Best caliber for 1000 yards

[blacktornado]

I'm a bench rest shooter with 22 rimfire ,6PPC and 30 BR. I start right now to think about long distance like 600 and 1000 yards. I read many articles and accordingly to 6mmbr site it seems one of best caliber is 7WSM and 7SAUM. Unfortunately when you read top equipment list for National NBRSA and IBS you see few 7mm calibers and never at top. Where is the truth? I definetely don't like 6,5x284 because it is very difficult to tune and when it seems you did it suddenly a bad agg is coming. What you suggest for 1000 yards?
Thanks

[Tod Soeby]

There are lots of Dashers out there.

[Charles E]

Actually, Scott (Ain't nothin' to it) Griffin won the IBS Nationals with a 7mm Remington Mag awhile back.

The general reason you don't see 7mm chamberings is bullets. Maybe the new Bergers & Sierras are first rate, maybe they'll continue to be so. But old-time shooters have a stash of .308 and maybe 6mm bullets. It just costs money to change calibers, and a bunch of us, over the years, have built up sources of our favorite custom bullets.

There is no one dominant chambering for 1,000 yards. No equivalent to the PPC for point-blank BR. .30 caliber chamberings probably win the most matches, probably because there are still more of them out there in the hands of experienced shooters. The .300 Ackley & variants is probably the most common. But nothing wrong with the .300 Win Mag, the .30 WSM, the 308 Norma Mag, the .300 Weatherby, etc. etc.

I've said it before, but bullets and barrels win long-range matches, not specific chamberings.

[blacktornado]

I understand even if today we can use Berger 180 VLD with a very good BC in 7 mm. Anyway I see most common calibers are 300 WSM, 300 Ackley and 6,5x47.I will think about.Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks
Blacktornado

[Rust]

I definetely don't like 6.5x284 because it is very difficult to tune and when it seems you did it suddenly a bad agg is coming.

I've had pretty much the oppposite experience with the 6.5 X 284, it's been remarkably consistant for me. Admittedly I pretty much used up the first barrel figuring it out, but since then adjustments have only been needed when having to switch over to a new lot number of one component or another, and then only minor adjustments. The only fly in the ointment is barrel life.

[skeetlee]

I am a nobody so take what i say for what it is worth. I think the reason that the big 7mm cal arent shot as much is recoil. I hate recoil myself. I am a big fella, and i hate recoil. I am a shotgunner at heart and i had to go to a release trigger because of recoil. I personally think the 7mm stuff is were its at, for long range shooting, but i doubt i will ever own one because of recoil. Again, take what i say for what it is worth, and that ain't much!!! Lee

[RBetts]

I'm thinking of a 6.5 either 260ai or the Creedmoor for this. I used a 300wby along long time ago when I did that but recoil and muzzle blast will cost you at some point. I have a 243 right now that will be the donor rifle so it may stay a 6mm of some sort. I'm looking at the tactical side more than the bench side of for my application.

[Armed in Utah]

My current two LR calibers are the 6XC & 260 Ack Imp...

Both 8 twist heavy no taper Pac Nor tubes...

Very bbl friendly & effiecient cartridges.....

Lapua soon to offer 22-250 brass for the 6XC reforming

Plenty of 308 Lapua for the 260 Ack

[blacktornado]

I am a nobody so take what i say for what it is worth. I think the reason that the big 7mm cal arent shot as much is recoil. I hate recoil myself. I am a big fella, and i hate recoil. I am a shotgunner at heart and i had to go to a release trigger because of recoil. I personally think the 7mm stuff is were its at, for long range shooting, but i doubt i will ever own one because of recoil. Again, take what i say for what it is worth, and that ain't much!!! Lee

Most used caliber is 300WSM and 300 Ackley .I think they have not less recoil than 7mm.
Thanks
GF

[Rust]

My favorite match is a non-affiliated match in Alabama. The rules are a little restrictive as far as equipment goes which puts more importance on the skill of the shooter, no sighters, no wind flags, no machine front rests. A lot of variety in equipment, and shooters range from first timers (low stress match for them, no one is critical of anyone or anything) to some very experienced and even well known shooters. Serious fun.

Normally something that starts with .300 takes overall match honors, if for no other reason than there are more of them at a match.

Awhile back a day with fair conditions, a plain jane .260 tied the best score ever fired at the match. A very good rifle and a very good driver. Most the time no one comes close to that score.

At another match, on the first relay with the best conditions of the day, a 223 won the match outright. Once again a very good rifle driven by an extremely skilled shooter.

Lesson there, skill of the shooter matters the most.

And from what I've seen at the matches I manage to make, a .260 is probably the best starter chambering for someone starting off in long range shooting. A good combination of accuracy, decent barrel life, low recoil, a large selection of match bullets (the new 130 Berger could be ideal for a .260), runs fine out of a 700 short action, the recoil is very manageble and it won't break the bank.

Opinions will vary, everyone plugs their own favorite.

Build a rifle that is accurate, that way poor results on target are more readily identifiable as operator error, and can be analyzed and corrected. A range data book is a must, to track what the rifle does as conditions vary.

Myself, I'm building a new .308 and a new .223. Not because they are the best chamberings for 1,000 (or 600), but because I will be able to do a lot more shooting. Given my work schedule, any match is a good match regardless of how well or how badly I do.

[a.JR]

Hi Blacktornado, It would be helpfull to include if the gun will be used for multi disciplines ,If just for 1000 yd benchrest as your IBS/ NBRSA tag suggests then the stats are right about the fact that the 300s win more events .. If it's will be shot in f class then i for one would pic another cartridge .. IMO F class is it's own match and so is 1k Benchrest and viva la Diff..JR.. Jeff Rogers..ps also if LRBR will it be Light or Heavy..

I'm a bench rest shooter with 22 rimfire ,6PPC and 30 BR. I start right now to think about long distance like 600 and 1000 yards. I read many articles and accordingly to 6mmbr site it seems one of best caliber is 7WSM and 7SAUM. Unfortunately when you read top equipment list for National NBRSA and IBS you see few 7mm calibers and never at top. Where is the truth? I definetely don't like 6,5x284 because it is very difficult to tune and when it seems you did it suddenly a bad agg is coming. What you suggest for 1000 yards?
Thanks

[blacktornado]

Hi Blacktornado, It would be helpfull to include if the gun will be used for multi disciplines ,If just for 1000 yd benchrest as your IBS/ NBRSA tag suggests then the stats are right about the fact that the 300s win more events .. If it's will be shot in f class then i for one would pic another cartridge .. IMO F class is it's own match and so is 1k Benchrest and viva la Diff..JR.. Jeff Rogers..ps also if LRBR will it be Light or Heavy..

Hi, I live in Italy and we start right now with long distance shooting.We have just few ranges with 600 yards and a couple of Matches at 1000 yards in a year. We don't have proper rules.We have mainly hunter class (hunter rifles) and open class where everything is admitted.We shoot mainly with a front bag lying on a non-stable table. Shooters are using mainly production rifles as Sako TRG 42 338 lapua mag and many 308 Winchester without any idea. I'm studying what you guys are doing in USA where you are far in front of us as I did before with 22 lr, and 6PPc for group and 30Br for score with very good results. I'm not really concerned about barrel life due to the proper range is far away and I can't go there often.I decided to start with my prone rifle: Grunig&Elmiger 6BR where I'm fitting a March 10-60x52 Br with -20Moa rings. I will see if I like it. In case I would like to make a proper rifle. That's why I read 6mmbr site where 7WSM and 7SAUM are defined as best calibers for long distance. I went through top equipment on different match results and I discovered few 7mm are used and mainly 300, 6,5x284,6 Dasher, 6,5x47 are at top.You can understand my confusion.I'm more oriented on 300WSM at this stage but I will continue to study.
Thanks to everybody.
GZ

[a.JR]

Hi BlackT, Some things i have learned , the more recoil that is involved the more you need the right gunstock ,also if your bench is unstable the lighter recoil will be easier to learn to handle ..The learning curve is made so much easier if the gun/ cartridge are both accurate and repeatable each time u line up behind it ..A gun that shoots good one day and temp changes 15 deg and the grouping falls apart is not the way to start up.. I would start with a 6BR dasher in a Shehane ST 1000 stock with a real front benchrest stand and your March , but hey there are lots of ways to do it ,good luck..JR..Jeff Rogers

Hi, I live in Italy and we start right now with long distance shooting.We have just few ranges with 600 yards and a couple of Matches at 1000 yards in a year. We don't have proper rules.We have mainly hunter class (hunter rifles) and open class where everything is admitted.We shoot mainly with a front bag lying on a non-stable table. Shooters are using mainly production rifles as Sako TRG 42 338 lapua mag and many 308 Winchester without any idea. I'm studying what you guys are doing in USA where you are far in front of us as I did before with 22 lr, and 6PPc for group and 30Br for score with very good results. I'm not really concerned about barrel life due to the proper range is far away and I can't go there often.I decided to start with my prone rifle: Grunig&Elmiger 6BR where I'm fitting a March 10-60x52 Br with -20Moa rings. I will see if I like it. In case I would like to make a proper rifle. That's why I read 6mmbr site where 7WSM and 7SAUM are defined as best calibers for long distance. I went through top equipment on different match results and I discovered few 7mm are used and mainly 300, 6,5x284,6 Dasher, 6,5x47 are at top.You can understand my confusion.I'm more oriented on 300WSM at this stage but I will continue to study.
Thanks to everybody.
GZ

[Rust]

Just to show it's proper adjustment of the nut behind the trigger that really matters, here's a little info from one of Jerry Tierneys posts at another site.

July 27, 2009 --- Sacramento NBRSA 1000-yard Bench Rest Match

The match is three five shot targets using a “light gun” under 17#s, and three 10 shot targets shot with a “heavy gun” no weight limit. The maximum is a 35 caliber. NO feedback on the shots fired.
I used my Palma test rifle which weights under 16# for both light and heavy guns.

Match Results: LG = light gun, HG = heavy gun. 1000 yard Bench rest very small targets.

Normal Sacramento winds.........

1st place in LG three target group aggregate = 8.084”
3rd place in LG single target score = 47-01X
1st place in HG three target groups aggregate = 10.455”
1st place in HG three target score = 273-03X
1st place in six target group aggregate = 9.269” --- 45 rounds.
1st place in six target score = 404-04X

It is fun to beat 6.5-284 and 338 Lapua mags with a palma rifle

Well, maybe he cheated a little, he did mount a scope on the rifle after all

[a.JR]

Hi BlackT, I notice with interest seeing the figures have come out that at Missoula range this year one of the top guys there shot a 6 match average throughout the whole year in light/heavy ,thats 12 targets in 2 classes with a average group of 5.741ins and an average score of 96.58 from a 100.. I'm impressed and it says it was a 6BR Dasher..Pretty sure it was a 1000yd benchrest rifle, says nothing about palma that i can see..JR..Jeff Rogers