What is the best long action tactical round?

[knockknock]

Jerry Your are 100% correct on all your points here.
I realize as you do each rifle has a personality of it's own.
I am not suggesting that there is 1 caliber superior to another for an instant. God knows if that was so my vault would not be nearly as big as it is.
The point I was trying to make, was that it is nearly impossible to compare calibers of different sizes, and when almost everyone does, the comparison is apples and oranges.
I happen to have 2 rifles that shoot within a few FPS of the same velocities despite being different calibers, hence my 6.5x284 and 338LM analogy.
This is 1 of the few instances I have ever encountered where 2 calibers in different ends of the spectrum share the same velocity ranges, and that I have documentable info on.
The other point I was trying to make was that in comparing the calibers to use the same basic bullet type and design can skew the info as much as having different 1s.
Commonly the 338LM is always known for shooting 250 gr projectiles, with the right powder, twist rate and barrel length 300 gr and bigger can be used extremely successfully AND without hotrodding the cartridge.
I guess in the end what I see and have seen for a great many years is a constant raging of "this is a better caliber because of???"
There is no magic bullet or caliber that does everything 100% ideally under all circumstances.
You are totally correct that many 1000 yard matches are won with 6s and 7s and 30s.
We enjoy bullet designs today that 40 years ago would have amazed and confounded shooters.
50 years ago 1000 yard shots were taken, and it took ALOT of skill to pull them off, where as today 1000 yards is relatively close range. The bullets, the cartridges, the powders, optics, quality and preciseness of barrels and actions all work together to make long distance accurate shooting easier than it ever has been.
KK

 

[Mystic Precision]

kk, we are definitely on the same page. I own/have owned a rifle in every suitable cal and different cartridges within each cal. It is always a compromise...

wonder what next wonder bullet/component will have us spending our retirement funds to build?

too often, I hear 'I want to build a ???' or "which is better x or y?".

What they should be asking is 'this is what I will be using the rifle for and what I can live with and can't - how large is my build and running budget'

Then the info we provide would actually be relevant.

Asking spoon vs fork questions without intended application leaves too much to assumptions. Although, it can make for some fun debate.

I just spent a pleasant afternoon launching 220gr MK's at 1600m. I bet the 'rock' was about the size of a med pizza box. wouldn't want to be that box!

Even with some gusting winds, wasn't that hard to hold off and dust it. We really have some awesome stuff to play with today and we are just getting started.
Jerry

 

[catnthehatt]

It never ceases to amaze me that when calibers are compared , always the preferred caliber either by the sales person or the proponent uses the optimum bullet and velocity for the cartridge of preference but a less than optimum bullet or test medium for the cartridge being bashed.
Barrett pulled this with the 416 versus 50, Cheytac with 50, now 6.5x284 vs 338LM.
The 6.5x284 is a phenomenal caliber, loaded with 142gr SMKs is truly hell on wheels for 1000 yard paperwork. The 338LM is also hell on wheels , but out a much further distance when loaded with the 300 gr SMKs. Yes I know the standard ammo offered from factory is 250 gr, but if we are going to compare fruits , let's make it both apples, or in this case optimum bullets for each caliber.
A 6.5x284 loaded with the 142 SMKs in my rifle develops 3000 FPS and at 1000 yards drops 281" but is only still travelling at 1723 fps.
My 338LM loaded with 300 gr SMKs also sends these bullets out the muzzle at 3000 FPS but at 1000 yards drops only 265" and still is travelling at 1886 FPS.
Given a windless day they are very comparable, but in any sort of wind the 300 gr bullet is far less suspetable to as much wind drift and has a far more predictable trajectory.
Now take that scenario out to 1500 yards and the numbers are really exagerated.
The 6.5 is going 1243 fps and has dropped 809"
the 338 is still going 1443 fps and has only dropped 725". That is 84" difference, and if bullet energy is of interest at the muzzle the 6.5 deveops 2837 ftlbs of energy the 338, 5994 ftlbs of energy at 1000 yards the 6.5 has 936 the 338 has 2369 and at 1500 yards it is 487 for the 6.5 and 1387 for the 338.
All this from the Sierra Infinity program for working with the known velocities from my 2 rifles.
KK

When we shot the 6.5WSM and the 338 Lapua, we were more impressed with striking power of the 250 grain as compared to the 140 grain.

Also, the Sako has a 26" factory barrel as compared to a 30" Ron Smith on the 6.5WSM .

We figured the trajectory of the two cartridges was pretty close co0nsidering the real world condtitions.
Both these particular unbraked as well.
As I stated the , the little 6.5 made a mark on the steel while the 250 grain bullet made a dent, and that is what impressed us, not the accuracy of the 6.5, that was a given for that rifle.
Cat