Q
I recently read about a new .28 Nosler cartridge that drives a 160gn Nosler AccuBond at 3300fps and a 175gn Nosler AB-LR at 3200fps.It is being promoted as “The New Herd Bull.” This outperforms the 7mm Weatherby Magnum, 7mm Ultra Mag and 7mm STW by 100-200fps. I plan to get a Nosler rifle in .28 Nosler for my trophy hunting rifle. It should shoot flatter and hit harder at long range. What would be the best distance to zero this rifle at? What would the trajectories and energy figures be like for both of the factory loads over 500 metres?
– Arnold Lawton
A
The criterion of what any 7mm Magnum will do is with a nicely pointed 160gn spitzer bullet. With the 160gn Nosler AccuBond sighted in 76mm high at 100 metres, the bullet should zero at 275 metres, land 8mm high at 200, and drop 44mm at 300, 310mm at 400 and 745mm at 500. If that isn’t a flat trajectory then I don’t know what is. Remaining velocity is 3090 fps at 100 metres, 2890 at 200, 2699 at 300, 2516 at 400 and 2340 at 500.
Corresponding energy figures are: 3392, 2968, 2588, 2249, and 1945 ft/lb respectively. The 175gn AB-LR bullet when sighted in for a 275m zero is 86mm high at 200 and drops 46mm at 300, 332mm at 400 and 798mm at 500. Trajectory paths are similar with the 175gn bullet dropping only 50mm more at 500. Remaining velocity is 2995 fps at 100, 2799 at 200, 2611 at 300, 2431 at 400 and 2258 at 500.
Corresponding energy figures are: 3484 ft/lb at 100, 3043 at 200, 2649 at 300, 2296 at 400 and 1981 at 500. Hardly enough difference to worry about. Judging from photos I’ve seen the .28 Nosler has a very short neck – barely one calibre. I’d have preferred a longer neck for reloading.
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