Best caliber for long range ?

[Orion2010]

I have played with wildcats for years 30-378 and 338-378 and 378 weatherby s .
I dropp tube with H870 and pack 130 grs . need long bbls as 29 in
30-378 with 180 gr out at 3900 fps
338-378 with 210 gr at 3600 fps
378 with 250 gr at 3500 fps

Long range is not a challenge if you have range finders and a good scope . Flat trajectory helps some of the problem but not all.
Bullet weight takes care of wind some but you lose trajectory , balance is what?
50 BMG is horrible trajectory but great in wind and predictable same as a 308 .
308 is accurate but you better know the yardage within a yard at 500 plus or it sucks.
Speed ? Equals flat but balance bullet weight and BC .
I still like the 378 weatherby as my pick in 250 gr Barnes with a custom chamber and 30 in bbl and muzzle brake light weight contour .Put a Nightforce with custom torrents set to yardage and good to go anywhere in the world for anything .
Flat little guess out to 600 yds but after that rangefinders . Game doesn't always wait for the ranging and your spotter etc .
Long range competion are not a good judge the CMP military shoots yes 308 can do it and 1000 yd is owned by 50 BMG variations in yardage changes the game .
Weight of the gun ? Carbon works but lightwiegt bbls are ok without it for 3 shot or cold shot so not needed. Under 10 lbs total not a problem .

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

One of the best I have found in a carry weight hunting rifle is the 378 Weatherby shooting the high BC Cutting Edge bullet. Around a .9 BC at around 3000 fps.

 

[davewilson]

[QUOTE Orion....1000 yd is owned by 50 BMG

didn't think they were accurate enough at 1000 to even be competitive

 

[WildRose]

I have played with wildcats for years 30-378 and 338-378 and 378 weatherby s .
I dropp tube with H870 and pack 130 grs . need long bbls as 29 in
30-378 with 180 gr out at 3900 fps
338-378 with 210 gr at 3600 fps
378 with 250 gr at 3500 fps

Long range is not a challenge if you have range finders and a good scope . Flat trajectory helps some of the problem but not all.
Bullet weight takes care of wind some but you lose trajectory , balance is what?
50 BMG is horrible trajectory but great in wind and predictable same as a 308 .
308 is accurate but you better know the yardage within a yard at 500 plus or it sucks.
Speed ? Equals flat but balance bullet weight and BC .
I still like the 378 weatherby as my pick in 250 gr Barnes with a custom chamber and 30 in bbl and muzzle brake light weight contour .Put a Nightforce with custom torrents set to yardage and good to go anywhere in the world for anything .
Flat little guess out to 600 yds but after that rangefinders . Game doesn't always wait for the ranging and your spotter etc .
Long range competion are not a good judge the CMP military shoots yes 308 can do it and 1000 yd is owned by 50 BMG variations in yardage changes the game .
Weight of the gun ? Carbon works but lightwiegt bbls are ok without it for 3 shot or cold shot so not needed. Under 10 lbs total not a problem .

Are you intending on hunting? Competition?

If hunting what are you planning to hunt and how?

If competition then they type of competitive venue and what they allow will largely dictate what you will use or can use.

 

[RMulhern]

I have played with wildcats for years 30-378 and 338-378 and 378 weatherby s .
I dropp tube with H870 and pack 130 grs . need long bbls as 29 in
30-378 with 180 gr out at 3900 fps
338-378 with 210 gr at 3600 fps
378 with 250 gr at 3500 fps

Long range is not a challenge if you have range finders and a good scope . Flat trajectory helps some of the problem but not all.
Bullet weight takes care of wind some but you lose trajectory , balance is what?
50 BMG is horrible trajectory but great in wind and predictable same as a 308 .
308 is accurate but you better know the yardage within a yard at 500 plus or it sucks.
Speed ? Equals flat but balance bullet weight and BC .
I still like the 378 weatherby as my pick in 250 gr Barnes with a custom chamber and 30 in bbl and muzzle brake light weight contour .Put a Nightforce with custom torrents set to yardage and good to go anywhere in the world for anything .
Flat little guess out to 600 yds but after that rangefinders . Game doesn't always wait for the ranging and your spotter etc .
Long range competion are not a good judge the CMP military shoots yes 308 can do it and 1000 yd is owned by 50 BMG variations in yardage changes the game .
Weight of the gun ? Carbon works but lightwiegt bbls are ok without it for 3 shot or cold shot so not needed. Under 10 lbs total not a problem .

BS Galore!!

 

[Orion2010]

Competitions are set ranges and only about groups and not mobile etc.
Then its a wind issue only etc hence a 50 BMG and not a 416 Barrett , etc
Bullet drop is terrible on a 50 BMG but I also have one. Hunting and no spotter or rangefinder , it will stay at home. 378 weatherby is going.
I agree the 300 gr at .9 BC works . Barnes , Berger , etc VLD but lite enough to match the powder , BBL, to get the sweet spot of your combination is key.
Accuracy , well 1/2 in at 100 yd will work in a 308 , 6.8 have accuracy but not a 1000 yd gun .
Accuracy is what we are talking , dont get hung up on 100 yd groups and think it is the same at 1000 yds etc
Best gun after 500 yds accuracy , no 308 .
Military Snipers are slowly coming around but they need production not reloads and wildcats etc. 223 then 308 then 30/06 then 300 win mag then 50 then 416 Barrett to name a few in progression.
But they will never have a 378 as an example but spotter , rangefinder , Bors, etc can be deadly, not in a run around the USA type system .

 

[Orion2010]

I have a Bull BBl 22 lr in 10/22 custom out that can shoot 1/2 groups at 100 yds ( no wind) .
It is not a 1000 yd gun .

 

[Magnumitis]

BS Galore!!

That's what I was thinking lol

 

[J E Custom]

If I only had one choice for a dedicated long range rifle for Hunting it would be close to these
requirements =

Weight would be somewhere between 10 and 12 pounds fully dressed.
Caliber would be eather one of the big 30s (300 rum,300 Rumbo or the 30/378) or a 338 with the
338 rum being the smallest and the Excalibur as the largest.

Bullets would range from the 200 to 250 grain in the .30 and 225 to 300 grain in the 338s.

With the appropriate scope for the intended range.

Even though I own one and love its power and performance, even with hunting type bullets,
The 50 cal is not a hunting rifle and only comes into its own at distances beyond 1000 yards
and with the physical weight required it is impractical and even outlawed is some states for
hunting.

Just my choices

J E CUSTOM

 

[Orion2010]

Well stated .
338 s work well all of them the faster the better .
378 weatherby is awesome in it weights the same without kick . Trick of costs is to take a Mark 5 action any caliber used rifle 500 dollars and open the bolt face buy the mag box and leghthen the slide on the bottom of the bolt to allow longer throw and what do you know a 338 /378 or 378 etc for less 1000 and custom bbl , FYI
Best to get a long custom bbl in one of them on a nice light stock.
Don't short money on scopes and repticles .
Bipods are a must.
Muzzle brakes a must as you want horizontal force and no hands up front .

 

[rscott5028]

Orion2010,

Welcome to the LRH forum. It's amazing how much knowledge and information is available here. A lot of these guys are experts who will gladly help you take your game to a new level.

Of course, it's all relative. Long range for one guy is 500yds using a 22LR. For someone else, it's 2500yds using the 338 Edge +P.

There is nothing at all unfair or easy about using technology such as laser range finders and good optics. To the contrary, it's easy to use a crappy rifle, ammo, scope, and Kentucky windage to lob bullets into a mountainside.

For me, the best long range caliber is the one that gets the job done.

6br, 6.5x284, 7RM, 300WM, 338 Edge, etc... are all great cartridges as are many others.

6.5x284 is my favorite balance of accuracy, range, and energy with minimal recoil.

-- richard

 

[LRSickle]

Me thinks Orion is trolling.

And, like always, we get a Cutting Edge advertisement thrown in.

 

[WildRose]

Well stated .
338 s work well all of them the faster the better .
378 weatherby is awesome in it weights the same without kick . Trick of costs is to take a Mark 5 action any caliber used rifle 500 dollars and open the bolt face buy the mag box and leghthen the slide on the bottom of the bolt to allow longer throw and what do you know a 338 /378 or 378 etc for less 1000 and custom bbl , FYI
Best to get a long custom bbl in one of them on a nice light stock.
Don't short money on scopes and repticles .
Bipods are a must.
Muzzle brakes a must as you want horizontal force and no hands up front .

Help me understand a couple of things.

Is English 2nd language for you? If so what is your home country?

With such limited actual knowledge about military snipers and their equipment I'd encourage you to refrain in the future from commenting on them. It will be less embarrassing.

You might however enjoy reading up on the 375, and 408 Cheytac along with the 416 Barrett.

As for LR no longer being a challenge due to modern Tech, no it's not the challenge it once was, but even the best of modern tech won't place the shot for you or know when to send it much less actually practice the necessary marksmanship skills required to get it done.

 

[LRSickle]

Do you know what I love about Len's Longrangehunting.com? There's so much experience, knowledge, great gunsmiths and a big group of great guys here. You can't just jump on here and spout out a bunch of crap without someone with real experience catching it. And everybody is still nice about it. Not like the sniper sites that for sure.