.30-28 Nosler

[Alex Wheeler]

The 30 Nosler shoulder is .051" farther back than the 28 Nosler, so the 28 actually has more capacity than the 30. I got a reamer made up to use 28 Nosler brass necked up to 30 (no turn). Just starting to get some feedback. @tom reported 3100 fps with 93 grains of rl33 and a 225 eldm in a 26" barrel. No pressure signs. I am hoping to hear how the 230 Bergers do. A 230 Berger at 3100 will rival the 28 Nosler ballistics with considerably more killing power for large game like Elk. I will be building one for my self for elk this year, the 215 berger has an exceptional reputation on elk and I would guess you could run them well over 3100 using a stable powder like H1000. With those MBM Beast brakes recoil is not an issue.

 

[D-mon]

Hi,
I was shooting my 300 rum over a chronograph this weekend:
208 amax, 91gr of h1000 and getting 3125 fps. The barrel is 29" long.
But using a suppressor. I also have a brake of similar design but built almost 2 1/2 years ago on that gun.

 

[effendude]

Wow,
In a #3 Bartlein hunting rifle, my 300 RUM is getting 3000fps with the 230 Berger at 93 grains of both RL33 or Retumbo. Very accurate load with 1/3MOA at distance for 3 shots. I thought that was hauling a$$ for a hunting round. I have not shot it since my affair with the 28 came about, but I may have to revisit it and see where accuracy drops off. The 30-28 has to be nearly the same capacity as the 300 RUM?

Scott

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I always thought the Nosler cases were better suited for 30 cal and bigger. Be interested to see how this turns out for you and Tom.

I hunted with a 300 wm for 10+ years. It was the only big game hunting rifle I owned at the time. Put a TON of meat in the freezer with that rifle. Don't know why I ever let it go?... Since have got into 6.5's, 6mm's, and 33's. Haven't killed an animal with a 30 cal in quite a few years. Always missed the big 30s a bit tho.

 

[ImBIllT]

I think that powder capacity is much more suited to .308 cal than .284, but is a 230gr bullet THAT much more deadly than a 195gr? I guess it's over 20% heavier, so that certainly makes a difference, but I figured that 195 EOL just about shut the lid on big 30's.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

It has not been my experience but there has been enough reports of the 195 not performing on game. These are guys that I trust. I don't know if it's a lot to lot thing because I have experience nothing but good results. But there is no doubt that 30 caliber bullets like the 215 Berger work excellent

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Should be able to get a good bit more speed out of the 230s Tom. I remember loading for my 300 win mag when I ttied the 240gr Sierra MKs. I was able to push them up around 2900 fps in a 24" barrel before hitting pressure signs so I'm sure the Nosler case will easily exceed that speed with 230s.

Since I have a bunch of 375 Ruger brass for my 338-375 Ruger, I've been thinking about ordering another reamer in 30-375R. Little bit less capacity than the Nosler case, but should be similar performance. I'll wait to see your results with the 30-28 Nosler first.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Brandon,

I don't know how you feel about the 375 brass, but this nosler is good stuff. The price tag is a bit annoying though.

Tom

On hunting rifles the 375R Hornady brass is fine for me. Of course its the only option i have so im stuck with it. I've used the Nosler brass on my 300 win mag in the past and didn't see any accuracy improvement (not that it was a tack driver anyway) or longer life over winchester brass when I was pushing pressure limits. It is nice that Nosler uses Norma brass, which is good quality, and weight sorts it for you. Pretty uniform too so minimal if any prep work is needed. But I don't feel the price is justifiable to me since I only prep about 20 cases at a time on my hunting rifles and run them til they wear out. Doesn't take long for me to prep 20 cases.

I've pushed the pressures on the Hornady brass and it seems to hold up fine. Tho I don't stay at max pressure loads. I always back it off a 1/2 gr or more once I find that limit. I'm sure the Hornady brass would fail before Nosler in an endurance test with high pressure loads on like calibers

 

[Ledd Slinger]

92 3066 slight ejector mark were done still no bolt lift

Tom

Which powder is Cody testing for you? Getting really close to 3100. Thats flat out screaming with a 230gr bullet from case that can fit in a standard long action

Do you have any RL 26? Judging the case capacity, I bet it would give good speeds in that round without having to stuff 90+ gr of powder.

RL 23 would probably work well for speed too but case fill might not be that great.

 

[ImBIllT]

It has not been my experience but there has been enough reports of the 195 not performing on game. These are guys that I trust. I don't know if it's a lot to lot thing because I have experience nothing but good results. But there is no doubt that 30 caliber bullets like the 215 Berger work excellent

If the 195's don't work then yeah, the 180 still leaves you substantially behind even a 215 in a 30 cal. I haven't checked since they came out, but the 230gr Hybrids were not getting good reviews from the f-classers. I could see them being great on game. Has anything changed on the accuracy front?

 

[dkhunt14]

I haven't checked since they came out, but the 230gr Hybrids were not getting good reviews from the f-classers. I could see them being great on game. Has anything changed on the accuracy front?

I would imagine, the not good reviews comes from recoil and torque. It would be pretty substantial with a case big enough to get the velocity needed. I know Steve Blair shot them well at 3000 in a 300 WSM CASE. He said the recoil was bad so he throttled them down a little. I know I shoot a 210 VLD in one for BR in a 17 pound gun and they push you. A lot of guys cant handle the recoil for 10 or 20 shot strings. Matt

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I am not saying the 195 is an issue. I have seen excellent performance with them. But... you cant go too big on elk imo.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I am not saying the 195 is an issue. I have seen excellent performance with them. But... you cant go too big on elk imo.

That's why I went to a big 33. Big 30s anchor elk and other large big game animals very well. Tho I've had to put 3 to 4 kill zone shots on bull elk to bring them down in the past with a 300 win mag using 180gr bullets at 3200 fps. Of course that was before I discovered the magic of the high shoulder shot placement. Probably would have been one shot kills with high shoulder shots.

But I am intrigued with the new big 30 cases that have come around in recent years because a 230gr berger at over 3000 fps would shoot extremely flat and hit like a tank.

 

[ImBIllT]

I would imagine, the not good reviews comes from recoil and torque. It would be pretty substantial with a case big enough to get the velocity needed. I know Steve Blair shot them well at 3000 in a 300 WSM CASE. He said the recoil was bad so he throttled them down a little. I know I shoot a 210 VLD in one for BR in a 17 pound gun and they push you. A lot of guys cant handle the recoil for 10 or 20 shot strings. Matt

Does accuracy suffer at low velocity with that bullet? For FTR I used to shoot 190VLDs from a 9.5lb converted HBR gun. The recoil never bothered me. I was going to put a 10" twist barrel on it to shoot the 230's but everyone I heard of that tried them went back to 215's, and frankly I didn't see 190's as enough disadvantage against 215's to justify buying a new barrel when what I needed was a scope. 185 VLD's worked just great on a muley and a hog this year from the same gun.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I just spoke with Tom, looks like the 30-28 Nosler with push those 230s as 3060 fps comfortably in 26". He said the brass just started to show a ejector, not even shiney.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I just spoke with Tom, looks like the 30-28 Nosler with push those 230s as 3060 fps comfortably in 26". He said the brass just started to show a ejector, not even shiney.

3060 fps with a 230 is cookin. He might get a bit more speed with a little faster powder to clear that 3100 fps mark. Tho I don't think the animals will notice the difference.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Same reasons i liked the idea of necking down the 375R back before the Nosler cases came around. My original plan was to actually use a RUM case for the .532" rim and shorten it to 330 Dakota length. It essentially would have been the 33 nosler. Just before I had the reamer built, I discovered the 375R and changed my mind to avoid any excessive case forming. The 375R case capacity is 99gr H2O and total case length of 2.580" which is just .010" shorter than the 28 Nosler listed case length. Tho I trim mine a bit longer than listed 375R length because I'm using 33 cal bullets instead of 37 cal. Not long after I built the rifle during the spring of 2013, the 6.5 Nosler started making its debut.

I'll have to try one of those beast brakes if I do a big 30. Just put the Harrels 4 port tactical brake on my 338-375R but haven't tested it yet. I'll let you know how it works out.

Edit: I see that Nosler is making 375 Ruger brass now. Too expensive for my taste with a hunting rifle, but good to know.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I never would have thought this case would do this. Quick load showed it topping out at 2950, but it also said that with the 28 Nosler. Nosler got it right with these cases. I know they are pricey, but they hold some pressure!

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Very nice. That'll be a huntin machine.

I've never used quick load and never will. Kinda like ballistics calculators and palm reading gypsies. Can't be trusted.

 

[jfseaman]

I built my 308/26-Nosler (same as a 30/28-Nosler) a couple years ago.

Everything you are finding is the same as what I found. Accuracy is excellent with every bullet I tried. I have not taken it hunting as that year I used my 338/26-Nosler.

Enjoy.