Favourite 30. Cal for LR hunting

[matt_3479]

Been running a factory Remington 700 300. Winny pushing the 215 Bergers for 2 years and just recently sold it as cash was needed in a hurry. Well now that moose season is on its way I'm getting that itch. I have a few back up rifles as most of us do, but I'm going build myself a nice LR big game hunting rifle. Would like 30. Cal. My back up is a 7mm now, not interested in a 338. Yet. I'm thinking of sticking with 300. Win mag as I have 1500 pieces of brass, Redding dies, and the comfort of the caliber I'm use too. It also mirrors my custom 260. Rem pretty closely. So what would your choice be?

 

[gohring3006]

I have a 300 Win mag and a 300 Weatherby, both in 1-10 twist.
I also have a 30-06 1-10, which is probably my all time favorite round with the 6.5 Creedmoor growing on me. But I don't consider those two long range cartridges although the 30-06 with a 215 hybrid or 212 ELD would definitely hold its own to 1000 yards for deer sized game.

Anyway, if I was going to put together a rifle from the ground up, I would do a 300 Rum or 30 Nosler with a 1-9 or maybe even a 1-8.5 or 1-8 twist barrel. This is because I think a new 30 cal bullet is coming down the pike that will require a fast twist...

 

[Timber338]

if it were me I would sell the 1500 brass and dies for whatever I could get and go with something chambered in 30 Nosler. I think that just might be the perfect cartridge for a LR 30 caliber.

 

[Browning300]

timber what is the case capacity of the nosler?

 

[Timber338]

timber what is the case capacity of the nosler?

The Nosler manual lists it at 87.5 grains of water, while the 300 win mag holds about 80 grains of water +/- depending on the manufacturer. So it's very close to the win mag case capacity but has a few advantages over the win mag case. One of them being a fatter powder column that arguably has a little more consistent ignition with more powder exposed to the primer flash. Another advantage is the Nosler brass is 2.556" long compared to 2.620 for the win mag, so better chance you'll be able to fit loads in the magazine box. I also think the 30 Nosler can be managed without a brake if a guy has a no-brake requirement. And barrel life will still be very good.

Big picture I really like the ability to push a big 210 grain bullet to 3000 fps. That makes for a very flat trajectory with a high BC bullet.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

I'm to the extreme spectrum for 30's that said, I just don't think you can go wrong with the 300WM or 30 nosler.

The new possible 245Gr Berger was mentioned, unless you have a bigger chambering like the RUM, Lapua possibly long throated 30 nosler. I just don't think you'll be able to take full advantage of its B.C with it dragging down muzzle velocity to a point were it negates it's added B.C.

30 nosler sending a 215gr 3100 or 200gr accubond 3200+ would make for a very nice hammer.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

300 RUM but difficult to take advantage of long for caliber (200 grain+) bullets in mag length for hunting
300WM tried and true
300Wby and oldie but goodie
300WSM but suffers from being built on short actions can't load mag length

Why I like the xx-Nosler.

Fits mag length with long bullets. Use any action for a 300 RUM or 300 Wby and your good to go for long bullets.
For rounds loaded to mag length, just as fast as a 300RUM

It shoots. I don't understand everything about internal ballistics by a long way but the xx-Nosler works.

I chose to make a 308/26-Nosler by rechambering a Weatherby Mark V in 30-06. Changed to a 300Wby bolt and mag box. Done.

I made a 28-Nosler by rebarreling a 300RUM to a 7mm Barrel. Nothing else required.

I think your fastest/cheapest/best way to get a 30-Nosler or 308/26-Nosler (not quite the same) is to get a R700 in 300RUM and swap the barrel. Done.

 

[MudRunner2005]

.300 Ackley. Pushes 210/215's to ~3,100 and uses a standard magnum action and can be formed from .300 Weatherby Mag brass. Only issue is OAL will require a Wyatt's mag box to use as a repeater, or you can skip the Wyatt's box and shoot them single-shot (which is what I do).

 

[Mossy49]

Love my 300RUM, but it's all a preference!!!

 

[BEEMAN]

Long throated 300 WM. Mine shoots 215's right at 3000 fps with a 26" Brux and H1000. Brass is available and as said it is tried and true. Another 100-150 fps with another cartridge isn't worth it to me.

 

[Browning300]

the 30 nosler sounds about ideal to me with that cse length you should be able to seat the 215-230s out far enough to really take advantage of the full case capacity and still fit in the mag. and the I'll bet the extra capacity would get a solid 100fps over the 300wm, and not far at all behind the Rum. is the 30nosler just the 26nosler necked up or what?

 

[matt_3479]

I'm kind of surprised with all the love for the 30 nosler to be honest. Been reading a little and seems very impressive but seems kind of similar to the 300 Norma and nobody has mentioned that. The 300. Win mag is my first choice due to 1500 pieces of Norma brass with 1000 unfired and 500 twice fired. But have been strongly considering other options

 

[Deleted member 46119]

The 300 Norma has a bit more case capacity.

The challenge there is the rim gets you into Lapua Magnum and 30/378Wby bolt face.

If you go the Norma case route look at the 7.62 Pro.

300WM because you have all you need.

 

[matt_3479]

It kind of hard to find data on the 300 Norma and the 30 Nosler. So to double check it goes 300. Norma and then the 30 nosler as far as case capacity. So all this love for the 30 nosler and not so much for the Norma is because of the lapua bolt face?