Also, experience firing large bore calibers is advised. Thats what makes older cartridges like the .260 great. So what does that mean? You can certainly find uppers to piece onto your AR-10 lower. Ballistic Co-Efficient: The 123 ELD Match will be used G1: 0.506 G7: 0.255, Remaining Energy: Muzzle: 2,065 ft-lbs 500m: 943 ft-lbs 1,000m: 357 ft-lbs 1,500m: 225 ft-lbs. 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. Basically, whatever. Bergara also offers a matching .22 LR training rifle for cheap practice. The ammo was considerably lighter, meaning the rifles could be lighter. Projectiles will be available but brass might not be. 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. 1,000m: 786 ft-lbs. The .30 Stewart, however, is based on the 6.5 Grendel necked up to .30 caliber. In the final analysis, when regulation demands, the .308 can be manipulated into working at long range. In the case of the Valkyrie, the magazine length it was built to was that of the AR-15. Cross-Platform Use: In the future, maybe the Over .30 Cal Club will find some traction in the AR- world. This program is designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. At the time this cartridge was revolutionary in that it bridged the gap between small and fast varmint projectiles with heavier medium game calibers. The new rifle is built on an aluminum billet chassis with carbon-fiber forend and cheek riser featuring V-block bedding. Not to mention guys that still compete with and collect old military surplus riflesI see the .30-06 sticking around for a good while longer. wanted to do a piece on how to design a wildcat cartridge. Buying a $1000 rifle and a $1500 optic will bring you more success than a $2000 rifle and $500 scope. Recoil Condition: Now getting up into the .30 cal plus magnum rounds, the recoil will be noticeably greater than the .308 Winchester. Over 100 ft-lbs difference! The lighter 140gr range projectiles dont enact enough felt energy rearward like the 175gr+ class of projectiles from bigger bores. In essence, the 6.5284 Norma equals the performance of the .270 Winchester with projectiles having much higher BC and consuming slightly less powder. Ammo Availability: Several factory loads do exist on the market today. Since the most common .223 projectile for LR performance is the Sierra Match King 77gr OTM, we will use that; G7 BC ~ 0.202. For those looking to leverage the latest innovations in cartridge design and bullet technology there is a whole world of goodies to choose from. Of these the 6mm Dasher is the current champ, in terms of popularity and winning. They considered the .338 Lapua as an option, but the .300 Win. For the reloading enthusiasts, this gives another round to be excited for. Mag., while having to put up with significantly less recoil. The top-end stuff certainly has its gatekeepers. To take the 6.5CM and add MV to the equation, pure joy happens. Initial Thoughts: I find it so interesting to see how this compares to the Lapua Magnum. An MOA rifle shoots a one-inch group at 100 yards; a 5-inch group shoots 500 yards. 17 Best Long Range Calibers in 2023 (Ranked by a Marine Sniper), This topic may be daunting to some readers because the actual numerical values in which we represent a projectiles Ballistic Coefficient seem like arbitrary numbers. Steel placed at 500 yards are the bread-and-butter targets for PRS and NRL competition, so for these applications the pipsqueak 6mms are the best. After the match we went downrange to check the plates, and sure enough, there was a single, beautiful lead splash on both targets. Budget speaking, the 6.5 Grendel is much more of a value in rifle and ammo costs than the AR-10 class of calibers. Sporting Rifle Accessories Used In Video MDT LSS. I am interested to see how the price of such systems will come down and become more readily available to entry to novice level LR shooters. Ammo Availability: This cartridge has been around for a while. As said before, the standard rifle manufacturers have not caught up the .224 Valkyrie. This round was developed in conjunction with the AR-15 rifle in the early 60s. The Best of both worlds: After nearly 4 years of waiting, Dan Wesson's DWX is here. 1,500m: 295 ft-lbs. That handy rifle is an excellent expression of the subtle nature of the .308. Its a thankless job, but somebodys got to point you toward the best of the best. You have more knowledge in your non-dominant pinky than I have. Even though primarily technical, it somehow makes a very enjoyable and mentally stimulating read. shooting a 180-grain Accubond, one of the finest hunting bullets around. Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Target Rifle 12. Both SOCOM (Special Operations Command) and the US Army have selected the .300 Norma Magnum as their hottest and newest sniper rifle cartridge. Early pioneers were Ruger, GA Precision, Hornady, and Savage. But isnt that what makes it awesome? However, were interested in long range, and those bullets are usually considered mid-range projectiles. The .308 Win. Will have to buy a 6.5 after reading your article. G1 BC: .563 G7 BC: .274. Initial Thoughts: A good judge of success of a caliber is how long it has been relevant. All Guns and Ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. I predict the 6.5 Weatherby RPM and 6.8 Western to be busts. I personally find it MUCH easier to handload very accurate .30-06 loads than very accurate .308 loads in typical budget hunting rifles. Overall Practicality: Incredible mid to long-range performance. Does it go the farthest? 80% more. No issue finding it. Colt Model 1861 Special Musket: What's Its Value? History: While the 6.5mm (0.264) projectile was incredibly popular in Europe, the US in the late 90s was still stuck on the .30 caliber range. Jack of all trades, master of none. [Editors note: Thats about 90 feet of wind drift at 4,134 yards.] The projectile still punched through steel at one mile! That lineup started with the .264 Win. There are many different kinds of pistols out there, and whats right for one person might not be right for you. However, the more compact 6.5 PRC case isat least theoreticallymore conducive to better accuracy. The last time a .270 Win. The US military decided that the average rifle squad was more effective by accurately delivering rounds on target with a 5.56mm rifle than the heavier recoiling 7.62 platforms. The sheer muzzle energy from these bigger calibers is beyond impressive. For a rifle platform, this caliber is great for building a highly modular and dynamic setup. Then theres the matter of personal preference. Overall Practicality: The .223 is an excellent choice for an inexperienced and/or younger shooter. Based on the .375 Ruger cartridge case, the 300 PRC uses the 0.532-inch bolt face and has a 30-degree shoulder, and like with all of the modern long-range cartridges, one key to the performance of the 300 PRC is the mandated fast twist rate. No problem. The difference in the accuracy of store-bought ammo verse hand-loaded rounds is definitely noticeable. You may see something like this: 6.5mm 140-grain VLD G1 BC: 0.593 G7 BC: 0.304. Better are the 175-, 178- and 180-grain bullets, if they can be pushed fast enough. .243 Winchester is still a viable option for most East Coast White Tails and Mid-West Prairie Dogs. Though its unlikely the 6.5 PRC will ever be as popular as the 6.5 Creedmoor, it has been well received and several new 6.5 PRC loads were introduced for 2021. 1,000m: 585 ft-lbs. Even so, I was holding 10 mils over the target, for a total of 78 mils of elevation. That changed in 1997 when Remington standardized many 6.5 wildcats based on the .308 Winchester. The other challenge with shooting the Dasher is that you have to handload. One good thing about switching between the M24 to the M110 was that snipers were already familiar with the M118LR round. Very nice article. As with most of the modern cartridges designed for distance, the cartridge case is short enough to allow for long, high BC bullets to still work with common magazine lengths. If we get another iteration of this article in the years to come, we may have the opportunity to see. 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. Out to 600 yards, the .308 is very capable, and by finessing the load and holding your tongue just right, 1,000 yards is doable. Sadly, this round too fell short, not meeting the accuracy standards that the Navy had established while developing chamber pressure that exceeds SAMMI standards in the process. Barrel Life: These magnum rounds love to kill barrels. The .224 Valkyrie was the child of an experiment by Federal in 2017 to reach into the 1,000-yard competition circuit (which was dominated by the .30 caliber class cartridges) with a small .22 caliber projectile. For hunters, the Grendel offers many different projectiles for different terminal effects. The world finally caught on that bigger and louder, does not equate to better performance at extended ranges. When the Remington 700 and similar actions start chambering in .224, I think the caliber will be a viable option for more experienced re-loaders who are seeking a low-recoiling 1,000-yard build. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Initial Thoughts: This cartridge will always hold a special place in my heart. Reproduction of any part of this website without direct permission is prohibited. Several other .30 cal magnum rounds were designed at the time, but the .300 Winchester Magnum was the only one of the lot, to stand the test of time. Recoil is polite, making it easy to focus on correctly executing the shot instead of clenching your teeth in anticipation. Most off the shelf set-ups are going to be on the high end of the market so the 6mm CM is not ideal for a beginner shooter. Recoil Condition: This round is special just like the other 6.5mm projectiles in its class. Different Calibers You Should Know, 2700 fps (90 grain) to 3400 fps (60 grain), 2500 fps (103 grain) to 2880 fps (90 grain), 3200 fps (168 grain berger target hybrid). quickly established itself as a go-to hunting round for Western big game and international hunting. Thank you for this information so helpful in helping me decide on my new rifle/caliber. All in all, pick something that will be pleasant for you to shoot over and over. The overall purpose of the Grendel was to deliver extended accuracy and range of the .223/5.56 NATO in the same AR-15 platform. Recoil is harsh. Because of the smaller powder volume and lower MVs, you can expect to see about 3,000 rounds out of your barrel. I will do my best to adequately describe what can be felt. The first time I fired the .300NM I was blown away. The interest in long-range precision shooting continues to rise; it seems like everyone wants to ring steel targets that are 10 football fields away. What I can tell you is that choosing the right caliber in relation to recoil can make or break your performance as a shooterespecially if youre new to the game. There is no shortage of amazing cartridges that offer dazzling performance at extended ranges. I was particularly blown away by the range of the 6.5 Grendel. It was a great option at the time for those wanting long range performance with very low recoil. Projectiles can be found anywhere with nearly any grain-weight in its class, for those of you who reload. With help from the civilian market led by Winchester, the .308 took the world by storm. This cartridge is one of the most capable rounds I have ever shot. Here Are the Best Long Range Rifles 15. This caliber is great for experienced PRS shooters, or big game, Long Range hunters. Designed in 2003 by Alexander Arms and based on the .220 Russian/7.62x39 mm Soviet cartridges, the Grendel remained mostly a cult cartridge until it was formally recognized by SAAMI eight years later. It is the Madonna of long-range rounds. One thing that becomes abundantly clear is that theres a world of difference between a 1,000-yard poke and one that stretches beyond a mile (1,760 yards). Jeff Bradley shows off the Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR) from Christensen Arms at SHOT Show 2023. 1,000m: 1,345 ft-lbs. Of the large calibers is the 50 BMG the best choice based on ammo cost and availability vs the Chey Tacs and Barrett. 1,000 Yard Flight Time*: 1.346 seconds* Trajectory and time-of-flight calculations are representative of the best performing long-distance factory loads for each cartridge. Ammo Availability: One of the biggest drawbacks of this round is that ammunition is not readily available and its expensive. As a candidate for the best overall long-range caliber. The best long-range cartridge in the world might be the .408 Chey-Tac. So like the 6.5 Creedmoor, if you have a .308, you can have two calibers in one rifle action with a new barrel. Now that we have laid out the calibers in question, next, lets go over the parameters in choosing the best round for you. At the time this cartridge was revolutionary in that it bridged the gap between small and fast varmint projectiles with heavier medium game calibers. His favorite caliber at the time for LR competition shooting was the 6.5CM. As with other magnum cartridges, the average barrel life is expected at 1,500-2,000 rounds. The .260 Remington sparked quite the interest in the North American market of the 6.5mm cartridges. BUT, just keep in mind that sticking to one caliber, and being able to use that caliber in multiple systems does have advantages. A lot of the newer, ultra-flat cartridges take a good deal of reloading knowledge to successfully harness their ability. However, a variety of match-grade .300 Win. A legacy that inspires confidence. To overcome this design limitation, reamers were modified to tighten up the chamber, headspace the cartridge off the shoulder rather than the belt, and lengthen the throat. The components for reloading are also readily available. You had to hit T6 at 2,203 to advance to the far plates. The military started taking notice of the .300 Win. 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. No. Factory ammo isnt heavily available; expect to pay around $1.75 per round. Ill admit, I fancy myself a bit of a marksman. Muzzle Velocity: Using the 140gr ELD Match, 2,750 fps. 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. Home Tactical Gear Reviews 17 Best Long Range Calibers in 2023 (Ranked by a Marine Sniper). Not ideal for beginners or those who do not reload. For hunting at extended ranges, the 6.5 PRC and .300 Win. All in all, dont get TOO hung up on MVs. Mag. A good judge of success of a caliber is how long it has been relevant. A big selling point to the 6CM is that from its inception, and from the help of GA Precision, its use in the AR-10 platform has been immensely popular among PRS shooters. Great article. .300 Norma Magnum. The .243 Winchester has a large MV range; from 3,025 fps (105 grain projectile) to 4,058 fps (55 grain projectile). 1,000m: 1,345 ft-lbs. Availability in stores could be troublesome unless shopping at a Cabelas/Bass Pro Shop. Mag. The caliber took the LR community by storm. Is it the fastest? With low case volume and slower MVs, the Grendel is an ideal cartridge for barrel life. I see this more for the shooter that needs terminal performance. The .300 PRC delivers phenomenal Long Range performance. It is also the most popular caliber for the most popular and modular riflethe AR-15. One of the newer cartridges on the list, the .300 PRC comes to us from Hornady in 2018. The 6.5 PRC joined an ever-expanding field of 6.5mm (.264 in.) Muzzle Velocity: 168gr Berger Target Hybrid @ 3,200 fps, Ballistic Co-Efficient: G1: 0.515 G7: 0.264. Bob Meinert, FN Marketing Director, introduces FN's first commercial pistol suppressor, the FN Rush 9Ti. This caliber is one of the most popular and widely used centerfire cartridges in the world. Still less than the classic .308 Winchester. Its overall length is 3.7 inches, which is almost a half-inch longer than the .300 Winchester Magnum. Those projectiles shed their speed slowly, so the 6.5 PRC can catch up with much larger and harder-recoiling cartridges at 600 yards and beyond. Picking six top long-range competition-cartridges was hard because various long-range disciplines apply a vast spread of demands, and many such as Palma and Service Rifle have cartridge-specific regulations. Given the projectile weight and MV, I would guess barrel life to degrade around the 2,000 round mark. brass is all neck turned to .0125-inch thickness." Unique loading process: "I load my ammo on a Dillon 650. The downfall? At standardized sea-level atmospherics, it gives shooters legitimate 1,600-yard supersonic capability with the right load. 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? I can already hear the snarls and gnashing teeth of offended readers. Due to its age and relevance today, the .308 has proven itself for over 65 years! Marine Approved is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program. Initial Thoughts. Handloading ammunition can reap the reward of selecting the exact projectile with the exact desired BC. If you had the money to spend on it, and were not needing a semi-auto rifle for competitions, the .300 Norma Magnum is possibly the best performing round on this list. Also, experience firing large bore calibers is advised. The history and service-record behind the .308 goes all the way back to the 1950s. I do not know of any systems running this caliber in gas guns. APRIL 29 ROSCHON TO BEARS The Cowboys want to take a running back somewhere in this Day 3 of the NFL Draft, but that guy won't be a favored Longhorn. Any cartridge that is enjoyable to shoot in a rifle is one a hunterwhether new or experiencedwill be more apt to practice with. Without, this cartridge should be shot by older more experienced enthusiasts. Here are the seven best new precision long range cartridges. I built a .338 Lapua when I was in Gunsmithing College in Susanville. Muzzle Velocity: Using the 143 grain ELD-X, 2950 fps. We conduct interviews with gear manufacturers and engineers as well as outdoor experts so that our readers have an understanding of how and why a product worksor doesnt. 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. For the hunters in mind, the ability to take a .30 caliber projectile (which has the superior terminal performance to the smaller 6.5mm projectiles) and flatten its trajectory to achieve those longer shots in higher winds is crucial. Please do a review on 7MM calibers. 1,500m: 776 ft-lbs. Unless you are a military sniper, this round has almost zero practicality. The research is out there if you need it. Gyroscopic Stability is lost in the Transonic Range and the bullet begins to pitch and yaw and ultimately tumble. Overall Practicality: With things like barrel life and ammo availability into consideration, the 6mm Creedmoor is a perfect option for the more seasoned and able LR shooter who doesnt mind reloading consistently and replacing barrels often. The sheer muzzle energy from these bigger calibers is beyond impressive. It was a great option at the time for those wanting long range performance with very low recoil. And the AR-10 was designed SPECIFICALLY for the .308 Winchester/7.62x51mm NATO. No. One cartridge needs to be crowned the most accurate and it just happens to be one youve probably never heard of. Muzzle: 4,677 ft-lbs. Cheapest I found is 80 cent. 1,500m: 306 ft-lbs. 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. Almost all wildcat (a round that is not mass-producedusually strictly custom hand-loaded) chambered rifles have to be hand-built by very niche gunsmiths who specialize in Long Range precision rifles. Im not going to dive too deep into terminal ballistics for the purpose of this article. More important is consistency, and the mild-mannered .308 demonstrates that in spades. The new big bore pistols feature industry-first capacity, with a standard 15-round capacity and 22+1 rounds of 10mm or 18+1 rounds of .45 ACP from the extended magazines. Well, with the right bullets (70 grains and up) and the right barrel twist (1:7 is best), the 5.56 is capable of shooting impressive distances, including the elusive 1,000-yard mark. 6.5CM cases will fit an AR-10 magazine. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. So, you get much better performance from the 6.5 PRC versus the .300 Win. With help from the civilian market led by Winchester, the .308 took the world by storm. Its LR performance and retained energy will be a great option for taking down the larger games at distance. Thats not only the record for the farthest .338 impact, but also the longest impact in any ELR competition ever.

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best caliber for 2,000 yard competition