The 28 has been teasing me for some time. I currently have 100rds of the Precision Hunter ELD-X on my bench, no rifle yet haha. With how hard the components have been to get here i figured i could burn these up then load them how i like (loaded ammo was same cost as virgin brass that isn't available locally). Then I got to thinking that burning these up alone could be 20% of my barrel life. That issue by itself has pulled me from the 28, for now. If it were a hunting rifle that got a box or two a year, sure. But i like to play with the toys a lot in the off season, especially when there is $$$ tied into it and I expect to be ethical with it on game. I cant justify the barrel life for MY style of shooting and budget. For others it may vary. As a hunting cartridge i do think it seems to be a great performer and last a lot of seasons if used sparingly. As a target round, i think there are options that will be less punishing on your throat with similar performance. Barrels are expendables, just like motors on cars. I get that. But I'd be ****ed if the dealership told me the "sportscar" motor would be toast every 50K miles. Just my thoughts on it recently.
28 Nosler just a hunting fad?
- Thread starter Quicksilver338
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Rifleman97
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2017
- Messages
- 382
While a known barrel burner, 20% would mean a barrel life of 500 rounds! They definitely get more than that.
My ridgeline didn't lose accuracy til 830 rounds, and stayed moa until about 890. Although low barrel life, that's the cost of performance. It's not just a 28 Nosler thing, it's a magnum cartridge thing. Anything that burns a lot of powder and pushes bullets 3000+ FPS is going to have a barrel life of 1300 rounds or less in average barrels, it comes with the territory.
Ryan pierce told me that most of his 28 Nosler customers were getting 950 and some were getting 1200 out of their barrels, albeit those are very high quality barrels with long freebore, but still. Even the 300 rum only has a life of 800-1200 rounds. And it's not considered a fad, just a heavy 30 cal magnum.
The rum is to the 30 cal what the Nosler is to the 28. Just about as fast as you can get it without being completely unreasonable. I'd argue the 7mm rum is unreasonable but I think a lot of people would say otherwise.
Switchback2
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2016
- Messages
- 285
The 28 nosler is not a KO2 gun by any means like said above , But it fits the bill as a Great 7mm High Horsepower Hunting and Target rd. But to me its a waste for any of the factory Ammo offerings, You just not getting its full Potential with the lighter bullets and factory loads. It is a match made in heaven with 180+ gr bullets this is where it really shines. I had mine built around the Berger 195 and have them running 3160 FPS at 3.800 OAL . There are not many .284 cartridges that can push a bullet of that size and have its Ballistics.
Awesome 7mm round, at least for the first 800 shots
The 7RUM was out of control over bore when it was introduced, I had one, that being said, the 195 grain Bergers weren't around then either, which would have been a perfect match!
jcp1967
Well-Known Member
I run 195 bergers over retumbo at 3000 fps out of a 26 inch barrel. shot in a school out to 2k and the 195 was the only one to hit the 2k target in the horrible wind we had...did it twice....wind cheater I would say
would you mind posting your load data? i'm still experimenting around powder options since n570 is impossible to find and RL33 seems to be a little dirty and temp sensitive. thanks
I love my 28 Nosler. My first gun was the Browning X bolt 1:9 twist put about 400 rounds threw it with last 100 or so hand loads doing load development. When Browning came out with it in the Hells Canyon and 1:8 twist 26" fluted barrel I traded in for it. Shot 6 different Bullets and for 4 different powders . About 400 shots later I got 2 really good recipes. Nosler 175 Partitions really good out to about 500 yards and Berger 180 VLDs . Wasn't sold yet on Berger's for hunting yet, but they could shoot milk jugs out to 1250 yards was easy. Well another 450 rounds or so later and a Moose and 3 mule deer. The barrel was done, went from .75" to maybe 5". So this summer I had Blackline Precision put a Krieger barrel on with one of there custom brakes (kicks like my 243 now) zeroed at 2 hundred and only had a couple bullets left from my original 180 Berger recipe and thought what the heck let's try the 1000 yard dialed my old dope of 19 moa and let it fly shot high came down 1 moa and still high one more down dead center, let it cool down and put 3 more within 2 " of each other. Had to find more H1000 and another 100 loaded got dope chart out to 1000 and went Elkhunting got a cow at 327 yards aimed center of neck and those 180 nearly be headed her. Next time at the range went right to 1000 3 shots less than 2" apart. The guy next to me asked what I was shooting. Asked if I had shot the 2000 hard target well of course I had to have a go. It was actually 1960 yards amazingly first shot hit. 36" target ended up hitting it 3 out of 6 try's, the 3 misses where just off. The guy next to me with his 338 Lapua had 3 out of 10 hits. Sorry for the long story but if you hand load the 28 is fun to shoot!
I cant believe Len allows trashy threads like this! 
Bater
Well-Known Member
Not a fad...wish people would loose interest though so I could find some **** brass!
remingtonman_25_06
Well-Known Member
I'll still take my 7-300 win mag over a 28 Nosler anyday, belt and all...The 7-300 WM is the best all around LR 7mm in regards to barrel life, performance, recoil, cost, etc. It will flatten any elk with ease out to 1200 yards. I shoot the 180g ELDMs at 3050fps, burning 72.5g H1000, into 1/2 MOA groups at 1K in 20-25 mph eastern oregon winds laying prone w/bipod regularly...Beyond that, yes I would agree the big 338/300s have the advantage, but how many times are you actually going to shoot past 1000 on elk, unless you're specifically trying to do so? Not many is my guess. The 28 Nosler isnt a bad round, it's just something new to sell more rifles. I dont buy into new fads much...It literally offers nothing more than a 100fps over my 7-300 win mag. And I could care less if it has no belt. The 300 win mag case is plenty accurate (do the research), and the brass lasts plenty long if you know your way around a sizing die any. My old 7 RM shooting 162g AMAX at 2950fps still holds my longest bull elk kill at 1125 yards. Through both lungs and exiting, he went 30 yards and fell over dead with all 4 feet in the air. What more do you really need?
Last edited:
1/2 moa groups at 1000 in 20-25 mph winds? This could start a whole nuther thread
I'm coming over to get some lessons!yobuck
Well-Known Member
I can tell you why.
It would be because if you shoot a 162 in that gun at a rock at say 1200, you will use less clicks on the scope than if you had used a 180.
And if you dont believe it, it's only because youve never tried it.
If you going to be shooting the heavier bullets, you need more powder, not less, if you expect better results.
And you wont be doing that with the 7mms.
You want 3300 or more with a 190, then move on to a 30 cal.
The 28 Nosler simply joined a group of older 7mms offering the same level of performance.
remingtonman_25_06
Well-Known Member
Well I'm not lying...haha. I have a private 1400 yard range 15 miles from my house, that I visit regularly, and the wind always blows here, so you get use to it. The 180 ELDMs are decent wind cheaters too.
