Been there done that, so Im not playing holier-than-thou. But lets take a quick look at a historically popular flat-shooting cartridge, the .270 Winchester. 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. The flattest shooting caliber and load I could find was the .300 RUM shooting a 150 grain bullet. Depending on the caliber you are using, a long-range shooting may be at 1,000 and more yards, but if you are committed to rimfires than 200-300 yards is very long-distance shooting. Its biggest disadvantage, in some people's opinion, is .25 caliber bullets have low BCs. Richard Mann Now, you might think this cartridge is new and unproven. In ballistic terms, a 235-grain .375 bullet at 3,000 fps exits the muzzle with lots of energy: 4,695 ft-lbs. 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. Still, by using G1 across the board, we are on a level playing field. Don't get me wrong, but 45-70 are very accurate and can travel quite well buckin' the wind, Modern high-ballistic-coefficient bullets is where the .375 H&H really steps out of its traditional box. That should be pretty close to flat. Thanks I have found that when talking about these large caliber hunting rounds, there is not a tremendous difference in bullet drop. And here they are: Flattest at 300 yards 240 Wby. At 300 yards, the hold over (assuming a 250 yard zero) is only 2.6 inches. The 26 Nosler cartridge was designed with the high ballistic coefficient (B.C.) We like the 257 STW we're loading 115 gr bullets around 3600fps with 1/2" groups.We can run it hotter and a Berger vld would be pretty flat. 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. 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! 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. I have not identified bullet make and type because that doesnt change impact drop. Velocity, drop, energy and the use of bullets with their own factors which create their ballistic coefficients all should be considered. BUCK DOYLE Preferred Caliber For 500 To 1,000 Yards And Beyond: .260 Remington (130-grain Berger AR Hybrid OTM . Normas 180-grain BondStrike Extreme at 3,084 fps is new and very flat-shooting. I just want to quickly thank you for the great videos and for producing this table of bullet drop data. The best long-range cartridges are those that are flat shooting, feature aerodynamic projectiles and have enough power to go the distance. Hornady 123-grain SST at 2580 fps. With the 30-06, we can only overcome 12 yards of ranging error at the same range before we miss the 6 of vitals. 260 Rem What caliber rifle shoots the farthest? I noticed in your video that your chart also listed energy and recoil. 264 Winmag I stopped there because few hunters are going to tolerate the recoil or rifle weight needed to operate a flat shooter above 338-caliber. A benefit of that, you can fing .308 ammo off-the-shelf for any practical application. 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. 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. 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 youre after deeper penetration, look at the 139-grain Barnes VOR-TX Long Range load. Thursday nights they do IDPA. Terry Cross. Here we go! Nonetheless, 7mm bullets can be extremely aerodynamic and, as legendary elephant hunter Karamojo Bell proved, effective on even the largest animals. 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. Must be true since it was posted on the internet. 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. Nor are we maintaining that the flattest shooting cartridge/bullet is the ultimate determinant of a good hunting round. 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. Perhaps you, dear reader, can provide the formula! With a muzzle velocity faster than 3000 fps, it offers great external and terminal ballistics. Noslers first proprietary cartridge is basically a steroid-monster 6.5 Creedmoor. The article has really peaked my interest. Find out which ones made the cut. Love it Jim ! 243 and 25-06 had to be left out because it didnt have enough at 600 for even deer. You can't go wrong with a .308 for a 500 yard rifle. A 25 yard miscalculation at that distance will vary your hit by half a foot and outside our 6 imaginary circle of vitals. There's currently no better option for the AR-15 when the range extends much past 500 yards. Ive included different bullet weights/BCs for most rounds to illustrate how BC changes drop at longer ranges. The newest addition to the Nosler line of proprietary cartridges is the 27 Nosler. RELATED: 6.5 Creedmoor: The New King of Cartridges? I still shoot a .270 caliber cartridge and the same 150gr bullet, but with a 3gr powder charge boost. Clear enough? Pronghorn hunters have driven the search for flatter shooting cartridges for a long time. The longer the bullet is in the air, the longer gravity can pull on the object. 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. throwing a 55-gr. What bullet weight did you select for the .270 Winchester? 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. Accuracy, knowledge of your rifle and its drops at different ranges, and knowledge of the conditions will dictate your very long range shots. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 1. . 17. If youre planning on buying a gun to shoot long range shots this is recommended reading. Obviously this list doesnt include every possible bullet/BC/MV combination, but it gives us a pretty good picture of the likely winners at three distances. 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. Nice summary of the subject for those of us who do not understand things like Coreolis Force and aerodynamic jump. Based on the old .404 Jeffery case, its the same length as the .30/06, which means it works in standard-length actions. Forums. Always amazing to me its not even on those lists. Bullets of this diameter are easily configured to have extremely high ballistic coefficients. Somehow stumbled onto this article. So dont assume that youll be shooting the worlds flattest rifle cartridge and bullet until youve verified your MV and bullet B.C. Ron Spomer Outdoors 1.1M views 6 months ago Head-To-Head: 6.5. The Liberty Ammunition .308 Win. If Ive left out an obvious winner or near winner, write in and state your case. Since 1962, when the round was introduced in conjunction with the Remington 700, countless others have arrived at the same conclusion. They are normalized within caliber. I too am a huge fan of Ron Spomer. Another issue is recoil. 3. Despite its relatively low B.C. 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. Once again great effort appreciated. Barrel length will change MV. 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. 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. . So it ends up being a very fair comparison. Ive updated the chart description so its more clear that it isnt in inches. 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. That's impressive but misleading. cleric; Jan 28, 2023; Bolt Action Rifles ; Replies 13 Views 475. The 257 Weatherby Mag. and MV do. UPS has officially stopped shipping guns? 6.5mm and 7mm projectiles offer very high ballistic coefficients, meaning they offer excellent ability to overcome drag and wind deflection over longer distances. Mag. Flattest Shooting Hunting Bullet 257 Weatherby Vanguard 26" pipe. Surely this is 42.9 just over a meter? 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? Flattest at 500 yards Weatherbys wildly overbore 6.5-300 wins again! I believe the 6.8 SPC is that alternative. Your email address will not be published. Recoil is negligible, making it a great option for hunter with sensitive shoulders. In 2022, he was named as the brands Shooting Editor. I am impressed at all the data you went through to come up with the three chosen. Im not sure Im reading this right but there seems to be a decimal missing. It is not always the caliber that is in question. So its not like the flattest shooting rifle gives you a lot more leeway on ranging errors for super long range shots. What a gentleman. Mag. 223 Wylde chambered, 20" barreled rifle. What Ive done with this deep dive review is use the highest Handloading Manual velocities Ive discovered, trusting that you, gentle reader, will understand that your mileage may vary. What do you guys think the flattest shooting caliber would be for hunting I have heard 6.5x284 but the bullet CE appears better on a 270. Brownings 175-grain Sierra Tipped GameKing load has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2835 fps and a very high ballistic coefficient. Yep, me too. 4/1/2016. . Thats true, but the bullets have been vetted. However, the lead that the 25-06 has is pretty small. Its just human nature to celebrate and admire the biggest, bestest, and flattest. Top muzzle velocities with the same combination of powder, primer, and bullet can vary by 100 to 200 fps. Kind regards. Fun? 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. Before we check that out, let's give a nod to the 240 Wby. 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. 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. Thanks Jim! 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. How can I get all the data in a spread sheet form like you showed in your video? So it Im guessing to summarise it doesnt really matter what you shoot as long as you know distance to target & your maths Thanks for the chart for bullet drop but for Big Game Hunting I would rather see the down range energy. The 300 Win Mag is definitely on the list. etc. Good points, which are all things Ive considered. Run those numbers on JBM. Danny. What caliber rifle shoots the flattest? That said, average shots on mule deer are often longer than what most hunters typically encounter on eastern whitetail hunts. 1 Normal load using the most popular factory ammo, one heavy load for each, one light load. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Thanks Jim. I understand this is an old thread, but want to reply anyway. First, some boundaries. Then look at the available options for reloaders, nearly endless, bullets for every application imaginable. More hunters should get to know this fantastic round. gundata.org has done all this for you already. Great work here. I am looking for a really flat shooting cartridge up to 500 yards for a Remington rebarrel project I have. Thanks for your hard work and entertaining videos, your passion shines through! . I appreciate the kind comment. 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. At 500 yards . However, the .50BMG bullet will reach the target with 143 less drop than the 6.5 Creedmoor, because it has more mass which leads to a higher BC, and that higher BC given the same velocity, makes it slow down less during flight. 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. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. I've heard that too! MM Most of the calculators out there show larger drop rates then your table. This is the allure and benefit of a flat shooting bullet. While there are not a lot of ammunition choices for the 6.8 Western, there are some good ones. My take away on all this number crunching? When a bullet is fired, many forces are immediately working against it: gravity, wind, and atmospheric drag. Great information you have come up with. This is with a 58gr charge of Hodgen 4831 powder. Aug 31, 2013. Posted: 12/20/2020 9:01:19 AM EST [#22] There is a simple . The muzzle velocity is a plus in windy conditions, with the bullet arriving on target with minimal drift. 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. I had to calculate this one out, as Weatherbys ballistics charts dont go past 500 yards. That does not appeal to my simplified physics understanding of the subject. Heres a chart from my Popular Hunting Cartridges Compared article. Shooters have no real idea how much drop a bullet has at long ranges like 1500 yards. Now I have some facts for my creedmoor pal to chew on. Good video! Lots of hunters consider the .270 Winchester one of the best all-purpose, short- and long-range cartridges of all time. i've heard the .17 hmr are real flat shooting. If there was ever a cult cartridge, the .280 Ackley Improved is it. Want to run your own ballistics numbers? Nosler is loading the 27 with their famous AccuBond, which is one of the best big-game bullets ever crafted. Fast and flat shooting b#%ds. 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 . Not only are new loads being offered, new ARs and even bolt action rifles for the Grendel are being introduced. I was surprised at the distance, so I asked my PH Thats just 155 yards? He got a stunned look on his face and said, No, TWO hundred fifty-five yards! Our miscommunication during the shot sequence didnt matter a bit, because I was shooting a .28 Nosler, which put the shot only 2.8 low at that distance. Mag. Also, same bullet, but a .257 Wby Mag will also work if you hit the same velocities. Ditto the 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5-300 Wby. 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. 1.5" high at 100, would be dead-on at 250, and only drop 30" at 550. I have a 27 3/4" barrel 264 Win mag that shoots 130 Accubonds 3350 fps with Retumbo. 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. Recoil statistics are offered for reference. Obviously Weatherby and Nosler, but are there other manufacturers, vendors, builders to consider? A rifle is suitable for flat shooting as long as the 500-yard impact range of the rifle falls below the 40''. It is about the easiest caliber to hit with at that range you can imagine. The 6.5 Creedmoor will remain supersonic out to 1,400 yards and is quickly becoming the most popular long-range, big-game cartridge in the world. Don't want it too heavy. The first category will include cartridges with a +/- 3" maximum point blank range (MPBR) of greater than 270 but less than 300 yards. That kind of long-range accuracy comes at a hefty price with this model starting at $11,700 from the manufacturer. By way of comparison, the .270 Winchester (based on the .30-06 Springfield) offers a case capacity of 67 grains. 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. A long-time favorite of snipers, the .308 Winchester will remain supersonic out to around 1,200 yards. Its drop at 1,000 yards is 330.30 and at 500 yards its drop is 50.00. Is it possible to show those on your web site list? Great job. Enjoying many of your video\s whilst stuck in lockdown. Im going to set a restrictive definition on common and only include cartridges that can be found chambered in most any rifle. Besides recoil, the downside is the limited availability of factory ammunition and rifles. Thanks Will! 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. 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. I am curious to see how it does for a 22 that can push any bullet weight made for it. 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. Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range, 175-grain AccuBond Long Range at 3,125 fps. Even though high-BC .30-caliber bullets need to be heavy and pushed hard to shoot flat, many American hunters love them enough to tolerate the recoil. Also look at Federal Premiums 180-grain Nosler AccuBond offering at 2,960 fps. 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. Often theyre inflated. But a reputation for burning out barrels ultimately doomed the cartridge. Unless youre shooting really far. great to see bullet drops and equate them in inches of drop brings home the reality of how much impact good old gravity has on ballistics.even with the flattest cartridges still aiming the height of a house above the target @1000 yds that are blowing the ceiling off gun sales, instead of 6 5 CDM? Even at 500 yards the Hornady 225 SST is traveling over 2,000 fps and carrying over 2,000 ft/lbs of energy. As much talk as there is about the .270 Winchesters ability to shoot flatly, it does not compare with these three flat-shooting options. Thanks again. I took multiple loads from each, but identical sources. Many people found it informative, but some of the hunters wanted to know if you have any statistics available on the calibers as listed above. Bullet B.C. 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. If it makes you feel better to hate the 6.5 Creedmoor, go ahead. 28 Nosler cartridge For decades, the Nosler cartridge has ruled the world of a flat shooting range with complete dominance. http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator. It outperforms the .280 Remington (also known as the 7mm-06 and the 7mm Express), and for years wildcatters and handloaders have been singing its praises. 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. [wd_leadmagnet type="dressing"] Time of flight impacts bullet drop more than anything else. Meantime, lets enjoy our deeper dive into flat shooting hunting cartridges (hand carried and shoulder fired. Yes I know its a barrel burner but so is the 300RUM and others on the list. Weatherbys Your email address will not be published. He has managed multiple gun ranges, and has hunted around the world. Do we compare the fastest factory loads or top end handloads from select handloading manuals? Death in the Long Grass: A Big Game Hunter's Adventures in the African Bush .by Peter H. Capstick, Dino Paravano, Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders (Volume 1) Paperback, The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game: Volume 1: Big Game, Horn of the Hunter: The Story of an African Safari Kindle Edition, Use Enough Gun: On Hunting Big Game Hardcover, Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail: Upland Birds and Small Game from Field to Feast Hardcover March 1, 2018, The Easy Venison Cookbook: 60 Simple Recipes for Deer, Elk, and Moose Kindle Edition. A bullet starts to drop as soon as it leaves the barrel. For example, the .50BMG and the 6.5 Creedmoor both launch bullets at approximately the same muzzle velocity of 2,700fps. 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? Required fields are marked *. 6.5mm calibers Well placed shots seem to work and poorly placed shots tend to fail. The following table averages multiple loads for each cartridge and shows an average amount of drop at 500 yards and 1,000 yards for each cartridge. Take another look. So what if we shoot further than 300? Could you add a little explanation of why/how twist/spin rate make any given bullet/velocity shoot flatter? Know your trajectory curve and nail the shot distance with a range finder and you can offset huge rates of drop. It gives you an MPBR of 336 yards. I also appreciate the realistic exposition of the relevant comparison between effects of flat-shooting cartridge vs judging cross-wind! Im going to include a few in here, and my basis for including them is going to be inclusion in Federals 2013 catalog, because thats what Im basing my numbers off. drops 6.7 inches at 300 yards and just under 20 inches at 400 yards. 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. Your Knowledge is greatly appreciated! Notice that it is only 3 grains lighter than the 150-grain .264 atop that Weatherby. On the other hand, wind speed and direction are inconsistent. The .277 is an oddball bullet diameter, in that it doesnt fall into the much more common 6.5mm, 7mm, or .30-caliber categories. Top Thus, the .50BMG drops less at 1,000 yards than the 6.5 Creedmoor. 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. However, I fully admit that that a flat shooting cartridge is not nearly as important as a cartridge which is resistant to wind deflection. It's not until you get farther out that BC starts making a big difference. Well, Im done Adulting for Today and Tomorrow. 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. This article covered not only objective but the subjective topics my buddies use to caliber shame my 5.56. 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. However, I have a question to ask you. 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. (-200) rating, that 100-grain bullet is hanging in there. 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. Why is the 7 MM Ultra Mag also called the 7RUM not on your lists? 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. While that incredibly fast 6.5-300 Wby. A 3 mph breeze at the shooter can become a 20 mph roar in the canyon halfway to the target. Recoil is stiff and some find it hard to master. Thanks, 26 Nosler 127 gr LRX 3602 Ft./Sec. Jim, Shane Olson, nope, no sarcasm involved, simply pointing out a straight fact, which I stand by. 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. But the premise is based on my farm, where distances are limited to 560 or so yards. .25-06 AI with a Berger 115 VLD that's moving 3,600 fps. 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. Hornadys Precision Hunter 145-grain ELD-X at 2,950 fps is the flattest-shooting .270 Winchester load. The .204 will work quiet well at 500 yards with good shot placement. Excellent job. numbers which are not quite as accurate as G7 numbers in predicting trajectories of todays wildly long, sleek bullets. I also want to give credit to a couple of long-range AR cartridges that deserve honorable mention. Might be of interest and I have used the cartridge in a Ruger M77 with a 22 barrel. As magnums go, the .257 Weatherby is a mild kicker, and it's a great long-range cartridge for deer, pronghorn, sheep, and the like. I have used it also in a Ruger #1 with a 26 barrel and thoroughly enjoyed the distance it affords me.