The Best Long Range Calibers in 2022

The Best Long Range Caliber For Any Situation in 2023

Long-range shooting has been a popular sport since the early 1900s. As time passed, the rifles and ammunition used helped extend the range and effectiveness of the individual shooter.

Today there are many rifles and calibers available to the modern consumer to meet any need they might have in the long-range sphere.

But this leaves us with the choices between what rifle and what ammunition we should use. There are varying schools of thought on what is best so we’re going to go over some of the factors involved before looking at which long-range caliber will suit most of your needs.

4 Questions You Need to Ask to Determine the Best Long Range Caliber for You


Is Your Rifle Semi-Auto or Bolt Action?

The rifle is the base for all of our long-range shooting. Up until the early 2000s, bolt-action rifles were the undisputed champions of long-range shoots. This is because semi-autos or “gas guns” had not refined their gas systems enough to compete.

Today semi-autos do have the refinements necessary to compete with bolt-action rifles. This makes selecting a rifle easier. If you want a rifle that has a faster fire rate, you should select a semi-auto rifle. If you want a rifle that is geared towards single-shot precision, choose a bolt action.

Each platform has its benefits and deficits. Some will be situation-dependent but most hinge on the range they are used at.

How Long Is “Long Range”?

The range we are going to be shooting at is a major factor for the rifle we use and the ammunition used. So what is Long Range shooting? For some 200 to 300 yards is long-range. For others, it can be 500 to 1000 yards.

However, Long Range is subjective due to weather and environmental factors that impact the performance of the shooter’s ability and the ammunition/rifle combination they have selected. For our purposes, we’ll assume a 300-yard minimum distance.

Can closer shots be taken? Yes, but this gives us a starting point and we’ll cap the maximum distance at 1000 yards. Having a defined range of use allows us to select a caliber. Which brings a new set of questions.

Are You Looking for Large or Small Caliber?

Some believe a large, heavy bullet is the answer for long-distance while others think that a relatively narrow bullet with more powder behind it is the solution.

The real answer is somewhere in between. Every caliber has its own job, but for the most part, long-distance loadings tend to feature heavier projectiles and faster velocities.

Heavier projectiles retain more terminal effectiveness at range because it takes more force to stop their forward motion. This does not mean that a large caliber like .50 BMG is required. Many effective long-range calibers range from intermediate cartridges like 5.56 all the way to .338 Lapua and .300 Winchester Magnum.

Today most longer-range ammunition is readily available and includes more specialty rounds than in the past. This stems from the desires of the end-user and has resulted in many longer projectiles with relatively common diameters.

These longer projectiles are more aerodynamic. When combined with a heavier weight, they are extremely effective at distance when there might be a second of delay between firing and impact, rather than an almost immediate effect.

But there is a problem with these long bullets. When a bullet approaches the sound barrier, there is a risk of destabilization. Longer projectiles have a higher chance to destabilize in the transonic zone, or the zone where they start to drop below the speed of sound. This means they have to be spinning faster in order to compensate.

This brings us to an extremely important factor: ballistic coefficient.

What’s Your Ideal Ballistic Coefficient?

Calculating the effectiveness of a projectile over distance will help us determine what round to use. A projectile’s ballistic coefficient is the indicator of how well it deals with drag in flight. While factors like wind speed, distance, etc. will affect a round’s performance, the ballistic coefficient helps us determine how air resistance will affect the round

If a projectile has a high ballistic coefficient it will slow down less in flight. This translates to less drop and less drift than projectiles with a lower coefficient. Either way, we are dealing with inches of drift at the 100-yard range, with greater ranges sometimes seeing drifting of multiple feet.

A high ballistic coefficient will produce more consistent results in the presence of external factors. This doesn’t mean you won’t have to know your holdovers or the drop/drift tendency of your ammunition. It does mean that those amounts will be less variable.

Let’s look at some of our caliber options.

Best Long Range Caliber by Category in 2022

With ammunition selection, we’re going to be focusing on ammunition that is effective, comparatively easy to get, and useful in a variety of circumstances.

This will include more common calibers and calibers that are specialized in long-range use instead of just a handful of specialty rounds hand-loaded for the job.

Winchester 6.8 Western

This new round offered by Winchester offers a combination of lower recoil with similar or greater performance to some of their magnum cartridges.

According to Winchester’s specifications, the 6.8 Western is designed to use short actions, making rifles potentially lighter. Additionally, the round takes advantage of longer heavier bullets that provide better penetration than 6.5mm and .277 caliber offerings.

Winchester claims that the 6.8 Western has 6% more energy with 16% less recoil than 300 Winchester Magnum at 500 yards.

The actual numbers are 1,771 foot-pounds (ft-lbs) of energy with a  40-inch drop at 500 yards, with a recoil of 23.9 ft-lbs for a 6.8 Western 175 grain Sierra TGK. In comparison, the Accubond CT 300 Winchester Magnum (Win Mag) has 1,754 ft-lbs of energy at 500 yards with 39 inches of drop, but the recoil is 29.2 ft-lbs.

While the 6.8 has slightly more drop at 500 yards, the lower recoil and higher energy output make up for the difference. This is especially true when we look at a 165-grain Accubond LR 6.8 projectile.

The energy increases to 1,856 ft-lbs of energy and features a 36-inch drop at 500 yards. The recoil does increase to 24.5 ft-lbs, but both rounds are supposed to mimic the trajectory of 7mm Remington Magnum, 300 Win Mag, and 300 Winchester Short Magnum (WSM).

In regards to the WSM round, the 6.8 has 14% less recoil but similar energy.

The benefit of 6.8 is that it is a readily available round on the market that does not need to be hand-loaded for your long-range use. Hand-loading will allow the other rounds to easily outperform it.

But if you’re looking for something that isn’t going to tire you out while you shoot it and can be bought off the shelf, the 6.8 is a cartridge worth looking into. Rifles chambered in 6.8 Western have faster twist rates that rifles in .270 or 7mm do not have as their standard rates.

As 6.8 becomes even more refined, its abilities will likely be stretched to meet or exceed other long-range rounds in performance.

Muzzle velocity2,820-2,925 fps
Projectile weight160-175 grains
Ballistic coefficient.590-.620

5.56×45

If you’re heavily invested in 5.56, you should consider using it as one of your long-range options. Depending on the load and the shooter, 5.56 can perform from 300 yards to over 800 yards.

This light recoiling intermediate cartridge can offer a lot of velocity within “normal” distances and retains supersonic speeds out to 500 yards. Combined with a good ballistic coefficient and you have a good general use round.

5.56 rounds range from light 55-grain to 77-grain projectiles with speeds ranging from 2,400 fps to almost 3,500 fps depending on your barrel length and ammunition load.

At 500 yards, 5.56 will have roughly 339 ft-lbs of energy which drops to roughly 75 ft-lbs at 1,000 yards. The biggest deficit is the roughly 57 feet of drop at 1,000 yards.

Pest control, home defense, and long-range shooting can all be done with 5.56. This lets you focus on having only one caliber to maintain. However, since 5.56 is very popular, actually acquiring it might be difficult during shortages.

If you’re already in possession of a lot of 5.56 and don’t want to add another caliber to your supply chain, it’d be best for you to invest in getting the most out of the rounds available to you. This means more practice and magnified optics on your 5.56 gun.

Muzzle velocityApproximately 2,400 to 3,400 fps depending on barrel and loadings
Projectile weight55-77 grains
Ballistic coefficient0.151-0.372

6.5 Creedmoor

Built from the ground up for long-range shooting, 6.5 Creedmoor was designed to have a flat trajectory with lighter recoil than .308. It also needed to be easy to handload, have a flat trajectory, and not burn out barrels.

The 6.5 Creedmoor has better ballistic coefficients than most 5.56 offers and matches 6.8 Western. However, 6.5 Creedmoor is compatible with the AR-15 platform, making it easier to get into.

This compatibility allows for more familiar controls but better long-range performance than 5.56. This allows you to step up your long-range game without switching platforms. However, the energy it provides at 500 yards is lower than 6.8 Western’s energy.

6.5 Creedmoor has anywhere from 949 ft-lbs of energy to 1,308 ft-lbs and the bullet drop can be anywhere from 40 inches to 47.5 inches. This means that 6.5 will have a lower recoil but retain less energy over distance with more drift.

However, it is another off-the-shelf round that is compatible with a common rifle platform. Combined with the ease of reloading and handloading, 6.5 Creedmoor is a good option to increase your range and get into handloading.

While it might not compare to more magnum loads, it does outperform .308 which makes it a stepping-stone caliber for long-distance shooting. Just keep in mind that 6.5 Creedmoor wears barrels out faster than .308 loads.

Muzzle velocity2,650-2,710 fps
Projectile weight120-147 grains
Ballistic coefficient0.396-0.637

.300 Winchester Magnum

A long-standing option in the long-range world, .300 Winchester Magnum has been on the market since the 1960s. While there are other more powerful cartridges, once you get into magnum territory you see a sharp increase in recoil.

This impacts shooter fatigue and accuracy. Feeling roughly 30 ft-lbs of recoil is a jarring experience and is not recommended for new shooters. This makes the .300 Winchester Magnum a more advanced choice when it comes to Longe Range shooting.

However, the benefits of the cartridge are a relatively flat trajectory with a lot of retained energy. At 500 yards, .300 Winchester Magnum retains anywhere from 1,610 ft-lbs to 1,925 ft-lbs of energy.

These factors combine into a well-developed round that has won multiple 1,000-yard competitions. There is a large amount of loading data out for this round if you decide factory options are not to your taste.

Because of how long this round has been on the market, it has definitely set some of the precedents for Long Range shooting. Rounds are generally compared to its performance, but it is part of the older school of thought when it comes to Long Range.

Heavier bullets, more power, and a harsh recoil make this round perfect for someone who wants proven long-range performance and only plans on firing a few rounds. Shooter fatigue is a major concern, especially with the development of ammunition that has similar performance with lighter recoil.

Muzzle velocity2,900-3,260 fps
Projectile weight150-180 grains
Ballistic coefficient0.270-0.648

.308/7.62×51

While not as high performing as some other options, .308/7.62×51 is a common caliber used to get into long-range shooting. For most people, it provides adequate performance while still being available off the shelf in most locations.

Designed to meet the performance of .30-06, .308 is one of the most popular full-powered cartridges on the market. Match-grade loads allow for good accuracy without the need for a new caliber.

At 500 yards, .308 has roughly 1,264 ft-lbs of energy depending on the load you use. This is accompanied by roughly 1,841 fps for its velocity. While it still retains a lot of energy out to 1,000 yards when compared to 5.56, it is dwarfed by more specialized rounds. 6.8 Western has nearly three times the energy at the same 1,000-yard distance.

This round is available in both traditional bolt-action and modern AR-308 patterns. This makes it easier to get into because most retailers offer a firearm in this caliber or in 7.62×51 which is essentially the same cartridge.

Muzzle velocity2,400-3,200 fps
Projectile weight110-210 grains
Ballistic coefficient0.248-0.495

6mm Creedmoor

A technical descendant of 6.5 Creedmoor, the 6mm Creedmoor is more of a hybrid of .243 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor’s performance.

One of the major benefits of 6mm Creedmoor is its similarity to 6.5 Creedmoor. This similarity is its long-range performance derived from wind resistance and a good ballistic coefficient with the projectiles used.

The other benefit is the flatter trajectory out to 500 yards. The 6mm Creedmoor’s trajectory is essentially the same as the .243 Winchester’s trajectory in that range. Combined with very aerodynamic projectiles, it performs better than both rounds with less recoil than 6.5 Creedmoor.

6mm Creedmoor does not offer a lot of power compared to 6.5 or any of the Magnum loads on this list but it does offer enough at 500 yards. Loadings in 6mm Creedmoor produce 977 to 1,090 ft-lbs of energy at 500 yards with 35-36 inches of drop.

This is significantly better than 5.56 but on par with better long-range rounds. One of the drawbacks to 6mm Creedmoor is the shorter barrel life compared to similar .243 loadings. But it offers quicker follow-up shots than larger calibers.

This load can be used for hunting but it is better in a competition environment since other hunting rounds perform as well at the same distances. The quicker fire rate, lower recoil, and better wind resistance mean corrections can be made more easily on the range than with heavier recoiling rounds.

Muzzle velocity3,060-3,200 fps
Projectile weight100-115 grains
Ballistic coefficient0.547-0.620

.338 Lapua

Rated to be able to take down dangerous African game, the .338 Lapua or Lapua Magnum is one of the more famous long-range rounds.

Designed for long-range use, it fits specifically into that role with little room to deviate. The power and energy it brings to the table is overkill compared to most of the rounds on this list. 

While having a lot of power is nice, this can mean it doesn’t perform as well at closer distances. Over penetrating when it impacts without dealing enough damage. On top of this, wounds at distance are heavily dependent on shot placement and projectile design.

At 500 yards, .338 Lapua will have anywhere from 2,851 to 2,973 ft-lbs of energy. This is accompanied by roughly 38 to 45 inches of drop. An impressive amount of energy, much higher than the other rounds on this list.

The availability and performance of .338 Lapua loads can be limited. This means it is a handloading option with some off-the-shelf availability, making it less ideal for individuals who don’t want to have an expensive reloading setup.

Muzzle velocity2,427-3,452 fps
Projectile weight160-300 grains
Ballistic coefficient0.372-0.820

What Is the Best Long Range Caliber?

The best caliber is always subjective to what we intend to do with it. The best long-range caliber on this list is either the 6.8 Western or the .300 Winchester Magnum. Both of these rounds offer better velocity and energy at range.

They aren’t pushed into this role out of necessity but are instead designed for the role. While .300 Win Mag has the longer track record, 6.8 Western has the benefit of similar performance with lighter recoil.

Other more specialized rounds will outperform 6.8 Western, but they usually have higher recoil and require intimate knowledge of their load data to get the most out of them.

This will eventually happen with 6.8 but since it is a relatively new cartridge it has not yet happened.

For .300 Win Mag, it has happened but the higher recoil makes it less desirable for extended use.

A lighter recoiling round that is still effective is the better choice between the two, making 6.8 Western the best on this list for general use.

But let’s look at other considerations

Best 1000 Yard Caliber

If you are shooting targets at 1,000 yards, the best option on the list is .300 Win Mag. This is because of the energy output and high velocities.

While the Win Mag does not always have the best ballistic coefficient for its rounds, there is no denying it performs better at range on average.

It also has a relatively flat trajectory, especially when compared to 6.5 Creedmoor. The flat trajectory makes it easier to be accurate at longer ranges where multiple environmental factors come into play.

It’s not great to shoot all day, but it has seen decades of refinement for 1,000-yard accuracy and effect.

Best Caliber for Long Range Target Practice

While you should always practice with your selected long-range load, sometimes you have to take the cost into account. A lot of specialized rounds are expensive and you don’t want to use an expensive box of ammunition to practice when you could use something that costs a fraction of the amount.

Practicing with the round you intend to use will help you learn the drop of the round and the holds you’ll need to use at distance. However, excessive recoil or cost can impact your practice. On top of this, using less-than-ideal rounds can help you develop the skill necessary to compensate for environmental factors like distance and wind speed.

To give yourself a challenge, 5.56 would be the better option to practice long-range shooting with. It has the least benefits at long-range, is weaker than the other cartridges on this list, and 5.56 is not as effective at longer ranges. However, it is very light recoiling, which means more time behind the gun and longer practice.

Combined with training with your preferred cartridge, using 5.56 will allow you to learn the basics of long-range without using a lot of expensive ammunition. If you already have a stockpile of it, you can use it to branch out into Long Range shooting.

Best Sniper Rifle Caliber

Snipers use a variety of calibers to do their job, which is mostly observation. However, most people think of snipers as talented marksmen taking 1,000-yard shots every day. While this is not true, many snipers are very good marksmen.

The rounds they use are generally provided to them, which restricts their access to rounds when we compare it to the market at large. Testing has gone into using .300 Win Mag for long-distance shots and various other calibers as well.

But a majority of “sniper rifles” have been chambered in 7.62×51/.308 in the US for a long time. It is still being used in the general role today. Is it the best overall performing round? No, but it does have a long-standing history in that role.

If you are looking for a round used in the sniper category that is still commercially available, you should look into using a .300 Win Mag round. The long-range performance is good and it has been considered for sniper use before.

But don’t lock yourself into one type of ammunition just because snipers use it. Do some additional research to see what rounds excel at your particular task. A lot of the time the job can be completed with a standard rifle round.

Sometimes that standard rifle round will not do the job, but people will try and make it fit the role. Be sure to have a clear set of parameters that you need out of a round, with the ranges you will likely be shooting at. This will get you farther than trying to copy a sniper. 

Conclusion

Long Range shooting is a very satisfying sport. Selecting the right ammunition for the job comes with the territory, but we want the most bang for our buck.

This means we want a do-it-all round that we can afford and find. This puts 6.8 Western at the top of our list since it has had consistent availability in recent years while providing good long-range ballistics with lower recoil.

However, not every situation we encounter will require the same tool. While 6.8 promises to be a multi-use tool this should not cause us to fixate on it entirely. Rounds like 6.8 Western, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .300 Winchester Magnum all work well at long ranges, but they can be overkill at close range.

Make sure you know the distances you will be shooting at, this will make the biggest difference when selecting a round, especially for hunting. If you plan on hunting in an area where 300 yards is your max distance, you don’t need specialty long-range-round unless it is your preference.

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