How is the PRC inferior?
300 PRC Brass
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They both have the same cartridge OAL so the magazine limitations will be identical and both will fit in a Wyatt box. The Nosler has more case capacity. The PRC is ~97 grains H20, The Nosler is ~99 with Nosler brass, ~100 with Bertram and ~101 with ADG. The Nosler will average 50-100 FPS more velocity all else being equal. The Nosler has three better brass options(not a huge issue to me as I believe the PRC will catch up). The barrel life difference will be negligible. Even the SAAMI Nosler chamber has enough room for shorter bearing surface bullets such as the 215 Berger, which have been proven to be one of the most effective large game bullets ever. When throated properly the Nosler increases it's advantage over the PRC. The bottom line is you can't argue with physics. I would tell you the RUM is better but it his hamstrung by the magazine issue. It will barely fit in a 4" magazine and they are very difficult to get to feed properly and require a lot more work in general. The RUM is still a great cartridge when loaded at 3.850" to fit a standard Wyatt box but the Nosler is very close with less hassle. The Nosler is very easy to tune. I believe the PRC will be too(mine sure was not). The entire rebated rim/non rebated rim discussion is a non issue. Both feed from properly tuned mag boxes the same. The Nosler wins in every single case except factory ammo. I have both when shooting the only difference I can tell between the two is the 30 Nosler has better ballistics. Less drop and less drift with very slightly more energy.
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How is the Nosler faster with the same bullet and charge? Or are you saying it *can* be due to 3 grain larger case capacity?
Yes it is physics. I don't understand your question??? Nobody I know who has a clue about long range shooting picks a bigger cartridge to use the same powder charge as a smaller case. That is not how reloading for accuracy works. Bigger cases are chosen for more velocity or the same velocity with less pressure(better brass life). Even with that in mind you do not get to chose where a particular powder/bullet combo will have the best accuracy velocity wise. That is why we have to do load development. It sounds like to me you are trying to do a backwards comparison. The larger the case the faster it will go at the same pressure with an appropriate burn rate powder for the cartridge. Larger cases typically are less efficient. We can play this game both up and down. The RUM is faster, wait the 30-378 is faster. Let's go down. The 300 WM uses less power to do almost the same, wait the 300wsm uses even less powder to obtain slightly less velocity but is more efficient...
The fact is the 300 WM, 300 PRC, and 30 Nosler are three of the most comparable cartridges, capacity wise, available. The fact is their performance will land exactly inline with the capacity. I see no need to pick the weaker performer when the powder burned will be very near the same.
I can't tell if you are trying to learn or just troll? I have shot all three cartridges extensively and the 30 Nosler outperforms the other two period. If you are looking to save those extra couple grains of powder or the 50ish rounds of barrel life then get a smaller case. I would have to ask where does that stop? like I said is it 300WSM, 308win, 30br???
Just starting at long range shooting, and just got a 300 PRC. Your statement
"It's your money. The 300 PRC will kill game but it IS the inferior of the two. Good luck.
I will say Hornady is vey good at marketing if nothing else."
seems to imply that buying a PRC is a waste of money and that Hornady is scamming the public. The differences seem quite modest to insignificant depending on use. Perhaps I misread what you wrote.
I do not think it is a bad cartridge. Yes Hornady owns the marketing game. I am simply stating facts. The 30 Nosler provides superior performance for a reloading is a fact. Again if shooting factory ammo I currently believe the 300 PRC is better and I suspect it will get even better. I am a long range hunter and have played with plenty of factory ammo and I do not see it as a reliable long term option for many reasons so I will stick to reloading. On the same topic the 300 WM has been getting it done for years and still does.
This article lays it all out there so I am not going to type anymore in this thread. All three are great options but the Nosler is the best in performance. The gap widens when going with a custom rifle.
https://www.rokslide.com/battle-of-the-30-cals/
Bigeclipse
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The advantage will be if the 30PRC ends up taking off similar to 300WSM or 6.5CM with having some factory ammo available. I also read an article somewhere that the nosler cartridges can be difficult for accuracy. I don't believe that as I believe any cartridge can be made accurate assuming the rifle system itself is accurate but I have heard that cartridge design can impact how easy it is to get an accurate load.
I have already stated the 300 PRC already owns the factory ammo even with the two options. I fully believe certain cartridges are more inherently accurate. I have seen it. Having said that the 30 Nosler is one of the easiest to tune cartridges. Those that claim otherwise are not using the correct components period.
D
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Monkeygoat
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I thought I read the 30 Nosler was having barrel life issues compared to the 300 WM? No reasons were articulated for the Nosler anomaly, but I believe it was an editor here who had the issue around 800rds (if memory serves)? Is this an outlier? PRC I've only seen the Hornady marketing hype of 2K+ rounds, which seems high, and WM seems approx 1.5K.
I'm looking at the WM, PRC, Nos, and Norma. Leaning Norma and PRC since a factory rifle will be twisted and throated for the long bullets, and Norma over PRC due to brass (which may not be an issue for long), although I question whether the extra capacity of the Norma is necessary. If building, the Nosler looks great for the magnum bolt-headed three, if the barrel life isn't abnormally short for the charge.
You can't beat physics. Barrel life will me relative to powder charge and burn rate. If all three cartridges are using the same capacity then barrel life will be relative to case capacity. In my personal opinion you should not be shooting at game if you are not practicing. When you practice enough with a particular rifle you will be shooting enough to actually care about barrel life. I personally will not shoot a rifle at game long distance if it will not shoot under .5 moa in controlled conditions out to my max distance. None of the 3 cartridges are going to shoot under .5 for 1500 rounds let alone 2k when shooting just as I described. If you shoot the rifle 20 times a year and the throat NEVER gets hot maybe but still seriously doubt it and in that case I do not believe for a second you can be proficient enough to be shooting at long range animals. The 300 WSM is far more efficient than the three cartridges being discussed and can't get much over 1500 accurate rounds when shot slow fire so no way something with 10-15 grains more powder is going to do it. Again we have to deal with those pesky physics. I would say on average the three cartridges are going to have barrel life with my accuracy expectations from 800-1000. I would bet money the useful barrel life between the 300WM, 300PRC, and the 30 Nosler would be within 50 rounds of each other if you actually took 15 barrels of each and shot them until they would not meet my expectations. Even with 15 of each I am not sure of the statistical value. My 300 PRC did not compete performance wise with any of my 4 30 Noslers and was a huge PIA to tune. It will be my one and only. My 30 Noslers have been far easier to tune and keep in tune than my WMs. To those that don't tune to get the most of their rifle/load at long distance this is a topic I will not argue. I have had enough of each to see the difference. I will stay with the 30 Nosler until I can no longer get components. I will be building a 300WSM in the next couple years with a long throat in a long action to see how close I can get in performance while reaping the far superior accuracy of the WSM.
Monkeygoat
Well-Known Member
OK, so your take is that the reports of 30 Nosler having much shorter barrel life are anecdotal and likely not representative of a larger sample.
I'll have to give some more thought to a 300 WSM and a 300 Norma vs splitting the difference and going 30 Nos. Have you been down the WSM road? I've read that seating long for capacity to drive 215's is difficult due to bullet shape/neck dimensions.
And once looking at the 300 WSM I start looking at the Berger 195 in a 7 instead, to complement the 300 Norma. Rinse, repeat velocity/bc/barrel life tradeoffs... and I wind up starting from 6BR all over again haha. Love this hobby!
I'll have to give some more thought to a 300 WSM and a 300 Norma vs splitting the difference and going 30 Nos. Have you been down the WSM road? I've read that seating long for capacity to drive 215's is difficult due to bullet shape/neck dimensions.
And once looking at the 300 WSM I start looking at the Berger 195 in a 7 instead, to complement the 300 Norma. Rinse, repeat velocity/bc/barrel life tradeoffs... and I wind up starting from 6BR all over again haha. Love this hobby!
First question=yes.
I have shot and done load development on a 300WSM but not one with a 26" barrel and proper throat. The second part is simply not true.
There is nothing that will compete with a 300 WSM accuracy wise that is suitable for hunting elk period.
I have shot and done load development on a 300WSM but not one with a 26" barrel and proper throat. The second part is simply not true.
There is nothing that will compete with a 300 WSM accuracy wise that is suitable for hunting elk period.
Monkeygoat
Well-Known Member
^^Awesome - thanks for the straight answers!
