[workinprogress]

THIS IS FOR TARGET SHOOTING PURPOSES ONLY!


I've become very curious about what distances each caliber is good for when it comes to distance with no bearing on how good the shooter is. So I thought maybe we could create a list that includes all rifle calibers and their respective distances to help out people who are looking for a certain range. I'll start with a couple of the lower calibers and please add to or correct as we go along.


.22lr 100-125yds
30-30 150yds
.17hmr 150-200yds
.223 300yds

[cpttango30]

22lr 50 to 100 yards for hunting.

223 0-500 yards. Depending on bullet and rifle. seen some used at 1k with the 90 gr bullets.

This list is going to get big fast becuase it is not just a cartridge it is the bullet as well. A 308 will shoot targets out to 1k with 175gr + bullets so will many other cartridges with teh right bullet.

HAve you looked at how many different bullets are out there.

308
110gr- 220gr

110gr
125 gr
135gr SMK is good for bench shooting at 100 -400 yards.
155gr SMK is good out to 500 or 600 yards
155gr SMK Palma is used for 1000 yard PALMA matches.
155gr Hornady interlock is good for hunting out to 300 yards.
168gr is the stock target bullet for 30 cal
175gr Go to 1000 yard F-class bullet
180gr 1000 yard bullet
185-190 more 1000 yard bullets need 1:9" or faster twist for these.

220gr Rd nose good for hunting out to 300 yards may 200.

223
35gr 100 to 150 varmint hunting
40gr 100-200 varmint hunting
50gr 100-400 yard varmint hunting
55gr 100-400 varmitn hunting
60gr 500 yard varmint
69gr 100 t0 400 target
70gr+ 500 yard target shooting

there is a lot more to take into account other than cartridge if you are going to make this list. More so it would depend on shooters ability. I can and do make 200 yard off hand shots at ground hogs with my 223 with 50gr V-Max bullets. That is not saying Benning or billybob can do that hell they may be able to make 300 or 400 yard off hand shots at ground hogs.

A sniper who knows his rifle inside and out and can spit ballistics out at you for the 308 out to 1500 m is going to out shoot many people at longer distance. Then you have to take into account that not every rifle is the same. my new ar is going to have a 20" barrel my remmy 700 223 has a 26" heavy taper barrel it will shoot faster and more accurate than my ar.

Just pointing this out...... Not to be an ass or anything.

[workinprogress]

Originally Posted by cpttango30

Just pointing this out...... Not to be an ass or anything.

Actually you're pointing out some great information. What I'm really looking for though is just general numbers for the normal public. A lot of people come onto these sites (including myself) wondering what cartridge is good to shoot at what distance. It would be nice to have a consolidated list that people could refer to and then go more in depth from there with their question.

edit: I'd also be willing to put this into a more readable format once it is all said and done so everybody can just add whatever they want to add and I will clean it up later.

[jpattersonnh]

I'll add a few

Originally Posted by cpttango30

22lr 50 to 100 yards for hunting.

223 0-500 yards. Depending on bullet and rifle. seen some used at 1k with the 90 gr bullets.

This list is going to get big fast becuase it is not just a cartridge it is the bullet as well. A 308 will shoot targets out to 1k with 175gr + bullets so will many other cartridges with teh right bullet.

HAve you looked at how many different bullets are out there.

308
110gr- 220gr

110gr
125 gr
135gr SMK is good for bench shooting at 100 -400 yards.
155gr SMK is good out to 500 or 600 yards
155gr SMK Palma is used for 1000 yard PALMA matches.
155gr Hornady interlock is good for hunting out to 300 yards.
165gr BTSP Great medium game bullet to 400 yards.
168gr is the stock target bullet for 30 cal
175gr Go to 1000 yard F-class bullet
180gr 1000 yard bullet
185-190 more 1000 yard bullets need 1:9" or faster twist for these.

220gr Rd nose good for hunting out to 300 yards may 200.

223
35gr 100 to 150 varmint hunting
40gr 100-200 varmint hunting
50gr 100-400 yard varmint hunting
55gr 100-400 varmitn hunting
60gr 500 yard varmint
63gr SSP, Good coyote to antelope. 350 yards.
69gr 100 t0 400 target
70gr+ 500 yard target shooting

there is a lot more to take into account other than cartridge if you are going to make this list. More so it would depend on shooters ability. I can and do make 200 yard off hand shots at ground hogs with my 223 with 50gr V-Max bullets. That is not saying Benning or billybob can do that hell they may be able to make 300 or 400 yard off hand shots at ground hogs.

A sniper who knows his rifle inside and out and can spit ballistics out at you for the 308 out to 1500 m is going to out shoot many people at longer distance. Then you have to take into account that not every rifle is the same. my new ar is going to have a 20" barrel my remmy 700 223 has a 26" heavy taper barrel it will shoot faster and more accurate than my ar.

Just pointing this out...... Not to be an ass or anything.

6.5x55:
87gr SP. Varmint bullet 450 yards ( hard to stablize in standard 1:8.7 barrels)
100gr HP great Varmint bullet to 450 yards
120gr Antelope to 400 yards
129gr. Whitetail to 400 yards
139-140gr Whitetail, brown bear, moose 200 yards on bear or moose, 400 on Whitetail
160gr. Brown bear, Moose, Elk 200 yards



9.3

[stalkingbear]

Even though almost all of the non magnum "conventional" deer cartridges ( 25-06, .270, .280, .284, 30-06, .308 class) are capable of taking a deer well past 500 yards, the average shooter is not up to the task skill wise. And therein lies the problem about maximum range. In my opinion, the average hunter don't have any business shooting at game further than 300 yards. That's why I hesitate to discuss maximum range as set in stone.

Even magnums offer no advantage unless you are skilled enough to be able to use them properly. Contrary to popular belief, they will not make up for poor or non existent shooting skill. In fact usually make things worse in the form of increased recoil & muzzle blast.

[workinprogress]

Originally Posted by stalkingbear

Even though almost all of the non magnum "conventional" deer cartridges ( 25-06, .270, .280, .284, 30-06, .308 class) are capable of taking a deer well past 500 yards, the average shooter is not up to the task skill wise. And therein lies the problem about maximum range. In my opinion, the average hunter don't have any business shooting at game further than 300 yards. That's why I hesitate to discuss maximum range as set in stone.

Even magnums offer no advantage unless you are skilled enough to be able to use them properly. Contrary to popular belief, they will not make up for poor or non existent shooting skill. In fact usually make things worse in the form of increased recoil & muzzle blast.

Perhaps I should rephrase the title of my thread. I would like to know this for target shooting only as most of what everybody discusses here is getting better at the range. Personally when I speak of wanting a rifle for such distance it will be only for target as we just have whitetail up here. My 30-30 will do that job no problem because I'm lucky if I can see 100 yards down a run.

[stalkingbear]

I just reread the title and noticed you said for target shooting purposes only-sorry bout that but I target shoot to get better at shooting when hunting.

[c3shooter]

Factors will not only be the cartridge, but the weight and shape of bullet- and WHICH rifle is firing it. Both a Winchester Mdl 100 and a Remington 40 X-C fire a .308. For TARGET purposes, the Model 100 maxes out at about 300 meters- it is a light sporter. The Remington is good for 1100 meters + depending on the glass on it. Also weighs ELEVEN POUNDS!

[Silvertip 44]

c3 and stalkingbear are both right. Effective range depends on the person behind the trigger in most cases. Depending on caliber and the specific rifle including the purpose for which it was built, effective range could be anywhere from 25 yards to the longest shot ever made at 1.5 miles by a Canadian sniper using a McMillian 50BMG.

[The_Kid]

Originally Posted by workinprogress

THIS IS FOR TARGET SHOOTING PURPOSES ONLY!30-30 150yds

When friends and family come down to shoot, we shoot my 30-30 with Hornady 160gr FTX bullets at 300 yards at an 8 x 12" target.

My nephew here has taken about 15 shots from a hi powered rifle his whole life.

My nephew here has taken about 15 shots from a hi powered rifle his whole life.

He took maybe 3 shots that day. My other nephew has had a little more experience, shoots that rifle as well.

When I shoot it at 400 yards, I'll hit that same target 90% of the time.

Since I've been reloading, I've only tried groups at 300 yards with it, the last one after load development was .64moa using Hornady 160gr FTX.

I wish people would stop short-changing the 30-30.