Next 30 cal build, which caliber? - 300PRC, 30 Nosler, .300 Norma, 300 WSM, etc?

[captainemil]

I have 4 -300 win mags and thought about moving up and the only to move up is go to a 338, I would not spend the time and money on another 30 cal and get an extra 80 fps. Also all of the win mags shoot 210 or 215 Bergers 2905fps up to 2945fps

 

[Pro2A]

Hi All, looking for some advise on what my next rifle caliber should be. The gun will be used primarily for elk/mule deer hunting in Colorado, Wyoming, etc.

I currently have a .300WM with a 1-10 twist that only gets about 2,750-2,800 fps with Berger 215's and I feel that I could do better. I have about 300 Berger 230's that I plan to run through this new build (or the 215's, we'll see).

I'm strongly considering a .300PRC (1-9 twist) or a 30 Nosler. The real question is, would the PRC be that big of an upgrade to the 300WM? If not, would the 30Nosler or 300NM be?

I have read a bunch of good things on the Nosler, but how is the barrel life for everyone?

FYI, although SOCCOM selected 300NM in their ASR Deployment Kit, I learned at NRA Convention that Hornady has discontinued production of it due to great difficulty in loading for consistent performance. Engineer stated RL26 is best powder for it if one pursues. He recommended the 300PRC for performance, load consistency.

 

[richhymas]

Hi All, looking for some advise on what my next rifle caliber should be. The gun will be used primarily for elk/mule deer hunting in Colorado, Wyoming, etc.

I currently have a .300WM with a 1-10 twist that only gets about 2,750-2,800 fps with Berger 215's and I feel that I could do better. I have about 300 Berger 230's that I plan to run through this new build (or the 215's, we'll see).

I'm strongly considering a .300PRC (1-9 twist) or a 30 Nosler. The real question is, would the PRC be that big of an upgrade to the 300WM? If not, would the 30Nosler or 300NM be?

I have read a bunch of good things on the Nosler, but how is the barrel life for everyone?

I have both 300 WSM, 300 PRC, and 300 WM. The real question is do you feel you have missed out on any elk opportunity with your 300 WM that a hotter rifle would have fixed? I highly doubt it.

Now if you just want another rifle just because, that's fine. But if you have a lot of confidence in that 300 WM setup, maybe you find something that is not so close in ballistics. I love my 300 WSM and my 300 PRC. Different stocks and different applications. One is a 6.2 lb mountain rifle and one is a 9 lb long range setup.

 

[Taylorbok]

FYI, although SOCCOM selected 300NM in their ASR Deployment Kit, I learned at NRA Convention that Hornady has discontinued production of it due to great difficulty in loading for consistent performance. Engineer stated RL26 is best powder for it if one pursues. He recommended the 300PRC for performance, load consistency.

That sounds like cartridge bashing from one company to another. Neither should be that hard to tune.
Could just have the WM re-barreled to any of the magnum bolt face choices, if you are looking for more performance i'd leave WSM out of the equation. In reality out to 500 yards you won't be gaining much but I get the want factor for sure.

 

[7.62 Gunner]

Kind of what I was thinking and reading online. What twist rate and barrel length do you recommend on the Nosler?

I'd go with a 24-26" 9 twist
If you hunt suppressed then 20" max

 

[L.Sherm]

That sounds like cartridge bashing from one company to another. Neither should be that hard to tune.
Could just have the WM re-barreled to any of the magnum bolt face choices, if you are looking for more performance i'd leave WSM out of the equation. In reality out to 500 yards you won't be gaining much but I get the want factor for sure.

I agree 100% don't suppose engineer is biased.
As far as I know Alex or Ryan do not use RL26 in there 300NMI.
From everything I've read and know its a pretty steady diet of V570 or 568

 

[Rick Richard]

I agree 100% don't suppose engineer is biased.
As far as I know Alex or Ryan do not use RL26 in there 300NMI.
From everything I've read and know its a pretty steady diet of V570 or 568

Yep H1000 with 215 and N570 with the 230.

 

[adk hunter]

300 weatherby... is a classic. It's got a cult following. 150fps over the 300wm/300prc. Ammo is expensive and brass is hard to find.

I was really appreciating your analysis but isn't the case capacity of the weatherby and PRC nearly identical? I guess I could look on the web but trust most information here more than my keyboard skills!
Thanks for the info!

 

[wasskeet]

Unless you just want "more", like many of us LOL - being you already have 300WM components, dies, etc. I'd probably just rebarrel what I had. Get a faster twist and custom throat for the long bullets and you have 0-1000 pretty well covered. Unless you looking at the RUM or 300NMI?

 

[ARlife4me]

As noted by another member about 300nm and 300lm there isn't much gain with the lapua. The lapua has less max pressure and requires more powder to try and do the same job. Case length being the same as the 33cal brother version and norma being at 2.492" case length (I believe) with about 3k+ more max pressure. My money is on more pressure with less powder. Or you could just get a longer barrel for more velocity and save powder?

 

[DUCKMAN11]

I was really appreciating your analysis but isn't the case capacity of the weatherby and PRC nearly identical? I guess I could look on the web but trust most information here more than my keyboard skills!
Thanks for the info!

300wby holds about 10gr more water than the 300wm so about 7gr more water than a 300prc. Obviously this depends on how you measure and what brass you are measuring.

 

[2buffalo]

For an elk gun, I started with a 24" 300 PRC with a brake on it. Really really didn't appreciate the brake concussion, so converting to a 20" 300 WSM suppressed now. Should still be fine out to 500y.

What are you gearing for velocities out of the 300 wsm in the 20" barrel with what bullet weight?

 

[JPatzig]

What are you gearing for velocities out of the 300 wsm in the 20" barrel with what bullet weight?

I haven't shot it yet, but hoping for 3,000 with the 181 Hammer Hunter.

 

[DocB]

Hi All, looking for some advise on what my next rifle caliber should be. The gun will be used primarily for elk/mule deer hunting in Colorado, Wyoming, etc.

I currently have a .300WM with a 1-10 twist that only gets about 2,750-2,800 fps with Berger 215's and I feel that I could do better. I have about 300 Berger 230's that I plan to run through this new build (or the 215's, we'll see).

I'm strongly considering a .300PRC (1-9 twist) or a 30 Nosler. The real question is, would the PRC be that big of an upgrade to the 300WM? If not, would the 30Nosler or 300NM be?

I have read a bunch of good things on the Nosler, but how is the barrel life for everyone?

What's your current barrel length and your planned length? Planned twist rate, number of lands?