300 Norma Improved

[rpierce]

Heres my 300 Norma Improved I built for myself. Figured I needed a personal one to test with since Im building quite a few for customers in the near future. I used a Kelbly Atlas Tactical with a .750 bolt diameter/retail is $1100. I talked to Ian, Ryan and Jim Kelbly and the rest of the awesome crew earlier this year about making them. Got some in a couple weeks ago and theyre awesome. The rest of the batch of Lapua/Norma actions will be here in a few weeks. For the stock I had a Manners EHF1A w a dbm chassis laying around. It also has a Brux 27" fluted sendero 9tw barrel, Bix'n Andy Tacsport Pro 2 stage trigger, Kahles K1050 and nightforce rings. I can get out to almost a mile with this scope before having to use the reticle to hold over. In the pic it has a TBAC ultra 7 suppressor but I ended up taking it off and putting my self timing 5 port on it. The 5 port offered a significant amount more recoil reduction. I can spot hits at 400 yards with the scope at 40+ magnification. So far this has been the most consistently accurate and easy to load for magnum Ive had. The attached groups are all shot at 400 yards off a bipod. The load I settled on with formed brass has averaged .767"/.183 moa at 400 yards with the 3 groups Ive shot with it off the bipod. It only took 10 rounds of formed brass to find my load of H1000 and 215 bergers at 3085 w single digit es. I realize this isn't very fast for the improved version and I could get much faster with reloader 33 or n570. I did have the 215 at 3200 w h1000 before there were some pressure signs. However with this load the brass will probably last damn near forever as the case web only expanded .00025/quarter thou more than a load with 4 gr less powder. The fireform loads with factory ABM ammo shot phenomenally as well. I had some groups as small as .616"/.144 moa at 400 while fireforming. I will have all the components instock for these builds very soon with a 4 month or less lead time. Some will be built to have instock ready to ship every month as well. I will have standard 300 norma as well.
www.piercisionrifles.com

 

[rpierce]

Another 400 yard group with formed brass.

 

[Ingwe]

Another 400 yard group with formed brass.View attachment 1065061

SUPER BUILD!!!...can you post a pic of the standard Norma and Improved for comparison?
Oh.. and shoulder angle details? I believe there are several versions?... from 30, 33, 35 and 40 degrees if memory serves?

 

[rpierce]

Thank you. Heres a pic.

 

[robbor]

Do U have the reamer print?

 

[rpierce]

Of course I have a reamer print for it, lol. I have the jgs reamer and custom dies for it from whidden.

 

[rpierce]

Well shes all dialed in for the hunt next week. I bedded the new Kahles K525i scope into some Nightforce rings on my 300 norma improved last night. Popped it out this morning and cleaned everything up and leveled it and zeroed it at a 100 yards. Dialed up the amount the Sig Kilo 2400 rangefinder told me for 400 yards. I sent 2 rounds onto my steel plate. Saw they smaccked the bullseye and were touching. I then moved over to my paper target right next to it. Gave it 2 clicks of left windage so I didn't send rounds onto my aimpoint on my paper target. I never try and hit the bullseye on my paper target. I just put white printer paper over the bullet holes and then the aiming point is never messed up. Reuse the target forever that way especially since printer paper is way cheaper than champion shooters targets, lol. The 3 shot group on paper ended up measuring .209 moa/.878" @400 yards. That's the 4th group in a row at 400 yards under 1/4 moa with this rifle. Ive never seen a big magnum this consistently accurate, especially shot off a bipod. I already have a bunch of guys wanting this cartridge built with the parts I have instock. At this point I actually have more demand for it than the 28 noslers I build. And Ive probably built 200 of them in the last few years.

 

[284winner]

Ryan, that's an awesome cartridge and an awesome build. You only improved it by improving it, like most improved cases. It's the next project on my list of rifles to build. Wasn't sure I was going to improve it but am now. After looking at the 338 Norma, I realized how close it's performance is to the lapua with less powder. Great looking rifle and looks promising on paper. I think that case would be ideal pushing the 240 SMKs.

 

[IdahoCTD]

I built mine 4 or 5 years ago and it's still crazy accurate. Probably the most consistently accurate 30 magnum I've ever built and I've owned 40+ customs myself from 300wsm's to 30-378 Watherby Imp's. Sub 1/4 moa is the norm and it's shot ton's of groups in the .1's with 230's.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Nice rifle and great shooting
300 Norma Improved is a really cool round. I've fired 50 rounds through mine to form brass and break in the barrel, but haven't really got around to load development or LR testing yet. My barrel has a 1 in 8" twist so I can reliably use the new Sierra 230gr (.8 BC). Also have Berger 215s and 230s on hand. Looking forward to seeing what the round will do.

BTW: I put one of your Piercision 5 port slabbed self timing Muscle brakes on a different rifle (338-375 Ruger) a couple days ago and shot it today. I am very impressed with the ease of installation and effectiveness on recoil. Thanks for the fast shipping too. Will be using more of your brakes in the future

Couple pics of my 300 NMI.

 

[rpierce]

I agree. I am doing the 35 degree versions as well as doing one for myself for hunting/elr shooting. Big 30s shoot, thats a fact. 28 Noslers are cool, but not 300 Norma cool I have shot the 215s out to 2000 yards. Thats possibly the best bullet ever made for long range target and hunting.

I agree Alex. If I never build another 28 and replace it with the 300 improved that would be fine with me. It’ll be way easier for customers. You don’t have to clean it every 20 rounds like the Nosler. It has way better brass, way easier to tune, and the ballistics are pretty much identical. Slightly more recoil but my 5 port will kill it. You’ll have to let me know how your 35 does once you get it up and running.

 

[rpierce]

Nice rifle and great shooting
300 Norma Improved is a really cool round. I've fired 50 rounds through mine to form brass and break in the barrel, but haven't really got around to load development or LR testing yet. My barrel has a 1 in 8" twist so I can reliably use the new Sierra 230gr (.8 BC). Also have Berger 215s and 230s on hand. Looking forward to seeing what the round will do.

BTW: I put one of your Piercision 5 port slabbed self timing Muscle brakes on a different rifle (338-375 Ruger) a couple days ago and shot it today. I am very impressed with the ease of installation and effectiveness on recoil. Thanks for the fast shipping too. Will be using more of your brakes in the future

Couple pics of my 300 NMI.
View attachment 1067544

View attachment 1067545

Let me know how the 230 sierras shoot. I know a couple guys did some low velocity testing with them to simulate expansion at long range. Definitely don’t use it for long range hunting. I’m glad to hear you like my self timing 5 port. Thank you for your time and business.

 

[boltfluter]

Ryan,

That's a really good move on your part by building these with a .750 bolt diameter. A win win for your customers.

Paul

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Let me know how the 230 sierras shoot. I know a couple guys did some low velocity testing with them to simulate expansion at long range. Definitely don’t use it for long range hunting. I’m glad to hear you like my self timing 5 port. Thank you for your time and business.

Good to know. I plan on using the Berger 230gr for hunting. Tho the rifle in its current configuration with 31" barrel and 27 lbs is not a hunting rig. I bought another carbon fiber sporter stock for the rifle and plan on chambering a smaller barrel to swap it over for hunting.

Here's pics of my lands touch dummy rounds (in unformed cull cases) using the new big Sierra and Bergers. My reamer is 35 degree shoulder with very minimal body taper and .235" freebore. The 230 Sierra is clearly a longer bullet than the 230 Berger.

 

[cmillard]

Awesome rifle Ryan! You going to take it pronghorn hunting?

 

[IdahoCTD]

That is the exact same throat and shoulder angle as mine. My shoulder diameter is the same as a 338 Norma. It's basically a 30-338 Norma Imp with a 35 degree shoulder and .235" throat.

 

[rpierce]

Awesome rifle Ryan! You going to take it pronghorn hunting?

Ya I got my suppressed 6.5 saum dialed in for my wife and is also shooting sub 1/4 moa at 400 yards off the bipod. Ill have the 300 norma improved for myself. Im gonna bring some steel targets out with us and am going to put it up a minimum of 2000 yards away. These folding stocks are awesome for throwing in backpacks and gun cases.

 

[cmillard]

That is awesome. One of these days I’m gonna stop up to your shop

 

[bowfisher]

Ya I got my suppressed 6.5 saum dialed in for my wife and is also shooting sub 1/4 moa at 400 yards off the bipod. Ill have the 300 norma improved for myself. Im gonna bring some steel targets out with us and am going to put it up a minimum of 2000 yards away. These folding stocks are awesome for throwing in backpacks and gun cases.

Dang, is that sexy!!

 

[boltfluter]

Actually I think the .700 bolt like a Bat HR is stronger. More material left in the lugs of the action. The main issue was setback of the lower lug in the action, which I have measured in rem 700 actions. So the way the feed ramp is cut plays an important role. The bolt body itself does not play a role in strength.

Alex,

I was assuming that since the bolt diameter was bigger that the mating action would also be bigger. In this instance maybe not. That's the only way a bigger bolt body makes any sense to me. On with your regular programming.

Paul