308 Norma Magnum

[Edd]

Is anyone using a hunting rifle chambered in 308 Norma Mag?

I have a new reamer, a Krieger 9" twist barrel, 250 new Norma cases, and a Defiance action. I'm thinking about building one but I keep getting sidetracked thinking about a 300 PRC.

 

[Ranger007]

300 Norma Improved 35 degree

This gets me on the topic of bushings. They are not to size or square. I think we may have a solution in the future but try different ones regardless of the stamping.

forum.accurateshooter.com

Which big 30 to build???

I've been following the 300 Norma Imp threads and I've been thinking about a 300 PRC lately. I would like to build a "big" 30 and I am looking for opinions... Maybe even a 30 Nosler. I even thought about a 300 RUM, but barrel life seems to be bad. I know I'm not going to get 308 barrel life out...

forum.accurateshooter.com

 

[DaveTooley]

308 Norma mag or 300 Norma mag?

 

[Edd]

308 Norma mag or 300 Norma mag?

308 Norma Mag.

 

[Jud96]

I love mine. It is built on a Remington 700 with a 28” Bartlein 9 twist. I use Norma brass, RL26, and 215 Berger’s. I get 2920fps with the low node. It shoots 1/4 MOA and is very very consistent. I love the cartridge.

 

[Ranger007]

308 Norma Mag.

Sorry Edd I got a little excited and jumped the gun. lol lol

 

[Edd]

I love mine. It is built on a Remington 700 with a 28” Bartlein 9 twist. I use Norma brass, RL26, and 215 Berger’s. I get 2920fps with the low node. It shoots 1/4 MOA and is very very consistent. I love the cartridge.

I was guessing I could get 2750 FPS with a 24” barrel and those same Bullets. Sounds like that could be possible.

 

[FNSafari]

I have a 1959 Browning Safari factory chambered in 308 norma mag. It shoots wonderfully and as a 1973 vintage Hornady reloading manual says...its first and foremost a big game hunting cartridge, with power to spare for most any North American game.

Just make sure your reamer has plenty of freebore or if it doesn't be careful working up loads.

 

[DaveTooley]

308 Norma Mag.

It's good well balanced hunting round.
It has been used some in 1K BR rifles.
I like the PRC also. It's a bit bigger capacity wise than you need for hunting weight bullets. I keep velocities reasonable in my PRC. 212's @2825 and it's easy on the shoulder.

 

[Edd]

I have a 1959 Browning Safari factory chambered in 308 norma mag. It shoots wonderfully and as a 1973 vintage Hornady reloading manual says...its first and foremost a big game hunting cartridge, with power to spare for most any North American game.

Just make sure your reamer has plenty of freebore or if it doesn't be careful working up loads.

My reamer has .200” freebore.

 

[sandwarrior]

Is anyone using a hunting rifle chambered in 308 Norma Mag?

I have a new reamer, a Krieger 9" twist barrel, 250 new Norma cases, and a Defiance action. I'm thinking about building one but I keep getting sidetracked thinking about a 300 PRC.

I shoot a .308 Norma that is just a 'lights out' killer target setup. It started life as an AMU 30-338. I bought the rifle as .308 Norma, but it obviously wasn't. I had Jim Kobe punch it out to .308 Norma and it's been super accurate. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on game. The bullets used are compatible both for long range target and good expansion on game.

 

[FNSafari]

When I was younger I use to read the 1973 vintage Hornady load manual and its comments on the .308 Norma Magnum over and over thinking what an exotic round this is. Never saw one until about 5 years ago in a gun shop. I had perused the racks and was about to leave when I saw another rack I had not looked over. Working down the line of rifles I noticed a particularly heavy barreled(for most modern hunting rifles) rifle in the rack. Picking it up it was the Browning Safari and when I looked at the barrel markings and caliber, 308 NM, I couldn't believe my eyes....right in front of me a 308 NM...so she went home with me and certainly glad I bought it. It was not too common a chambering in the Browning/FN lineup. You just can't stop looking!!!

 

[sandwarrior]

When I was younger I used to read the 1973 vintage Hornady load manual and its comments on the .308 Norma Magnum over and over thinking what an exotic round this is. Never saw one until about 5 years ago in a gun shop. I had perused the racks and was about to leave when I saw another rack I had not looked over. Working down the line of rifles I noticed a particularly heavy barreled(for most modern hunting rifles) rifle in the rack. Picking it up it was the Browning Safari and when I looked at the barrel markings and caliber, 308 NM, I couldn't believe my eyes....right in front of me a 308 NM...so she went home with me and certainly glad I bought it. It was not too common a chambering in the Browning/FN lineup. You just can't stop looking!!!

I have that manual! FWIW, the .308 Norma was what the .300 Win Mag was gonna be, circa late 50's. Norma sent reamers and barrels to the U.S. and it started to gain traction. They started working with Winchester. Then Winchester decided they didn't want to share marketing with Norma and went their own way in 1963.

It may sound 'exotic', but really it was just a shortened and re-sized H&H case to fit Mausers and Winchester 70's without having cut-outs or lengthening the action. One of the few times I've ever seen a foreign entity take marketing a product seriously here in the U.S. Too bad it didn't work out. The .300 WM, at the time, didn't give any velocity advantage over the .308 Norma. It does now because of better powders to use. By going their own way Winchester did put themselves in front of everyone else.

 

[FNSafari]

I have that manual! FWIW, the .308 Norma was what the .300 Win Mag was gonna be, circa late 50's. Norma sent reamers and barrels to the U.S. and it started to gain traction. They started working with Winchester. Then Winchester decided they didn't want to share marketing with Norma and went their own way in 1963.

It may sound 'exotic', but really it was just a shortened and re-sized H&H case to fit Mausers and Winchester 70's without having cut-outs or lengthening the action. One of the few times I've ever seen a foreign entity take marketing a product seriously here in the U.S. Too bad it didn't work out. The .300 WM, at the time, didn't give any velocity advantage over the .308 Norma. It does now because of better powders to use. By going their own way Winchester did put themselves in front of everyone else.

Yes, Norma was outmuscled by Winchester on this one! One arguable advantage of the 308 NM is its longer neck. Winchester sacrificed neck length for powder capacity, which is fine with say bulllets up to about 180 gr but if you want to use the 200/220 or nowadays the heavier nontoxic and much longer bullets you really cut into capacity of the 300 WM. My old Nosler manual that lists loads for the 308NM has a preface and the guy talks about the 30/338 and hunting elk. Kissing cousins I guess.

 

[sandwarrior]

Yes, Norma was outmuscled by Winchester on this one! One arguable advantage of the 308 NM is its longer neck. Winchester sacrificed neck length for powder capacity, which is fine with say bulllets up to about 180 gr but if you want to use the 200/220 or nowadays the heavier nontoxic and much longer bullets you really cut into capacity of the 300 WM. My old Nosler manual that lists loads for the 308NM has a preface and the guy talks about the 30/338 and hunting elk. Kissing cousins I guess.

Yup. The neck sacrifice didn't really mean anything at the time either as no one had powder that could fill that case up.

I agree, the longer neck was better. When I was loading for all three (when I was still out in Idaho) I took pics of the .30-338 next to the .308 NM, next to the .300 WM. I also sized down a .300 WM case to a .308 Norma Mag case but left the neck long. That's what I wished would have happened. The longer .308 NM mag neck is ok, but the long neck of that case would really mitigate throat erosion. Especially in the .300 WM.

 

[FNSafari]

Yup. The neck sacrifice didn't really mean anything at the time either as no one had powder that could fill that case up.

I agree, the longer neck was better. When I was loading for all three (when I was still out in Idaho) I took pics of the .30-338 next to the .308 NM, next to the .300 WM. I also sized down a .300 WM case to a .308 Norma Mag case but left the neck long. That's what I wished would have happened. The longer .308 NM mag neck is ok, but the long neck of that case would really mitigate throat erosion. Especially in the .300 WM.

There is something about the "first child" so to speak that is more compelling than the later comers

 

[46and2]

Yup. The neck sacrifice didn't really mean anything at the time either as no one had powder that could fill that case up.

I agree, the longer neck was better. When I was loading for all three (when I was still out in Idaho) I took pics of the .30-338 next to the .308 NM, next to the .300 WM. I also sized down a .300 WM case to a .308 Norma Mag case but left the neck long. That's what I wished would have happened. The longer .308 NM mag neck is ok, but the long neck of that case would really mitigate throat erosion. Especially in the .300 WM.

I've had several cartridges with long necks. 6AI, 270win, 270ai, 270wby and I have not seen any indication that long necks improve barrel life.
Every one of my 300wm barrels have had longer barrel life than any of aforementioned cartridges.

 

[FNSafari]

I've had several cartridges with long necks. 6AI, 270win, 270ai, 270wby and I have not seen any indication that long necks improve barrel life.
Every one of my 300wm barrels have had longer barrel life than any of aforementioned cartridges.

I would tend to agree with you on the neck length thing. However, shoulder angle does based on my readings and experience with a 308 benchrest hunter rifle. The shallow angle of the 308 and its derivatives such as the 243 is said to allow more powder combustion in the throat and first few inches of the barrel which in turn causes gas cutting of the metal...more so than a round with a steeper shoulder angle.

I have some 308 barrels that are not competitive after 2000-2500 rounds. Still pretty accurate vs a factory rifle but not BR competitive.

 

[spitfire_er]

First rifle I ever built was a 308 norma on a 1917 enfield with a Hart #5 10 twist. Was a solid 1/2 MOA rifle with 168 seirras and 4831sc. I have two currently and the one needs a new barrel. Its a very versatile round. I've been tossing around 300 prc as well, but I have a bunch of 308NM brass sitting around along with the dies.

Want to sell your reamer when your done with it?

 

[Edd]

Want to sell your reamer when your done with it?

The price most people want to pay for a used reamer usually results in me keeping it but I'm open to offers.