500 yard rifle?

[thedaddycat]

Just so things are clear, I would like to have a rifle capable of taking deer at 500 yards. That does not mean that I will never just punch paper with it. It also does not mean that I will shoot at anything that comes within 500 yards of me. It seems to me that the 6.5mm chamberings do not carry enough energy at that range for a clean kill. I'm looking for 1100 ft-lbs or more and 150grain+ bullets. The 168 grain in 7mm is looking good at the velocities listed in the ballistic tables I've checked out.

As far as shooting at 500 yards goes, I believe in having "enough rifle" to do the job. That means that it has enough power to get the bullet to the target with enough energy to make a clean kill. It also means that the rifle's accuracy has to exceed my ability so that I am the limiting factor.

One thing I've heard over the years is that a paper plate is roughly the same size as the vitals of a deer sized target. If I can hit a paper plate at 300, 400 or 500 yards consistently then that is the limiting factor and hence the range limit at which I have a high probablilty of making a one shot kill. I do not plan on going out in a hurricane just to see if I can kill deer at 500 yards under those conditions. Just because I want a rifle capable of taking deer at 500 yards does not mean that I have to be that far away.

 

[BIG P]

USED 300 win mag & 7mm STW if you hand load the STW is alot of fun & a real game getter too. 500 aint nothing but a tap of the trigger game over.

 

[Jimro]

It seems to me that the 6.5mm chamberings do not carry enough energy at that range for a clean kill. I'm looking for 1100 ft-lbs or more and 150grain+ bullets.

Lethality comes as follows.

ACCURACY= no doubt about it the 6.5's have it.
PENETRATION= with high BC comes high sectional density allowing for deep penetration.
DISRUPTION, use a quality hunting bullet and you will be fine, it doesn't take 1100 ft/lbs of energy to kill a deer, or even an elk. The 30-30 can't make 1100 ft/lbs at half that range and will still do the job at 250 yards.

Energy isn't everything, and it is a poor indicator of terminal ballistics for modern hunting bullets. Energy does look impressive and sell a lot of magnums, and there is no doubt that magnums do the job. Just sayin' that you shouldn't buy the hype.

Jimro

 

[Jeff56]

I can teach anyone to shoot well at 500 yds.I can't teach them to be better hunters.

I don't know exactly what you're driving at here. Are you saying you can't change someone's moral code so that they don't attempt 500 yard shots on live animals? Because I think that isn't true personally. You may not change everyone's mind about such things but some people will certainly listen. I listened when I was a kid and I've never attempted any such thing in my life. Of course it was my dad teaching me and I tended to listen to him because I knew he had a strong moral compass.

If you're talking about teaching someone how to get a closer shot at a deer by stalking or stealth then I also disagree. It's actually pretty easy to get a good shot at a deer if you know how. You just have to know where they will be at a certain time and be there waiting for them. I've had bucks walk right by me on both sides at the same time and neither was more than 5 feet away from me.

I wasn't dressed in camo or in a blind or in a tree. I was leaning against a tree and keeping perfectly still. I started out just seeing if they would come close to me before getting spooked but by the time they got within 15 feet of me I actually started to wonder if I was in danger because I was sitting down leaning against a tree and I had two bucks heading right for me. Those sharp hooves and antlers made me really want to be still by the time they got within 10 feet of me. They walked right on by me though and never did see me, smell me or hear me. Deer aren't as hard to stalk as people think.

 

[Fullboar]

It also does not mean that I will shoot at anything that comes within 500 yards of me. It seems to me that the 6.5mm chamberings do not carry enough energy at that range for a clean kill. I'm looking for 1100 ft-lbs or more and 150grain+ bullets.

How does around 1000 Ft Lbs @ 800 yards with a 140 grain grab you (with a 260 rem / 6.5mm08)? But I would only look at the 260 if you plan on reloading.

http://www.bergerbullets.com/Ballistics_Program/index.html

Try the Berger 140 grain hunting bullets with a BC of 0.612 and a SD of 0.313 @ around 2820/2850 fps @ the Muzzle.

If you have your heart set on a 7mm here is a vote for the .280rem (IMHO the best of all the 30 06 parent chamberings).

 

[DeerSlayer86]

I would go with one of the 6.5s...6.5x284, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5x47, 260...Those are good hunting cartridges and have the high BC you want. But if you want something in a 7mm just get one!! A lot of people think that is the best all around caliber. You already have the Swede so only one way to find out about the 7mm

 

[NYH1]

How about one of the Remington Ultra Mags., 7mm or 300? They shoot flat and hit hard. In a heavy rifle recoil shouldn't be to bad.

The 7mm RUM has 1550 to 1970 ft. lbs. of energy at 500 yards and would be 25 to 32 inches low at 500 yards if zeroed at 250 yards.

The 300 RUM has 1675 to 2160 ft. lbs. of energy at 500 yards and would be 25 to 31 inches low at 500 yards if zeroed at 250 yards.
***The above is from Remington's web sight***

Personally my range limit is 300 yards or so. So my 280 Rem. works great. I'd like to be able to practice at 400 yards. That would be fun.

NYH1!

 

[Outlaw81]

No kidding. A 208 amax hits with 1125ft/lbs at 1k yards. BC=.649. Show me a 7mm or 6.5mm that's better. The amax isn't a hunting round but it sure as hell will hammer a whitetail out of a 300wsm. If u must have a 7mm, get the rem mag or wsm so u can at least shoot the 180vlds. Otherwise ur settling for mediocrity. A 7mm mag of any configuration isn't gonna have any advantages over a big 30 Cal except recoil. I just won a shoot this weekend with a 300wsm and 190smks at 3k fps. The guys with the 6.5s and 7mms couldnt fight off the wind. In a 30mph crosswind, I had no problem pulling 6" groups at 1k. Its up to you tho. I would go with the 7wsm cause its a torch with moderate recoils. It uses powder wayyyyyyy more efficiently than an stw or ultra mag.