Hornady’s new 300 and 338 Ruger Compact Magnums (RCM) outperform the 300 and 338WMAG

apparently it was because the 338 WSM wasn't able to match the 338 Win Mag's ballistics with 250 grain ammo (2660 f/s). In this day of marketing hype, that was disastrous
 
I read a bit about these cartrides in RIFLESHOOTER magazine that a friend bought.

The 20" barrel of the 300 managed 2820fps or so. I don't think thatis a big deal, since I suppose a guy could saw off 4" of his 300WSM and get the same result...

The 338 may prove interesting, since no short mag is chambered in it, and North Americans are more into 338's than 8MM's like the 325WSM.

I do wonder why they didn't just use the 375 Ruger case and neck it down, like many wildcatters have already done. It's a great case for something like that.:)
 
Hornady Ruger shows the .300 with the 180 grain doing 2900 fps in a 20" barrel.

What all you guys are missing is a highly efficient cartridge design. Less powder, less action length, less barrel length required, and less recoil. Consider it a .308 on steroids. Yes it looks similar to the 300 WSM at first glance, however I suspect Ruger and Hornady didn't just make a "me to" caliber here. I'm hoping the recoil is less, the powder usage lower, and with a higher efficiency in shorter barrels than the .300 WSM. This would render it even more user friendly in light rifles of the plastic/nylon typed stocked light rifles like the Savage/Stevens and Tikka ilk that are so popular.

I, for one, find it a burden to carry a long barreled heavy magnum rifle while hunting. They are just fine for stands and open fields, but a real piece of crap in deer woods. For the one rifle hunter, I can't imagine a better alternative to a light, short, high powered, and yet recoil tolerable, flat shooting rifle capable of comfortably taking any game in North America.

Rifles specifically designed around this type of cartridge would help it to succeed tremendously. Just sticking it in any old long action, long barreled gun would be pointless as the .300 Win.Mag does great there. Also, making the ammo affordable like the .308 and .30-06 instead of putting it into magnum ammo pricing would help.

Will this idea fly? I dunno...
 
Like all recent Ruger cartridges, they are aligned with a specialty reloading company which has access to tech and powders we don't.

From the articles and specs, Ruger is not expecting to meet factory performance from a reloaders stand point. Only through their/Hornady factory ammo....no profit in reloading.

Anyone remember 'Light Magnum' loadings? Same tech in the RCM's. This is where I feel Ruger is going to hurt themselves.

Reloaders are going to be very disspointed or run very high/BR type pressures to even come close to what the WSM does.

Sorry, but all this effeciency stuff is great marketing. Ultimately, so much powder (energy per gram) burnt equals so much energy out the muzzle. Case shape has little to do with this. Having the right powder vs case capacity vs pressure/bullet weight/barrel length does.

There are new powders on the horizon which might give some hope to the RCM but for now, you can't get those velocities at home. And if they work in the RCM, they will boost ALL similar cases.

What is true is that the narrower case diameter will run better through the average bolt action mag. Same diameter as the belt on the good ole' belted magnums. So you can get 1 more shell into the mag.

Will that revolutionize the hunting world????

The light magnum ammo certainly didn't and you can get TWO more shells in the mag.

Jerry
 
hardcore gun enthusiasts and avid reloaders can often look beyond the hype and embrace a new commercial caliber or even a wildcat as a new platform for experimentation or to tweak a bit more performance out of... so this doesnt apply to most of you guys - dont flame me.

but all of the average Joe hunters that believe the hype that buying the latest .338RCMWSSMRUMWOWWTFOMGlaserbeampewpew caliber will make them a better hunter need to read the following article:
Caliber Worship

most average hunters would be better served just sticking with their dad's old .30-06, buying 10 boxes of $10 ammo for it and heading to the range to work on their offhand shot placement.
 
The moniker "RCM" isnt even as ###y as "WSM" or "WSSM" and they will both be reloader-only specials( With the exception of maybe the .300WSM) soon so how can anyone expect the RCM to be a hit. .
 
manbearpig said:
all of the average Joe hunters that believe the hype that buying the latest .33
RCMWSSMRUMWOWWTFOMGlaserbeampewpew caliber will make them a better hunter need to read the following article:
Caliber Worship
most average hunters would be better served just sticking with their dad's old .30-06, buying 10 boxes of $10 ammo for it and heading to the range to work on their offhand shot placement.
Click to expand...

I agree wholeheartedly with the assessment of the writer of the article!! A decent bullet, placed in a vital area will mean meat in the pot. NO spectacular advertisement or hype will add any "mystical" killing effect. Chamberings come, and chamberings go, but skill and knowledge acquired by practice never get obsolete. Regards, Eagleye.
 
The 338 only has 3-4grs more capacity than the 338/06.With hornady's special loading technique and specialty powders it might be close to a factory 338 win.Handloads want be close though, the 338win has a fair bit more capacity.But to some that 0.54" shorter action might be appealing.I think hornady missed the boat, they should have kept the full length 375 ruger case, then they might have even had people rechambering their 338win mags.
 
grit said:
I think hornady missed the boat, they should have kept the full length 375 ruger case, then they might have even had people rechambering their 338win mags.
Click to expand...

I am sure that is already on the drawing board for 2008. surprised it has not been leaked yet.

Would give a tangible increase in case capacity over the 338 WM. The 'way better' beltless case design - for better feeding, headspacing, and hair growth.

Likely duplicate 338 Dakota ballistics in a more action/mag friendly design.

Yep, that would sell like crazy.
Jerry
 
These cartridges are intresting but IMO they will fail .
Make these specialty powders available to the reloader and the shorts have half a chance .
Great article on caliber worship .
 
One gun writer looked into the 338 WSM and found out that the action Winchester was using (short M 70) wasn't longe enough to properly accomodate the heavier and longer bullets in a 338 version. Alaska bear hunters I assume dote on 250 to 300 grain bullets and the magazine and action length didn't cut it for those without seriously compromising powder space. Thus we get the 325 WSM with it's lighter bullets which aren't that light either but don't compare to what could have been done in a 338. How many 270 Wins. would have been sold if the rifles for them could only accept a 100 grain or lighter bullet? Of course they could have built a 338WSM on the longer action but what would be the point when the 338 mag. was already in it and a better fit to the action?

If you're happy with 200 and 225 grain bullets in a 338WSM have one built. You proably won't be the first.
 
grit said:
The 338 only has 3-4grs more capacity than the 338/06.With hornady's special loading technique and specialty powders it might be close to a factory 338 win.Handloads want be close though, the 338win has a fair bit more capacity.But to some that 0.54" shorter action might be appealing.I think hornady missed the boat, they should have kept the full length 375 ruger case, then they might have even had people rechambering their 338win mags.
Click to expand...

Would make the best balanced 30 and 338 cal mag in my opinion.
Will rechamber my 300 as soon as Lapua makes brass for it.......OK maybe not

Would make a real neat 416

Way too girly sized for the 375 though! :D
 
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