30 Nosler vs 300WM vs 300PRC

[elkaholic]

Here at our local shop, through this past year you couldn't find any 300wm loaded ammo or brass (bought up as soon as it showed up), but 300 Prc came in periodically. I have owned two 300WM and sold them both. Now I have a 30 Sherman. Was wanting a 300 PRC but couldn't get a reamer. I can shoot 212 eldx factory 300 PRC ammo at 3030 feet per second and the fire formed brass reloaded with n570 and 250 ATips shoot at 2900. Those fly so good WAY out there. I'm sure if I loaded 210-230 in the Sherman it could push them significantly over 3000 fps.

Ive heard good things about the 250 Atips. Several guys have reported reaching 3000 even with those.
What barrel length is yours?

 

[nealm66]

Exactly! If a std PRC will run 2940, its no surprise a Sherman will run 3000'+
I was able to get only 4-5 firings on Hornady PRC brass, so ADG is definitely better!

Ya, some of the primer pockets on the Hornady didn't hold out too well with some of the loads I ran through them. I still have a few I use for target shooting. I'm not sure if they would have given the same velocity as the ADG brass either. I don't know how well a win mag would like the 245's. Definitely would take some changes. I did some investigating in a piece of 30-378 brass just out of curiosity and I think with it would only take a different barrel twist. Definitely would be interesting to see.

 

[tooth doc]

WHOLLY !!!! thats gonna be a bad mother trucker!!!! can we 245 @3300 plus

ill try to remember to let you know how it turns out. if i dont opt for 33 xc instead. have the brass but not dies yet so either way would be easy. maybe a switch barrel so i have both?

 

[motrapper]

If he throats the 300wm for the heavier bullets, theyre virtually identical ballistically and with off the shelf ammo / brass for the WM being more readily available, the 300wm is the winner here.

Could not Agree More

 

[D$tring]

Ive heard good things about the 250 Atips. Several guys have reported reaching 3000 even with those.
What barrel length is yours?

26. I bet I could hit 3000. I still have a little room left in the case. But it's shooting single digit ES ans SD and single hole groups, so I am happy….for now.

 

[greenejc]

I had the same debate recently and decided on the 300 NMI as the Lapua bolt face wasn't an issue since it was a new rifle and 230's at an easy 3000 fps was my goal.

If I was using a standard magnum action I already had it's hard to beat the 30-28 Nosler. If one was building a rifle I would seriously consider a properly throated 300 WM which gives up virtually nothing to the 300 prc or Nosler though in factory rifles the PRC does have some well known advantages for VLD bullets.

I'd get a Remington Longrange model 700 in 300 Win Mag and have William Trotter in Calhan Colorado extend the throat and accurize it like the guys at Gunwurks show on their video series at YouTube. The rifle and custom accurizing would probably be under $1,200 and you'd have a rifle that would shoot inside 0.6" at 100 yards, and stabilize a 220 grain bullet at around 2850+ and be capable of 1300 to 1400 yard shots with 200 grain bullets for practice. I know it would be able to send the 220 grain loads down range at at least 2800+ because I loaded the Nosler 220 grain Partitions for a friend when he went to Africa. They clocked about 2820fps from his 24" barreled M700. The 26" barrel in the Long Range rifle adds about 70 to 100fps.

 

[MagnumManiac]

getting 3260 with 165 ttsx in my 300wsm. seems that 125 fps isnt a big reward for the rum. having said this i have 2 300 rum's, a 7 and 375 and 416 rum as well.

That's with factory ammo in both instances.

Cheers.

 

[greenejc]

He did lay out some criteria. 800 yard elk gun, 1000+ yard fun shooter. Components availability being a factor.

Also, cal. 308, and either 300 WM, 30 Nosler or .30 PRC. I think that's pretty simple, straight forward and easily understood. I also think the answer is the 300 WM.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have deep experience and have owned and currently own and run a RUM, the PRC and the Nosler. In this particular case the Nosler is my choice. Why? It handles longer bullets in a standard mag, it is more efficient than the RUM and gives similar FPS and ballistic performance, and outclasses the PRC in the same areas.

A standard mag is neither here nor there when you CAN build a RUM to seat bullets in a 4" mag, if your Nosler can match that, then I need some of your magic.
I will stand by my statement that the PRC is no better than a 300WM in a 3.7" mag box.

Cheers.

 

[MagnumManiac]

The "Army" use the 300WM with a modified chamber, it's called the "A191" chamber, they also use 3.7" mag boxes to suit long heavy bullets.
The PRC is nothing new.
The 300WM has been doing it since 1963, and the belt has nothing to do with anything and the short neck has also been proven to not MATTER ONE BIT TO ACCURACY.
HYPE is what sells guns, even if what it says is twisting the truth.

Cheers.

 

[greenejc]

"greenejc", the 300 PRC will have nearly the same recoil as the 300 Win mag. For the reasons I posted above the 300 PRC would be a better choice, especially for 200 grain bullets.
Eric B.

You may be right. I don't shoot a 30 PRC. I do own and shoot two Remington 300 Win Mags, and reload for them, so I head space my brass at the shoulder instead of the belt. I do full length re-size and just barely bump the shoulder. I also don't load to the maximum pressures, as I want to avoid the 'bump' that max loads sometimes cause just forward of the belt. Both my 700's have long throats, so I can get around 2950fps from the 24" and 3000fps from the 26" barrel. But the real seller for me is brass. I can find it at public ranges and get it for free. I'll resize it and check it in each rifle, and if it chambers, I've got a free source of brass. Its mixed, but that's ok. I just separate the brass out and reload accordingly. I've found that most 300 Win Mag shooters don't reload, so most of my brass is range brass. The same is true for .308, 30-06 and .223, along with 9mm and .45 ACP. I do buy once-fired brass through Diamond K Brass, but not very often. I make my 25-06 and my 35 Whelen by necking .270 brass down or 30-06 brass up.

 

[FEENIX]

thanks. for a hot 30 i am contemplating a 30 xc. know anything about it? i have a pierce 10x ti action

Yep, that would do it.

 

[snox801]

I

I always reload everything so factory ammo isn't a factor. Just wondering if you noticed one burns more efficiently than the other or anything like that. I'd like to stay away from a RUM as I just don't quite need that much horsepower. Also at least in my area, everybody and their kitchen sink reloads so finding dies is always an issue. Obviously the WM is gonna be the most available as far as dies and brass go but what are the other runner ups?

If that's the case none of them.
30 Sherman. All the way. Shoots factory ammo better than most can shoot for fire form. Then reload as normal.
I used my first 150 rounds as barrel break in and fire form all at once for the fun of shooting. Could easily use that load for hunting well past normal ranges. Then barrel is broke in so speed has stabilized and I start load work. Then it's all the same as factory.
So your not out anything. Not much sense in doing load work before barrel is broke in or you redo anyway.

 

[greenejc]

The "Army" use the 300WM with a modified chamber, it's called the "A191" chamber, they also use 3.7" mag boxes to suit long heavy bullets.
The PRC is nothing new.
The 300WM has been doing it since 1963, and the belt has nothing to do with anything and the short neck has also been proven to not MATTER ONE BIT TO ACCURACY.
HYPE is what sells guns, even if what it says is twisting the truth.

Cheers.

You're right about everything. They also use Federal Gold Medal Match especially loaded for them, and I had to size that brass three times to get it back to spec. But its good brass. I got about 200 pieces when I worked the ranges at a military base and the SF gave me their brass. Also, most rifle makers are more careful with the 300 Win Mag chamber specs than the 7mm Rem Mag chamber, so they don't stretch casings much. You can get 6 or more (if you don't go to the max on your loads, 8 or more) reloads before case stretch at the belt becomes a problem. E. Arthur Brown Company makes a special die for the case bulge at the belt that sometimes becomes a problem, too. As to the heavier bullets, I don't need a bullet heavier than 200 grains. That hits hard enough and it kicks hard enough, too. I like being able to do a range session without a brake and without the extra muzzle blast, although I have a brake on the 26" barrelled 300 and the 24" 35 Whelen. You wouldn't think that going up 20 grains in bullet weight would make much difference, but it does in a light rifle that started at about 7.5 lbs.