338 Norma Review By Ward W. Brien

[trueblue]

liltank,
I don't believe it is correct to think that you can use 358 Norma brass and neck it down. You can buy the correct headstamp 338 Norma Mag brass from Black Hills Shooting Supply. They are a discount seller to FFL's. So have your gunsmith buy it for you. Runs about 1.50/pc.

 

[Eaglet]

What was the idea of building the test guns with a Left Twist? Don't we usually use right twist? Thanks!

 

[Bigjet]

Offsets northern hemisphere coriolus.

 

[Chas1]

Offsets northern hemisphere coriolus. What do you mean? I'm not familar.

 

[Bigjet]

the right hand twist of the barrel imparts, to the bullet, a slight drift to the right. A left twist does the opposite. the greater the twist rate, the more drift.

Coriolus, which is the result of the earth moving under the bullet as it flies, will also cause a bullet to drift to the right in the northern hemisphere, left in the southern. Coriolus effect is best noted by watching the rotation of water as it goes down a sink.

The drift due to spin is probably 4 to 5 times greater than the drift due to coriolus. Spin might account for as much as 12" @ 1000 yards. Coriolus only about ~3".

 

[Topshot]

Am I missing something here?

Why go to all the trouble of opening up the bolt face on a Remingtom 700 action to chamber for .338 Norma. Why not just chamber for .338 RUM?

Brass is readily available in .338 RUM and it should perform just as well out of a 26" barrel as a .338 Norma would. A quality built rifle should shoot equally as accurate with both cartridges.

I must be missing something?

 

[liltank]

Am I missing something here?

Why go to all the trouble of opening up the bolt face on a Remingtom 700 action to chamber for .338 Norma. Why not just chamber for .338 RUM?

Brass is readily available in .338 RUM and it should perform just as well out of a 26" barrel as a .338 Norma would. A quality built rifle should shoot equally as accurate with both cartridges.

I must be missing something?

I think it is a case capacity and efficiency thing. It uses a shorter case than the RUM. The author if you look back through the conversations, you will see that the rifle tested its best results in barrel lengths ranging from 23.5" to 25".

Tank

 

[985]

The .338 Norma is about efficiency, short and long range accuracy, (long range being 1 mile); energy on target, barrel life, and action choice. Because of its great design, and for commercial reasons, the cartridge goes beyond the civilian shooter's understanding.

Now that I've said all that, Sloan's design of the new .300 Norma, (if you haven't seen that yet) appears to be another amazing round. I believe that the design calls for a 240 grain .30 caliber projectile that moves somewhere in the neighborhood of 3100+- fps.

In addition to loading this info into your cerebral data book, I believe that there is one more cartridge of his that shines every bit as brightly as the other two on it's way.

 

[Topshot]

You are probably right!
I think that you should send me down a few hundred cases. I can put together a rifle and get a better understanding for these mysterious cartridges.


While you are at it. You have let the cat out of the bag so you had better tell us about the other one that is on the way!

My simple cerebral data book has just enough room left for one more. Maybe two?

 

[Chas1]

240 smk at 3100 fps, that would be impressive.

 

[liltank]

240 smk at 3100 fps, that would be impressive.

Knocks elk down at 1550yrds. My brother-in-law has a 30-416 that is pushing them that hard. His brother is the one that shot one that far away.

Tank

 

[Eaglet]

The .338 Norma is about efficiency, short and long range accuracy, (long range being 1 mile); energy on target, barrel life, and action choice. Because of its great design, and for commercial reasons, the cartridge goes beyond the civilian shooter's understanding.

Now that I've said all that, Sloan's design of the new .300 Norma, (if you haven't seen that yet) appears to be another amazing round. I believe that the design calls for a 240 grain .30 caliber projectile that moves somewhere in the neighborhood of 3100+- fps.

In addition to loading this info into your cerebral data book, I believe that there is one more cartridge of his that shines every bit as brightly as the other two on it's way.

It is indeed a very impressive cartridge.

Since Norma is making brass for it and it's a true winner, how long do you

think before rifle manufacturers start making it?

 

[985]

I've heard that there are several manufacturers cutting chambers now. This includes Seko, AI, and there is one more but I cannot remember who it is. But it is in motion for sure.

 

[Eaglet]

Thanks, WWB. I'd love to see one in Remington Sendero 26" barrel...