The first question will always relate to the purpose for which the fire-arm will be used. For self-defence a heavy, large and uncomfortable .45 Auto would probably not be the best choice. For the hunting of dangerous game a heavy, large .375 H&H would not be a bad choice. How important is your choice of a specific calibre? Are new, unknown calibres better than the older, more familiar calibres? Is the choice of calibre really so important or is it being used by manufacturers to market and sell even more calibres?
Since the 2016 hunting season is a thing of the past, I decided to look at the benefits of a few unknown calibres which are mostly used for target shooting purposes. Due to the high prices of game and a few other factors, target shooting has become more popular over the past number of years and calibres for this purpose should be looked at.
Long-distance shooting is becoming very popular nowadays. Long-distance shots analyse and study every aspect of shooting. The wind, the BC of the bullet and the length of the barrel are a few aspects which shots analyse. Of course they also look very carefully at the best calibre for long-distance shooting.
How do you determine the best-long distance calibre? Unfortunately long-distance shooting is a sport with many variables. The wind and the shot himself are two important variables when it comes to long-distance shooting. For this reason we have to depend upon technology for a better answer than what we can find on the shooting range. With the assistance of a computer programme, the writers of www.precisionrifleblog.com 'tested' 4 calibres to assist with the choice of a calibre.
They used the following calibres with the following loads:
- 6.5 Creedmore loaded with a 140 gr. bullet and a muzzle velocity of 2850 fps.
- 6mm Creedmore loaded with a 105 gr. bullet and a muzzle velocity of 3100fps.
- 308 Winchester loaded with a 175 gr. bullet and a muzzle velocity of 2600fps.
- 26 Nosler (6.5mm) loaded with a 140gr. bullet and a muzzle velocity of 3300fps.
The application calculated the number of accurate shots at a 10-inch target at 700 paces, based on the variables and a lot of other information. It was taken into account, however, that no human factor was involved. The results of the four calibres were as follows:
- 80% of the 6.5 Creedmore shots were accurate.
- 79% of the 6mm Creedmore shots were accurate.
- 56% of the 308 Winchester shots were accurate.
- 489% of the 26 Nosler (6.5mm) shots were accurate.
We do not have to use the specific calibre used in the test, but merely a calibre which launches a projectile of the same weight and diameter at the same speed, which should give us the same results. What we do see from the results is that the 6.5 mm bullet is more accurate over long distances than the 308 bullet. At shorter distances the difference in accuracy should be less. The reason for which the bullet is to be used is therefore still the most important consideration when choosing a calibre.
The 140 gr. bullet of the 26 Nosler (6.5mm) at 3300fps may be the winner in the specific exercise, but unfortunately the barrel does not last very long. However, barrel life is a subject for another weekend around another fire.