30BR or 30 Major?

[Sniper338]

Whats the pros / cons of each?

Which would you do? (Besides the obvious reason of already having either bolt face on hand).

Both seem like fun... any clear advantages anywhere?

 

[Caleb85]

+1 for the major!

 

[JimPag]

30BR without a doubt. There is a reason that so many score shooters use it, it just plain works and works very well. If you want to tinker with the 30 Major that's fine. I have a 30 Gorilla that I use sometimes. It's similar to the Major only it has a 35 degree shoulder to the 30 Major's 30 degree. I've had limited success with it. It's just not as consistent as the BR. In the Gorilla the best powder that I've found is Vihtavuori N120. Trouble is it is expensive, only comes in 1 pound containers, sometimes hard to find, and it doesn't shoot well in the cold weather. Stick with the 30BR. You can buy 8lb containers of H4198 so much cheaper. To me it's fun screwing around with different cartridges, but if I had a choice of 1, make mine a 30BR.

 

[LarryDScott]

Its accurate, but hope you like recoil. LDS

 

[Caleb85]

Mike Ezzel could speak on behalf of the major.

 

[BOBC]

30BR without a doubt. There is a reason that so many score shooters use it, it just plain works and works very well. If you want to tinker with the 30 Major that's fine. I have a 30 Gorilla that I use sometimes. It's similar to the Major only it has a 35 degree shoulder to the 30 Major's 30 degree. I've had limited success with it. It's just not as consistent as the BR. In the Gorilla the best powder that I've found is Vihtavuori N120. Trouble is it is expensive, only comes in 1 pound containers, sometimes hard to find, and it doesn't shoot well in the cold weather. Stick with the 30BR. You can buy 8lb containers of H4198 so much cheaper. To me it's fun screwing around with different cartridges, but if I had a choice of 1, make mine a 30BR.

Jim, I could not have said it any better. A 30BR is never a mistake unless you're thinking of using it for over 300 yd. matches. Very accurate and very easy on barrels.

 

[JimPag]

Its accurate, but hope you like recoil. LDS

Recoil? What recoil. 35 grains of powder with a 108-125 bullet in a 10.5 or 13&1/2 pound gun and you call that recoil? The 30BR is a pussy cat. I shoot a 30x46 in 200-300 yard matches free recoil also and that thing is pretty lame in the recoil department also. I was use to shooting 416 Rigby's and 460 WBY magnums, so anything below a 416 is a pop gun to me. I've never been recoil sensitive at all.

 

[JimPag]

Mike Ezzel could speak on behalf of the major.

His last name is Ezell and I know Mike very well. We've discussed the 30 Major/30 Gorilla countless times. There is nothing that Mike can tell me that I already don't know. Even the IBS hunter class is being dominated by the 30BR when they approved it not too long ago.

 

[Caleb85]

His last name is Ezell and I know Mike very well. We've discussed the 30 Major/30 Gorilla countless times. There is nothing that Mike can tell me that I already don't know. Even the IBS hunter class is being dominated by the 30BR when they approved it not too long ago.

Sorry for the misspelling, I just remember him telling me how great the major is. And he sent me a case for a collection

 

[Shynloco]

Recoil? What recoil. 35 grains of powder with a 108-125 bullet in a 10.5 or 13&1/2 pound gun and you call that recoil? The 30BR is a pussy cat. I shoot a 30x46 in 200-300 yard matches free recoil also and that thing is pretty lame in the recoil department also. I was use to shooting 416 Rigby's and 460 WBY magnums, so anything below a 416 is a pop gun to me. I've never been recoil sensitive at all.

+1. I truly enjoy shooting my 30BR and the kick is negligible at best, compared to my .308BR that does let you know she's being fired. Even there, the answer is simple in a suppressor that some of the guys I know, put on their 30BR's because of having weak (and old) shoulders. But IMHO, the 30BR is the best way to go for both accuracy and expense.

Alex