30 Cal Choice

[left handed gun]

I am new to this site. I have a 300 Weatherby. I bought it with the idea of registering for elk draws in Kentucky and Michigan ( I live in Ohio). The elk draws are pretty competitive, and Ohio where I live, does not allow rifle use for deer. So I've shot it at targets. On paper, its ballistics are petty impressive. Much closer to the .338 Lapua than you'd think. From what I've been able to chronograph, it pushes everything from 165 to 180 grain well over 3000 at about 2-5' . The concussion from it will knock the plastic top arch right off the chrono if you shoot it too close. My .270 Win and .308 don't do that, so from seat of the pants, it is going downrange with some authority. It will also belt you pretty good. It would not be my choice to shoot on a hot day with a thin T shirt.

Advantages I see are, you can get the ammo (some of it) for around 40-45 a box.
You could use it for long range deer, although I shot all my deer back in my home state with a .270 Win. No, it is not a 338 Lapua or a 30-378, but you could buy three boxes of Lapua shells for what I pay for one box. Rifle set me back maybe 500-600. It is actually a Howa with Weatherby's Vanguard brand. Lowest priced .338 Lapua I've heard of is $1850. I don't say the .338 Lapua or comparable are bad. I wouldn't mind having one someday. But it is a really big investment for the gun itself, the ammo is pricey, and I suspect you'd have to go with a high $$ scope to stand the punishment over time. I have a basic gold ring VXI on my Weatherby, and so far, it holds zero with no rattling noises.


Lots of variety of rounds available, from WBY, Hornady, Norma.

I can't yet speak from experience about really long range shots, but it shoots reliably a 1-1.25" 3 shot group with factory 180 spitzers. If I cut down on the morning caffeine, and doped the wind, it would likely do better than that. You do have to check the torque on the trigger guard screws once in a while.

Disadvantages: I've heard the Lapua brass is better for reloaders, though don't know the details. I don't reload, so far.

For a really, really long range shot, it's no longer the fastest kid on the block.
It does eke out the .300 Win, the old .300 H & H, and, I believe, the .300 WSM.
Trails the .300 RUM by just a hair.

Can't really speak to the Normas, but I saw a very detailed article in American Rifleman on the 30-378 WBY. Gist was, you will definitely get extra performance, but even more of a belt to your shoulder, and at very high cost for ammo.

 

[WildRose]

If you feel that velocity will work I have to ask why not go with a 300 win? The selection of brass and availability is larger than any other. No forming or head stamp issues. You can get 2900 up to 3035 FPS with H-1000 and the 215 depending on barrel length. I like a 10 twist and 5 or 6 groves for this bullet and the performance on game has been totally awesome for us.

However if you choose to go with the 230 sized bullet I like them in a larger case better. We have been shooting them in a 300 win @ 2775 fps for a few years now and they have stacked up game from antelope to large bull elk. But I just feel the 215 is a better match for a 300 win.

If I were going to build a large cased 300 today for the 230's, I would use a custom action, pull the stops and go with a 30-338 Lapua. Why not utilize the best brass I have ever loaded and have the potential to push it if I so desire. If I was to do it in a factory 700 Rem action I would just do a 300 RUM and not load it to kill the brass.

But after owning all of these I am very happy with my old 300 win pushing 215's to 3035. It is one of if not the best hunting rifles I have owned in 30 plus years of hunting. And the release of the 215's made it that way.

Jeff

Ditto. KISS. If you feel the need to go bigger than the 300wm go with either the 300wby or 300 Rum. Those are the three most prove 30 cal magnums of all time and likely will remain so.

 

[sp6x6]

I don't want an over bore 30 cal, a win mag is pretty good, just a newer case design and a tad more powder. It looks like the 300 Norma is about right. Enough to get the 230 Berger Hybrid to 2800+ and a lighter bullets to get up in the 3200 area.

300 wm
300 Norma
300 Weatherby
300 RUM
30-338 Lapua
30-378 Weatherby.

This is pretty much the order of power right?

Of all these, the Norma is the newest and maybe the best design?

The Norma is past the 300 Wby, and haas been very popular since 2009. Look at Sniper hide and on here, many Normas are being built. I live in a valley that has at least 12 gun making operations,some on pretty large scale.I know of 3 -338 Normas being built right now and double that many near me. The 300 Nm should get you well past your target 2800, I can shoot 300 gr. at that in my 338 as can many others. I have 2 338 NM and would not hesitate to try a 300NM,Im on 7 reloads on my brass so far.

 

[bigngreen]

The 300 Win and 215 Berger combo is just awesome and is very well balanced, the 230 Berger I feel needs a little more sauce, the 300 Norma is proving to be a very good launching platform for it and I was all set to build an improved version to run in the 3100 fps range but as it turns out I decided to step up and I'm building the 30-338 Lapua Improved which from all account will idle the 230 at 3250 and run it up to the 3400 fps.

 

[4xforfun]

First off..in regaurds to the 308 baer.....the 300 and 340 wby casses are identical except for caliber. A few years ago, when 300 wby brass was hard to get I simply baught 340 wby casses and necked them down for both my hunting and 1000 yard match guns.

As far as the OP....why not a 300 rum, and to solve the crappy brass situation, get a hold of Shawn Carlock and get some Burtram 338 edge brass and simply neck it down. Simple, and you can use a regular magnum (532) bolt face. I don't own a 300 RUM, but from what I have read on this website, the 300 RUM/berger 230 are a match made in heaven!!!
Just my .02.
Tod

 

[AKGuide]

Wouldn't mind trying the 230 Bergers, but the 240 SMK's are shooting bug holes for me in my 300 RUM. I idle mine at 2950 and get 10-12 reloading with Nosler brass. I can load them a few more times but case head separation is looming with a shiny ring at the base from case scretch. My hunting loads are 200 grain CEB's at 3250.

Reuben