What Is The Best Hunting Cartridge To 500 yds.

[Garou_22]

200yds is pretty well point-blank for any center fired cartridge so setting a 500yd limit pretty well leaves the selection wide open without providing a little more information like what the target species would be. Which has been said by others already. That said...

The .264 cartridges are phenomenal. The B.C.'s, sectional densities, and terminal performance of today's modern bullet designs easily give a 500yd effective range for all North American game save the ginormous Alaskan varieties of moose and kodiaks. If you reload, consider a long action 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser on a modern action as you will be able to magazine load any bullet at any seat depth which is crucial for VLD style projectiles that are seat depth sensitive and achieve velocities within 50fps of the Creed or 260Rem. The 140gr Berger Hunter VLD on 44.4gr Vhit N-160, CCI 200, Win cases, seated .005 off lands exits my 700Classic at 2750-2800-ish (5280ft elev. atmospheric variables depending) fps and carries 1400lbft of energy to 500 = dead elk, moose, black bear, mulie, white, antelope, coyote, 'chucks, Pdogs, gophers, etc. Kicks like a .243 so your shoulder won't be punished. Don't reload? Then the 6.5 Creed will offer ballistics within 50fps of the 6.5x55 or 260Rem from the widest available selection of factory ammo in the .264 caliber family.

 

[skippertwo]

RE: the original post, you have given the definition of the 308.

 

[msmith57]

I know 500 isn't long-range for some of you but due to my ability, it's my self imposed a limit for shooting game.

The best combination of rifle portability, power, trajectory, reloading components and or ammo selection.

308 is a flat shooter to well over 500 yds big enough for any N. American game and can be loaded down for smaller game such as White tail and antelope not a lot of Kick to the shoulder either, easy to load with many different combinations of lead, powder and bullets. plus you can get them EVERYWHERE

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

Well he did say NA game so that includes elk,moose, black bear ,deer size game to 500.

1. 308. 708. 270/280 put these first do to ease of shooting with mild recoil.

2. Magnums 7. 300 . And any variety of them. Can do anything the top ones can but with more recoi . But also additional range and definitely more oomph at impact.

Yes I hear ya, recoil maybe shouldn't be put into the discussion but I did. If recoil is taken out of the equation so be it. The magnums make a great all around guns EVEN IF THEY DONT EXIST.

For me if I had to choose it's my 7mm RM

 

[mawbro]

I load my own ammo and shoot in local matches and steel out to 1000 yds. with the 308. I've hunted my whole life with many calibers. In matches I very seldom loose to a Creedmore and don't think I have ever. My point is the 308 is deadly accurate, easy to load for or by ammo for and with a 180 gr. bullet will kill anything you hit in the kill zone out to 700 yards. Personally I'd use the Berger 180 EH but Nosler Accubond would work also. Good luck hunting.

 

[ducky]

I know 500 isn't long-range ..............
The best combination of rifle portability, power, trajectory, reloading components and or ammo selection.

My choice all around big game rifle for the lower 48 with what you listed.

LA=.30-06
SA=.308 Win

It's going to be really tough to beat those two with your criteria. I am and always will be a .270 Win guy, but it can't touch the 06 or .308 in component or ammo availability. I think the .308 might be a little better when it comes to short barrels and suppressor use but that wasn't on your list.

 

[JarHeadTim]

280 A.I.

Devastating and flat with 140's (whitetail / antelope)

Plenty of snot up to the 175's for Elk

Long Action in lieu of a magnum action in the mountains ergo a lighter rifle + 1 round

higher BC's than the 270

more capable than the 6.5's on Elk size game...

 

[Jared2700]

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.

Use the 300 win. Get a barnes bullet in 150 to 165 grains and call it a day. It will kill anything DOA if you do your job. Which with a little practice, you'll be super deadly on anything that could be taken in North America. Been shooting barnes for 30 plus years now, started with a 243 win. To the 270 win., 3006, 264, 7mm, and 270 short mag. And the 300 mag. And what I've learned is that with Barnes Bullets you don't need a heavier bullet. If you were to say that you were going to use a 3006 with a 180gr. Bullet I would drop away back to a 125 boat trail barnes. It will do the job very well a the distance you are describing in this post. I have Elk at longer ranges I've killed myself that the bullet passed clear through both shoulders. With mass devastation to the animal. I also have a cousin who uses a 22-250 and has used I think a 55gr. Or 60gr. Bullet to take elk. It's not for me, but I would certainly have shot muledeer with one. My daughter took a deer a couple of years ago with a 69gr. Sierra out of a 223 rem. At just under 500 yards, I believe it was 475 yards. It dropped it on the spot. I think more than anything it's bullet placement that is critical. Good luck with your hunts.

 

[GTN]

Hard to beat the 280ai in my opinion.

 

[Double BC]

Where there are Grizzly Bears in the area I would say .338 Winchester; where little chance of encounter with Griz the .270 Winchester would be my choice. To actually hunt the Brown Bear a .375 H&H Magnum in a real Mauser action with iron sights (peep OK). That was what I used for over 30 years living in Alaska, eh?

my 375 is on a cz

 

[Steve Sheasly]

I know 500 isn't long-range for some of you but due to my ability, it's my self imposed a limit for shooting game.

The best combination of rifle portability, power, trajectory, reloading components and or ammo selection.

yep, any centerfire but a .270 is hard to beat 06 is good too.

 

[Allen Kitts]

I would lean towards a 7mag or a 300 WSM. Both have adequate power and versatility to take anything out to 500 yards and can obtained in a variety of factory rifles weighing from 6-8lbs, so not to terrible to carry around and ammo is available at most places if you happen to leave home without it. I guess the same could be said for the 06 which always seems to be a favorite on this website.

 

[Dusty L Rhinehart]

I know 500 isn't long-range for some of you but due to my ability, it's my self imposed a limit for shooting game.

The best combination of rifle portability, power, trajectory, reloading components and or ammo selection.

I can't believe NOBODY HAS BROUGHT UP THE BESY CALIBER YET, THE REIGNING KING OF THE WEST HASN'T CHANGED FOR OVER 48 YEARS, MY AGE LOL IM SURE IT WAS AROUND LONGER, .270 WINCHESTER, 6.5 IS ALL HYPE, 06 IS A GREAT ROUND BUT PINPOINT ACCURATE ITS NOT, 308 IS UNDER POWERED FOR ELK PAST 160 YARDS, I WOULDN'T USE A 308 FOR ANYTHING BIGGER THAN A DEER ANYWAY, SAW AN ELK TAKE 4 ROUNDS TO THE BOILER ROOM AND STILL WALKED OVER 400 YARDS, 260 IS A GREAT CARTRIDGE BUT AGAIN THE ENERGY JUST ISN'T THERE AT DISTANCE, YOU COULD HIT A TIC OFF AN ELKS *** AT 4-500 YARDS ACCURATE BUT ONLY THE TIC HAS TO WORRY BUT FOR FLAT SHOOTING, WITH THE ENERGY TO TAKE OUR BIG GAME IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES AND CANADA 270 WIN CANT BE BEAT, ITS BEEN HERE FOREVER AND IS HANGING IN THE WINDOW OF EVERYONE'S TRUCK THAT HUNTS FOR A REASON. KING OF THE WEST

 

[greenejc]

I see your deer is eating popcorn again.