Range Report .300 Norma vs. .30 Nosler

[Hondo1]

I've been playing with the idea of having a new DTA barrel built, I was wondering if there is any benefit of one over the other as far as cost, availability, and muzzle velocity.
Thanks

 

[DetroitRearView]

Cannot help you with the Nosler, but I certainly am impressed with the 300 Norma. I don't think you will find significant savings one over the other, both will have similar velocities and both are expensive to shoot.

 

[jonthomps]

^^^ What Detroit said. The 300 Norma is an awesome round. It's crazy accurate. I currently own a 300NM. I'm so impressed with it's capabilities that I'm having GAP build me a lighter hunting rig in 300NM.

 

[DetroitRearView]

^^^ What Jon said amazingly inherently accurate cartridge...I am still an infant, when it comes to reading the crazy switchy wild winds here in the NW Wyoming mountains here, but this combined with the 230 OTM and a good node dose of H1000 helps mitigate my lack of ability.

here is a 100 yard group when I did my first load development. No picture but swapped from the 6.5 CM 2 days ago and after one windage adjustment put 2 rounds in the same hole to confirm many 100 yard zero and went right to 1120. Great combo.

Any deviations are either the nut behind the wheel (me) or lowering my SD (10 fps) which I am working on as well.

 

[jonthomps]

Was out shooting my 300NM this morning with a buddy. He's an accomplished hunter and shooter but had never heard of or shot a 300NM. He got behind the Norma and put an honest to God 3-shot, 1" group together at 404yds in 17mph winds. I was spotting for him and after I called his final shot he picked his head up and said, "That rifle is a freak of nature."

 

[Simia Dei]

^^^ What Detroit said. The 300 Norma is an awesome round. It's crazy accurate. I currently own a 300NM. I'm so impressed with it's capabilities that I'm having GAP build me a lighter hunting rig in 300NM.

If you don't mind me asking, what are the specs of the build you're having done? I'm looking at doing the same thing to avoid having to buy more reloading gear for another calibre.

 

[jonthomps]

If you don't mind me asking, what are the specs of the build you're having done? I'm looking at doing the same thing to avoid having to buy more reloading gear for another calibre.

That was my thinking too. 300NM rifle specs:

GAP V2 long action
Bartlien 27" sendero contour, 1-10" w/ thruster brake
McM A-3 non-adjustable
Badger Ordnance CIP bottom metal
Jewell trigger

I'm building it to shoot the 215's. My previous 300NM had a 28" 1-10" tube and shot the 215's right at 3150fps!

 

[Simia Dei]

That was my thinking too. 300NM rifle specs:

GAP V2 long action
Bartlien 27" sendero contour, 1-10" w/ thruster brake
McM A-3 non-adjustable
Badger Ordnance CIP bottom metal
Jewell trigger

I'm building it to shoot the 215's. My previous 300NM had a 28" 1-10" tube and shot the 215's right at 3150fps!

That'll be nuts. I was thinking along similar lines, unsure on the action but want a 26 inch 9 twist in rem varmint contour, and drop it into an EH-6A stock. Unsure whether it'll be single feed yet though.

Your old 300NM was throwing the 215s quick, I may have to give them a look in as it seems like we can't get the 230 OTMs here anymore.

 

[JB02]

You'll need a lapua mag boltlface and heavy duty receiver for 300 NM. I think 300 Nosler and 300 RUM use a standard magnum bolt face, so you may have an easier time getting a receiver. 300 NM data isn't as plentiful as 338 LM, but still a lot more than 300 Nosler or 300 RUM. If you don't reload, they have match ammo for 300 NM ... my guess is that 30 nosler would be more of a hunter's cartridge unless you roll your own. In terms of ballistics, can't really help because I haven't seen any loads or speeds posted on here

 

[Seandradamus]

The Norma mag is one bad mutha. I have all but retired my 338 because the Norma is softer shooting, and more accurate(and I only have a .30 cal Can) I had a target for load development with 2 powders and 4 seating depths on it, I kid you not all groups were less than .5moa ALL. Mine is a 22" barrel and I shoot the 215s at 2980 and lately the 198 flatlines at just under 3100. My ladder test with the flatlines was unreal
200 yards 4 grain ladder .5 graduations all 8 shots went in a group 1" tall by .3 wide. Basically the ladder told me nothing had to shoot it again a 500. I had them loaded to cip mag length which is a mile from the lands to boot.
I know nothing about the Nosler but with this kind of performance I likely never will.

 

[surgeon260]

I will echo the praise for the Norma. I run a 40 degree improved 300 Norma and I couldn't be happier with it. 230s at 3060 out of a 28" barrel with no pressure signs. Routinely shoots in the .2s and extremely forgiving with respect to seating depth, powder charge, etc. I think the ease of tuning is what makes this cartridge really special. I have never even seen a Nosler in the wild so I can't comment on its performance. Both the Norma and the Nosler are hot rod cartridges that will be expensive to shoot. I am always checking my reloading bench for powder gremlins because good heavens my powder seems to disappear quickly. Around 100 grains of RL33 per shot...

 

[Sethshaun]

338 Norma brass is STRONG. That would be enough to convince me

 

[knockemdown]

My Norma Improved has a 30° shoulder. 1:10 Bartlein is stoopid accurate with 215Hybrids, irregardless of load. I neck down .338Norma brass to make a false shoulder, then blow em out with an old batch of RL-25. FF load shoots in the same hole, and formed cases do the same thing. Finished load is 91gr. Retumbo, which nets 3155 avg.
Example of FF accuracy:

formed case, capacity increased to 110.0gr

Have a custom Whidden bushing FL sizer die, and my 'smith reamed out the sleeve of a Forster .300Norma seater die for a perfect fit. Makes for straight ammo, the rifle does the rest!

 

[whopper]

This is a great thread. Thanks y'all. I too have a 300 NM build going right. All the parts and pieces are on their way to the gunsmith and the stock will follow soon. This is my build:

Stiller TAC 338
Stiller 20 MOA Rail
Stiller DBM
Krieger HV 1/10
Trigger Tech
McMillan A5
Bushnell DMR II
Badger Rings

I plan to run the 225 ELD M, Berger 215s, or SMK 210s



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Carl O White]

West Texas Ordnance is building a 300 Norma for me. The list is:

Bartlein #9 Heavy Varmint Contour with a West Texas Ordnance muzzle brake
Timney Trigger
40 MOA rail
Manners T4A midnight Urban stock

It will wear a Nightforce ATACR 5-25 x 56 F1 with H59 reticle

It will get fed a steady diet of 215-230 Bergers.

Cant wait to get it.

 

[whopper]

West Texas Ordnance is building a 300 Norma for me. The list is:

Bartlein #9 Heavy Varmint Contour with a West Texas Ordnance muzzle brake
Timney Trigger
40 MOA rail
Manners T4A midnight Urban stock

It will wear a Nightforce ATACR 5-25 x 56 F1 with H59 reticle

It will get fed a steady diet of 215-230 Bergers.

Cant wait to get it.

West Texas Ordnance built mine too. They did a fantastic job. I am very happy with my build. It is shooting both 225 ELD M and 215 hybrids under .5 MOA.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Carl O White]

West Texas Ordnance built mine too. They did a fantastic job. I am very happy with my build. It is shooting both 225 ELD M and 215 hybrids under .5 MOA.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is an awesome looking rifle. How far have you stretched it out?

 

[hseII]

Knowing what Y’all do now, would you still use a 700 LA pattern, or is the something like the TAC-338 the better option for a Norma?

I’ve got a 700LH in .338 WM, & I want a Norma.

 

[Triple D]

The 30 Nosler isn't a bad round either.

5 shot groups
Factory Nosler hunting load. Mirage from the can may have influenced the high round. Rounds 4-8 on the barrel.


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[Longshot85]

This thread is full of awesomeness that I can hopefully be joining soon

 

[DIBBS]

So for those of you that have been shooting this cartridge for a while, what is your barrel/brass life, and cost per round to shoot?

 

[Clearlight]

Trentech Engineering 300 Norma : check out the SD from Labradar photo ...

 

[Glassaholic]

Resurrecting an old thread here. In regard to the OP's original question on choosing between 300NM and the 30 Nosler, since SOCOM has chosen the 300NM as its cartridge for the new ASR (Advanced Sniper Rifle) can we assume another benefit will be the availability of brass, meaning more manufacturers will make brass here in the states? Will this also mean more manufacturers will make "Match" ready ammo? Also, it sounds like the 300NM is sharing in the success of being "inherently accurate" similar to the success of the 6.5 Creedmoor, is there any data behind this and could that be why SOCOM chose this particular round vs. the contenders? Either way, it is great to hear that a new round may be edging out the 300WM, not that the Win Mag was bad, but I am not a huge fan of belted magnums.

 

[christopher.dow]

Ryan Cleckner wrote a great article on this: https://www.cleckner.co/300-norma-mag-vs-338-lapua-vs-30-nosler/

 

[Glassaholic]

Ryan Cleckner wrote a great article on this: https://www.cleckner.co/300-norma-mag-vs-338-lapua-vs-30-nosler/

I read that as well, but like others was disappointed he didn't use the same bullet for the 300NM and 30 Nosler

 

[PadenL]

The Norma mag is one bad mutha. I have all but retired my 338 because the Norma is softer shooting, and more accurate(and I only have a .30 cal Can) I had a target for load development with 2 powders and 4 seating depths on it, I kid you not all groups were less than .5moa ALL. Mine is a 22" barrel and I shoot the 215s at 2980 and lately the 198 flatlines at just under 3100. My ladder test with the flatlines was unreal
200 yards 4 grain ladder .5 graduations all 8 shots went in a group 1" tall by .3 wide. Basically the ladder told me nothing had to shoot it again a 500. I had them loaded to cip mag length which is a mile from the lands to boot.
I know nothing about the Nosler but with this kind of performance I likely never will.

Could you share your load data for the 198 flatlines?

 

[moaflat]

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