Kachok
Member
I have been wanting to do this for quite some time now, so I invested a few hours to create a fair scientific comparison of the best low recoil hunting rifles and compare them head to head. I did NOT include bullets that will not stabalize in standard factory twist rates, bullets that are not intended for big game hunting, or load data off of unknown websites. So this is about as fair as a head to head can be.
All loads are under 14lbs of recoil in an 8lbs rifles, a good max point for a beginer small framed shooter and a great comfort zone for an experenced shooter. The 7mm-08, 25-06, and the 6.5x55 are all able to make more power then listed here with full power loads but they are above the 14lbs limit.
All load information comes from Nosler or Lymans and the highest BC bullets for each caliber/weight were chosen (assuming they would stabalize in factory twist). Two popular weight of each caliber are compared to show their strong suits.
Effective range is where the bullet is still making 1800fps to allow bullet expansion and 1000 ft lbs of kennetic energy, the recomended minimum for an ethical kill. Effective range is rounded to 25 yards.
MPBR is the maximum point blank range where your bullet will not go above or below 3" with an ideal zero.
OGW is the optimal game weight. This is a formula to determine what sized game anamals you should be hunting with any given bullet. No it is not perfect but it will give you a good idea. I made the cut off 300 yards as that is likely to be as far as most hunters will shoot.
Caliber weight speed recoil Effective range MPBR OGW@300yd Bullet BC
22-250 60gr @3612fps 6.6lbs 175 yards 319yards 70 lbs Partition .228BC
22-250 53gr @3897fps 6.1lbs 175 yards 331yards 61 lbs Barnes TSX .204BC
.243-100gr @3144fps 10.8lbs 475 yards 307yards 234 lbs Serria Game king .430BC
.243 -- 85gr @3308fps 9.7lbs 425 yards 319yards 191 lbs Speer SPBT .404BC
.257R 115gr @2827fps 10.1lbs 475 yards 281yards 236 lbs Burger hunting .479BC
.257R 100gr @3120fps 9.3lbs 425 yards 301yards 213 lbs Nosler Ballistic tip .396BC
.25-06 115gr @3095fps 13.6lbs 600 yards 306yards 317 lbs Burger hunting .479BC
.25-06 100gr @3352fps 13.0lbs 525 yards 322yards 271 lbs Nosler Ballistic tip .396BC
260rem 120gr @3049fps 13.8lbs 575 yards 300yards 319 lbs Nosler ballistic tip .458BC
260rem 130gr @2864fps 13.7lbs 675 yards 289yards 350 lbs Swift Scirocco 2 .571BC
6.5x55 140gr @2762fps 13.8lbs 700 yards 280yards 370 lbs Burger hunting .595BC
6.5x55 120gr @3000fps 13.3lbs 575 yards 296yards 303 lbs Nosler Ballistic tip .458BC
7-08 140gr @2862fps 13.9lbs 625 yards 285yards 368 lbs Burger hunting .486BC
7-08 120gr @3139fps 13.7lbs 575 yards 305yards 326 lbs Nosler ballistic tip .417BC
30-30 170gr @2192fps 11.0lbs 125 yards* 206yards 113 lbs Nosler Partition .252BC
30-30 150gr @2426fps 11.7lbs 150 yards* 214yards 75 lbs Hornady Interlock RNSP.186BC
*30-30 bullets are designed to expand below the standard 1800fps of spritzer rifle bullets. Real world effective range is about 200 yards max.
Sorry all of this did not line up perfectly like it did on microsoft word
I was doing this reserch anyway so I figured I would share with my rifle community Very good stuff, I did not think the .243 would do that well and the 6.5x55 just blew me away, I have loved it for years but I never thought it could pack ethical deer killing power to 700 YARDS!! If I missed anything would yall please let me know. Thanx
All loads are under 14lbs of recoil in an 8lbs rifles, a good max point for a beginer small framed shooter and a great comfort zone for an experenced shooter. The 7mm-08, 25-06, and the 6.5x55 are all able to make more power then listed here with full power loads but they are above the 14lbs limit.
All load information comes from Nosler or Lymans and the highest BC bullets for each caliber/weight were chosen (assuming they would stabalize in factory twist). Two popular weight of each caliber are compared to show their strong suits.
Effective range is where the bullet is still making 1800fps to allow bullet expansion and 1000 ft lbs of kennetic energy, the recomended minimum for an ethical kill. Effective range is rounded to 25 yards.
MPBR is the maximum point blank range where your bullet will not go above or below 3" with an ideal zero.
OGW is the optimal game weight. This is a formula to determine what sized game anamals you should be hunting with any given bullet. No it is not perfect but it will give you a good idea. I made the cut off 300 yards as that is likely to be as far as most hunters will shoot.
Caliber weight speed recoil Effective range MPBR OGW@300yd Bullet BC
22-250 60gr @3612fps 6.6lbs 175 yards 319yards 70 lbs Partition .228BC
22-250 53gr @3897fps 6.1lbs 175 yards 331yards 61 lbs Barnes TSX .204BC
.243-100gr @3144fps 10.8lbs 475 yards 307yards 234 lbs Serria Game king .430BC
.243 -- 85gr @3308fps 9.7lbs 425 yards 319yards 191 lbs Speer SPBT .404BC
.257R 115gr @2827fps 10.1lbs 475 yards 281yards 236 lbs Burger hunting .479BC
.257R 100gr @3120fps 9.3lbs 425 yards 301yards 213 lbs Nosler Ballistic tip .396BC
.25-06 115gr @3095fps 13.6lbs 600 yards 306yards 317 lbs Burger hunting .479BC
.25-06 100gr @3352fps 13.0lbs 525 yards 322yards 271 lbs Nosler Ballistic tip .396BC
260rem 120gr @3049fps 13.8lbs 575 yards 300yards 319 lbs Nosler ballistic tip .458BC
260rem 130gr @2864fps 13.7lbs 675 yards 289yards 350 lbs Swift Scirocco 2 .571BC
6.5x55 140gr @2762fps 13.8lbs 700 yards 280yards 370 lbs Burger hunting .595BC
6.5x55 120gr @3000fps 13.3lbs 575 yards 296yards 303 lbs Nosler Ballistic tip .458BC
7-08 140gr @2862fps 13.9lbs 625 yards 285yards 368 lbs Burger hunting .486BC
7-08 120gr @3139fps 13.7lbs 575 yards 305yards 326 lbs Nosler ballistic tip .417BC
30-30 170gr @2192fps 11.0lbs 125 yards* 206yards 113 lbs Nosler Partition .252BC
30-30 150gr @2426fps 11.7lbs 150 yards* 214yards 75 lbs Hornady Interlock RNSP.186BC
*30-30 bullets are designed to expand below the standard 1800fps of spritzer rifle bullets. Real world effective range is about 200 yards max.
Sorry all of this did not line up perfectly like it did on microsoft word
I was doing this reserch anyway so I figured I would share with my rifle community Very good stuff, I did not think the .243 would do that well and the 6.5x55 just blew me away, I have loved it for years but I never thought it could pack ethical deer killing power to 700 YARDS!! If I missed anything would yall please let me know. Thanx