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Does this 30 cal Exist?

Mark37082

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2021
Messages
3,302
Location
Tennessee
So I'm starting the planning stage for my perfect 30 cal hunting rifle. My requirements are:
200 grain pills at 3000 fps
22" barrel 9 twist - suppressed (TBAC Ultra 7)
Max weight 9.5 lbs ready to hunt
I don't want my teeth to loosen from recoil - I realize this is subjective.
I'm leaning on using Kelbly Nanook action, but haven't made the final decision.
I don't think I can get there with a 300WSM. Factory options for ammo would be great, but not a deal breaker. 30 Nosler or PRC may get me there, but if I am going the custom route, I don't want to overlook better options.
Suggestions/thoughts are appreciated.
 
So I'm starting the planning stage for my perfect 30 cal hunting rifle. My requirements are:
200 grain pills at 3000 fps
22" barrel 9 twist - suppressed (TBAC Ultra 7)
Max weight 9.5 lbs ready to hunt
I don't want my teeth to loosen from recoil - I realize this is subjective.
I'm leaning on using Kelbly Nanook action, but haven't made the final decision.
I don't think I can get there with a 300WSM. Factory options for ammo would be great, but not a deal breaker. 30 Nosler or PRC may get me there, but if I am going the custom route, I don't want to overlook better options.
Suggestions/thoughts are appreciated.
.300 NM/I, LM/I.
 
So I'm starting the planning stage for my perfect 30 cal hunting rifle. My requirements are:
200 grain pills at 3000 fps
22" barrel 9 twist - suppressed (TBAC Ultra 7)
Max weight 9.5 lbs ready to hunt
I don't want my teeth to loosen from recoil - I realize this is subjective.
I'm leaning on using Kelbly Nanook action, but haven't made the final decision.
I don't think I can get there with a 300WSM. Factory options for ammo would be great, but not a deal breaker. 30 Nosler or PRC may get me there, but if I am going the custom route, I don't want to overlook better options.
Suggestions/thoughts are appreciated.
I got 2975 with 220s from a 24" custom 30 nos using H1000.
It's about the best 30 cal cartridge in that capacity class, mine weighed under 10 lbs suppressed and my wife had zero issues shooting it with said combo.
 
If it was my build I would be looking really hard at 300WM, you won't find loaded ammo close to that speed but you can find factory ammo for it easily. Handloading a properly throated 300WM to that level is easy in a 26" barrel, need a 3.600" mag box too, no experience with a barrel less than 24" though and 3000 was relatively simple with 212/215's. Brass, great brass, is available and relatively inexpensive. Getting a 300WM to shoot well is as easy as anything I've tried. I am pretty sure I would go this route personally, I have lots of brass, and everything else I need, and I am a fan of 300WM for sure.

I like the Nosler cartridge in the 28 and 30 and 33, Nosler brass though I do not like at all. Good 28 brass is relatively available and a 30-28N is a really solid choice. PRC has good brass available though it seems still hard to get, Hornady brass is as bad and maybe worse than Nosler. Factory ammo seems to be becoming available. Feenix suggestion of the 300NMI is a great one, easy button too if you call Ryan at Piercision, he seems to have that chambering dialed as a system. Handload only but that doesn't bother me.
 
I built that, but with a 20" barrel.

Lane precision spec 30 nosler

20" Bartlien #4 carbon 8 twist

Bat Vampire action

XLR Element 4.0 mg Chassis, folder, carbon stock, bag rider

NF NX8 2.5-20 in NF 1.125" rings

Trigger Tech diamond 2 stage

Weight with magazine, bipod, and supressor -
20220719_095912.jpg


Weight with supressor, no bipod, and magazine
20220719_100809.jpg


Weight with single shot tray, no bipod, and silencerco qd muzzle brake
20220719_100546.jpg


208 LRHT's @ 2935 with a conservative load of H1000. With a 22", would be around 2985ish with this soft load. For reference, when I did a pressure test with retumbo I got 9 loads on a single piece of brass sending a 215 berger at 2990 before I lost the primer pocket. With a 22", you would be around 3040 with a similar load, use N570 and you would be over 3000 with a conservative load. Keep in mind, this is not a sammi chamber, it's Dallas lanes design that has more freebore.

20220719_095358.jpg


Oh, and recoil is easy with the supressor. I can spot my hits starting around 300 yards. Throw on an efficient brake, and it would be like shooting a .243
 
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If you can live with -100/150 fps, Ryan Pierce's latest 300 WSM would be a close fit.
I saw that earlier and it really got me thinking. I don't know why I just think 3000 fps is the benchmark. Sometimes I could care less about speed as long as I'm able to shoot ragged holes. However, if I can get both it makes my smile bigger.
 
I wanted 2900-3000 fps from a 20" while being easy on components, you can get there with a wsm and other smaller cartridges but your loosing brass fast, and the high nodes aren't the most accurate. I am around 100 fps and 2-2.5 grains below where I start to see pressure signs running the 208 at 2935, my brass will last forever and this load is really stable, and gives plenty of performance.
 
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