25-06

[L. Cooper]

Target shooting does not need retained energy at extreme range. Hunting does.

For hunting at extreme ranges, bullet weight is a crucial factor. Light bullets can be just as accurate as heavy ones, but to have enough energy left at 700 yards to kill humanely, I believe calibers have to be big enough to shoot heavy bullets.

According to the Nosler Manual #4, a .25 cal. Ballistic Tip started at (generous for .25-06 and that weight) 3400 fps will have 903 foot pounds of energy left at 600 yards. The charts don't go beyond that. A .30 cal. 180 grain BT started at a chronographed 3140 fps from my .300 Win has, according to the same manual, almost exactly 1700 foot pounds of energy left at 600 yards.

While the accuracy to hunt game at long range is not a matter of bullet weight, the ability to kill things at long range is. Light bullets are not really good for hunting at extreme long range because they do not have enough mass to retain energy necessary to kill humanely at extreme range.