as your next Long Range caliber. I have shot my .338LM to 2616 yards at a match. The average price per round is $1.75. All in all, the .308 is certainly manageable by shooters of most ages. 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. And in slow-fire matches, neither recoil nor barrel burning is really an issue. While it uses the same case-head dimensions as the .30-06 and .308 cartridge families, the 6.5 Creedmoors direct ancestor is the .30 TC. Atlanta Falcons. The .308 is no different. Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Target Rifle 12. Little information is out there on 6.5 PRC barrel life. This also means barrel life will vary greatly. This year it had shots out to 2,000 yards, although most of the shots were 800-1700 yards. So what does that mean? No. If I was building a rifle on this caliber, I would expect to look at bolt-only options. At about the 1,500-2,000 round mark, magnum calibers will start to see spikes in muzzle velocity variation and a decrease in sustained accuracy. Chris Johnson, FN Senior Product Manager, walks us through two new FN striker-fired pistols at SHOT Show 2023: the FN 510 Tactical, chambered in 10mm Auto, and the FN 545 Tactical, chambered in .45 ACP. Cross-Platform Use: To date, the .300 NM will be a bolt action system only. This makes the Valkyrie an excellent choice for distance shooting with an MSR. It gives you that extra boost in MV to cut the wind more effectively. Bro, do you even long range? Thank you for your service. A bullet traveling at supersonic speed pushes vapor in the air to create a cone around itself. The SCAR 15P is chambered for 5.56 NATO and, with its 7.5-inch barrel, is the most compact SCAR to date. Muzzle Velocity: Firing the 250gr Lapua Scenar projectile, MV: 3,030 fps, Ballistic Co-Efficient: G1: 0.603 G7: 0.310. 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. Take the Lapua and shorten the case so it can be fired from a standard Long Action. Initial Thoughts: The first time I fired the .300NM I was blown away. The world finally caught on that bigger and louder, does not equate to better performance at extended ranges. I am stuck between 308 Win and 300 Win Mag or WSM. 1,000m: 437 ft-lbs. SAAMI Accepts Two New Hornady Rifle Cartridges, Federal Premium Launches Custom Shop for Ammo, Hornady's A-Tip Match Bullet Claims New Record | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Lessons Learned From a Ballistician | An Official Journal Of The NRA. This cartridge is one of the most capable rounds I have ever shot. You can expect an average of 4,000 to 10,000 rounds of sustained accuracy. For the reloading enthusiasts, this gives another round to be excited for. I would also give a nod to the 6mm ARC, as I am seeing more of this on shelves. The correct response is, for what? Recoil Condition: Minimal. Is it the fastest? My squad started on targets five and six (T5 and T6) at 2,073 and 2,203 yards. What is your goal? Muzzle Velocity: Firing a 300gr SMK, MV: 2,650 fps, Ballistic Co-Efficient: 300gr SMK, G1: 0.747 G7: 0.383. It is a product of natural selection and evolutionthe best features of several classic LR rounds fused into one. This cartridge has been around for a while. As a candidate for the best overall long-range caliber. For hunting it makes more sense to run with something a bit stouter. We used our training and repetitive experience to put accurate rounds on target, not fancy top-of-the-line rifle builds and hand-loaded bullets. The lighter 140gr range projectiles dont enact enough felt energy rearward like the 175gr+ class of projectiles from bigger bores. You dream it, and it can be done. Muzzle Velocity: One of the classic LR projectiles is the 175 Sierra Match King @ 2,700 fps, Ballistic Co-Efficient: 175gr SMK G1: 0.474 G7: 0.243. The Best of both worlds: After nearly 4 years of waiting, Dan Wesson's DWX is here. Nowlet's get on to our best long range rifle scopes! No one can deny how terrific a .300 WM performs at extended range. However, the more compact 6.5 PRC case isat least theoreticallymore conducive to better accuracy. Easy and fun to shoot. Reproduction of any part of this website without direct permission is prohibited. Instructional Tools for Modern Sight Alignment Training. This is partly because of modern rifles and optical sights, but also partly because of the availability of laser range finders and very accurate, easy to operate, ballistic programs that work on smart phones. MSRP: $1,537; Check availability here. Joe Kurtenbach, Executive Editor of Gun & Ammo, and John Myles from Smith & Wesson discuss features of the Equalizer 9mm micro-compact pistol and new-for-2023 M&P 5.7. For a rifle platform, this caliber is great for building a highly modular and dynamic setup. Recoil Condition: With a muzzle brake and/or suppressor, the .300WM can feel similar to a .308 Winchester. His favorite caliber at the time for LR competition shooting was the 6.5CM. The .338 Lapua Magnum offers very impressive external and terminal ballistic performancebut at a steep cost. To this day, the 7.62x51mm still has a place in the modern military sniper community. Now, are these the only viable options for a long-range cartridge for you? From what can be expected, the .224 wears a little bit more than the .223, approx. However, for less bullet size, you can get a much better performing Long Range caliberand for a lot less money too. 2023 NFL draft: How Eagles' GM found the secret to nailing every pick 6.5 PRC. Sadly, a .300 NM barrel will only live to 1,200-1,500 rounds. I recall several savvy shooters proclaiming that Lapua would never produce 6.5 Creedmoor brass. Without a muzzle brake or suppressor, the .338 Lapua Magnum offers a challenging recoil experience. My bias steers clear of the wildcat calibers. 500m: 1260 ft-lbs. Because the ultra-light recoil allows them to spot their own hits and misses more consistently. Its built along the principles of modern cartridge design. The other challenge with shooting the Dasher is that you have to handload. The .260 isnt too informationally unavailable to offer a great learning caliber to the average new shooter. Plant yourself in post-2015 and you will see an explosion of the 6.5mm family of projectiles, thanks to the 6.5 Creedmoor. The List: .223 Remington/5.56mm, .224 Valkyrie, .243 Winchester, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5mm Grendel, 6.5mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge), 6.5x47mm Lapua, .260 Remington, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .300 Winchester Short Magnum, .300 PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge), .300 Winchester Magnum, .300 Norma Magnum, .338 Lapua Magnum, and the .338 Norma Magnum. Not to mention guys that still compete with and collect old military surplus riflesI see the. If you are already familiar with shooting sports the cartridge you use has a lot to do with personal preference. 1,000m: 786 ft-lbs. With the same Case Overall Length as a .308 (2.800) you can certainly mag feed gas guns. Very bad if shooting light bullets, not that great if shooting the heavier projectiles. After writing each of these parameters and reviewing each caliber, I could think of around much better suited than the 6.5 CM in a given categorybut it excels in almost every category. Another ballistic value that has importance is the Remaining Energy (RE) of the round at any given range. Caleb Giddings, Marketing Manager at Taurus, introduces the all-new TaurusTX 22 Compact. Use whatever you wantwhether a .223 Rem., a .45/70, or something in betweenand call it Christmas. what are the most popular rifle manufacturers, what is the most common caliber used in . Dont want to handload? With an aggressive muzzlebrake, its possible to spot your own impacts on downrange steel targets. It was introduced in 1963 to augment the series of belted magnum cartridges that Winchester based off the .375 H&H. With less powder capacity than a .300 WM, the WSM is still manageable. With regard to external and terminal ballistics, a screaming Muzzle Velocity has its ups and downs. 10 years ago, the 6.5284 Norma would have easily made the list. Minimal. Ammo Availability: This cartridge has been around for a while. That changed in 1997 when Remington standardized many 6.5 wildcats based on the .308 Winchester. Now that we are pushing a 140gr projectile up to nearly 3,000 fps, the recoil will slightly increase over the 6.5 Creedmoor. Ultimately, we cannot deny that this round was replaced by better options. On the downside, the Dasher can be finicky with respect to feeding since it is so short and has a steep 40-degree shoulder. I think the 6.5 Grendel does a great job at that, however, as to be expected, the Grendel is limited in range and does not fit into the 800m+ world. 1,000m: 1,287 ft-lbs. I couldnt believe it. Initial Thoughts: Coming from my military background, I was always reluctant to stray from the 7.62x51mm or .300 Winchester Magnum. Tikka T3 CTR Tikka rifles are excellent shooters. Very modular across nearly any rifle system. Home Tactical Gear Reviews 17 Best Long Range Calibers in 2023 (Ranked by a Marine Sniper). After the match we went downrange to check the plates, and sure enough, there was a single, beautiful lead splash on both targets. Any bolt gun can be custom chambered to any SAAMI cartridgebut the keyword is custom. They considered the .338 Lapua as an option, but the .300 Win. | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Should You Carry Your Gun With an Empty Chamber? WELL DONE!!! On the fifth and final shot at 3,592 we didnt see where it went, so I grabbed my gear and left the firing line thinking I had missed. The .300 Win. You have so much faith that your round will hit your target. 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. Most of these calibers are also fairly expensive to shoot in both ammo and barrel replacements. It has less case volume, traditionally firing a heavier bulletBUT still retains energy over range better and maintains a longer Transonic Range than its bigger brother. Todays magnum cartridges show us the performance that could only exist in science fiction, 20 years ago. Also because of how popular and available it is, the 6.5 comes in around $0.75 to $1.25 per round, making it very affordable to shoot compared to other high-performing LR calibers. I built a .338 Lapua when I was in Gunsmithing College in Susanville. Recoil is polite, making it easy to focus on correctly executing the shot instead of clenching your teeth in anticipation. It should be possible that a few savvy and disgruntled hunters/reloaders have stocked up in anticipation BEFORE the grab for those start after rifles are released. You most likely will have to compromise on certain aspects. So for those of you seeking a bolt-gun build, keep in mind that your standard factory options will be very limited. I like the 300 win mag for above reasons. For average shooters wanting to plink at steel targets on their family farm, this round is far overkill. It can be challenging to find even the ubiquitous 6.5 Creedmoor ammo or brass at the current stage of the Great Shortage. 5 Best 1000 Yard Guns for Under $1000 - Pew Pew Tactical Ballistic Co-Efficient: 105 grain Berger VLD G1: 0.517 G7: 0.265, Remaining Energy: Muzzle: 2,240 ft-lbs 500m: 1,091 ft-lbs 1,000m: 457 ft-lbs 1,500m: 221 ft-lbs. brass is all neck turned to .0125-inch thickness." Unique loading process: "I load my ammo on a Dillon 650. I just want to see more of the market available to the 6CM. Mag. Shortly after leaving the Marine Corps, McMahon became a contractor for the US Army, testing small arms and large caliber weapons for potential military contracts. Since 1898, OL has been a leading authority in testing and reviewing hunting gear, fishing tackle, guns and shooting equipment, and much more. The cost of such rifles can be at least $4,000 and can take months to build. Do you intend to run the same caliber across bolt and semi systems? 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. Not long ago, the .308 was king. I would argue, these are two of the most important questions to ask/answer when talking about the best Long Range roundwhat is the ammo availability like, and/or do you reload? Most modern shooters are very familiar with the AR-15 design. You may see something like this: 6.5mm 140-grain VLD G1 BC: 0.593 G7 BC: 0.304. Initial Thoughts: Just like any new and exciting caliber that is designed specifically for the LR community, I know the performance will be top-notch. Picking the top six cartridges for any discipline is akin to shimmying out on a branch and then rasping away on it with a pruning saw. If you are inexperienced, youre in luckbecause todays Long Range shooting community is being flooded by great, streamlined, low-recoiling cartridges. I had read other raving reviews about the 6.5 Creedmoor but I really didnt expect it to be the top choice of an experienced marine who had used the .308. 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. Its also a great option for those interested in close to medium range varmint hunting. Mil/LE and Hunting communities need the RE factor for hard-hitting, threat/animal stopping performance. Ballistic Co-Efficient: Above bullet, G1: 0.539 G7: 0.276. Mag. 6.5 Creedmore is my long range favorite. It is also the most popular caliber for the most popular and modular riflethe AR-15. Depending on how often you shoot, price range, and shooting range (distance) availability, some of these parameters will not be as important. Ben Voss FN Product Manager talks about the new FN SCAR 15P ultra-compact rifle-caliber pistol at SHOT Show 2023. .300 Winchester Magnum. This caliber excites me for several reasons. Those of you who reload can stretch the Valkyrie by playing with different powders, bullet seating depths, and projectile types. Now when it comes to ammo, I already mentioned wildcat cartridges. For those lucky enough to be able to own and fire a .338 rifle, you know what I mean.
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