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A good long-range hunting cartridge must fit in a rifle that’s comfortable to carry all day and won’t kick so hard that you can’t shoot it well. If you’re after critters deer-size and up, 6.5mm, 7mm, and 0.30-caliber cartridges, dominate the field with the best long-range options remaining supersonic well past 1,000 yards. None of them will turn you into a trained sniper, but if you’ve put in the range time and have the skills, these cartridges have the reach and thump to put game on the ground from ridgeline to ridgeline. To make our list, a cartridge had to deliver 1000 foot-pounds of energy at 500 yards, with less than 50 inches of drop at that distance using a 100 yard zero. Sure, we left some cartridges out, but if you can’t satisfy you distant bullet delivery desires with one of these rounds you just can’t shoot.
Best Long Range 6.5mm Cartridges
It’s not all hype. The reason 6.5mm cartridges are exploding in popularity is because they are ultra-efficient. It’s easy to configure bullets of this diameter to have extremely high ballistic coefficients. And this allows 6.5mm cartridges to almost always do more, in terms of external and terminal ballistics, with less recoil.
6.5 Creedmoor
If it makes you feel better to hate the 6.5 Creedmoor, go ahead. Just don’t try to enumerate its downsides to anyone who knows anything, because the Creed’s downsides are few. The Creedmoor carries more velocity and energy downrange – with less recoil – than any other factory cartridge. Shot from SAAMI-mandated 1-8 twist barrels, the Creed’s long, slender bullets seem to almost defy wind and gravity, and they allow this cartridge to deliver clean kills at distance. And that light recoil not only makes you a better shot in the field; it also makes practicing more fun and productive. The 6.5 Creedmoor will remain supersonic out to 1,400 yards and is quickly becoming the most popular long-range, big-game cartridges.
Suggested Load
The 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.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.545
500-yard velocity: 2,043 fps
500-yard energy: 1,204 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 49 inches (with 100 yard zero)
RELATED: 6.5 Creedmoor: The New King of Cartridges?
6.5-284 Norma
Based on the now almost-forgotten 284 Winchester, the 6.5-284 Norma was originally a very popular wildcat cartridge, especially in bench-rest competition. In 2019, Nosler submitted the cartridge to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Institute (SAAMI) for approval, and you should soon see Nosler and other ammunition manufacturers offering factory loaded ammunition and even rifles for it. Ballistically, the cartridge is very similar to the 6.5 PRC, but unlike the PRC it uses a standard but rebated, 0.473 rim diameter like the 308 Winchester. Loaded with a 130-grain bullet, it will carry more than 1000 foot-pounds of energy out past 600 yards. If you like the idea of a six-five for going long, but hate the Creed and want something different, the 6.5-284 Norma is the way to go.
Suggested Norma Load
Nosler Trophy Grade with a 130-grain Nosler AccuBond at 2900 fps.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.488
500-Yard Velocity: 2,019 fps
500-Yard Energy: 1,176 ft/lbs
500-Yard Drop: 49 inches
6.5 PRC
When Winchester introduced their 264 Magnum about 60 years ago, it became a sensation with shooters looking to extend their reach in the field. But a reputation for burning out barrels ultimately doomed the cartridge. With the 6.5 PRC, Hornady has created a better version of the old barrel-burner. It nearly matches the ballistics of the 264, but it does so in rifles with faster-twist barrels and modern powders that extend barrel life. The 6.5 PRC can remain supersonic out beyond 1,600 yards.
Suggested 6.5 PRC Load
Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain ELDX at 2,960 fps
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.625
500-yard velocity: 2,252 fps
500-yard energy: 1,610 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 44 inches
26 Nosler
Nosler’s first proprietary cartridge is basically a steroid-monster 6.5 Creedmoor. It shoots as flat as a Kansas prairie and holds its velocity way out there. Based on the old 404 Jeffery case, it’s the same length as the 30/06, which means it works in standard-length actions. It may be a bit rough on barrels, but this cartridge shoots so flat you probably won’t care. With the highest BC bullets, the 26 Nosler remains supersonic beyond 1,750 yards. But as with the 6.5 PRC, there are not a lot of factory-ammo options to choose from.
Suggested Load
Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range with a 129-grain AccuBond Long Range bullet at 3,400 fps
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.530
500-yard velocity: 2,496 fps
500-yard energy: 1,785 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 33 inches
6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum
Weatherby introduced this screamer in 2016. The cartridge case is the 300 Weatherby Magnum case necked down to accept a 6.5mm bullet. Initially it gained a great deal of attention, but when Weatherby followed this cartridge up with another fast 6.5mm – the 6.5 Weatherby RPM – interest waned. It’s still the fastest 6.5mm rifle cartridge you can buy. Early rifles were a bit finicky when it came to precision, but Weatherby looks to have that sorted. We recently reviewed a new Weatherby 307 Adventure SD and it shot great. If you want to send 6.5mm bullets sizzling down range, this is the cartridge for you, but the only source for ammunition is Weatherby.
Suggested Load
Weatherby has several bullet choices for the 6.5-300, with weights ranging from 127 to 156 grains, but the best all-round big game bullet is probably the 130-grain Swift Scirocco with a muzzle velocity of 3425 fps.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.571
500-yard velocity: 2,576 fps
500-yard energy: 1,915 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 31 inches
6.5mm Weatherby RPM
After Weatherby’s 6.5-300 Magnum did not win as many hearts and minds as they’d hoped, Weatherby rethought the 6.5mm cartridge and developed the 6.5 RPM (Rebated Precision Magnum). The RPM does not have a belt or the customary Weatherby radiused shoulder, and Weatherby designed it to go with an ultra-light hunting rifle. With its rebated rim and 1/2-inch base diameter, it is essentially a longer version of the 6.5×284 Norma; ballistically equivalent to the 264 Winchester Magnum. This newer Weatherby 6.5 combines plenty of gas with manageable recoil.
Suggested Load
Weatherby 130-grain Swift Scirocco at 3150 fps.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.509
500-yard velocity: 2,349 fps
500-yard energy: 1,592 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 39 inches
Best Long Range .277-Caliber Cartridges
The .277 is an oddball bullet diameter, in that it doesn’t fall into the much more common 6.5mm, 7mm, or .30-caliber categories. Only a handful of .277-caliber cartridges are made today, but the .270 Winchester is still by far the most popular, given all the guns and loads out there for it.
RELATED: How the 27 Nosler Revives the .277
270 Winchester
When it came out in 1925, 300 yards was considered about the max distance for shots on game, and the .270 Winchester was quickly recognized as one of, if not the, best commercial option for that. With today’s ammunition, it’s even better. 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. The .270 Winchester stays supersonic out to 1,400 yards, which is more than what 99 percent of hunters will ever need.
Suggested Load
Hornady’s Precision Hunter 145-grain ELD-X at 2,950 fps is the flattest-shooting .270 Winchester load. Federal’s EDGE TLR .270 Winchester is another outstanding option.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.536
500-yard velocity: 2,153 fps
500-yard energy: 1,492 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 45 inches
6.8 Western
Twenty years ago, Winchester introduced the .270 WSM (Winchester Short Magnum). Up until that time, there had only really been two .277-caliber hunting cartridges—the .270 Winchester and the .270 Weatherby—so the .270 WSM was almost immediately popular. However, it proved to be mostly a flash in the pan. By the time the 6.5 Creedmoor started gaining popularity, interest in the .270 WSM was fading. So, Winchester slightly modified the .270 WSM case so it was a bit shorter and then specified barrels with a faster twist. (This is essentially what Hornady did to the .260 Remington to make the 6.5 Creedmoor.) With the ability to handle more aerodynamic bullets than the .270 Winchester or the .270 WSM, the 6.8 Western and its 1-in-8 twist rate allows this cartridge to outperform both at distance.
Suggested Load
While there are not a lot of ammunition choices for the 6.8 Western, there are some good ones. Browning’s 175-grain Sierra Tipped GameKing load has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2835 fps and a very high ballistic coefficient. The non-bonded bullet should deliver good terminal performance up close and at distance.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.617
500-yard velocity: 2137 fps
500-yard energy: 1774 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 48-inches
27 Nosler
The newest addition to the Nosler line of proprietary cartridges is the 27 Nosler. Based on the antique .404 Jeffery cartridge case, the 27 Nosler is the first new .277-caliber rifle cartridge since the .270 Winchester Short Magnum, which was introduced almost 20 years ago. Lots of hunters consider the .270 Winchester one of the best all-purpose, short- and long-range cartridges of all time. The 27 Nosler bests the .270 Winchester by about 400 fps with 150-grain bullets. Now, you might think this cartridge is new and unproven. That’s true, but the bullets have been vetted. Nosler is loading the 27 with their famous AccuBond, which is one of the best big-game bullets ever crafted. At 500 yards, the 27 Nosler drops almost a foot less than Jack O’Connor’s sacred cartridge.
Suggested Load
Nosler Trophy Grade with a 150-grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range at 3300 fps.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.591
500-Yard Velocity: 2529 fps
500-Yard Energy: 2129 ft/lbs
500-Yard Drop: 34 inches (based on a 100-yard zero)
270 Weatherby Magnum
This was the first cartridge the 300 Weatherby Magnum fathered, and it has the distinctive radiused shoulder Weatherby Magnum cartridges are famous for. The ballistics of the 270 Weatherby Magnum are similar to the 27 Nosler. The advantage the 270 Weatherby Magnum has over the 27 Nosler is that there is a wider range of factory loads to choose from. The cartridge has been around since 1943, and while it is not, and never has been, as popular as the 270 Winchester, it will outperform that cartridge by around 300 fps. It’s also faster than the 6.8 Western, but factory 6.8 Western ammo is typically loaded with heavier bullets.
Suggested Load
Stout bullets are a good idea with a cartridge like the 270 Weatherby, especially if the range to target is short. But, at long range you need a bullet that’s also not too tough to perform and provide good terminal ballistics. With a muzzle velocity of almost 3100 fps, Nosler’s 150-grain Long Range AccuBond load is about perfect.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.625
500-yard velocity: 2,353 fps
500-yard energy: 1,845 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 40 inches
Best Long Range 7mm Cartridges
Except for the 7mm Remington Magnum, cartridges of this diameter have never been as popular as they should be in America. Maybe because this was the caliber of the Imperial German Army and the Nazis. Nonetheless, 7mm bullets can be extremely aerodynamic and, as legendary elephant hunter Karamojo Bell proved, effective on even the largest animals.
.280 Ackley Improved
If there was ever a cult cartridge, the 280 Ackley Improved is it. 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. Now the 280 AI is finally a SAAMI-approved cartridge, and while ammunition options are sparse, it’s performance is right there with the 7mm Remington Magnum. Like the 6.5 Creedmoor, the 280 Ackley Improved can remain supersonic out to around 1,400 yards.
Suggested Load
Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range, 150-grain AccuBond Long Range at 2,930 fps
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.546
500-yard velocity: 2,133 fps
500-yard energy: 1,516 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 47 inches
7mm Remington Magnum
Introduced by Remington in 1962 along with their Model 700 bolt-action rifle, Remington’s Seven-Mag was the beginning of the end of Winchester’s 264. It was also a resounding success and has remained popular with hunters looking to stretch their effective range. Surprisingly, even with all the extra recoil and muzzle blast, this cartridge will not shoot any flatter than most 6.5s. But the 7mm Remington Magnum will remain supersonic out to 1,400 yards or a bit more, making a good choice for cross-canyon hunting.
Suggested Load
Swift’s 150-grain Scirocco at 3,036 fps delivers outstanding terminal performance.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.515
500-yard velocity: 2,177 fps
500-yard energy: 1,578 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 44 inches
7mm Weatherby Magnum
This Weatherby cartridge has been in direct competition to the 7mm Remington Magnum since 1962 but has never been as popular. This was partly because early 7mm Weatherby rifles had a slow 1 in 12 twist rate which limited the cartridge to lighter bullets with lower BCs. Weatherby ultimately sped up the twist rate to 1 in 10 twist, but it didn’t matter much; the 7mm Remington Magnum was already, and has always remained, more popular. Ballistically they’re very similar but with similar loads the 7mm Weatherby is a tad bit faster. If you’re a Weatherby fan and opt for Weatherby’s 7mm, you’ll never be sorry. It will do anything you can do with a 7mm Remington Magnum and shoot just a little bit flatter with similar bullets.
Suggested Load
Weatherby’s 150-grain Swift Scirocco load is a good choice and has a muzzle velocity of 3225 fps.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.515
500-yard velocity: 2,331 fps
500-yard energy: 1,810 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 37 inches
7mm PRC
From a velocity standpoint, the 7mm PRC does not offer a much improvement over the 7mm Remington Magnum or the 7mm Weatherby Magnum. What allows it to outperform both is the fast 1 in 8 twist rate that will stabilize longer and heavier bullets with a higher BC. This gives the 7mm PRC an advantage in long range trajectory and energy retention at extreme distances. It has become a very popular choice for long range hunters, but it might have found it’s match with the new 7mm Backcountry which can duplicate 7mm PRC performance from shorter, more suppressor friendly barrels.
Suggested Load
Hornady Precision Hunter 175-grain ELD-X is a great choice.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.689
500-yard velocity: 2,347 fps
500-yard energy: 2,141 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 41 inches
7mm Backcountry
This is a brand new cartridge, and it comes with a new and unique cartridge case technology. Instead of a brass case, the 7mm Backcountry uses a Peak alloy case that allows it to operate at 80,000 psi, which is substantially more than any other commercial cartridge. The 7mm Backcountry also uses faster burning powders that will allow it to perform out of shorter barrels. Designed explicitly by Federal for use with a suppressor, ballistically, no other 7mm cartridge can compete with the 7mm Backcountry out of a 20-inch barrel. It could be the best long range big game cartridge of all time. You can read more about it here.
Suggested Load
Federal currently offers five loads for the 7mm Backcountry, with bullet weights ranging from 155 to 195 grains, but the best option for long range hunting is probably the 170-grain Terminal Ascent with a 24-inch muzzle velocity of 3150 fps, and a 7mm best – 20-inch barrel velocity – of 3000 fps.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.645
500-yard velocity: 2,306 fps*
500-yard energy: 2,007 ft/lbs*
500-yard drop: 42 inches*
(*20-inch barrel ballistics)
28 Nosler
Like the 26 Nosler, the 28 Nosler is based on the 404 Jeffery case and will remain supersonic out past 1,750 yards. 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. Still, if you don’t mind a long barrel and your goal is to push heavy projectiles to the outer reaches, Nosler’s 28 may be the best 7mm option out there. Besides recoil, the downside is the limited availability of factory ammunition and rifles.
Suggested Load
Nosler Trophy Grade Long Range, 175-grain AccuBond Long Range at 3,125 fps
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.648
500-yard velocity: 2,416 fps
500-yard energy: 2,267 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 38 inches
Best Long Range 30-Caliber Cartridges
This is the darling diameter for American big-game hunters. It started with the .30/30 and continued with the .30/06 and .308 and right up to today’s .300 Blackout. Even though high-BC .30-caliber bullets need to be heavy and pushed hard to shoot flat, many American hunters love them enough to tolerate the recoil.
300 Winchester Magnum
Considered by many to be the optimum long-range, large-game cartridge, the .300 Winchester Magnum has proven itself worldwide. It’s a top choice of military snipers and can launch heavy bullets with high speed and exceptional precision. Recoil is stiff and some find it hard to master. But if you can shoot this cartridge well, with its supersonic speed out beyond 1,650 yards, you’re just about unstoppable at distance, and there are lots of factory loads and rifles—affordable and expensive—to choose from.
Suggested Load
Norma’s 180-grain BondStrike Extreme at 3,084 fps is new and very flat-shooting. Also look at Federal Premium’s 180-grain Nosler AccuBond offering at 2,960 fps.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.615
500-yard velocity: 2,346 fps
500-yard energy: 2,200 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 40 inches
300 Weatherby Magnum
Depending on your rifle and the load, the 300 Weatherby Magnum can provide about a 100 fps advantage over the 300 Winchester Magnum. The cartridge has been with us since before the end of World War II, and it’s probably the most popular of all the Weatherby cartridges. It has Weatherby’s famous radiused shoulder and there is a good selection of loads to choose from. Of all the Weatherby cartridges, it is also the most popular in non-Weatherby rifles. From a practical standpoint there’s not much reason to choose it over the 300 Winchester Magnum for which there are a lot more loads and rifles to choose from.
Suggested Load
Nosler 180-grain E-Tip RMEF
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.523
500-yard velocity: 2,200 fps
500-yard energy: 1,934 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 43 inches
300 PRC
The 300 PRC will cruise above the speed of sound out to 1,650 yards. It’s like a shorter, beltless version of the .300 Winchester Magnum. As with Hornady’s two recent 6.5 caliber introductions, it has found favor with long-range competitors, but also with hunters who like to hit at distance with heavy bullets. Factory rifles and ammunition options are limited here, too, but based on the ballistic abilities of this cartridge, that’s likely to change sooner rather than later.
Suggested Load
Hornady Precision Hunter 212-grain ELD-X at 2,860 fps
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.673
500-yard velocity: 2,204 fps
500-yard energy: 2,286 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 47 inches
30-378 Weatherby Magnum
The 300 Winchester Magnum, 300 Weatherby Magnum, and the 300 PRC will all push a 180-grian bullet to velocities between 3000 and 3150 fps. The 30-378 Weatherby is in a different league. It will launch a 180-grain bullet as fast as 3400 fps, and a 220-grain bullet to 3050 fps. Weatherby developed the cartridge in response to a U.S. military contract and commercialized it in 1996. It’s beast of a cartridge with a wicked muzzle blast, and out of an 8.3-pound Weatherby Mark V Accumark, it generates more than 45 foot-pounds of recoil. If you want maximum power on target with a flat trajectory, this is the rifle cartridge for you.
Suggested Load
You’ll want a toughly constructed bullet for big game hunting with the 30-378 so it can withstand impact velocities at close range. Weatherby’s 180-grain Swift Scirocco load at 3275 fps is a great choice.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.530
500-yard velocity: 2379 fps
500-yard energy: 2263 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 36 inches
Honorable Mention: 257 Weatherby Magnum
When it comes to 0.257-caliber cartridges, there’s only one that can routinely and reliably meet our standard of, 1000 foot-pounds of energy at 500 yards, with less than 50 inches of drop. The 257 Weatherby Magnum hit shelves in 1945, and it has been very popular, especially with Weatherby devotees. When it comes to long range hunting it’s probably the most overlooked cartridge. Out to 500 yards it shoots very flat and with the right bullet it is solidly big game capable, with less recoil than many of the other cartridges on this list.
Suggested Load
Weatherby 110-grain Hornady ELD-X at 3400 fps.
Ballistic Coefficient: 0.465
500-yard velocity: 2383 fps
500-yard energy: 1388 ft/lbs
500-yard drop: 34 inches
