Advice on cartridge selection

[DynamicAccuracy]

Ive done quite a bit of PRS matches out to 1000-1100 with my 6.5x47 but even with a warm load im still goin transonic around 1450y. Id like something that either stays supersonic or handles the transonic transition well to 2000y. Most shots will be 1400-1800y but id like to be capable of 2000y. Was thinking of 6.5prc with 150smk or 121gr flatlines, 28 nosler, 7-300norma improved, 338LM improved. Is there any thing in the magnum world thats like the 6br of magnums. Something really efficient thats almost always accurate with just about any load you feed it?

 

[badassgunworks]

Ive done quite a bit of PRS matches out to 1000-1100 with my 6.5x47 but even with a warm load im still goin transonic around 1450y. Id like something that either stays supersonic or handles the transonic transition well to 2000y. Most shots will be 1400-1800y but id like to be capable of 2000y. Was thinking of 6.5prc with 150smk or 121gr flatlines, 28 nosler, 7-300norma improved, 338LM improved. Is there any thing in the magnum world thats like the 6br of magnums. Something really efficient thats almost always accurate with just about any load you feed it?

yes the wsm or the 300 norma

 

[sandwarrior]

Ive done quite a bit of PRS matches out to 1000-1100 with my 6.5x47 but even with a warm load im still goin transonic around 1450y. Id like something that either stays supersonic or handles the transonic transition well to 2000y. Most shots will be 1400-1800y but id like to be capable of 2000y. Was thinking of 6.5prc with 150smk or 121gr flatlines, 28 nosler, 7-300norma improved, 338LM improved. Is there any thing in the magnum world thats like the 6br of magnums. Something really efficient thats almost always accurate with just about any load you feed it?

As you alluded to, you need to step up in Bullet capability. Transonic is important, but if you can find that bullet/barrel combination that can get you through it, it's less of a factor. I say less as everything gets disrupted through the transonic, just the right combination will re-stabilize more quickly. I think of it like a spinning top. If it's stable, you touch it and it wobbles, and moves from it's original spot. Then when it settles down, it goes back to spinning like it was before and not moving. The time it takes to return to that condition is what's important. A less stable bullet will take longer to return to that condition or even never recover to that condition.

As to a bigger cartridge, you could jump up in diameter to 7mm in the .280 or .284, or jump in size to the 6.5x55 or 6.5x284. I'm only throwing cartridges out there I know are off the self loadable without fireforming. You would probably need to have them custom loaded. If not,, then the sky is the limit as to what cartridge you choose.

Going with more power isn't necessarily the right choice if you don't step up your bullet choice.

 

[Lynn Jr]

Have yet to see a poor shooting 338 Lapua or 338 Lapua Ackley Improved at our monthly 2000 yard URSA matches.
The only thing I would change on my personal rifles is I increase the freebore.
When the 338 Lapua came out there was no 300 grain MatchKing yet so the standard freebore is 0.175-0.190 to short to take advantage of the available bullets we have today.
It adds another 100+ fps

 

[KOPFJÄGER13]

338 LM..... and dont look back....especially with the 285 ELD-M...

 

[sandwarrior]

Is this a PRS match gun? If so, .338 Lapua is OUT! If you just want a rifle that will keep it supersonic to 2000, then yeah, .338 Lapua is a good choice.

So is the .300 Norma with the newer heavies in .30 cal. Any 7mm mag,, preferably the 7mm WSM with a tight (1-8") twist pushing 195/197 gr. bullets.

In all this, whether you step up in power or not, you still need to step up the bullet. Sticking with a smaller diameter bullet you don't have to step up that much in power. That relates in not having to use a muzzle brake and not wearing out barrels so much.

 

[kthomas]

The .300NM is a better choice than .338 LM.

A .300NM would be a perfect cartridge choice for those distances. The 33 XC cartridge coming out would be a solid contender as well.

I would go at a minimum a 7mm cartridge. 2000 yards is asking a lot from a 6.5, and could lead to a frustrating experience. The 7-300 would be an absolute barrel burner, think ~500 rounds.

 

[Gilly]

Some good advice already, I think choice depends on the match structure. If it’s 200 rounds in a weekend like prs than you want to move up as little as required to achieve the goal of 2000 yards consistently. Think 6.5 or 7 saum, I think 6.5 prc being smaller than saum might be bare minimum but depending on how hard you push it, and your normal DA, it could work.

If the matches are lower round count or this is just a go shoot a long ways rifle 300 Norma is a great choice! 338 lapua and improved are more capable no question but it’s a step up in recoil and cost per round to consider if you’re planning on shooting higher round counts. 33 xc is a whole nother league!

 

[steve123]

300PRC strikes a good balance in a lot of ways.

 

[DynamicAccuracy]

This isnt for prs and im not wanting to shoot 2000y with my 6.5x47 lol what i was saying is i have alot of time behind my 6.5x47 but id like to have a bigger caliber rifle to shoot elr with from time to time. It wouldnt see a ton of use but id probably put 200-300 rounds through it a year. I handload so fireforming and loading a more custom cartridge isnt a big deal i just dont want to have to take and push a shoulder back a bunch and do multiple steps of neck down and such. Something like a 338lm improved would be about right but if theres an alternative that has the same barrel life but uses less powder and shoots just as good at those distances im all for it

 

[KOPFJÄGER13]

338lm, forget about the "improved".... its not that much of an "improvement" and the standard 338lm is a beast for elr...a little pricey to get into but ELR isnt cheap...

 

[DynamicAccuracy]

What optics are you guys running with enough elevation to get out that far? Is the MOAB adjustable base worth it or is the charlie tarac prism pretty much the only way to go

 

[Jack's Dad]

I just put a 284 Winchester on my Remington. Working up loads with Hornady 180 eld, RL26 and RL17. They're moving at a high 2800s with no pressure signs. At 2915 getting some slightly flat primers. Do the math on that. I am single loading on a SA action with a standard 308 size bolt head. Barrel life should be very good. I was extremely happy with the extra performance that I'm getting over my 6.5 creedmoor.

 

[KOPFJÄGER13]

What optics are you guys running with enough elevation to get out that far? Is the MOAB adjustable base worth it or is the charlie tarac prism pretty much the only way to go

With a 338LM you'll need roughly 62-65 MOA with a 285 eld for a mile... so any scope you can get 70+ moa.... and it can be a combination of base, reticle and turret travel..... your probably looking in the $2k range for a proficient qaulity optic.... just my $.02

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

@308pirate
Pontification continues lol.

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[KOPFJÄGER13]

.....am i wrong?

 

[308pirate]

.....am i wrong?

did you stay in a Holiday Inn last night?

 

[KOPFJÄGER13]

Im not tracking.... im clearly in the presance of greatness...

 

[Bradu]

338lm, forget about the "improved".... its not that much of an "improvement" and the standard 338lm is a beast for elr...a little pricey to get into but ELR isnt cheap...

338 Lapua is definitely worth improving.

 

[Jack's Dad]

What optics are you guys running with enough elevation to get out that far? Is the MOAB adjustable base worth it or is the charlie tarac prism pretty much the only way to go

20 moa base with Burris signature rings. I have 50 moa can't built in and have 29+mils upward adjustment on an Athlon Cronus. I don't care for Moab adjustable mounts. A system should be locked down tight!

 

[KOPFJÄGER13]

338 Lapua is definitely worth improving.

Hmm, ya gain 100fps on an already capable cartridge, i dont see the point to bother with it.... is it really worth it?

 

[Deleted member 113831]

Hmm, ya gain 100fps on an already capable cartridge, i dont see the point to bother with it.... is it really worth it?

Brass life on the improved versions is better and with and extra 100 fps you gain 2 mil of elevation with the 300 Berger at 2000 yards. Wind isn't different enough to matter much.

 

[KOPFJÄGER13]

Brass life on the improved versions is better and with and extra 100 fps you gain 2 mil of elevation with the 300 Berger at 2000 yards. Wind isn't different enough to matter much.

I see, i dont understand how brass life is longer?

 

[Deleted member 113831]

I see, i dont understand how brass life is longer?

Improved shoulders don't let the brass flow forward under pressure as much and are easier to precisely and minimally resize to your chamber upon reloading.

 

[KOPFJÄGER13]

Improved shoulders don't let the brass flow forward under pressure as much and are easier to precisely and minimally size to your chamber.

Roger that, i was kinda thinking that but just wanted to confirm

 

[sandwarrior]

There's also the thing of how you reload, too. I was loading hot and stretching brass in my younger days. Then I decided to load down a bit and found I was still stretching brass. This was my 6mm Ackley, .257 Ackley and .280 Ackley. What I found was by changing my reloading method, the stretching stopped. Worst culprit was the expander ball. I went to mandrel stems and that works better. I also use a lot of Wilson neck dies which don't expand at all. For those to work, you can't be loading hot and moving brass around when shooting.

@74gtf100,

Thanks for clarifying. It makes a huge difference as to what you would want here. Some friends of mine and I go out in the Nevada desert and shoot to a mile regularly. On hot summer days, not only do our bullets carry farther before going subsonic, they are also affected less by the thinner air. That's 4000 ASL. If you are much lower in elevation where you typically shoot, you'll need the heavier bullet and ability to push it fast enough.

So, in this case, you would do well to look at really stepping up in power vs. going to the next case size up.

 

[xdeano]

Do you think that you'll want to go further than 2k yds at any given point?

I'm running a 338 Norma mag with 277grn cutting edge mtac bullets right at 2900fps. It slightly smaller case length than a 338 lapua. But I can generate about the same velocities. It's an efficient case for pushing 338s. You could also do the necked down versions to 300 Norma mag or if you want a barrel eating sob a 7 Norma mag, crazy velocities but at the barrels expense.

If you're thinking that further is in your future then step up to the 375s. That's where I'm at now, im thinking about selling my 338 and going for bigger just to compensate range. Elr is a huge rabbit hole. It's expensive.

I will say that if you aren't going to shoot 2k yds very often then stick with a smaller cartridge. Heck I've got buddies that I've shot with out to 1800 yds with a 300 win mag and 300 rum and they stick right with a 338. I also had a buddy that took his 260 with 123s past 1800 yds and it surprised me how well he was hitting, but he also has a lot of experience and gov payed for training.

Do you have a decent range finder? If you don't I'd suggest picking up a good one.

I'd also suggest waiting tell after shot show next week to see what else will be coming out.

Xdeano

 

[mrogers]

As everyone has said already. Each of the cartridges have their advantages and disadvantages. More velocity in each caliber will usually net less barrel life. If that's no issue to you then don't worry about it. Just do a bunch of research on cartridges that meet or exceed the criteria in which you want to shoot, compare them, and make a decision.

 

[Dthomas3523]

20 moa base with Burris signature rings. I have 50 moa can't built in and have 29+mils upward adjustment on an Athlon Cronus. I don't care for Moab adjustable mounts. A system should be locked down tight!

.........and you should stay away from the far ends of the erector. ?

 

[wildcats]

The .300NM is a better choice than .338 LM.

A .300NM would be a perfect cartridge choice for those distances. The 33 XC cartridge coming out would be a solid contender as well.

I would go at a minimum a 7mm cartridge. 2000 yards is asking a lot from a 6.5, and could lead to a frustrating experience. The 7-300 would be an absolute barrel burner, think ~500 rounds.