Caliber selection

[Cody Richardson]

Help me make up my mind…
22" 300 PRC with the +P treatment or a 22" 300 NMI. Both with 245 bergers. This will be for hunting out west and Alaska, everything up to Moose.

Guys are getting 2900+ with n570 in the 300 prc with the +p treatment. The 300 NMI will be 3050+.

Currently shooting a 284 Shehane with a 184 at 2905 and have a magnum bolt available to just have a switch barrel with the PRC. Would need a new action for the 300 NMI and optic. I'm leaning really heavily towards the PRC, since I'm already tooled for it since I load it for my dad and if something happens, there is generally ammo on the shelf for it.

My thought is I'm already running one wildcat, wouldn't be bad to have a factory option available. I'm loosing some muzzle energy with the PRC, but it's still way more than I've got now. Not that what I'm using is a slouch. Plus it's going to be about $3k cheaper with the prc.

Am I missing anything? Thought about a 300 RUM as well but haven't dove down that rabbit whole yet.

 

[Taylorbok]

245gr at 2900 out of a 22" barrel doesn't seem believable to me from a PRC.
What's ur load for that shehane?

 

[QuietTexan]

I'd say screw the 300 and get a 338 Edge or RUM. 338 is the easy button for better ballistics and better range in the wind. I bought a 300 NMI from Dallas that I'm really looking forward to, but I'm not expecting as much from it as my 338 Edge simply because of bullet size and weight. I love a good 30 cal and have a lot of big boomers in it including a HUGE own 30-338 Lapua Improved, but you say things like moose and Alaska and out west and 338 is just plain easier.

If you're set on a 30 cal though, 30 Sherman will run 300 PRC ammo in a pinch (that's the parent case for fireforming) and Rich has load data for the 245 Beger going 3000 FPS using N570 (out of 28" though, not 22" This is a tall order for a 22"). You could still have Shawn +P it if you really wanted to. My very mundane fire forming loads are putting 208/210s to 2900 FPS and it feels like a 30-06, it can go really fast or boringly slow.

That would be about the top end of what you could get from your current action short of a RUM with a Wyatt's box. COL is the big weakness of the RUM - lot's of freebore to seat long and you end up closer to 4" than 3.6". I still have on with a CF barrel but it's set up to feed from a normal box, not maximize case space.

 

[FEENIX]

Help me make up my mind…
22" 300 PRC with the +P treatment or a 22" 300 NMI. Both with 245 bergers. This will be for hunting out west and Alaska, everything up to Moose.

Guys are getting 2900+ with n570 in the 300 prc with the +p treatment. The 300 NMI will be 3050+.

Currently shooting a 284 Shehane with a 184 at 2905 and have a magnum bolt available to just have a switch barrel with the PRC. Would need a new action for the 300 NMI and optic. I'm leaning really heavily towards the PRC, since I'm already tooled for it since I load it for my dad and if something happens, there is generally ammo on the shelf for it.

My thought is I'm already running one wildcat, wouldn't be bad to have a factory option available. I'm loosing some muzzle energy with the PRC, but it's still way more than I've got now. Not that what I'm using is a slouch. Plus it's going to be about $3k cheaper with the prc.

Am I missing anything? Thought about a 300 RUM as well but haven't dove down that rabbit whole yet.

Between the two, I'd go with the 300 NMI.

 

[DoneNOut]

What isn't the 284 Shehane doing for you?

 

[Cody Richardson]

245gr at 2900 out of a 22" barrel doesn't seem believable to me from a PRC.
What's ur load for that shehane?

The +p treatment gets that. There is a thread on LRO, with guys getting 3000 with a 26".
I'm at 53.9 of h4350. It's a hot barrel. I've ran Shehanes in fclass for years and this is hands down the fastest barrel I've had.

 

[Cody Richardson]

I'd say screw the 300 and get a 338 Edge or RUM. 338 is the easy button for better ballistics and better range in the wind. I bought a 300 NMI from Dallas that I'm really looking forward to, but I'm not expecting as much from it as my 338 Edge simply because of bullet size and weight. I love a good 30 cal and have a lot of big boomers in it including a HUGE own 30-338 Lapua Improved, but you say things like moose and Alaska and out west and 338 is just plain easier.

If you're set on a 30 cal though, 30 Sherman will run 300 PRC ammo in a pinch (that's the parent case for fireforming) and Rich has load data for the 245 Beger going 3000 FPS using N570 (out of 28" though, not 22" This is a tall order for a 22"). You could still have Shawn +P it if you really wanted to. My very mundane fire forming loads are putting 208/210s to 2900 FPS and it feels like a 30-06, it can go really fast or boringly slow.

That would be about the top end of what you could get from your current action short of a RUM with a Wyatt's box. COL is the big weakness of the RUM - lot's of freebore to seat long and you end up closer to 4" than 3.6". I still have on with a CF barrel but it's set up to feed from a normal box, not maximize case space.

COL is the thing that has kept me from a RUM or an edge, I'm using a chassis and limited to 3.850. Buddy of mine had an edge and it was a hammer, but like you said, he had to uses a Wyatt's box.

 

[Cody Richardson]

What isn't the 284 Shehane doing for you?

I should have specified, it's not, not doing what I need, but looking to add a big 30 that double as a light gun for NF steel challenge style matches. My shehanes have always been incredibly accurate, and out of a standard bolt face still push 180+ bullets above 2900.

 

[44-40]

I'd pick a factory rifle in 300 Win mag for hunting out west, & Alask...when it goes over board crossing a river ya don't lose much, or a horse rolls on it.... and 300 Win Mag ammo is everywhere. I use a 338, & 350 mags ...but the 300 Win mag has more than enough power at reasonable ranges.
Back in the day Jack O'Connor killed everything in Alaska with a 270 Win and 130 gr bullets including interior Grizzly, when larger animals were readily available... With a factory Win model 70, and his preferred custom walnut stock.
Elk and moose are large animals with a big target area...nothing custom needed, unless you want. One Alaska famous coastal Grizzly guide will go into the brush, after a clients wounded grizzly armed with an opensighted factory Model 70 30-06 and 220 grain bullets...a 30-06 caliber is standard for bear protection, it kills Polar, grizzlies, & black bear where they are a nuisance...fishing guides hand out 12 gauge shotguns, when dropping clients in the wilderness.

 

[MagnumManiac]

To be honest, I wouldn't go near a 300PRC, it offers no advantage over existing rounds regardless of the hype of using longer bullets, anyone can load to 3.6" long with ANY cartridge if they want…
Now, the 300NMI is a real performer, it will outpace a PRC with ease, and is a simple fire form proposition…this was going to be one of my next builds, along with a 33XC, but life changes.

Cheers.

 

[comfisherman]

I'm not sure much out west or in Alaska anything is going to be able to discern 2900 vs 3050. Getting older, moderate with good brass and family continuity are intangibles that have merit as well. Love me some overbore shortys but sometimes dialing back to a 9 on the overbore in shorter barrels makes them a little more liveable.

Brass, familiarity (you already load for one) and ease of dies/chamber reamer availability matter more to me than the fps.

 

[blvette75]

Help me make up my mind…
22" 300 PRC with the +P treatment or a 22" 300 NMI. Both with 245 bergers. This will be for hunting out west and Alaska, everything up to Moose.

Guys are getting 2900+ with n570 in the 300 prc with the +p treatment. The 300 NMI will be 3050+.

Currently shooting a 284 Shehane with a 184 at 2905 and have a magnum bolt available to just have a switch barrel with the PRC. Would need a new action for the 300 NMI and optic. I'm leaning really heavily towards the PRC, since I'm already tooled for it since I load it for my dad and if something happens, there is generally ammo on the shelf for it.

My thought is I'm already running one wildcat, wouldn't be bad to have a factory option available. I'm loosing some muzzle energy with the PRC, but it's still way more than I've got now. Not that what I'm using is a slouch. Plus it's going to be about $3k cheaper with the prc.

Am I missing anything? Thought about a 300 RUM as well but haven't dove down that rabbit whole yet.

Well I had then same quandary but instead of the PRC look at the 338 caliber if you are looking for something lighter in weight with precision round look at the 338 Weatherby RPM. If it was available when I rebarreled one of my 300 win mags probably would have gotten that. I made it into a 338 wm, lots of available factory ammunition, 225 grn, 250 grn I load a 265 grn long range accubond for it. Just a thought.

 

[akredneck63]

300prc plenty good for everything

 

[sable tireur]

I should have specified, it's not, not doing what I need, but looking to add a big 30 that double as a light gun for NF steel challenge style matches.

I'm not a fan of 'doubling up', using one rifle for two opposed goals. I build these two types of rifles differently for obvious reasons.

I understand that you believe you can accomplish both with one rifle and you will if the desire to save money in development is that important. But my hunting rifle would be considerably different from a Light NF competition rifle.

Enjoy the process!