What 300 cartridge.

[Calvin45]

Wanting to get a 300 barrel for my dt srs and trying to decide which one to go with. Wanting one to be able togo buy factory ammo and go stretch it out past 1000 yards. Ive always shot 6.5 and 308 at that distance. Wanting something with a little bit more knock down power at that range. What do you guys recommend?

The boring practical answer for me is (and was) .300 win mag. It's got a belt, a short neck, and some COAL logistics that make it a pest. It's also unquestionably the most popular cartridge more powerful than 30-06 out there, is both a competition, military, and of course hunting round with a ton of success under its belt. Anyone who makes brass makes brass for this cartridge. Brass and ammunition will never not be available. It gets the job done.

That being said, the .300 PRC really is in some ways the perfect "practical" big 30. No superfluous belt, no issues seating long bullets way out there in a repeater as it's meant for that from the ground up. Definitely less option for factory ammo tho. The rums and weatherbys kick *** but are also pretty specialized cartridges, not general purpose like the win mag or PRC.

The wsm and other short mags are no doubt good, but not as good as the .300 win or prc in my opinion, and brass availability is a constant complaint I'm hearing from those who own them.

.300 win mag or .300 PRC. That's my vote.

 

[Calvin45]

Please consider a Lazzeroni Warbird with a 1:9 twist barrel.

A beastly cartridge no doubt…the OP did specify taking factory ammo out to 1000+ yards tho. So I don't think that's the cartridge for him.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

I lecture my Kids / Grandkids, ALL the Time about, the DANGERS of, Muzzle Blast / Brake use, etc.
Most people DON'T take, Tinnitus / hearing Loss, seriously, enough,.. sadly !
I lost some of my Hearing, in my Left Ear also, from throwing a short fused, Fire Cracker, as a stupid, 10-11 year old Kid,.. YUP, it blew up, in my left Hand,.. near my ear !

 

[Calvin45]

I lecture my Kids / Grandkids, ALL the Time about, the DANGERS of, Muzzle Blast / Brake use, etc.
Most people DON'T take, Tinnitus / hearing Loss, seriously, enough,.. sadly !
I lost some of my Hearing, in my Left Ear also, from throwing a short fused, Fire Cracker, as stupid, 10-11 year old Kid,.. YUP, it blew up, in my Hand,.. near my ear !

Yep I'm starting to take that stuff seriously. But may be too late for some of the damage I've done (though still worth avoiding doing more!). All through my teens and twenties I never put earplugs or muffs or any protection at all, and shot thousands of rounds of centerfire rifle (including braked .300 win mag) and 12 guage (including from 12 and 14 inch barrelled shorties that were concussive as all get out). That in conjunction with being a metal head that likes to have the earbuds turned up as loud as they can go.

I actually have an appointment coming up with an audiologist. We did one of those basic hearing tests at a family gathering a while back haha, where it makes a higher and higher pitched tone until you can't hear it anymore….I'm 32 and there were 40 and 50 year olds in the room that could hear a higher range than I could.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

In this day and Age, ANY Cartridge, that comes "Close" to doing WHAT I want to Do, using 10 -12 Grains, LESS Powder, I'ma gonna "Look" real Hard at
With Gun Powder at, $50 to $75 Dollars a Pound currently, it makes Me,. THINK,.. Twice, anymore !
And, the .300 WSM still "Wins" frequently at 1,000 Yard Matches for,.. a REASON !

 

[Bravo 4]

For practicality and wanting to shoot factory ammo, the 300 PRC is the best choice. If you know you will handload some day, 300 win mag. If you know you want the biggest, baddest .30 and don't care that it costs over $5 every time you pull the trigger, go RUM or Norma

This, I have a .300 WinMag, Norma, & Ultra Mag and they are all great. However when someone asks what I'd get and shoot factory ammo I'd say PRC, especially if cost of ammo is a factor. The past 2 I've shot did really well out past 1000. Had a student bring one to the LR class I teach a couple of months back and it did exceptionally well out to a mile.

 

[MTbackwoods]

Yep I'm starting to take that stuff seriously. But may be too late for some of the damage I've done (though still worth avoiding doing more!). All through my teens and twenties I never put earplugs or muffs or any protection at all, and shot thousands of rounds of centerfire rifle (including braked .300 win mag) and 12 guage (including from 12 and 14 inch barrelled shorties that were concussive as all get out). That in conjunction with being a metal head that likes to have the earbuds turned up as loud as they can go.

I actually have an appointment coming up with an audiologist. We did one of those basic hearing tests at a family gathering a while back haha, where it makes a higher and higher pitched tone until you can't hear it anymore….I'm 32 and there were 40 and 50 year olds in the room that could hear a higher range than I could.

I don't want to stir the pot too much, but I just filed for my patent this morning for a muzzle device that I really hope people are going to like. I hope it is going to be the best of both worlds for people and won't cost an arm and a leg and get the alphabet people sniffing around. Stay tuned folks

 

[FEENIX]

Since we have now transitioned to noise levels, I will share my opinion and experience. I spent my first 10 years in aircraft generation, where the noise level exceeded 140+dBs, especially during surges. At the time, our hearing protection is a combination of foams and headsets. Most only used one or the other, and some never did. They suffered hearing loss and other hearing issues. I am glad I used both and had no problems after my flight line duties in 1996. I am one of those people who uses PPEs when using high-powered household tools and equipment like mowers, snow blowers, chainsaws, etc.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Out of the available options available for your conversion kits, I would go either:
1. .300NM
2 .300WM

Mostly depends on the magazine length you can run. If 3.600", definitely go .300NM. 3.850" helps the NM too. The .300WM needs at least a 3.850".

The .300RUM is a great cartridge, but it is a lot. The 3.850" extended mag is a big benefit, but the 4" mag is even better. Lots of work to make one fit. I had one for a long time. Sold it, and built a .300PRC, because I had a LA Mag bolt face, and didn't want to buy a LM bolt face LA for the .300NM. .300WM was a very close second choice.

 

[Trm82]

300 prc if you want to shoot factory ammo
You don't need the 300 rum ,300 NM or the others to go long , 300 prc will do it just fine and if you decide to load for it you'll burn less powder doing it.
Get a 1-8" twist bbl and it will get it done.
Ive recently taken my 300 prc to 2000 yards and it was a piece of cake.

 

[SamuelBerryhill308]

I would recommend 300 wsm or 300 wm but these are they only 300s I have experience with.there is a lot of f class guys using the 300 wsm with good success.now the cartridge I would like to try is a 300 Norma mag or 300 Norma mag improved

 

[Longtine88]

3 0 N O S L E R

 

[FEENIX]

Out of the available options available for your conversion kits, I would go either:
1. .300NM
2 .300WM

Mostly depends on the magazine length you can run. If 3.600", definitely go .300NM. 3.850" helps the NM too. The .300WM needs at least a 3.850".

The .300RUM is a great cartridge, but it is a lot. The 3.850" extended mag is a big benefit, but the 4" mag is even better. Lots of work to make one fit. I had one for a long time. Sold it, and built a .300PRC, because I had a LA Mag bolt face, and didn't want to buy a LM bolt face LA for the .300NM. .300WM was a very close second choice.

Yep! This is one of the reasons I went with .338 Thor (NMI) over .338 LMI/EDGE.

3.7" COAL with 300 Berger, touching the lands.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I think a lot of people have missed the list of cartridges available for a direct swap provided by the OP.