Pros and cons for 300 Win Mag and 338 Lapua Mag

[martinakl]

^^^It's not hard at all. Sniper's Hide has a plethora of good information in their Reloading Depot. I can give you starting points for 215 and 230 Bergers.

Berger will also give you load info. Last time I emailed, they said I had to call. They weren't emailing load data anymore.

Hornady probably will too. They're making brass and ammo for the 300 Norma.

 

[TheRioKid]

The platform I have been looking at is the Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rifle. It is offered in certain cartridges. The three I am interested in are the 300 Win, and the 338 Lapua, and after chatting here, the 300 Norma.
I already have 2 different 6.5 Creedmoor, and 2 different 308 Win. I also have my " old reliable" 300 Win Mag hunting Rifle in a Browning A-Bolt. At first i thought i would just go ahead with the 300 Win since I have about 400 pieces of once fired brass for it, but i wouldnt mind trying something with a bit more leg for the long range precision stuff. I am going to jump on Al Gore's internet real quick and see how difficult it will be to get brass for a Norma. Thanks for the info so far guys, and I may just take you up on that offer Surgeon!

 

[surgeon260]

Here is Berger's data for the 230s. A word of caution: Berger's max loads using Retumbo and RL33 are WAAAAY too hot for my rifle, so do not start anywhere close to the max loads listed here. I get pressure signs at 85 grains of Retumbo in virgin Norma brass. If I actually tried their max load of 89.1, I would need a mallet to open the bolt.

Start low and work up!

Edited to add that I am seeing much higher velocities than listed here out of a 28" barrel. My Retumbo load (85 grains) runs about 2960. The limiting factor in my experience is the strength of the Norma brand primer pockets. Once Lapua brass shows up stateside in a few months, then we will see what this cartridge can really do!

 

[TheRioKid]

Amen!!
I always start low. I like my rifles, and my life way too much. Thanks for sharing. Do you like the cartridge? It looks like it is a flat shooting round on paper.

 

[surgeon260]

I love the 300 Norma. Along with the 338 Norma, it is my favorite cartridge to shoot. Super easy to load for and very forgiving with respect to seating depth. Both my 300 and 338 Normas are improved with 40 degree shoulders and min taper. My load for the fireformed brass in the 300 pushes the 230s at about 3060 without breaking a sweat, and I never have to trim brass. I could go even faster but primer pockets loosen up more than I will tolerate. Accuracy in the 2s and 3s. Believe it or not, my 338 Norma is even more accurate.

 

[6.5x47hunter]

Start low and work up!

ill second that!

rl33 91gr is giving me 2915/2916fps and last time a saw 93.2 as max.

retumbo and H1000 i got good results with 88gr and 89gr

so yeah, DO NOT just dump in a max charge. i believe the factory 230gr are running @2950fps .

300WM with 215 Bregers are really top shelf Hunting load but you can alyays load the 300NM down to that.

7mm....ill PASS every time . and if you think you need a 338, check out the 338NM with a 300gr at 2850fps

so MY choice is 230gr - 300NM all the way with 215gr - 300WM #2 and i wouldnt feel under powered.

 

[Rifleman97]

28 Nosler has better ballistics than the 300 Win mag, and although is more expensive than the Win mag, it's still cheaper than lapua. It's been taking off like crazy and it seems it's here to stay. And if it isn't you can still make brass from 300 rum as they both have the same 404 Jeffrey parent case.
With the 195 grain Berger hunting bullets you have a BC of around .75 to .78 (I can't remember exactly, somewhere around there) at velocities around 3050 to 3150 depending on if you throat it a little longer or not. With those velocities you can get to 2000 yards with "only" 18 ish to 19 mils of vertical adjustment. You can't do that with the Win mag.
With a long throat and seating close to the lands it gives the caliber a much lower pressure, and according to Ryan Pierce, who is building some of the best 28 noslers you can buy, it's got a barrel life of around 1000-1200 rounds. So it's pretty close to the Win mag on barrel life, plus it's rimless (you can argue you neck size after the first shot, but the fact is you have to fire all that brass before you do, essentially taking away some of that barrel life just to be able to neck size it and headspace to the shoulder)

28 Nosler might be a little short on barrel life, but it's not a whole lot shorter than the Win mag. It's got better ballistics than the Win mag, headspaces from the shoulder. And it uses the same action as a Win mag so it's a shorter bolt throw, lighter weight, stiffer action than the longer lapua.

 

[martinakl]

There was a thread on here with a picture of some ABM 300 Norma ammo. It was proper head stamp, lapua brass. Good sign that it might be available very soon.

I guess it only makes sense, Lapua and Berger are both owned by Nammo.

 

[stwcattle]

I been using the Berger 210's
86 grains of Retumbo is a very accurate load with no pressure signs to brass. I dont have chronograph numbers but trued velocity to 1000 yards is 3187.

 

[stwcattle]

I been using the Berger 210's
86 grains of Retumbo is a very accurate load with no pressure signs to brass. I dont have chronograph numbers but trued velocity to 1000 yards is 3187.

Forgot to mention that load is for a 300NM