best long range sniper rifle caliber
Initial designs for the 338 Lapua Mag utilized the 416 Rigby as a parent case, simply necking it down to accept a 250 grain Hornady A-MAX bullet. Jarrett Beanfield Rifle (1979) Kenny Jarret's custom Beanfield Rifle spawned a whole new genre of factory bolt-actions. Next up, we have the Savage Arms 110 Tactical Hunter Bolt-Action Rifle. Wilson Combat AR-10 Super Sniper 10. More than likely, youll be using your rifle for hunting or targeting shooting. World's longest range sniper rifle to be unveiled in 2020 Science & Tech Sept 10 2020 Nikolai Litovkin Dmitry Rogulin/TASS Follow Russia Beyond on Instagram DXL-5 'Havoc' is said to be the first. Ammo for the 6.5 Creedmoor is easy to find and inexpensive, as it has quickly become the most popular 6.5mm cartridge in North America. It also comes with a specially designed break for their factory suppressor so you can shoot round after round in quick succession. Taking down a Taliban insurgent at 2,707 yards (thats about 1.5 miles) in 2009, Harrison held the #1 spot for 3 years until he was overtaken by an unnamed Australian sniper who popped another hostile in Afghanistan using a 50 BMG out of a Barrett M82A1. And theres a reason why these features (including some others) are so essential to optimal long-range rifle performance. For reference, the 416 Rigby was designed in 1911 to use cordite as a propellant, not smokeless powder. 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum Though it's primarily a hunting round, the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum will also work for shooting long-range targets. It uses .300 Winchester Magnum rounds and has a three plus one capacity. If youre looking for a budget option that performs well and has reliable accuracy, the Howa 1500 is the perfect pick. As mentioned earlier, there are currently only 3 major rifle manufactures who offer the 416 Barrett chambering. As well, a free-floating barrel is commonly thought of as a good choice. Sure, smaller calibers will hit that far the .220 Swift, for instance however, bigger bullets retain more energy downrange and buck the wind better. A hammer-forged and threaded barrel makes for an accurate shooter ready to accept a suppressor. There are several factors to consider when choosing the best sniper rifle for your needs. The .50 BMG rounds that this Bushmaster chambers can travel some considerable distance, accurately reaching targets further than 2,000 yards. You feel a heat signature all around your body when firing the rifle. They want a string of shots to be as close together as possible. MK 22 Features Best Long-Range Cartridges 1. The big reason for a longer barrel is to get a full powder burn. Although the 6.5 Creedmoor began its life as a competitive long range shooting round, it found itself pushed into service as a hunting cartridge as well. It also has less torque than other rifle actions (that torque, or twist, will affect accuracy). You can fine-tune your load for your gun. This cartridge descended from the 505 Gibbs, which was an old English cordite big game hunting cartridge. The top long-range rifle cartridge depends on what you want to shoot. In November of 2009, Craig Harrison, Corporal of Horse in the Blues and Royals RHG/D of the British Army, made a shot that stands as the longest recorded sniper shot in history. Ideally, anything above 20 inches, but as a general rule, the longer, the better. For shooters looking for quick action, without having to purchase extras and mount scopes, heres a novel solution. They developed the cartridge by shortening and necking down a 50 BMG case to accept a 0.416 diameter bullet. NATO standard 338 Lapua Mag ammo fires a 250 grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of 3,000 fps and muzzle energy of 4892 ft-lbs. Spending $20 or more per shot is also not reasonable. Moving on, lets check out this Springfield Armory M1A-A1 Scout Squad Semiautomatic Rifle. What civilian rifle has the longest range? For the most part, the rifle is a static position rifle. AR stores are a dime a dozen, half of them now selling parts mfg in China. Theyve added an AccuTrigger to this rifle so you can make the necessary adjustments yourself. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Be advised that even though I have covered some very long-range performing rifles, I have not hit anything close to all of them. Barrel construction has a big effect on that. Here Are the Best Long Range Rifles 15. The .30-06 Springfield is certainly in most peoples top 5. Accuracy is solid, and the rifles will send the 338 bullet to one mile with spot-on accuracy when all the DOPE has been factored correctly as applied to the selected projectile. The design specification required that the cartridge be able to penetrate 5 layers of military-grade body armor at 1000 meters and fire a 0.338 bullet for its ideal sectional density and ballistic coefficient. If you hunt medium to big game, use a .30 or larger. If you're looking for the best long range caliber this video should help you choose between many of the most popular calibers.-----. Unless the 408 CheyTac is picked up as a military round, it is unlikely to see widespread use. In order to make our list, a rifle and its cartridge has to hit targets at 1,000 yards. Here is the second Ruger I recommend as a great rifle to accurately send the mail to 1400 or 1500 yards. The Gun Zone team think all of them will offer you the quality youre looking for and also great value for the money. So it makes sense that a sniper rifle has an adjustable trigger so that the shooter can set their optimal pull weight. Autoloading from a box magazine, the rifle has the ability to get rounds down range quickly if required. It is commonly thought that an adjustable trigger is best suited for a sniper type rifle. Still, the 7mm Remington is far and away the most popular, as it remains one of the best long-range cartridges on the market. It is especially valuable during military operations in urban terrain where greater . Even though I can hand load Hornady bullets by way of that companys outstanding reloading press setup, I tend to shoot surplus military ammo much of the time if and when I can find it on the open market. Furthermore, 338 Lapua ammo is very expensive when compared to a smaller round like the 308 Win. For newer shooters, the 308 Winchester is relatively easy to handle as it has mild recoil compared to the 300 Win Mag but slightly more than the 6.5 Creedmoor. Long-range shooters are focused on this. The Chey-Tac M200 Intervention is the bolt-action rifle built to handle this round, and shooters have been documented firing a group of 3 shots within 16 inches at 2,321 yards. However, if you want to know a bit more, keep scrolling and check out our top 10 list! As a final rifle on this list of very workable long-range packages, the T/C Smith & Wesson Custom Shop sniper chassis rifle seals the deal here. Plus, its a very affordable rifle choice that gives you amazing value for the money in terms of what you actually get. This allows 300 PRC rifles to handle ultra-long .30-caliber bullets with high ballistic coefficients. Top-grade reloading components are available for both, and the speed attainable with each is essentially the same. We introduce to you the Savage Arms AXIS XP Compact Bolt-Action Rifle, with a scope included in the package. One of our favorite rifles on this review list that uses a high-quality adjustable trigger set-up includes the. At the 100-yard mark, I shoot the same rifle in the 6.5 Creedmoor with also very positive results. Plus, all the looks youll get from your fellow shooters are well worth the price once you squeeze the trigger! Long-range shooting in the rifle community means reaching out to 1,000 yards or more. So in this review, we have carefully researched and plucked out some of the very best and most reputable sniper rifles in this current climate. If you are looking for a top-rated sniper rifle with the perfect trigger pull and crispness in the release, Savage Arms have you covered. Accuracy means how close you are to the point you intended to hit on the target. So make sure youre using the link to ensure youre getting this all time low price: Sig Arms is a rather newcomer to the rifle world, but rest assured, it is moving up fast. In the US, it was dubbed the M107 Long Range Sniper Rifle. Its very high quality, but just isnt the right choice for 99.9% of our readers. Rifling is an essential part of what makes a bullet consistently traject towards its target. Fast and accurate shots are all youll be getting. Since the 1950s and even up to this day, the 308 Win has been a staple in deer hunting camps and in marksmanship competitions across the globe. Factoring in recoil is very important here. Never to back down from a challenge, the ballistics team at Lapua joined forces with Sako and Accuracy International to work on redesigning the 416/338 cases into something that could handle close to 60,000 psi of pressure. Need a Bipod for your Axis? The 308 Winchester was almost an immediate commercial success for its astounding accuracy, stopping power, and an effective range out to 1,000 yards (with appropriate loadings). To get very precise rifling, a cold-forged hammer steel process is deemed to give the best results. As the target gets farther and farther away, the math becomes more and more critical. Ultimately, if youre searching for an easy to maneuver yet supremely accurate rifle, this lightweight Ruger design is hard to beat. A longer barrel is almost always more accurate than a shorter one. However, since its introduction, Noreen Firearms as well as Desert Tech also offer precision rifles chambered in 416 Barrett. Chambered in the new US military-selected sniper round, the 300 Win Mag, this rifle is a complete package in a long-range rifle that is stocked in the more traditional style furniture. I am looking for both a new and an early century long range rifle. Savage Axis II 4. I have been writing firearms and outdoor material for over 50 years to date. Its bullets will remain supersonic out past 2,000 yards. It was developed in WWI by John Moses Browning and was accepted in 1921. The four most versatile calibers for American hunters are probably, left to right, 6.5mm, .270, 7mm and .30, shown with a selection of bullets and the current most popular cartridges in each caliber: 6.5mm Creedmoor, .270 Win., 7mm Rem. The two main types are groove and polygonal. At the time, the thought of a .50 caliber shoulder-fired weapon was considered way out-of-the-box thinking. Although the 408 CheyTac is a clear upgrade over the 338 Lapua in terms of ballistics, its recoil is considerably heavier and can be hard to control without proper training and range experience. Remington 700 PCR 9. Synthetic is the most durable and lightest. However, most shooters will never center a target as far as, say, 300 through 400 yards. Plus, many of these barrels will have iron sights or other aspects built onto them, which can also affect the accuracy. Below are the10 best sniper rifles for 2022. As mentioned above, a 9mm will reach 1,000 yards. The rifle was designed to take out parked aircraft, radar units, trucks, and various other essential enemy targets at long range. This rife is a chassis design set up for long-range target or game shooting. What they produced was a cartridge that was low recoil, had a flatter trajectory than a 308 Winchester, and was capable of making 1,000 yard shots with relative ease. Muzzle devices are a good idea. The Bushmaster BF BA50 is a fine example of how a longer barrel length can translate into better long-range accuracy. Its currently selling at a lower price than when I bought mine years ago. Its a modern take on a traditional rifle that has been built for a smooth shooting operation at various ranges. However, if youre looking for a sub-50 caliber sniper cartridge that can reach out past 2,000 yards with relative ease, the 408 CheyTac needs to be on your short list. Shooting a 750-grain full metal jacket bullet, or a custom-made and lath-turned bullet of even more weight, this rifle is the three-mile wonder if necessary. A pillar bedded carbon steel barrel is used in this particular design, which allows for consistent cooling. As well, there is a forward position scope mount built-in, perfect for targeting. Astonishingly, some are capable of under 1 MOA of accuracy as well. The Creedmoor throws a lighter bullet at higher velocities than the .308. This rifle is not a standard bolt action but the design from the trigger guard up is unique to the chassis-style all-metal rifle that it is. We put 10 of the most exciting rifles made this year through the wringer to find the best rifles of the year. The 6.5 CM can be utilized against elk with proper shot placement and a proper hunting bullet. I have run the 1500 as a scoped package in long-range testing and found everything the manufacturer says it is a very accurate long-range gunning system. Tikka T3X CTR From the factory, the CTR comes with quite a few desirable features. The .308 Winchester has a long and respected history as a rifle cartridge, while the 6.5 Creedmoor hit the commercial market in 2007. for its cold hammer forged rifling and heavy tapered free-floating barrel. Depending on the rifle weight, some 50 BMG loads can have upwards of 90 ft-lbs of free recoil. A .300 WinMag will shred a budget scope. Charles Greer put 10 shots into a .2862 space. A good scope pairing means two things: On the list of parts for a gun, the trigger sits at No. Read the below list right the way. You shouldnt be surprised if this story sounds somewhat similar to the 338 Lapua Magnum, which began its life from the cordite-fired 416 Rigby case. Cheytac can be regarded as a hunting rifle, but its best role is to be used for hitting targets miles away when taking on steel-plated bad guys. As a long range big game round or hard. While the marksman's shooting ability is crucial to making an accurate shot, picking the right cartridge is just as important. Barrett has the bases covered from 1000 yards to two miles if and when required. In terms of performance, the 300 Win Mag is widely accepted to have a 1,200 yard effective range on two-legged varmints. Multiple rifle makers produce 50 BMG rifles and most all of them come with a muzzle brake and bipod installed at the factory to help mitigate the punishing recoil of the round. When you add it all up, it should be no surprise that the 300 Winchester Magnum is our top choice for the best sniper rifle cartridge. Although not an immediate commercial success due to staunch competition from the 7mm Reminton Magnum, the 300 Win Mag steadily grew in popularity and has become the most popular 30-caliber magnum cartridge on the planet. This puts tension on the barrel, which affects accuracy. When you are making precision long-range shots, the smallest of details can make a big difference to you hitting your target or not. Available Calibers: 6.5mm, 7mm, and .308. The designers of the 416 Barrett were Chris Barrett (son of Ronnie Barrett, the founder of Barrett Firearms) and Pete Forras. He enjoys writing about all types of firearms and enjoys passing on his extensive knowledge to all readers of his articles. Furthermore, the 50 BMG is one of the few rounds that has a ballistic coefficient over 1.0, meaning its incredibly resistant to wind drift which is needed for extreme long range shooting. The 50 Cal BMG Raufoss Mk 211 round, for example, is designed to enter a build, move across the interior space to the center point, and explode, thereby sending hot metal into everything in the area. The targeted muzzle velocity to achieve this requirement was 3,000 fps. Obviously, this is not a gun you will want to use for maneuvering or carrying around with you on foot. You also get a lever safety built-in, and the rifle is drilled and tapped for your scope to be mounted with little hassle. So lastly, wed like to thank you for stopping by, and we hope you find the right long-range rifle to suit your particular wants and needs. Winchester developed the 300 Win Mag using the venerable 375 H&H Magnum as a parent case. The rifle is a one miler plus shooting system, but at a price tag that fits the budget of most working guys and gals, and is actually one of the 2nd cheapest rifles on the list. The most iconic sniper rifle is a Barrett in .50 BMG. This is because you can usually set the pull weight to the exact amount that feels comfortable for you. At 2018 SHOT Show, the 224 Valkyrie was released by Federal to provide AR-15 marksmen a soft-shooting semi-automatic cartridge that was capable of matching 6.5 Creedmoor levels of performance. Barrel rifling is the grooves inside the barrel that add a twist to stabilize the bullet in flight. Ruger broke the mold and entered the long-range rifle business with the introduction of the Ruger Precision rifle. Rifle availability for the 50 BMG is also considerably higher than for rounds like the 416 Barrett or 408 CheyTac. It reduces the report/ noise, controls muzzle flash, and tames recoil. The 40-X trigger can be adjusted to your ideal pull weight, making it so much easier for you to find a balance that suits your style of shooting. And, as you can see, the rifle is accompanied with a foldable steel bipod, so that your accuracy will be impeccable especially when you compare it to your average handheld rifle format. Theres no doubt that the 50 BMG is a potent long range rifle round that is excellent for shooting at distances well over 1 mile. This rifle is not a standard bolt action but the design from the trigger guard up is unique to the chassis-style all-metal rifle that it is. Plus, if youre worried about recoil dont be. Plus, this Springfield Armory rifle also features a trigger guard and manual safety. If youre looking to air it out past 1,000 yards, the 338 Lapua is an excellent option that offers incredible terminal ballistics. And good luck when it comes to ammo! One great example of a quick-firing long-range rifle on our list is the, There still might be a few things you are wondering about with regards to choosing the right long-range rifle for your requirements. Now dozens of countries use the cartridge. It has been mentioned that this rifle will work very well with an AAC Cyclops 50 cal. Developed to fire a 398 gr solid brass bullet, the 416 Barret can achieve a muzzle velocity of 3,150 fps and a muzzle energy of 8,767 ft-lbs. Since the 6.5 Creedmoor was designed to fit into a short-action rifle, it is suitable for use in the semi-automatic AR-10 as well as the Springfield M1A and the FN SCAR 20S. I have shot the Cheytac rifles in commercial product review situations. The barrel length is a decent 20 inches, allowing for good muzzle velocity and accuracy. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the 6.5 CM is its low recoil impulse, making it easier for new or recoil-sensitive shooters to handle. Below are the 12 Best Long Range Rifles. Although the 300 Win Mag is known for its flat trajectory and amazing terminal ballistics, shooters pay for this performance in terms of recoil. The development of the 308 Winchester (military designation - 7.62x51mm NATO) began after the Korean War to replace the long-serving 30-06 Springfield round. Additionally, bolt actions can be single-shot or mag fed, which take less work to load than break-action or trapdoor guns. And so, nearly all of the best sniper rifles will have utilized this method of production in their making. If youre not on a pre-measured range, then you need to mark the distance. This allows you to gain the perfect shooting position to target effectively. Known for their AR line of rifles, the company has come up with a Crossover rifle in a bolt action that is built on a chassis frame not much larger than the AR platform used on other Sig Arms rifles. The Creedmoors long, aerodynamic projectiles have incredibly high ballistic coefficients and are typically found inside the 135 to 150 grain weight range. The best long-range cartridge in the world might be the .408 Chey-Tac. For the most part, the Cheytac in the 408 cartridge is front and center on my dream list. This is done with a tool or laser. What is the most accurate long-range sniper rifle? Although the 308 Winchester might not be as powerful as the 300 Win Mag and has more recoil than the 6.5 Creedmoor, the 308 offers an excellent middle-of-the-road option for precision shooters who are looking for an inexpensive medium-range cartridge. Free-floating means the barrel only touches the upper, where it screws into the gun. In long-range shooting, you can go for accuracy, or you can go for precision. Lighter projectiles may be pushed faster, but most long-range shooters prefer the outstanding ballistics of the heavy-for-caliber versions. Cheytac M200 Intervention 8. You need to be able to see those hits. A very good spotting scope is many times the power of your rifle scope. It can be changed to eight different calibers, including long- and short-action options, as well as multiple barrel lengths. I tried to call them but now they just direct you to file a customer service request online. For another option in very high-performance ultra-long-range rifles, we turn to the advanced Cheytac line of rifles. This one might be a bit of a surprise, as Russian ammunition has a bad rap for being inaccurate. This was a godsend for deer and other hunters, who snapped up rifles in the new caliber. Arguably, one of the best indicators of a highly accurate sniper rifle is that all the parts function smoothly and solidly together. This is because it will increase the muzzle velocity due to the longer time that the bullet travels through the barrel. Both are superbly accurate and easy to load for. Caliber choice includes long-range favorites .260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester and you have the alternative between 20- and 24-inch barrels for each chambering. It is recommended for varmint hunting with light 100 and 110-grain bullets. The 6.5 Creedmoor and .260 Rem perform identically. Another really important aspect of this rifle design that gives it superb accuracy potential is the trigger. I have 375 H&H and 50BMG but am looking for an impressive high Ballistic Coefficient. And, the factory-installed bore-sighted 3-940 scope really is a welcome bonus. And, you get a solid and durable composite stock, to ensure steady targeting. Your dealing with trumptards, what do you expect? This article will provide an in-depth overview of the 10 best sniper cartridges available on the market today so you can make the best decision when purchasing your next long range shooting rifle. Furthermore, 300 Win Mag ammo wont break the bank if youre looking to buy factory loads while reloading components are readily available. The goal of the round was to penetrate light armored personnel carriers and tanks of the era; however, it was quickly adopted for use in aircraft, for anti-air guns, as well as being mounted on tanks. This system is made to lock the receiver and to free float the barrel in order to give you the incredible accuracy that this rifle is capable of. It makes sense to have as much scope as possible, with ideally a trigger that can be tuned from three pounds to five pounds. At 1,000 yards, wind can be the difference between being on target and missing the paper entirely. The rifle used for the longest recorded shot is a custom-built gun shooting the .416 Barrett. Check out our Best Rifle Slings reviews for more information. Bullets for the 408 CheyTac need to be custom ordered, as the cartridge typically fires solid copper projectiles instead of jacketed bullets with a soft lead core. Some snipers use the 6.5 Creedmoor as their chosen gun. Our energy requirements are a suitable kill on a deer or larger critter at 1,000 yards. Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Target Rifle 12. Why is an adjustable trigger worth having? This makes the .270 Winchester Short Magnum a good choice for long-range hunting. Bergara Premier MG . As for American service men who wear the stars and stripes on their shoulders, I would be remiss if I did not mention American sniper legend Chris Kyle, who took down a hostile in the Iraq War at 2,100 yards (1.19 miles) using 338 Lapua Mag. For out of the box accuracy, you cant go wrong with a Ruger Precision Rifle, Browning X-Bolt, or Savage 110 Precision for a long-range turnkey setup. A common problem that results from this is that vibrations can occur when the gun is fired, which can distort accuracy. For target shooting my use. However, their quality has slipped and there is no longer any customer service. Accuracy and precision go hand in hand. Barrel life for these cartridges is painfully short, and Hornady wanted to provide shooters with a cartridge that could fire 200+ grain 0.308 diameter bullet while maintaining an acceptable lifespan of the barrel. There are lots of rifles that are well beyond all of these. Match-grade ammo is also readily available from multiple manufacturers and virtually every rifle company has multiple precision rifle options available chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. Wanna find the best cheap long range rifles? The main feature that overrides all others, though, has to be accuracy. The M107 Semi-Automatic Long Range Sniper Rifle (LRSR) fires .50-caliber ammunition, and is capable of delivering precise, rapid fire on targets out to 2,000 meters. The 408 CheyTac has not seen extensive military adoption outside of specialized units inside US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) such as Special Forces. Best Long Range & Precision Rifles 1. For better accuracy, the barrel features a hybrid muzzle brake that reduces recoil and noise. A strong example of a long-range rifle with a well made floating barrel is the. The Precision Rifle 6.5 Creedmoor 24 M-Lok by Ruger is stacked with features to provide an excellent long-range shooting experience. Given the popularity of the round, 300 Win Mag ammo is easy to find and match-grade custom loads are readily available. On the rear, there is a .0690 aperture style sight where accurate MOA adjustments can be made to account for elevation and windage. Instead of killing with brute force like the .50 caliber, this is an 1800+ meter rifle that kills personnel with precision and a flat trajectory. What is the top long range rifle for big game? Top 10 Best Sniper Rifle Cartridges .300 Winchester Magnum (300 Win Mag) 6.5 Creedmoor (6.5 CM) 308 Winchester (308 Win, 7.62x51mm NATO) 300 Precision Rifle Cartridge (300 PRC) 7.62x54R 224 Valkyrie 338 Lapua Magnum 408 CheyTac 416 Barrett 50 BMG Parting Shots - The Best Sniper Calibers Development of the 408 CheyTac began in 2001, although the finalized cartridge was not standardized by the CIP until 2013. Our decades of combined experience have been pooled together to bring you this list of 7 incredible long-range rifle choices and 1 that you should really avoid. Usually, barrels attach to the receiver or stock of a rifle. However, the real innovation by Lapua came in the form of hardness distribution (hard to soft) from the cartridge face to the mouth. Remember the first rule of gunfighting have a gun.. The 224 Valkyrie was developed around firing 90 grain Sierra Matchking bullets with a ridiculously high BC of 0.563, putting it on par with the 6.5 Creedmoor and 6.5 Grendel in terms of ballistic performance. *Note, as of April 28, 2023, this product is sold out. Capable of firing bullets between 110 and 220 grains, the 300 Win Mag offers shoots unparalleled levels of versatility when it comes to bullet selection to take on big game from whitetail to moose. The issue with the 50 BMG at 27 pounds loaded weight is that she tends to send a backwash blast that engulfs the shooter for a few brief seconds when fired. Below is a review of some of the best cheap long range rifles together with their extra features and functions. Its just not reasonable for most people. If you want to hit a target at 1,000 yards, you must practice with a gun and ammo capable of reaching that far. The 300 PRS is a dead-on 1500-yard rifle, as is the 300 Win Mag based on the correct BC-selected bullet. That means it gets on target faster (less time being knocked around by wind) and drops less. Thats why Remington has incorporated a beavertail forend, a full-length aluminum bedding block, and a recessed thumb hook for maximum accuracy. Initially the 416 Barrett was only available in the single-shot bolt action Barrett Model 99. I have been testing this rifle for almost a year, shot a pie of steel out to 1000 yards based on the 6.5 Creedmoor chamber in my test rifle, and it is also a rifle I have suggested as workable in the varmint class of rifles. As we have covered the 50 BMG as a long-range cartridge, the attention turns to another rifle known worldwide among combat units as the long-range sniper rifle of all time. The thicker barrel just moves less than a thin barrel, letting you maintain accuracy.
