mysticplayer said:
Since this is varminting, besides hitting the target, we also have to kill it. At extended distances, red mist simply doesn't happen and bullet expansion becomes pretty flacky on such light targets.
I love the 6.5 cal and do alot of LR shooting with it. The 140gr Amax is a great bullet but BC isn't as high as I would like. Most other match bullets will likely not expand and the 6.5 bore isn't that big a hole to poke through a critter.
So my suggestion to you is to start with a 7mm shooting 162gr Amax at 2900 to 3000fps. Yes, that would make it a 280AI, RSAUM, WSM or RM.
The Amax is the most fragile accurate bullet for LR shooting I am aware of. The larger bore really helps to cause internal disruption should little to no expansion occur. The 7mm AMAX is a very well priced bullet that is superbly accurate and with a very high BC.
The new 208gr AMax would be another excellent choice. The 300WM in a long barrel would be a superb platform.
Hitting pop cans at out to 1000yds is not that big a deal nowadays with just about any match cal. Killing that pop can just needs a bit more horsepower.
How do you figure a 7mm,.284) is better than a 6.5mm,.264)? The 6.5 can be pushed as hard or harder than any factory chambered barrel rifle. Custom rifle...jump to a 6.5/06 and have all the speed you want.
Look at the BC and SD of the 140 & 142 grain over the counter 6.5 bullets...hands down winner over any of the 7mm bullets.
Hornady 6.5mm 142 AMax
Diameter Weight BC SD
.264" 140 gr. 0.550 0.287
Hornady 7mm 154 gr Interbond
Diameter Weight BC SD
.284" 154 gr. 0.525 0.273
Had to go to this heavy of bullet to get the BC and SD up high enough to compare to the 142 gr in the 6.5mm.
Hornady 7mm 162 gr AMax
Diameter Weight BC SD
.284" 162 gr. 0.625 0.287
From Hornady Ballistic Calculator,142 gr AMax at 3000 FPS)
746 ft lbs of force at 1000 yards and dropping 273 inches.
6.5 142 gr., .550 B.C. www.hornady.com
Range,yards) Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Velocity,fps) 3000 2827 2661 2500 2345 2196 2052 1914 1782 1657 1539
Energy,ft.-lb.) 2838 2520 2232 1971 1734 1521 1328 1155 1001 865 746
Trajectory,100 yd. zero) -1.5 0.0 -2.8 -10.6 -23.8 -43.4 -70.2 -105.3 -149.9 -205.5 -273.8
Come Up in MOA -1.5 0.0 1.4 3.4 5.7 8.3 11.2 14.4 17.9 21.8 26.1
7mm 162 gr AMax
7.5 162 gr., .625 B.C. www.hornady.com
Range,yards) Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Velocity,fps) 3000 2847 2700 2557 2419 2285 2155 2030 1909 1792 1681
Energy,ft.-lb.) 3237 2916 2622 2352 2105 1878 1671 1482 1310 1155 1016
Trajectory,100 yd. zero) -1.5 0.0 -2.8 -10.3 -23.1 -41.8 -67.3 -100.2 -141.5 -192.5 -254.2
Come Up in MOA -1.5 0.0 1.3 3.3 5.5 8.0 10.7 13.7 16.9 20.4 24.3
7mm 154 gr Interbond
7.5 154 gr., .525 B.C. www.hornady.com
Range,yards) Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Velocity,fps) 3000 2819 2645 2478 2317 2161 2012 1869 1733 1605 1486
Energy,ft.-lb.) 3077 2717 2392 2099 1835 1597 1384 1195 1027 881 755
Trajectory,100 yd. zero) -1.5 0.0 -2.9 -10.7 -24.1 -44.1 -71.5 -107.5 -153.5 -211.1 -282.3
Come Up in MOA -1.5 0.0 1.4 3.4 5.8 8.4 11.4 14.7 18.3 22.4 27.0