30 Nosler or 300 Norma Mag. Anyone have any experience with either cartridge?

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BigBore585

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So Im wanting to build a new long range hunting rifle for next season, and I can't decide between the 30 Nosler and 300 Norma. I have to do it on a bit of a budget since I have an expensive wedding next year. I can't go spending $3000-4000 on it. The Fiancé will freak. Hahaha after the wedding no biggy. But I need the rifle before the wedding. I will have to use a factory produced action, either a Savage or Remington.

So if anyone has any advice on the build or which cartridge of the two they perfer, that would be great!

Thanks
 
I would buy a quality used factory rifle in 308 Norma if those are your choices and that is your budget . Then you have your doner action and some feel for the rifle .

Sorry I just noticed you wanted opinion on 300norma
 
Pick your bullet first. For long range "form factor" is a a good way to compare options. 6.5 mm is probably the best choice when you consider recoil and the bullet size you really need in North America, but if you like the bigger bores, then 7mm is the next best. On the table of options at that link, take note of which bullets are highlighted in green.

Savage had a nice target action that is better than the Remington, but I don't believe it is available in a big magnum bolt.

Quite frankly, I would go with a 7mm Rem Mag. Or if you like to shoot something that everyone does not have, then the 7mm Remington SAUM would be my next choice.
 
Im a fan of the 6.5's. I already have a 6.5x284 Norma. Its a great cartridge. Im just looking for a .30 with horse power. I had a 30-378 Weatherby. I really liked it, but didn't love it. I want something thats bigger than a 300 Win Mag (which I had) but smaller then the 30-378. The only 7mm Id like at this point is a 280AI. But thats for another day.
 
Sorry but the 308 Norma is less than the 300 win The 30 nosler or the 300 Rum will be there. Quite a few 300 Rum's on EE or build your own.
 
BigBore585 said:
Im a fan of the 6.5's. I already have a 6.5x284 Norma. Its a great cartridge. Im just looking for a .30 with horse power. I had a 30-378 Weatherby. I really liked it, but didn't love it. I want something thats bigger than a 300 Win Mag (which I had) but smaller then the 30-378. The only 7mm Id like at this point is a 280AI. But thats for another day.
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I'm replacing a .264 WM with 82 grains of case volume with a 6.5 RM that has 68 grains capacity. Case volume does not always translate to more velocity and energy. From what I can see, I will get more out of the 6.5 RM than I will get out of the 264 WM.
 
Ron AKA said:
I'm replacing a .264 WM with 82 grains of case volume with a 6.5 RM that has 68 grains capacity. Case volume does not always translate to more velocity and energy. From what I can see, I will get more out of the 6.5 RM than I will get out of the 264 WM.
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Given correct barrel lengths and equal pressures you will not equal the 264 WM with a 6.5 RM..........that just goes against the laws of physics......sorry. If this were the case then Nosler never would have come out with their new 26 cal offering nor would Weatherby have "legitimized" the 6.5X300 Wby. The new slow burning powders have taken the badly overbore cartridges to new plateaus in ballistics that one could not reach a couple decades ago. But even a couple decades ago the 6.5 RM never equaled or even really came close to the 264 WM.......I have had them both......still have a 264 WM........I have heard other people say the 6.5-284 will equal the 264 WM as well........that also ain't gonna happen, again I have had both and can tell you with absolute certainty this just isn't possible.
The simple facts of physics cannot be denied...........just like racing cars............"there is no replacement for displacement"
 
OP..........either way you are into some very high priced brass that is not easily made from something cheap. I can tell you that the Nosler 30 cal (which is just a hijacked 300 Dakota) would be a lot easier to make work with a regular factory action and when properly done will give 3 in the magazine. The shortened Rigby case is a whole nother can of worms in a standard action, and it is not easy to open up a 700 bolt face to accept the size of the Rigby rim. It gets complex and a new extractor system has to be installed with significant machine work. Then one must work the action rails and get it to feed properly, AND you can only get 2 under.........maybe.
Did you say something about not wanting to spend 3 or 4K $.........Then do not get hung up on the 300 Norma, unless you want to start with a 338 Lapua action and go from there.......
You may wish to consider a 300 Wby, 300-8mm RM or the 300 RUM, all of these are a step up from the 300 WM.........but don't discount the 300 WM either, in a rifle with a long magazine and a good lengthened throat, they will approach the 300 Wby and have been known to win several very prestigious 1000 yd events. A throating job on a good 300 WM would be a very good economical place to start. Something like a Rem 700 Sendero and stretch the throat out to use all the powder capacity and I think you may be very suitably impressed.
 
Neilm 300 Norma Mag, not 308 Norma. 8's and 0's are confusing. Haha

C-fbmi Thank You for the input. I agree, Im not hung up on the 300 Norma because of the need for a Lapua action. Im just wondering if it has that "worth the extra cost".

I was considering a 300 Dakota, but I figured the 30 Nosler brass would be easier to find. Its funny You mention a Rem 700 Sendero. I had one in 300 Win Mag a few years ago. Id like to go that route again, just in either the 30 Nosler or 300 Norma. Just to be different.
 
OP..........it's a simple rechamber from 300 WM to 30 Nosler. Find yourself another 300 WM in a Sendero and your good to go. You can try throating it and if that's not good enough then cut 'er out to the Nosler..........
 
What about a .300 Lapua? Would probably be as simple as rebarelling a .338 Lapua as I suspect it would feed just fine. Usually the .338's have nice bottom metal/magazine so that would help keep the cost down too.
 
300 Norma Mag - Lapua brass

Available in Europe now and 1st quarter of 2018 for us.

Applied Ballistics factory loaded ammunition is with Lapua brass already.

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Why not 300 RUM? I agree the other 2 are intriguing but isn't the RUM option cheaper and easier to go? Reamers, brass, dies, should be easier to find too no?
 
My buddies 300 rum makes my 300 wm seem like the fat kid on the bench during sprints for the fast kids

Over the chronograph I was a Lil bit ashamed and he was using factory loads vs my hand loads.

For a cheaper budget I'd go 300 wby or 300 rum. Then take wedding money and buy what ever faster 30 you want. Collect to entire set.
 
brybenn said:
My buddies 300 rum makes my 300 wm seem like the fat kid on the bench during sprints for the fast kids

Over the chronograph I was a Lil bit ashamed and he was using factory loads vs my hand loads.

For a cheaper budget I'd go 300 wby or 300 rum. Then take wedding money and buy what ever faster 30 you want. Collect to entire set.
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RL 26 will get you into 300 wby territory. I am pushing a 180 Accubond at 3250! Zero pressure signs, easy load on brass. This is out of a 25" Lilja barrel.
 
Not a huge difference in the 30 Nosler or 300 Win Mag. Personally I’d go 300 Win Mag. Go with a custom reamer and shoot the 215 Berger. My custom shoots them right at 3000 fps out of a 26” Brux. N570 is also suppose to work good but I’ve been using H1000. Good test over on Long Range Only between the 30 Nosler and 300 Win Mag. Slight edge in velocity with the Nosler, but not enough to get me excited. Really depends if you want the newest thing or tried and trued. Can’t go wrong with either one I think. The 215 Bergers are flat out devastating.
 
beeman2 said:
Not a huge difference in the 30 Nosler or 300 Win Mag. Personally I’d go 300 Win Mag. Go with a custom reamer and shoot the 215 Berger. My custom shoots them right at 3000 fps out of a 26” Brux. N570 is also suppose to work good but I’ve been using H1000. Good test over on Long Range Only between the 30 Nosler and 300 Win Mag. Slight edge in velocity with the Nosler, but not enough to get me excited. Really depends if you want the newest thing or tried and trued. Can’t go wrong with either one I think. The 215 Bergers are flat out devastating.
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Went back and reread the the thread starter. I agree. I got caught up in the announcement of 300 Norma Mag Lapua made brass.

Since the OP was on a bit of a budget. Best to stay with a .550 boltface, and go with a 300 Win Mag even though the OP wasn't asking about that one. 30 Nosler brass is not budget brass.
 
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