Best caliber for shooting 500 to 2000 yds?

[Hoppsing55]

Seriously? I routinely shoot my .300 Win Mag to 1800 and beyond without stability issues. I guess I am just lucky, huh?

Not sure luck has anything to do with it??? Probably using a properly spin stabilized projectile / load that, moves through the transonic zone better, than some other bullets.

 

[jimbires]

Here's a 375 Snipetac equipped with a Vortex Gen II Razor 4.5-27x56 that is mounted on a 80 moa rail.
The system allows for 47.5 usable mils for aiming and is still capable of hitting a dot at 100 yards.
Very clean easy to use under pressure and no moving parts other than the turrets. The system is good for targets in the 3520 yards range unless shooting in extreme cold conditions where the DA is a negative.

Just a simple setup we have used for years on a few rifles.

iamosohView attachment 251741

I think your scope , in the moa style , has 70 moa on the turret . that's the difference the bigger rifle makes . my 338 Lapua needs 70 moa at 2050 yards . I think I used 95 moa at 2375 yards . I cheated the SFP NP-R1 reticle by turning the power down , and maxed the turret . I ended up taking .5 moa off the turret . so the way I was set up 2375 was my max distance . I'm glad you chimed in on this , I enjoy reading your posts .

 

[Walt Pence]

My

I think your scope , in the moa style , has 70 moa on the turret . that's the difference the bigger rifle makes . my 338 Lapua needs 70 moa at 2050 yards . I think I used 95 moa at 2375 yards . I cheated the SFP NP-R1 reticle by turning the power down , and maxed the turret . I ended up taking .5 moa off the turret . so the way I was set up 2375 was my max distance . I'm glad you chimed in on this , I enjoy reading your posts .

My .338 LM came with a 20 MOA rail and I added a scope mount that gives me another 30 MOA. With this set up my elevation knob is at the very bottom at 100 yrds. My scope will go up 65 MOA. This will put me out past a mile. I can extend the range using the mil dots and holding over. This will put me out farther than I will ever have a shoot.

 

[Paladin300]

So, question? I see the discussion about the amount of travel needed to get to 2000 yards.

Full disclosure that is the furthest we have been and only a couple of times. Trying to push it to 2200 (1.25 miles), but finding a place to do it here in Alabama and Tennessee is proving difficult. We have a place to shoot at 1250 and 1500 fairly regularly. 6-8 times a year and shoot to 600 probably once or twice a month. To practice we shoot 22LR at 300 yards.

Here's the question? What do you feel like you need to get to 2000 - 2200? ( I think practically speaking 2200 is about the limit for the weekend warrior with standard cartridges and ammo without stepping up to designer bullets and the ubermagnums.) So assuming the 338 Improved is the upper limit. What are we putting on top of it?

The goal here is not just to hit the target but to do it consistently. If it takes you more than 5 shot to make contact at that range were you really successful? Once you make contact is it repeatable? Can you do it again and again? One of the ranges we shoot 1250 at if you miss twice you have to go back to 600. Once you check your dope you can try one more time, if you miss your done, if you hit and miss twice your done for the day. Three strikes your out. That would also apply in real world applications or competition. Rarely will you ever get a second or even third shot much less a fourth or fifth. Can you do it cold bore? And what size target are we talking about? For that range 18-24 inches? Can't say that anything bigger would apply as success? Can you? At the end of the day everyone has to determine this for themselves. The same range that won't let you miss more than 3x requires you to hit a 12" plate in order to proceed to the next distance.
For me I am pretty comfortable to 1500, it is fairly easy with the 338 (I have done it cold bore on an 18" silhouette), 2000 not so much. That 500 yards extra makes a huge difference, like taking a 22 from 300 to 400 or 500.

Any how just some ravings of a ballistics nut with a few lose screws! But really I don't mean to hijack this thread but we've covered the caliber fairly well, something in 338 I think is the consensus. But there is so much more to it than that. Optic set up being one? And what success is being another?

 

[Paladin300]

I have defined my caliber choice and what I define as success, so here is my personal optic set up. A good rule of thumb is 1x for every 100 yards. I shoot a 4.5-29 scope but rarely find myself going above 20 power even at extended ranges (1500+). The scope I have has 32 mils of internal adjustment and with a 30 moa base I can dial 25 mils from my zero. I have another 10mils in my reticle. Shooting a 285 ELD at 2850 I only need approximately 24 mils to shoot 2000. Every rifle depending on caliber is different but this works for me out to 2200. I shoot the exact same set up on my 22LR for practice. Again this whole discussion is about practical, efficient ELR and for this forum the hunting element is primary. You can put a lot more stuff and scope on your gun but how practical is it if it is extremely bulky and super heavy?

Rifle pictured is my personal long range hunting rig in 300 WM with the above mentioned optic set up. I run the same set up on all my daily drivers so that my scope set up never changes and all I need to change is my dope per whatever rifle I am using. Whatever set up you decide to go with commit to it and learn it well until it is obvious you need to change or upgrade.

 

[jimbires]

we are just a bunch of guys that like to shoot . we have permission to be on the ground , but it could be closed to us any day . I'm a distant relative to the land owner , and another shooter works for the land owner . so with this in mind I doubt any of us gets into a serious investment we just go and have fun , no rules , shoot as you want . a couple guys pick a target and shoot at it most of the day . other guys shoot at different targets each time it's their turn to shoot . for awhile I was into the first round hits . I'd shoot only one shot at each target , and move to a different one . I've had days where I went 4 out of 5 on first round hits from 1200 to 1600 yards .the 1400 is a tough one to hit , crazy winds there . when I missed I started over again . I forget the exact sizes , but our targets are pretty much MOA size . it might be a 20" at 1600 . we put about a 28" or 30 " up for 2000 plus yards . when the weather allowed , we shot 8 or 10 hours Saturday and about 4 hours Sunday . I was shooting 50 rounds per week . this is going to change due to component availability this year . here is a couple pics from last year .

 

[Capt RB]

 

[Capt RB]

I built a 300prc for shooting to a mileish. 30" tube + Brake This is to see if I will stay at it. Living where I do I don't have a lot of places although I do have some a couple of hours away. The 30 cal is light for this but if I don't like it I have stuff I will use for hunting while a big bore I wouldn't have a use for. The 300 is a lot for what I hunt unless I were to shoot a very long way which isn't realistic in New England. Even in the clear-cuts, 500yds would be a very long way.
THe biggest issues are spotting misses with smaller bullets.

 

[bdcoon]

What caliber is going to be the most consistent, easiest, cheapest to target shoot (not hunting) in the 500 to 2000 yds. Range?
Thanks!

Love my 28 Nosler, shooting 195 Berger EOLs.

 

[WeekendWarrior]

Gotta give that to the 338 LM or Improved version. Pushing 300s at 3000 fps, and reasonable comfort shooting it, IMO, it's a better option for UP TOO 2K than any other cartridge/ lighter bullet combination.

I agree with this. There are lots of affordable 338 lm rifles available, making this the most affordable option. A longer barrel should get the velocity on point too.

 

[Chas1]

Talk to Kirby Allen over at APS Rifles, he can hook you up. His 338 Allen Magnum launches a 265gr @ 3350fps or 300gr @ 3350fps and at 2200yds it's still traveling @ 1514fps. It's a custom build. But, anyway you go I don't think it's going to be cheap. Obviously it's going to have to be a fairly big round that's going to eat a lot of powder and heavier 30 or 33 caliber bullets with the highest BC are cheap not to mention whatever combo you go with it's probably wise to go with either really heavy or muzzle brake. Could be wrong but, just don't see it being done consistently for cheap.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Talk to Kirby Allen over at APS Rifles, he can hook you up. His 338 Allen Magnum launches a 265gr @ 3350fps or 300gr @ 3350fps and at 2200yds it's still traveling @ 1514fps. It's a custom build. But, anyway you go I don't think it's going to be cheap. Obviously it's going to have to be a fairly big round that's going to eat a lot of powder and heavier 30 or 33 caliber bullets with the highest BC are cheap not to mention whatever combo you go with it's probably wise to go with either really heavy or muzzle brake. Could be wrong but, just don't see it being done consistently for cheap.

After the initial purchase of brass, reloading for the cartridge is pretty affordable. I bought about 400-500 338 lapua cases from another forum member. 200 were brand new never used Lapua brass. The other 300 are lapua and mixed headstamp once fired. Paid 250.00 for all that brass. Thought I won the lotto. There are deals if you shop. Powder primers aren't any different for the magnums price wise, just alot more powder. Bullets are more for sure but all in all affordability isn't bad. Maybe 1.80 per loaded round including brass cost when you get 5-6 firings per case. Less if you can manage more firings per case. Definitely not the same as loading .224 cartridge rounds with 50 grain bullets.

 

[7070yshot]

Do you reload? That would mostly take "cheapest" out of the equation.

If you're buying ammo, maybe 300 win mag? I haven't paid attention to ammo prices for a few years.

My 6.5 creed does fine at a mile, but haven't gone further than that. I'd sling it at 2k, but I know my numbers and its going real slow by then. A PRC, either 6.5 or 300 would be better.

If my main goal were targets at 2000 with factory available ammo I would go with the 300 PRC. There are better options if you want to reload or go custom or wildcat or something, but the easy button is a hornady supported magnum. A 300 win mag or 7 mag would work just fine too, and like I said, may have cheaper ammo.

I second that statement. 300PRC has proven to be excellent and economical compared to calibers like 338LM which would also do the job. I've taken 338LM to 2568.
Only issue with 30 cal is size of projectile. Definitely more susceptible to wind.
Of course if you are looking to turn 500-1000y into a simple chip shot and 1760-2000 cold bore impacts I'd spend more and get the 33XC. Running. A 33XC 275g LAZERs at 3250-3350 is almost cheating. Good luck deciding

 

[sp6x6]

Friend of mine plays that game Shoot 2000 bench 338 LAI 2019 he shot the 3Ag WR