05-15-2012, 11:48 PM
Post Script to above: Going all the way to a 24" barrel only adds ten or twenty yards to the effective range defined above!
The reason is that the ability to hit trumps the ability of the bullet to function given a hit.
The Nosler minimum impact velocity of 1800 ft/sec is reached just past 400 yards with the longer barrel. This would be the effective range when the skills are up to the challenge of regularly placing the shot in the vital zone.
Hence a 14.5" or 16" or 18" barrel is just fine for most of us!
The reason is that the ability to hit trumps the ability of the bullet to function given a hit.
The Nosler minimum impact velocity of 1800 ft/sec is reached just past 400 yards with the longer barrel. This would be the effective range when the skills are up to the challenge of regularly placing the shot in the vital zone.
Hence a 14.5" or 16" or 18" barrel is just fine for most of us!