By the way, while the 6.5-300 has been on the market just five years, Roy was shooting it in the mid-20th century. Bullet selection means alot. 2023 Backfire LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Utah, USA. A flat shooting cartridge matters. Only B.C. Factory rifles and ammunition options are limited here, too, but based on the ballistic abilities of this cartridge, thats likely to change sooner rather than later. Based on the 7.6239/220 Russian cartridge case, the Valkyrie changes the personality of the AR-15. Loaded with a 130-grain bullet, it will carry more than 1000 foot-pounds of energy out past 600 yards. Trust but verify. This cartridge existed in a cloak of obscurity for a long time; only recently have hunters began to see the potential it offers. It will push a 90-grain Fusion bullet to 500 yardswhich is probably the limit for big game with this cartridgewhile still retaining enough velocity to initiate expansion. On the same African trip we set up a shooting mat and were punching stumps on a cutover hillside over 1,400 yards away. again. Another one or two probably should have made the original list. For example, the 7mm Weatherby Magnum will shoot the same bullet as a 7mm Remington Magnum, but it will do it about 10 percent faster. Flattest Shooting Rifle Cartridges by Caliber - Ron Spomer Outdoors Barrel Break-In: What It Is. ), Remington seems to own the .22-caliber category. 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, lets give a nod to the 240 Wby. To make the .224 Valkyrie compatible with the AR-15 platform, Federal based it on the 6.8 SPC case, which is necked down to accept .224-caliber bullet. 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. Additionally, the 6.5 Creedmoor has about 30% less recoil than the .308 Winchester and about a 33% longer effective range. No, its not a 6.5 Creedmoor, but few things are. A 100-grain .243 bullet with a G1 ballistic coefficient around .400 at a muzzle velocity of 2,960 carries just over 800 foot-pounds of energy at 500 yards. Flattest shooting AR15 cartridge to 500yds coyotes Mag. The wise longer range shooter errs on the side of a higher B.C. Despite modest early acceptance the shooting world eventually went crazy for the Creedmoor. Most common calibers are just fine for regular range shots under 300 yards. These different models rate the aerodynamic qualities of a bullet from which the drag and BC can be measured. It also carries 300 additional foot-pounds of punch at that distance. Mag. When using 90-grain bullets with a very high ballistic coefficient at .563 G1 BC, the 224 Valkyrie is a legitimate three-quarter-mile cartridge. In other words, the 223 Remington throws the same bullets as the 220 Swift, but cant approach its maximum velocity, so theres no chance it can shoot as flat. If you're shooting a military surplus rifle with a worn-out barrel with internal parts that went out of tolerance, precision will remain mere luck and chance. The bullet has a BC of .648, and when sighted in 1.2-inches high at 100 yards its dead-on at 200 yards and strikes just 5.6 inches low at 300 yards. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Drops just 11.6 inches. Volquartsen UltraLite Semi-Auto Rimfire Rifle - Best Competition .22 LR Rifle. 25-06. But if you can shoot this cartridge well, with its supersonic speed out beyond 1,650 yards, youre just about unstoppable at distance, and there are lots of factory loads and riflesaffordable and expensiveto choose from. The .300 Win. The newest addition to the Nosler line of proprietary cartridges is the 27 Nosler. Fantastic information. 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. It was also a resounding success and has remained popular with hunters looking to stretch their effective range. A 108-grain 6mm Creedmoor bullet with a ballistic coefficient of .536 fired at the same velocity carries 300 more foot-pounds of energy at that distance, and the difference in wind drift is pronounced: the .243 bullet drifts 22 inches at 500 yards in a 10 mph crosswind while the Creedmoor drifts just 15.7 inches. 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. Considering that, the .260 Remington is equally suitable for the "recoil sensitive" and long-range competitive shooters, where long firing strings are expected. However, some people believe that the flattest shooting rifle caliber is the .308 Winchester. The .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire, commonly known as the "Twenty-Two Win Mag," was hatched back in 1959. plays a major roll in trajectory, but is second in significance to muzzle velocity. One of the calibers with the flattest trajectory is the .17 Winchester Super Magnum, a sub-caliber rimfire cartridge. From an external ballistics standpoint, it cannot compete with any of the cartridges on this list, but in the field where it matters, it works wonders, and only the 6.5 Creedmoor has less recoil. The least expensive 17 HMR ammo will . And is it fair to include Risky Ralphs overstuffed, compressed-powder loads that exceed the highest handloading guides top loads by 400 fps and leave primers looking as if theyd been squashed on a train track? The 300 PRC will cruise above the speed of sound out to 1,650 yards. projectile that you might crown that one King, especially since that 100-grain sounds a bit more reasonable for deer-sized game. Mag. Instead of three digits in the caliber (0.264") of the bullets, the name 26 Nosler refers to the first two digits. Hornadys PRCs 212gr hunting bullet is listed at 2,860fps and 225gr match bullet is rated at 2,810 fps keeping it supersonic to almost 2,000 yards. 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. The best long-range cartridge in the world might be the .408 Chey-Tac. 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. RELATED: The 10 Best Rifle Bullets for Long-Range Shooting. You still need excellent range finding equipment and preferably have tested drops in your rifle in case your bullets have exaggerated BC claims. 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? at the same distance. Those features are granted to the high velocity of 3,000 fps and 230gr Berger Hybrid bullet with an incredible 0.743 Ballistic Coefficient (BC). Just hoping my bad experiences might inspire you to avoid some of your own. If there was ever a cult cartridge, the .280 Ackley Improved is it. All Rights Reserved. It also clings to energy. 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. 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. bullet boasts a blistering 3,000-fps muzzle velocity making it a laser beam compared to 2,400fps from its slightly older .17 HMR counterpart. Like the 6.5 Creedmoor, the .280 Ackley Improved can remain supersonic out to 1,400 yards. If you are using a custom rifle and handloaded ammunition, then the .260 Rem projectiles will remain supersonic all the way out to 1,400 yards. 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. In any caliber the cartridge that attains the highest muzzle velocity wins the flat shooter award, so theres no sense arguing that the 6.5 Grendel might shoot as flat as the 27 Nosler.