Belted magnums question

[Ray123]

Yes, I see most brass gives the PRC a little more capacity. I’m seeing about 1.8 grains of water difference.

Yep, the 300 win mag and 300 PRC are almost identical, I've even seen the exact same powder charge in the Hodgdon manual with the same bullet as max charge for both or many with in a grain. Just like the old 6.5 Rem mag has 4 grains more capacity than the new 6.5 PRC ...basically identical except for the PRC lack of a belt and slight 5 degree shoulder angle increase... not much is really new.

 

[BCBRAD]

Hi Guys what are the pro/cons of belted magnum cartridges like the 300 WINMAG?

I treat a belted magnum case prep as I do with a wildcat, the only down side is the neck up neck down routine to create a false shoulder for fireforming.

The last batch of Norma 300 Win Mag (head stamped Browning) the new unfired case was 0.023" short at the datum line than my chamber, and I've seen at least 0.008" at the belt.

So fireforming is a thing if case life is an issue.

 

[K22]

Never saw the need for them but that's just me. Here are some of my opinions for whatever its worth. Remember, opinions are like noses, everyone has one.

Never saw the value of the marginal gain of these magnums for the average hunter for hunting in North America.

Is the individual a skilled enough hunter and field shot to take full advantage of the marginal gain? Can the average hunter handle the recoil to practice enough to become proficient field shot with a magnum?

Short barrel magnums for carrying in rough terrain makes no sense. These cartridges require a long barrel, at least 24" and preferable 26" to take full advantage of the large quantity of slow burning powder used to reach the published velocities.

For most applications, the good old 30 06 with a 24" barrel will handle just about everything in North America in the hands of a competent hunter and skilled field marksman. The only exception I would make is for the large brown bears, there is where a heavy magnum has its place.

 

[AWS]

I've owned a 7mm Rem Mag a 300 Win Mag and a 358 Norma Mag. I never had any problems with short case life or bulges. I shot heavies(175 RN, 200SGK, and 250 RN's) out of all of them and never felt the need to hotrod them.

 

[dkhunt14]

6 years old now and I would venture not nearly as many would chamber it over the upstarts of the Nosler family of big magnums. I wonder just how many 6.5-300 WBY Mags are out in the wild?
Belted mags still have a strong following (375 H&H, etc) but don't expect a proliferation of new commercial cartridges with belts. I wouldn't call the 6,5-300 anything near a "proliferation".

I bet there are alot more 6.5-300 out there then you think. Years ago is was the cartridge for 1000 yard BR. Alex Hoyer, gunsmith from Lewistown Pa worked on that cartridge alot. He built a lot of them and so did Howard Wolfe. There are lots of those long barreled heavy guns around. Also a lot of 7mm-300 and 30-378, theyn were the cartridge of choice years ago. Matt

 

[Hudge76]

there could be a "con" if setting the HS from the belt in regard to case life or you can get a bulge. Most just go ahead and set up the full length die like normal and headspace using the shoulder instead of the belt. That way your case better fits the chamber.

I reload .300 WM and .338 WM, and I have always headspaced off the shoulder. Up until recently I loaded .300 WM more than any other cartridges and never a problem.