308 Norma Mag.
- Thread starter KZ 870
- Start date
I've never seen a factory one. Maybe for the European market. - dan
- Location
- Western Manitoba
The design premise, as I have read, was to clean out completely a military 30-06 chamber - then re-do the bolt face / extractor - likely millions of war surplus 30-06 out and about for very cheap after WWII. So if you have seen a Rem 700 in 308 Norma - likely could have been done up like that? Originally a 30-06, now a 308 Norma??
The 308 Norma hayday was in the 50's, the 700 didn't come into being until the 60's. Your theory is possible, but more likely that would have been more likely just one of us gun nuts wanting to play with a different or more powerful cartridge. - dan
308 Norma magnum came out in 1960 with reamers released to North American gunsmiths in 1961. Introduced by Norma as a preparatory cartridge. First rifles where made by smiths. Norma also supplied cases but loaded ammunition was scarce in North America. Was a popular round when introduced. The 300 Winchester coming out in 1964 chambered in factory rifles with available ammunition killed the 308 Norma magnum. Norma never did supply enough factory ammunition for non reloaders.
I have a custom 308 NM made on a P 17 action and barrel. One of my favourite rifles. European rifles where factory chambered but I am not if any one in North America chambered them.
I have a custom 308 NM made on a P 17 action and barrel. One of my favourite rifles. European rifles where factory chambered but I am not if any one in North America chambered them.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I have one left - is a Parker Hale, so proofed in England - I think it is a Model 1200 - is no designation on it - with 24" barrel. The other, recently sold, said "Safari De Luxe" on the left side of the receiver - also a Parker Hale - with a 22" barrel. I also have one that was made on a M1917 rifle - throat and first 6 inches of bore is completely burned out - "alligator skin" - so that one saw lots of firing, or lots of abuse - not sure which.
I had it in my mind that Remington chambered the Norma in the classic one year but I now believe my mind was confused! It certainly should have been offered in the Classic 700. I have always felt the 308 Norma was the very best of the 30 caliber magnums.
The 308 Norma magnum is by far, my favorite "big 30" I have owned at least one continuously since 1967.
A couple of times, I have owned 4 at the same time. [Go ahead, laugh.
]
Remington never chambered the round from the factory. But I have had built at least 3 on 700 actions.
At present, I have 2. One in a Ruger #1B [rechambered 30-06]
The second is a Leeper built 700, with a McGowen barrel. It is set in a Custom Shop Tiger Maple stock,
and has a Triggertech trigger.
It is truly an accurate sporter rifle, often yielding 1" or smaller groups at 200 meters.
The 308 Norma gives up very little to the 300 Win Mag, and is a superior design, IMHO.
I routinely get 3100+ with 180 grain bullets, and flirt with 3000 with the 200s.
Many slow burning powders work well in this chambering. Norma MRP, URP, MRP2, H4831sc
IMR 7828, IMR 4955, IMR 7977, IMR 4831, Vihtavuori N165, N560, N568, Reloder 22, 25, 26, etc.
Recoil is a bit above a maiden's caress, but I do not find it brutal. I really enjoy hunting with
the 308 Norma mag....it is effective and easy to load for. Dave.
A couple of times, I have owned 4 at the same time. [Go ahead, laugh.
]Remington never chambered the round from the factory. But I have had built at least 3 on 700 actions.
At present, I have 2. One in a Ruger #1B [rechambered 30-06]
The second is a Leeper built 700, with a McGowen barrel. It is set in a Custom Shop Tiger Maple stock,
and has a Triggertech trigger.
It is truly an accurate sporter rifle, often yielding 1" or smaller groups at 200 meters.
The 308 Norma gives up very little to the 300 Win Mag, and is a superior design, IMHO.
I routinely get 3100+ with 180 grain bullets, and flirt with 3000 with the 200s.
Many slow burning powders work well in this chambering. Norma MRP, URP, MRP2, H4831sc
IMR 7828, IMR 4955, IMR 7977, IMR 4831, Vihtavuori N165, N560, N568, Reloder 22, 25, 26, etc.
Recoil is a bit above a maiden's caress, but I do not find it brutal. I really enjoy hunting with
the 308 Norma mag....it is effective and easy to load for. Dave.
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From all the research and rifles I've come across, I was under the impression that no North American manufacturers ever offered it as a factory chambering.
The 308 Norma Mag always had a cool factor to me.
I finally got my hands on one as I recently purchased a 308 Norma Mag factory chambered in a rifle "Alpine Firearms of Birmingham". Don't know much about the manufacturer, but looks like a Parker Hale FN98 to me.
The 308 Norma Mag always had a cool factor to me.
I finally got my hands on one as I recently purchased a 308 Norma Mag factory chambered in a rifle "Alpine Firearms of Birmingham". Don't know much about the manufacturer, but looks like a Parker Hale FN98 to me.
pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
I have a 308 norma, my rifle is a Schultz&Larsen. It's proven very accurate for me. S&L have a rear locking bolt that some claim stretches cartridges, I've never noticed it in my rifle. Sometimes one will pop up for sale at a reasonable price. They are a very well made rifle with a silky smooth action, probably one of the smoothest actions out there.
NO it Never Was ! Great cartridge thou ! Longer Neck then the 300 WInny - Better Cartridge in my mho ! RJ
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Think this is incorrect as was potash miner. The introduction of the 2.5" magnum family had nothing to do with cleaning up a 30 cal bore. The Model 700 combined with the most popular 2.5" magnum, 7mm rem mag, made both the caliber and model 700.
People simply started wildcatting the new case, into the most popular bore in North America. Noone did a 30 2.5" despite 338wm, 264wm, 458wm. That bore was popular because there had just been two world wars fought against cartridges using metric designations. Nothing sold with a metric designation before 7mm rem mag, can you imagine a 264 creedmore today.
When someone got around to legitimizing the 30/338 it was a small foreign company Norma. The brass, and reamers were available without any rifles manufactured. Rifles came out, were custom and expensive, then rare and expensive when small numbers of rifles like Husqvarna and Schultz and Larson came out. In a very few years, 1958 to 1962/3, rifles costing 1/3 308nm manufacturers were available in 7mm rem mag/M700 and 300 win mag/M70. The end.
The 308nm "cleans up" a 30-06, sometimes, as a coincidence not design. Great cartridge, reloaded it gets to the lower range of factory 300win mag performance. Basically a 300wsm ballistic clone, actually predecessor. Few rifles were manufactured for it, I doubt anyone makes a rifle in this caliber now. Most rifles you find in 308nm will be rebarreled in it, late 50's - early 60's high quality European imports, and full on custom rifles. So does the 308nm end up in quality rifles because it's a great caliber, or is it a great caliber so it ends up in a quality rifle. A subtle difference.
A few things I discovered in the three I've owned. Factory ammo is rare and expensive. Factory headstamped brass is also rare and expensive, however it can be easily formed from its 2.5" cousins the 7mm rem mag, and 338wm. Mine all liked 180gr partitions pushed at or near max, but shot anything 165-180gr very well. Slow to very slow powders. Those quality rifles handle the pressures easily, shoot accurately, and encourage experimentation/play.
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The 308 Norma Magnum was, indeed, designed to clean up the 30/06 chamber. This is why it is a 2.55 inch case; rather than a 2.5 inch. I don't know to what extent the 338 Winchester influenced the development of the 308 Norma but it probably did to some extent. The 7mm Remington and the 300 Winchester were later developments. The 300 Winchester was designed the way it was simply so the cartridge would look more physically imposing than the 308 Norma. The Norma cartridge or the slightly smaller 30-338 were both much better fits for the pre-64 Model 70 action and the 308 Norma actually outperformed the Winchester in factory loads; although at higher pressures. I always like to point out that the 30 Newton, which predates the Model 70, was also a very good fit for the Model 54 or Model 70; since it closely matches the case dimensions of the 30/338. Winchester chose to weaken the Model 70 so it would take the 300 H&H instead.
A friend of mine kept records of chamber reamer use and, as of 1976, his 308 Norma reamer had cut more chambers than any other. I don't know how many I have cut (I don't keep accurate records!) but probably close to forty or so. Dad had his Model 70, 30/06, rechambered in 1962 and found factory loads to be a little too hot in his rifle. I re-barreled that rifle in 1988 and factory loads were OK but right at max, for sure.
A friend of mine kept records of chamber reamer use and, as of 1976, his 308 Norma reamer had cut more chambers than any other. I don't know how many I have cut (I don't keep accurate records!) but probably close to forty or so. Dad had his Model 70, 30/06, rechambered in 1962 and found factory loads to be a little too hot in his rifle. I re-barreled that rifle in 1988 and factory loads were OK but right at max, for sure.
Some of the early Factory Norma ammunition was loaded plenty warm.
In the chronograph we were using, it showed 3160 fps avg with the factory
ammo, and there were some marks left on the case head.
The later offerings from Norma are tamed down a bit, but still flirt with 3100
in a 26" barrel. Dave.
In the chronograph we were using, it showed 3160 fps avg with the factory
ammo, and there were some marks left on the case head.
The later offerings from Norma are tamed down a bit, but still flirt with 3100
in a 26" barrel. Dave.
I think the factory .308 Norma Magnum ammunition was made for Factory Norma Magnum chambered rifles... quite possibly aftermarket reamers chambered a different throat and caused higher pressures...
It is an efficient performer in velocity and accuracy...
I was never aware of any factory 700 chambering in the Norma Mag.
It is an efficient performer in velocity and accuracy...
I was never aware of any factory 700 chambering in the Norma Mag.
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As i stated, the 308 NM predates the 700 and the 7 RM. - dan
When Norma brought out the "Super 7x61 S&H" they increased the case capacity by thinning the web and case wall. They did the same thing, at the same time, to the 308 Norma brass. In the 308, they used the same load and the increased capacity lowered pressure and velocity a bit.
