As you can see, one of our gold standard flat-shooting cartridges (.270 Winchester) does not compare favorably with either of the Noslers or the Weatherby Magnum. I recently purchased this rifle from a long time member on this site. He wasnt quite prepared for the recoil when the rifle was mounted on his shoulder over a puffy coat. Here are 280 AIs loaded with Nosler Accubonds and Barnes TSX, two solid options for big game. bullets at faster speeds allows the projectile to get to the target sooner, minimizing the amount of time all three forces have to affect the bullets trajectory. . An aerodynamically efficient, high B.C. The .300 Win Mag has a longer case length at 67mm (2.62 in) compared to 65.8mm (2.59 in), while it has just a bit longer overall length at 85mm compared to 84.8mm. The advent of precision rifle competitions and the laser rangefinder has increased the publics desire to go long. These are some impressive numbers. For me, I havent developed any flinching issues and Id prefer to have a gun that I know will shoot incredibly flat with little wind drift at long distances for those cross-canyon elk shots. However, I fully admit that that a flat shooting cartridge is not nearly as important as a cartridge which is resistant to wind deflection. This is, perhaps, one of the worst ways to measure a cartridges suitability for hunting because it doesnt take into account shot placement or bullet design; however, it at least provides some barometer of the cartridges power. Since this article originally went live, several excellent long-range big-game cartridges have it the market. Less well known in the U.S. (but more ballistically advanced) was the 7mm Weatherby Magnum from the early 1940s. Image shows recovered Barnes TTSX monolithic bullets, illustrating how this can contribute to deeper penetration in the 280 AI, 26 Nosler, 28 Nosler. (This is essentially what Hornady did to the .260 Remington to make the 6.5 Creedmoor.) Note: An expanded article about the .28 Nosler can be found on the Rifle Cartridges page. Wind drift is also an important factor, and measures the amount a bullet will be knocked off course by a 10mph crosswind. Thats not a huge difference, but the advantage grows as we get farther. Each bullet was packing about 3,000 f-p of energy. I took the shot prone and then stood up after the wildebeest tipped over after a perfect shot. Also, youll find more ammo options for the .308 Winchester than any of the others. By way of comparison, the .270 Winchester (based on the .30-06 Springfield) offers a case capacity of 67 grains. The .300 Win Mag is not known for its light recoil, but it still offers a lighter recoil than the .28 Nosler. The following improvements will be made: Please sign up for our newsletter so that you can be alerted the moment these new features are launched! The answer might surprise you. The 26 Nosler cartridge was designed to take advantage of the inherently accurate and high B.C. Again, the bullets will modify this quite a bit. minimize drop and wind deflection. I neither believe in this minimum nor in shooting elk at 700 yards, but this is impressive performance for a standard-length cartridge nearing its 60th birthday. It is, however, critical for powering the control unit -- the brain. At some distance even the 28 Nosler is going as slow as the 7x57mm Mauser, at which point -- if they're pushing the same bullet -- impact performance would be identical. On much of their marketing material for the cartridge, they call it The New Herd Bull.. Yet it has proven again and again that it will deliver at distance. It outperforms the .280 Remington (also known as the 7mm-06 and the 7mm Express), and for years wildcatters and handloaders have been singing its praises. Choice Ammunition 28 Nosler 150gr Barnes TTXS Rifle Ammo - 20 Rounds. This is a long-range dream cartridge for sure. It is based on the non-belted .26 Nosler case (itself based on a cut-down Remington Ultra Mag case) necked-up to accept 7mm (.284") bullets. And it will likely penetrate farther because more of its mass rides in the long shank behind its nose. To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Elevation Windage Units. Comparing two bullets zeroed at 300 yards, well see the .28 Nosler drop 23.57 by 500 yards, while the .300 Win Mag will drop 24.66. The .308 Winchester will win no ballistic awards; its simply a shorter version of the time-tested and beloved .30/06. A good hunting cartridge has to fit in a rifle thats comfortable to carry all day and wont kick you so hard that you cant shoot it well. The 28 Nosler shoots flat at 400 yards, a rarity in any weapon, much less one on a 7mm platform. The published factory load ballistics for the .28 Nosler are impressive. Nosler Trophy Grade with a 150-grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range at 3300 fps. It will push a 90-grain Fusion bullet to 500 yardswhich is probably the limit for big game with this cartridgewhile still retaining enough velocity to initiate expansion. Well, theres really only one option in .22-caliber and thats the .224 Valkyrie. 36 in. I was once hunting plains game in Africa when my PH told me, holding a rangefinder, that the wildebeest was 155 yards away. It drops seven feet by 800 yards, but still maintains the punch of 1018 pounds (the ethical standard for big game is 1000 pounds . Video of Elk Being Shot with .28 Noslerif(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'backfire_tv-box-4','ezslot_7',175,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-backfire_tv-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'backfire_tv-box-4','ezslot_8',175,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-backfire_tv-box-4-0_1'); .box-4-multi-175{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:15px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:15px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}, Nosler even advertises the .28 Nosler primarily as an elk cartridge. This is with my Browning X-Bolt 28 Nosler sh. Your rifle will be sent over to Evolved Munitions LLC who will then begin the load development process. If you plan to order your ammunition online, the best elk hunting cartridge Ive seen is probably the Nosler 160-grain Trophy Grade ammunition with a good old Partition bullet. The 6.5 Creedmoor will remain supersonic out to 1,400 yards and is quickly becoming the most popular long-range, big-game cartridge in the world. RELATED: The 10 Best Rifle Bullets for Long-Range Shooting. 257Tony said: Too much overlap with the Creedmoor and the PRC. is One Gun To Rule Them All, New 270 Cartridges Challenge 6.5s and 7mms. A barrel shot out for target competition might remain more than accurate enough for big game hunting. So, the 280 AI with case capacity of around 65-grains water (varies by bullet seating depth) would generate the least muzzle energy and the least recoil. I wouldnt want to use my lightweight rifle in .28 Nosler for a range gun when I want to shoot 50-100 shots for a practice session. The .28 Nosler cartridge is one of the best cartridges for hunting elk as long as controlled-expansion bullets are used. If you want to max things out, you need a bullet that will expand at lower velocities. Think Swift A-Frame, Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw and Terminal Ascent, etc. Zeroed at 350 yards, the 26 Nosler has a Point Blank Range of 0-415 yards. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Choosing among them comes down to how much reach and punch you want versus how much recoil you'll tolerate. This is classic response to a bullet strike whether .22 or .30. Then Remington blew the doors wide open with their new 7mm magnum chambered in their equally new and affordable M700 rifles. Well, that would limit most hunting rifles to between 150 and 400-yards. A 28 Nosler can be reliably zeroed at 400 yards, which is pretty impressive. Those are the two loads I keep seeing in my local Sportsmans Warehouse and Cabelas. Here is a three shot group at Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf on steel at 1,200 yards in near 100 degree temps at 2pm. shoots great , is as new as it gets . Recoil is negligible, making it a great option for hunter with sensitive shoulders. The difference still remains fairly small. Because the 7mm RM is a familiar benchmark, lets establish some basic performance numbers in an 8 pound rifle with 24-inch barrel spitting a representative spire point, boat tail, 175-grain hunting bullet, B.C. Although there are more advanced and fancy bullet designs created more recently, most factory loads for the 28 Nosler focus on long range expansion, and Id prefer to have a Partitions deep penetration for elk. Last year, I purchased a Browning X-Bolt Pro in .28 Nosler. However, it proved to be mostly a flash in the pan. Maximum 2000 yards; Minimum 0. That, combined with their relatively small size, means that compared to cartridges of similar powder capacity, the 6.5s will almost always do more, in terms of external and terminal ballistics, with less recoil. But truth be told, every Weatherby cartridge is a long-range cartridge. Though the sub-quarter MOA precision and low ES and SD are not guaranteed, they are the norm. High-velocity cartridges are high velocity for a reason. Full-magnum action long. The 27 Nosler bests the .270 Winchester by about 400 fps with 150-grain bullets. They sharpened the shoulder angle. Most hunters who resist target practice can get a lifetime of good accuracy out of these 7mms. I'd go 300PRC or drop down to a smaller capacity 7mm case. Out of the muzzle, the .300 Win Mag has an extra 141 ft-lbs of energy over the .28 Nosler. Federal Premium, 130-grain Terminal Ascent, .308 Winchester will win no ballistic awards. Ballistic Programing/Custom Turrets:If you are buying a ballistic range finder or kestrel we will program the ballistic computer for you so everything is ready upon arrival. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. include more options in rifles and ammo, more accessible and less expensive ammo, less recoil, a potentially shorter, handier, lighter rifle, and longer barrel life. Well use a 10-inch diameter target zone for computing Maximum Point Blank Range. If you cant manage the recoil and place your shot well, the extra power isnt going to do you much good, so make sure you are prepared and actually need the extra power before opting for the .28 Nosler. Calculating Trajectories . Lots of hiking, backpacking, climbing, shooting to 450 yards, maybe 500 yards. The 175-grain 28 Nosler is topped with an AccuBond LR bullet and has a muzzle velocity of 3,125 fps. You can find an email form and contact information here. This Nosler rifle was one of the first offerings for the new cartridge when it launched and it's still one of the go-to options for big game hunting. Wind also affects bullets differently, and a cartridges ability to overcome these three forces makes it better or worse for shooting flat and far. However, you should be aware that the recoil on a .28 Nosler is not right for all shooters. Ballistic Profile Specifications: Scope height, velocity, twist rate, and all ballistic data to include bullet Ballistic Coefficient (BC), powder charge, Base to Ogive, and Cartridge Overall Length will be provided with the package. Factory rifles and ammunition options are limited here, too, but based on the ballistic abilities of this cartridge, thats likely to change sooner rather than later. There are now at least 14 7mm cartridges being manufactured in the U.S. with several wildcats waiting in the wings. 12 in. The 280 AI, 26 Nosler, 28 Nosler? Yeah, 6.5s are all the rage, and their blinding popularity has taken some shine off the old .270, but the latter is still one of the very best long-range hunting cartridges. might not sound like a big deal until you start maneuvering it in and out of cases, trucks, scabbards, and forests. And support all of that with extensive training and practice so you can do your part in delivering your bullets to your targets. When reloading, use large rifle magnum primers and the slowest burning powders, such as Alliant Reloader 25, Hodgdon Retumbo, Hodgdon US869 and Ramshot Magnum, to approximate factory load velocities. Thats not surprising considering the extra energy of the .28 Nosler. Jim Harmer is a host of the Backfire Youtube channel. Thus, the .50BMG drops less at 1,000 yards than the 6.5 Creedmoor. Richard Mann The way in which cartridge manufacturers develop rounds to overcome these forces is the twist rates of the barrels in the rifles the cartridges are chambered in, developing longer, more aerodynamic bullets with narrower ogives and case capacity. . Push a 175-grain 2,800 fps in the 280 AI and it'll recoil 14 fps with 24 foot-pounds of energy in an 8-pound rifle. If you like your hearing, on the other hand, shooting without a brake will kick hard. With their Vanguard line you can do it for less than $900. The best long-range cartridge in the world might be the .408 Chey-Tac. Note that the 290-yard zero puts mid-range trajectory a bit higher (4.6" at 150-yards) than is ideal for deer-sized game, but for consistency I wanted to maintain the same zero range for all three cartridges we're comparing. Nosler is loading the 27 with their famous AccuBond, which is one of the best big-game bullets ever crafted. bullets to the chest without falling over. bullet have what it takes for hunting anything short of dangerous game. The .28 Nosler of 2015 was their solution. Based on the 7.6239/220 Russian cartridge case, the Valkyrie changes the personality of the AR-15. That was the 7x57mm re-branded for the non-metric British Rigby rifle. It nearly matches the ballistics of the Winchester Magnum, but does so in rifles with faster-twist barrels and modern powders that extend barrel life. The two old wildebeest bulls weighed about 315 pounds each, and a mature bull elk weighs approximately 650 pounds. This is Not a New Thing. Various bonded and hybrid bullets with lead or titanium shanks behind hollow copper or bonded lead noses can penetrate as well as the Barnes, too. ), Hornadys Precision Hunter 178-grain ELD-X at 2,600 fps is probably the best long-range option, but look also at the new 168-grain Berger Hybrid Hunter load from Federal, RELATED: 6.5 Creedmoor vs. .308 Winchester. Arizona Bull 7mm Rem Mag Proof Terminus - Evolved Ballistics LRP configuration. It will them be 3.0 inches high at 260 yards and 3.0 inches . The amount of drop is directly influenced by velocity, energy, rifle barrel, and bullet design. Loaded with a 175gr Spitzer AccuBond-Long Range (LR) Bullet and Nosler Premium Brass. But to do this, it must launch a heavy bullet and that means recoil can be stiff; from an 8-pound rifle, it generates more than 33 foot-pounds of recoil, which is more than twice that of the 6.5 Creedmoor. The 28 Nosler adds considerable powder, thus energy, to push the same 175-grain bullet as the 280 AI. Recoil is stiff and some find it hard to master. Although Ive been shooting all my life, I have to mentally check my shoulder mount before I pull the trigger. Going to a 28-inch barrel provides more volume for burning those big doses of slow-burning powder, adding 50 to perhaps 100 fps to 26-inch barrel velocities. Below is a chart indicating the three best flat-shooting cartridges and their muzzle velocity, drop, energy levels, and felt recoil. Ballistic Coefficient: 0.435 Bullet Weight: 130 gr Initial Velocity: 3075 fps Sight Height : 1.5 in Shooting Angle: 0 Wind Speed: 10 mph Wind Angle: 90 Zero Range: 100 yd Chart Range: 1000 yd Maximum Range: 5705 yd Step Size: 100 yd: International Standard Atmosphere Altitude: Sea Level (0 ft) Barometric Pressure: 29.92 Hg Temperature: 59 F That depends on whose factory loads (or handloads) you compare. Brownings 175-grain Sierra Tipped GameKing load has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2835 fps and a very high ballistic coefficient. Specifically, the larger diameter .284 bullets used by those 7mm cartridges have about 5% more frontal surface area (also known as cross sectional area) than the .277 bullets used by the 6.8 Western (.0633 vs .0603 square inches). Miss small. While price varies depending on the brand, the .28 Nosler is usually about twice as expensive as the .300 Win Mag, and rifles chambered in .28 Nosler will typically also cost you a prettier penny. ratings lose much energy to drag. Mag. Mag. Here we compare a 162 grain .28 Nosler against a 180 grain .300 Win Mag. Read Next: Small Calibers for Big Game. Mag., the new .28 Nosler, and the over-the-top 7mm RUM. Were I seeking the absolute top-end, extreme-range performance and willing to carry a 28 inches of barrel, Id look harder at the RUM. Mag. The 28 Nosler has excellent long-range ballistics delivering their standard 168-grain bullet at speeds up to 3228 fps. Hunting elk is hard work. At 700 yards, that difference will increase, with the .28 Nosler dropping 70.71 compared to the .300 Win Mags 74.37. I took two black wildebeest with my rifle chambered in .28 Nosler. But if you suspect a 26-inch barrel might be a bit unwieldy, waitll you haul around a 28-inch. If youre target shooting and plan to fire a high volume of rounds, it might be more of a concern. You want 98.2 grains water capacity behind a seated 175-grain bullet? We manufacture Partition, AccuBond, E-Tip, Ballistic Tip, Custom Competition and much more. And that light recoil not only makes you a better shot in the field; it also makes practicing more fun and productive. If youre after critters deer-size and up, the field is dominated by .30-caliber, 6.5mm, and 7mm cartridges, with the best long-range options remaining supersonic out to at least 1,400 yards. First, the 7mm Rem Mag and 28 Nosler use larger diameter bullets than the 6.8 Western. I rank a 165-grain Barnes TTSX with a 180-grain Partition for penetration. If youre a hunter, it will still take you years for either cartridge to wear out your barrel. The email address you entered is not valid. performance without stepping up to a full magnum length cartridge and rifle action was Noslers goal. The 190 A-tips out of the 28 Nosler would be potent as hell though, at least on paper. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. However, the .220 Swift and the .22-250 have been used to take deer out to distances a lot of folks got no business shooting, for a long, long time. This can be useful in comparing cartridges or loads. . If you go with a hot 7mm, get one with a fairly heavy barrel contour. This whitetail buck took two 150-grain 300 Winchester Magnum slugs to the chest from less than 60 yards without falling over. 25-06AI). If youre going to tackle an elk or mule deer with a 180-grain bullet at around 2,900 fps, the 7mm version in that bullet weight will shoot flatter, drift less, and put more energy on target than the .308 version. .648 in the 175-grain .284 platform, .625 in the 142-grain .264 caliber) will keep more than 1,500 f-p to 600 yards. The non-bonded bullet should deliver good terminal performance up close and at distance. . We hunters tend to fixate on rifles and "calibers," (meaning cartridges) as if they make a big difference. So how do you choose among these three? This means that its a bit more readily available from a wider selection of manufacturers, but also that its quite a bit cheaper. Nonetheless, 7mm bullets can be extremely aerodynamic and, as legendary elephant hunter Karamojo Bell proved, effective on even the largest animals. Now lets compare this to our other two 7mm candidates. The rim of the RUM was already rebated to fit a .534-inch bolt face. With those thoughts in mind, it is easy to see why the 26 Nosler, 28 Nosler and the 6.5300 Weatherby Magnums are the best flat-shooting cartridges offered to rifle shooters today. (For anyone who gets worked up about the fact that the .30/06 isnt on this list, feel free to swap it with this one, as long as you dont mind the extra kick. Hunting an exotic antelope in South Texas? 7mm RM, 2,900 fps from 24 bl. Mag. Mag., the new .28 Nosler, and the over-the-top 7mm RUMa shoot-off to find the best, By Mag. Thats a very nice lightweight setup, without going to the extremes. And that means more powder. The completed case holds 90 grains of water with our 175-grain boattail spire point bullet seated. Commissions are earned for links to Brownell's, Amazon, MidwayUSA, GoHunt, OpticsPlanet, Sportsman's Warehouse, and other retailers. A fast, flat-shooting cartridge/bullet that minimizes wind deflection can help you do that. Bullets, baby, bullets. He has managed multiple gun ranges, and has hunted around the world. That's when it starts wobbling or running erratically. It will a produce a line graph showing the bullet drop and flight path of the bullet. The U.S.A. hasnt fully adopted the metric system, but our shooters and hunters have. A favorite of big game hunters, the 300 Win Mag is also favored by long range precision rifle shooters who regularly take the cartridge to 1,000 yards and beyond. Barrel Break In: All barrels will increase in speed. If there were a factory load of .28 Nosler Cartridges with a 168-grain Barnes LRX, Id order a whole pallet right away. Lots of hunters consider the .270 Winchester one of the best all-purpose, short- and long-range cartridges of all time. The Nosler AccuBond is one of the best all-round big-game bullets offered, and Weatherby has smarly offered the 140-grain version for their 6.5 RPM cartridge. Hornady 123-grain SST at 2580 fps. The Creedmoor carries more velocity and energy downrange with less recoil than any other factory cartridge. The reason why 6.5mm cartridges are exploding in popularity is because they are ultra-efficient. Since nearly all long-distance shooters today use a laser rangefinder, does it even matter which cartridges shoot the flattest? Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range with a 129-grain AccuBond Long Range bullet at 3,400 fps. While there are some drawbacks to this cartridge for elk hunting, in general its one of the best rounds on the market. If I can shoot the .28 Nosler without any issues, the vast majority of adult male shooters wont have any issues either. 218 in. Time of flight impacts bullet drop more than anything else. You can join the Ron Spomer Outdoors community on Patreon. Generally, traditional Weatherby Magnum cartridges perform slightly better than their Winchester or Remington magnum counterparts. Worry less about the cartridge and more about the bullet. The ballistics coefficient of the bullet (a formula which considers the mass, diameter, and aerodynamic drag of a bullet to understand its ability to fight wind and continue on its path) greatly impacts time of flight because it keeps the bullet from slowing down due to inefficiency of flight. If youll be hunting inside of 500 yards, both calibers have plenty of power to take just about any game in North America, and the lighter recoil of the .300 Win Mag might become your determining factor. The shoulder angle is 35-degrees. Based on the now almost-forgotten .284 Winchester, the 6.5-284 Norma was originally a wildcat cartridge and a very popular one, especially in bench-rest competitions. The newest addition to the Nosler line of proprietary cartridges is the 27 Nosler. The .28 Nosler and 7mm RUM push the same bulletsjust faster. The flattest-shooting popular rifle cartridge at 1,000 yards is the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum, followed by the .26 Nosler, the .28 Nosler, the .22 Creedmoor, and the 6.5 Weatherby RPM. Please welcome the .28 Nosler as the most powerful 7mm cartridge commercially available today. Here, the .28 Nosler has an advantage, though not a huge one. The .300 Win Mag is not known for its light recoil, but it still offers a lighter recoil than the .28 Nosler. But with laser rangefinders one can easily compensate for the slightly greater drop of the 7mm Rem. Another indicates 74-grains of Hodgdon 870 will churn up 2,954 fps. All rights reserved. The following table averages multiple loads for each cartridge and shows an average amount of drop at 500 yards and 1,000 yards for each cartridge. Using this web site acknowledges your agreement to the, 28 Nosler vs 300 Win Mag Ballistics Comparison. It is always better to stalk closer or wait for a better opportunity. Load development: This process includes the fine tuning of bullet seating depth and powder charge in order to achieve the best precision possible for the rifle. The .277 is an oddball bullet diameter, in that it doesnt fall into the much more common 6.5mm, 7mm, or .30-caliber categories. The new Federal Premium, 130-grain Terminal Ascent load with a muzzle velocity of 2825 fps shoots flat and the bullet is tough enough to handle up close impacts while still delivering good expansion at distance. Deciding on the three best flat-shooting cartridges does not come down simply to one statistic, but a combination of all the factors inherent to a cartridge. This information is provided to the shooter as well. One argument for a flat-shooting cartridge is that it covers mistakes. MPBR: 392 yards (Zero at 332 yards, 3.63" high at 100 yards.) Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain ELDX at 2,960 fps. It usually includes hiking steep country for days with a pack on your back. In fact, we may say that its the only thing that matters; however, factors that lead to time of flight changes are important to consider. The additional reach is tempting, but Id pay the price with a 26-inch, fairly heavy barrel. But a reputation for burning out barrels ultimately doomed the cartridge. Shot from SAAMI-mandated 1-8 twist barrels, the 6.5s long, slender bullets seem to almost defy wind and gravity and allow this cartridge to deliver clean kills at distance. In 2001 Remington looked to the old .404 Jeffery case for its ultra-speedy 7mm. How Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox.