What Is The Best Hunting Cartridge To 500 yds.

[diddlyv]

I think energy needed to kill deer and elk is way overstated. If you shoved a 9mm up against an elk or deer and put it in the vitals would it die? A 9mm has about 350ft lbs at the muzzle. We've killed elk with a lot less energy than 1000ft lbs.

I have eaten a lot of Cattle that dropped in their tracks to a .22 short between the eyes at ranges from 0 to 6 inches but would never suggest .22 short muzzle energy to be a hunting killing energy threshold.

 

[greenejc]

Nothing is wrong with the 7X57 round except availability and the anemic factory loads that are available. And yes, with careful handloading, it is like the 6mm Remington (same casing) and would be a 7mm-08 on light steroids. It's just not available in a lot of places.

 

[greenejc]

I think energy needed to kill deer and elk is way overstated. If you shoved a 9mm up against an elk or deer and put it in the vitals would it die? A 9mm has about 350ft lbs at the muzzle. We've killed elk with a lot less energy than 1000ft lbs.

How about if your shot was a quartering shot through the front shoulder? or a less than perfect hit? A round has to reach the animal with enough energy to penetrate the animal, hit vital organs and preferably exit from angles and with hits that are not perfect. This gets more important at distances beyond 200 yards. A 9mm bullet (any weight) might do it if it didn't hit a heavy bone and get deflected, if you could get close enough, but you might have to blood trail the elk into the next county to recover him. And if you were close enough for a contact shot, he just might stomp you into the ground before he left to die in the deepest, darkest, most tangled patch of woods he could find. The topic is the best cartridge for distances to 500 yards. I don't think any of the pistol rounds make it within this criteria. Diddlyv said he's eaten a lot of cattle shot in the head at pt blank range with a 22 short. I have too. I've also seen them and 9mm luger(parabellum) rounds bounce off of both cow and pig skulls when killing them for butchering. That gets exciting. If its all the same to you, I think I like the extra power of a heavier rifle round like a 280 or a 30-06, thank you.

 

[Turnbolt53]

Nothing is wrong with the 7X57 round except availability and the anemic factory loads that are available. And yes, with careful handloading, it is like the 6mm Remington (same casing) and would be a 7mm-08 on light steroids. It's just not available in a lot of places.

I agree, and since the 7x57 is a long action round, I cant see any reason for choosing it over the 280/280AI, except nostalgia. YMMV

 

[PredatorSlayer]

A round has to reach the animal with enough energy to penetrate the animal, hit vital organs and preferably exit from angles and with hits that are not perfect. This gets more important at distances beyond 200 yards.

Hitting the vitals are important at any distance isn't it? I have shot a muley buck with a 9mm that wasn't hit very well by a buddy, jumped up and took off when we walked up on it. Busted both front shoulders and put it down at 20 yards. I am just saying, you have to put energy into perspective. You guys who claim 1500 for elk and 1000 for deer are only reciting what you have read on the internet.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

I'm not seeing where anyone quoted "your" bullet velocity, I see "a" velocity which was stated by me with roughly the "energy" for that velocity and bullet weight. I personally wasn't talking about variances for one reason, it was a simple question on a simple subject, and no one had to reinvent the wheel over it. Not sure why you're standing so close to the fire over this, but in my case, I can assure you I have more time on the trigger than you can imagine in many different fields'..., work and sports; as a former Swat Counter Sniper and LEO State Sniper Instructor, Army B-11 and E7 type Drill Sgt, NRA high power shooter, National, and International, just responding to your statement, and there are members on this forum who can verify it, and "YOU Sir?" Why don't you include your aforementioned point(s) in the post that you are referring to that way no will "have to"... second guess'..., you as you've clearly expressed. Sorry, that you're having a bad day over this perhaps things will get better.

I am happy that you posted such a great resume of your credentials. I started my long range shooting while with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam 66-68. I made it back home and that is the only credential I have.

 

[436]

I am happy that you posted such a great resume of your credentials. I started my long range shooting while with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam 66-68. I made it back home and that is the only credential I have.

That's nice, glad you made it back, a lot of the troops didn't, thank you for your service.

 

[greenejc]

I have a .270 AI, with a 1-10 twist, was wondering about how the 175gr bullet will perform accuracy wise?? Right now it likes the 150gr ABLR bullets

You'll just have to get the load data from Nosler and try it. It won't be a barn burner for velocity, I don't think, but it will have great sectional density, and should have great penetration due to its weight. You may need a faster twist barrel, though. I would expect it to be a long for caliber bullet. And the 270 AI would be a great 500 yard and under round with that bullet weight. However, I just looked on the Nosler website and they don't list a .277 bullet of more than 160 grain weight. Their 160 grain .277 cal. bullet is a partition. That's still good for animals up to elk in size, though.

 

[Bigo]

Kind of what I was thinking between 270 and 280ai

should have prefaced I have:
450 nitro
375hh
300wm
7mm rem mag

I wasn't trying to get suggestions about how to fill the gap.

Just curious on opinions on what cartridge we think fits the bill.

Was thinking North America.

 

[JTW24]

I'd pull out the 06 or the 300wm

 

[greenejc]

There is none. Sure you can kill something at 500 yards, but is it anything to be proud of? Animals should have a chance to use there God given senses to escape not to mention how many animals are getting wounded nowadays to go off and die a miserable death. Shoot iron for your long range thrills and pick up a bow if you want a challenge and some real excitement.

Ooookkkk.... the title of this forum is long range hunting, I believe. Also, many of us have hunted/do hunt with bows. But I hunt with a rifle, too. That includes black powder and center fire. If that offends you, I guess you'll just have to be offended. And I still recommend the -06 with 180 grain to 200 grain projectiles for inside 500 yards. And yes, a clean killing shot at 500 yards is something to be proud of as far as I'm concerned. So is a clean bow shot at 40 yards, or a clean shot with a .58 cal at 100 yards.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

There is none. Sure you can kill something at 500 yards, but is it anything to be proud of? Animals should have a chance to use there God given senses to escape not to mention how many animals are getting wounded nowadays to go off and die a miserable death. Shoot iron for your long range thrills and pick up a bow if you want a challenge and some real excitement.

This is pretty funny - I have seen way more elk wounded and never found from archery hunters.

 

[sturner]

I agree for me it's tracking white tails on our lease that a bow hunter done wounded

 

[dreamhunt]

Take a look at 28 nosler or 7mm STW. If i was me looking for a 500 yard rifle i would look at BC and wind drift before drop. Calculating bullet drop is simple. The most difficult part of long range shooting is doping wind drift. My personal choice is 7mm mag. Not the best but a great balance of drop, drift and managble recoil. Next for me would be 300 win mag. However i have had a recent fascination for the 28 nosler.