best long range caliber?

[Crosseyed]

Most of the discussion here seems to revolve around the 300 and 338 calibers. Are those the best and most practical calibers for long range hunting. What about 348, 358 and 375? Does there comes a point where you just can't push the really heavy bullets fast enough to be effective out to 1000+ yards?

[James Jones]

one of the biggest misconceptions about long range shooting is that you "need" bullet speed , this is nowhere near as important as a good bullet with a high BC , the calibers you mentioned do't see much use in the LR crowd because nobody or very few offer good LR style bullets.

For instance with the speed thing , a 308 can launch a 150gr basic hunting style bullet at 3000 fps , if that bullet is even going fast enough to make it to 1000yds without getting sideways it will be going so slow that the wind will eat you alive
But you can shoot a 190gr Berger VLD out of the same gun at 2500fps and the bullet will stay accurate out to probably 1200yds maybe more , so you getting 500fps less velocity but much higher BC bullet. The BC wins every time in LR.
another extreme example , I can get a 40gr bullet run out of my 22-250AI at over 4200fps , that bullet probably won't even make it to 1000yds.

[royinidaho]

Ric,

Good to see you posting here again, but you got me on AO? Whatzat? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] Maybe that's why I miss every once in a while. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

I agree with everything you said regarding the subject.

[screech]

I like the high bc bullets to. I would go with the 6.5, 7mm, .308, and 338. If I am hunting deer I like all of them. If it is elk I really try and stay with a 7mm and up. If you are asking what the best is that is an opinion thing. I use a 7stw I like, a 6.5x284 that is fun but haven't really shot anything over 300 and I am playing with a big 338. Nothing killed with it yet.