Two of the best extreme long-range (ELR) cartridges ever developed, and loaded with “Balanced Flight Projectiles” that are CNC-machined, exhibit peerless radial symmetry, and stay out of the transonic zone for longer, both .375 and .408 CheyTac (infamous for their pairing with the CheyTac M200 Intervention sniper rifle) offer slightly different ballistic performance, despite their close relationship.
Let’s take a somewhat closer look at each of these.
.375 CheyTac
The .375 CheyTac is actually the newer of these two cartridges. Loaded with a bullet weighing between 370 and 375 grains, the .375 CheyTac will produce a muzzle velocity between 3000 and 3200 FPS.
It also produces muzzle energy between 6800 and 7500 ft-lbs, has an effective range of 2500 yards (or greater) and has a very high ballistic coefficient of .988.
.408 CheyTac
The .408 CheyTac is actually the predecessor to the .375 CT, and is basically the same thing, but a little bigger and heavier.
The .408 CheyTac is loaded with bullets weighing between 419 and 420 grains, so they’re heavier, and produces muzzle velocities between 2850 to 3000 FPS, just a little slower than .375 CT.
However, the flipside of this is that the .408 CheyTac produces more muzzle energy, at between 7700 to 8000 ft-lbs. The effective range is the same at 2500 yards, if not greater.
Ballistic coefficient is also slightly lower at .949. These slight differences give rise to the relative disparities in performance between these two cartridges, despite how overwhelmingly similar they are from a high level.
Where .375 CheyTac Delivers
While both the .375 and .408 CheyTac cartridges are excellent ELR cartridges, the .375 outperforms the .408 when it comes to flat trajectory.
No matter how you look at it, the .375 CheyTac shoots flatter at greater distances, largely because the bullet is lighter and because it has a higher ballistic coefficient.
As a result of this, the .375 CheyTac is preferred by some extreme long-range rifle shooters whose primary goal is to hit targets a long way off, especially if stopping power is not a concern.
Where .408 CheyTac Delivers
Ultimately, the main advantage of the .375 CheyTac is that it shoots flatter. With that said, there is one big advantage of the .408 CheyTac and it is that it hits harder.
Because it has a heavier bullet and produces more muzzle energy, it carries more energy to the target. This makes the .408 CheyTac the preferred round if stopping power is an issue.
If your target is anything other than a silhouette, the .408 CheyTac takes the edge. This makes it preferred, among other things, for hunting.
What They Both Do Well
So the bottom line is that the .408 CheyTac hits harder and the .375 CheyTac shoots flatter. That doesn’t mean they aren’t both excellent ELR cartridges with a lot of overlap.
Both of them shoot very flat and carry a lot of energy to the target. Also, both of them are loaded with high-BC bullets that are designed to stay out of the transonic zone for longer.
In fact, they are designed to remain supersonic all the way to the target, delivering uncustomary accuracy even at extreme ranges.
Also, with a rifle like the M200 Intervention, you don’t need to choose one over the other, since that rifle typically comes with two barrels, one chambered in each.
Where to Get .375 and .408 CheyTac Ammo
If you landed here looking for either .375 or .408 CheyTac ammo, get them online at B&B Firearms. They carry these two specialty cartridges on top of a surprising range of ELR rifles and extreme long-range shooting accessories. Visit their website for more information or to restock your ammo cans today.
