What Is The Most Accurate Long Range Handguning Round?

[EK Long Range]

I would like all of your opinions on this one.  I want to buy a contender for long range plinking, as in 500 yards.  I was thinking of a 14in 7x30 waters barrel but want to hear your thoughts.

Thanks
EK

[xphunter]

If you are talking for the Contender I have several thoughts.  BTW the 7x30 Waters is a good cartridge and it is not a wildcat.  222 Rem Mag Imp with  1-8 twist barrel for VLD's, 6.5x50R B....m, 6.5 Super Bower, 6.5 JDJ, 30 Alaskan.  Three of my favorite LR cartridges (not for Contender) is 6.5-284, 284 Win, 7.82 Patriot.  I enjoy the LR shooting.  In essence it will come down to BC and MV, assuming good rests, accurate barrels, etc.

Ernie

[Joe Kool]

I like the 6mm TCU. The recoil is low enough to mount a rifle scope on the barrel. Use a high power variable scope, like a 6-20 Leupold or a 8-32 Burris. Unfortunately I can only afford  a 4-16 Tasco, but it does a good job. You have to move your head back a little, and see only through about half of the field of view, but with a little practice it's not too hard to master. My stock T/C barrel will shoot 1/2" groups at a 100 yds. with 70 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips. Shot 2 groups at  300 yds.,  they measured 2.5" and 2.75". I use this barrel for varmint hunting. I have shot ground hogs in excess of 500 yds.. The longest shot I ever made was a crow at 625 yds. I don't know how big of targets you want to shoot at 500 yds., but I think the 6mm TCU would be a good choice. If you are real serious, get a barrel from SSK based on a Shilen blank, with a chamber that you can trust that JD Jones has reamed true to the bore. Remember the more time and care that you take in preparing your loads, the beter accuracy you will achieve. I don't get too carried away. I weigh the cases  to + or - 1 gr. and uniform the flash holes and primer pockets. Remington cases, Rem. 7 1/2 primers, about 25.2 gr. (varies a little from lot to lot) of IMR 4198, and the 70 gr. Nosler Ballistic tip, for 2750 fps.  This load is safe in my barrel.  

[Flash]

[haroldclark]

If you are looking for excellent shooting and low recoil for shooting long range look at the 7mm caliber.

As recently as yesterday, I fired 100 rounds at 500 meter Rams (547 yards) where my 7mm TCU 14" factory barrel will head shoot a ram (about an 8 inch target) depending on my ability to read the wind.  We set the Rams off the rail slightly to allow our TCs to knock them over.  I have fired over 2,491 rounds out of my 14" barrel in the past 3 years.  I have a 7mm BR Encore barrel and a 10" 7mm TCU.  If I had to get rid of all but two Contender/encore barrels, I would keep both 7mm TCUs.

It is a wildcat so to speak.  You simply run a 223 Remington case into the 7mm TCU die and it expands the neck to hold the 7mm bullet.  My barrels don't care if they are fire formed or not to begin with and I can run the targets out to 500 Meters (200 chickens, 300 meter pigs and 405 yard Turkeys).  It takes 26 or so grains of powder and for 500 meters, I have been using the Hornady 162 grain bullets as mentioned below with the 7mm BR.

I just wrote a response earlier today on what is the best load and bullet for a 7mm BR Encore.  It applies to this subject, so I have pasted it in below:

I have recently purchased an Encore 7mm BR and I really like it.  The two bullets I have used to date are the Hornady in 162 grain Amax and the 162-grain boat tail spire point.

The best load so far is 28.8 grain of BLC-2 with a Winchester small rifle primer.  This load produces an average velocity of 2022 fps with an extreme spread of 8 fps with the A-max.  Approximate Pressure = 48,077 psi.

The recoil is moderate in the scoped Encore.  Low-pressure loads like this will provide longer brass life.  I would guess that 12 to 20 uses would be possible if you neck size the cases only.

Most handgun hunters depend upon high velocity and light bullets.  If you use an Amax bullet with an extremely high ballistic coefficient like .620 on the 162 grainer, the loss of velocity out to 300 yards is less than with the faster and lighter bullets.  The retained energy is considerably higher with the heavier bullet, as well.

Harold Clark