By John Bibby
Reloaders have customization options that factory options will not fulfill. They are targeting the sweet spot of the buying market, not the smaller niches. We as reloaders can put together powder, projectile and even barrel twist combinations far outside the ranges factories are willing to support. Here are five options that are superior to any factory options.
In any list of the “best” there is going to be discussion and perhaps even arguments over the choices that are left off. That is sort of the point and makes it fun to further discuss (see other options at the end). As such my criteria are as follows: flat shooting out to at least 300 yards, minimizes fur damage, capable of an ethical kill on coyote-sized game, improves where the factory left off.
.223/5.56
This round is everywhere. It’s chambered in bolt guns, semiautos, AR and long-barreled pistols. If you can’t find a gun chambered in this, you aren’t looking very hard. Now within this plethora of choices, I would suggest the SHTF 16” barreled M-4gery is probably not the best varminting platform and certainly 55 gr Nato ball ammunition is a poor choice.
However, a 20-24” barreled precision semiauto or bolt gun is a very solid option. I choose to run 77 gr Berger OTM handloads for my coyote ambushes. As a reloader I can easily run this bullet at sizzling velocities. In my precision 24” barrel AR, my load generates +2750 fps (add 50-100 fps for a bolt gun) and with a 25/225-yard zero provides a very flat shot out to 300 yards. To put some numbers on this, the round is never more than 2.7” high or 3.9” low, between 0 and 275 yards. I don’t typically take shots on this size game past 300, but 350 yards is roughly 14” low and 400 yards is roughly 23”. With a 10-mph crosswind at 300 yards it deviates by less than 10”.
Perhaps the bigger value is at 300 yards the projectile still hits at 2075 fps and carries 735 #/ft of energy. This means the bullet is still within its deformation velocity and that is plenty of energy for an ethical kill.
.220 Swift
Due to being eclipsed by newer bigger rounds, the .220 Swift has all but been forgotten by most shooters. It was the original rocket round, when introduced the +4000-fps velocity stood well above all other rounds. With modern powders, this cartridge is capable of 4400 fps (although many find the accuracy node 100-150 fps lower). To do this a diminutive 35 gr bullet is needed and this has disadvantages at distance, but for handloaders wanting to work in the lower bullet weight ranges, this is a fabulous, if somewhat obscure cartridge.
With a 35 gr Nosler at 4300 fps (accuracy node), this provides a 25/385 yard zero with a max overage of 6.3” at 225 yards and 10.4” low at 475 yards. The bullet retains an acceptable 541 #/ft of energy at 300 yards and a wind drift of 12”. As you can see this is quite good for such a light bullet choice, but other (harder recoiling) rounds have the advantage at distance.
Stepping up to a 52 gr Nosler still easily provides 3750 fps which provides a 25/335 zero with a max high mark of 5.1” at 200 yards. The projectile is 6.1” low at 400 yards and provides 701 #/ft of energy at 300 yards. This is a 25 grain lighter projectile than with the heavy for caliber 5.56, yet yielding the same downrange energy and the same 10” of wind drift.
.243 Win
For the reloader there are three choices with this caliber.
#1 Move up to .243 Ackley Improved. This provides at least 200 fps more velocity to the below numbers, thus making it flatter shooting and retaining more energy at distance.
#2 Running a light-for-caliber bullet, something in the 55-60 gr weight. This will provide roughly 4050 fps. With a Hornady 58 gr V-max, this translates to a 25/375-yard zero with a maximum high of 5.85” at 225 yards. It also means you will only be 7.25” low at 450 with a retained energy of 710 #/ft at 400 yards. At 300 yards the wind drift is a hair over 9”.
#3 Running a heavier varmint round. Something like an 80 gr Berger Varmint at 3300 fps. This will get you a 25/300-yard zero with the max over being 4.3” at 175 yards. At 400 yards you are 8.6” low. The wind is pushing you 7.1” at 300 yards with a retained energy of 1250#/ft.
.257 Roberts
Here, unlike with the 5.56, a light-for-caliber projectile is the way to go. A Hornady 75 gr V-Max provides a very light recoiling shot at 3600 fps. This makes follow-up shots much simpler if there is more than one target, or by some chance you miss. At those speeds the projectile comes apart very rapidly inside the prey doing significant internal damage without harming the pelt too much. At 3600 fps, the 25/325-yard zero has a peak deviation of 4.9” high at 200 yards and is 6” low at 400 yards. It also still provides a very ethical 850 #/ft of energy at 400 yards. With 10-mph winds, the drift is 8.5” at 300 yards. As you can see this is a very flat shooting round that makes fairly simple work of predator hunting out to at least 300, if not 400 yards.
.300 Win Mag
Some of you are going to question my sanity with this choice. However reserve judgment until after you see the numbers.
Using a Barnes 110 gr TSX easily gives 3850 fps at the muzzle. This provides a 25/380-yard double zero. At 300 yards, you still have 2760 fps and 1860 #/ft of energy and only 7.8” of drift. This velocity and energy will ensure deformation of the TSX bullet at this distance and brutal expansion at closer ranges.
If you are good at reading wind, this is still a viable choice at 500 yards. Velocity 2170 fps, energy 1150 #/ft and 23.8” of drift. All of this comes with very little recoil penalty considering the other advantages. This light round has 25-30% less recoil than its 150 gr bigger brother.
The reloader has as MANY more choices that have not been addressed. It simply comes down to what caliber do you already own, does your rifle have an appropriate twist rate for the light (or heavy) for caliber projectile. Then with things like Ackley Improved, are you willing to pay for a quick touch up to the chamber to provide 150-300 more fps and a more efficient powder burn.
A short list of other options:
.204 Ruger, .22-250 AI, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 7mm 08, 7mm Magnum.
