300 win mag, 300 PRC or 300 Norma?

[Timgunner]

I have been on a 30 cal barrel buying spree lately and I’ve got a decision to make. I was going to build a 300 prc because of the factory Hornady ammo. However when my custom action arrived it had been accidentally shipped with a lapua bolt face. After contacting the MFG they are sending me a regular magnum bolt face and letting me keep the lapua too. So this opens a possibility that I had not anticipated, the 300 Norma. I’ve never owned or shot the prc or the Norma. I have had probably a dozen 300 win mags and through poor judgment I no longer have one. The barrel I’m gonna use is a 28” Krieger 1-9” Twist. The action is already cut for a Wyatt’s extended mag box. I’m leaning towards the 225 eldm and the 215 Berger. I could just build another 300 win mag because I have lots of brass and dies. I will need to buy brass and dies for both the PRC and the Norma. Is there a noticeable difference between the 300 win mag (properly throated) the Norma or the PRC?

 

[Broz]

The 300 PRC and win mag are basically ballistic twins. The Norma will be faster, but not as fast as a 300 Lapua or 300 Lapua AI. I always play with bigger 30's, but I will never be without a 300 win mag that is ready to go. It will flat get it done with a 215 Berger and you will see 3K plus with that 28", maybe 3050.

The other thing is with the new ofering of heavy bullets like the 220, 230 and 240 CEB's and the 245 Berger 230 and 250 Hornady's. I would want an 8 twist for a large cased 30. So, my vote goes for the tried and true 300 win mag that you already have dies and components for.

Jeff

 

[Ladd]

The 300 WM dies and brass make it kind of an easy decision in light of the supply and demand issues out there. If you don't have a 300 WM then you need one. Then you can decide between the other two. Not that I'd buy the 300 PRC to shoot the 215's since its similar/same as the 300 WM, I'd pump that up with a +P by way of Defensive Edge and shoot a 245 gr Berger EOL out of it. That would be funner than a 300 Norm.

 

[Broz]

I like 1.250" barrel tenons and 1.100" threaded actions for the .590" case head cartridges too. The smaller dia.'s do expand and contract and "can" cause extraction issues.

 

[Timgunner]

Well, I’m glad to know the 300 win mag isn’t loosing anything to the new cool PRC.

 

[Timgunner]

This is the only site I bother with for questions and answers centering on the 300 win mag or 215 Berger. I don’t really have much of a guess as to the performance difference of the 300 Norma and the win mag. What are we talking about 100fps or so?

 

[Broz]

I never bothered with a 300 Nancy once I knew it was slower than the Lapua. And If I am going that big, I usually improve them and add the +P. If you want a screamer that is the most efficient and easy to run case I have tested, build a 300 Terminator from Defensive Edge. With that 28" tube, you should get 3200 to 3250 with a 230 gr bullet. Maybe more. Shawn has load info on his site. Defensive Edge 300 Terminator Data

 

[Timgunner]

What is the parent case for the 300 terminator?

 

[Rjk300]

338 lm it’s Defensive edge’s improved version with the +p.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JT_NZ]

This is the only site I bother with for questions and answers centering on the 300 win mag or 215 Berger. I don’t really have much of a guess as to the performance difference of the 300 Norma and the win mag. What are we talking about 100fps or so?

Very interested in this as well. Comparing factory 300WM vs factory 300NM running the 215gr Berger, there only appears to be 130fps (approx) difference between the two:

3017fps - https://bergerbullets.com/product/300-norma-magnum-215gr-hybrid-target/

2886fps - https://bergerbullets.com/product/300-winchester-magnum-215gr-hybrid-target/

Many on here state they get 3000fps+ out of their 300WM running the 215gr Berger. Can anyone comment on their experiencing doing handholds in the 300NM so I can get an idea of its "potential"?

 

[Broz]

Many on here state they get 3000fps+ out of their 300WM running the 215gr Berger. Can anyone comment on their experiencing doing handholds in the 300NM so I can get an idea of its "potential"?

In the last 15 years, I have owned, built and set up 50 plus 300 win mags. Barrel lengths from 22" to 30". If you figure 22 fps per inch of barrel you will be able to get a close estimate on velocity. So lets take my most common used 26" barrel. After setting up a couple dozen 26" Christensen Arms 300's and using Berger factory ammo with 215's, the average velocity with this factory ammo would be 2880 ~ 2900 fps. Hand loads with H-1000 and the 215 will most often see an accuracy node between 75 and 77 grains producing velocities from 2850 to 3000. With VV N570 you can get 50 to 75 fps more on average. Right now my 26" custom 300 win mag wearing a 26" CarbonSix tube is a very fast barrel. The new barrel has speeded up and the average velocity is 3056 fps. But I have lost some accuracy from the speed up leaving the node. So I will be backing off the charge to the sweet spot it was in at 3015 fps.

All barrels are different, some faster some slower. But on average, a 26" 300 win mag, SAMMI chamber, with a 215 Berger will run 2900 to 3K and shoot very well there. Some a little faster, some a little slower in their node. And again, VV N-570 will get more velocity over H-1000. But H-1000 is the go to powder for most.

Jeff

 

[elkguide]

But VV570 sure is fun!!!!!

 

[matt_3479]

Very interested in this as well. Comparing factory 300WM vs factory 300NM running the 215gr Berger, there only appears to be 130fps (approx) difference between the two:

3017fps - https://bergerbullets.com/product/300-norma-magnum-215gr-hybrid-target/

2886fps - https://bergerbullets.com/product/300-winchester-magnum-215gr-hybrid-target/

Many on here state they get 3000fps+ out of their 300WM running the 215gr Berger. Can anyone comment on their experiencing doing handholds in the 300NM so I can get an idea of its "potential"?

i owned and shot out a 300. Win mag barrel and was running the 215’s at 2870 fps if I recall but could double check. I max out at 2950 fps but the node wasn’t there. Absolutely love it and sold it and as usuals regretted it. Was going build another oneuntil I fell across a deal I couldn’t pass up on a Norma. Figured what the heck and got the Norma this year. It is an absolute tack driver! I had the 215’s at 3230 fps but nodes seem to be around 3140-3170 range and 3050-3080 range. Haven’t finished load development as I started with rl33 and have since switched to n570.
I am extremely pleased with the Norma and doubt I’ll ever go back. The win mag is fantastic and is what I wanted but the Norma is just sexy

 

[Vol75]

you might as well be talking about Chevy, Ford or dodge.
300 win mag is hard to beat in a lot of ways.
and with Lapua going to making brass for all 3 it’s now a toss up on brass.
the biggest advantage that I think the 300 WM offers is for non reloader s because you should be able to get ammo just about anywhere For the WM.
with that, if you reload then to me it’s really about speed you want to push a bullets and overall clip space available. the PRC and WM are almost identical.
i personally like the 300 prc because of my personal research. BUT if I was setting up for maximizing velocity, had plenty of open country to shoot strickly I would look hard at the 300 Norma.
I talked, research, and almost went with the 300 Norma when I built my 300 prc and the only reason I went with the prc is because of the bolt face. I figured that if I didn’t like the prc I could just rebarrel back to the 300win mag.

good luck on your choice. I don’t think any decision is going to be wrong. They all will shoot awesome. the Smith and components is going to be where the nuts and bolts are made.

interesting read below.

NF ELR Calibers & Cartridges – What The Pros Use

Over the past few weeks, I surveyed over 100 shooters who competed in this year’s Nightforce Extend...

precisionrifleblog.com

 

[J2shooter]

I have been on a 30 cal barrel buying spree lately and I’ve got a decision to make. I was going to build a 300 prc because of the factory Hornady ammo. However when my custom action arrived it had been accidentally shipped with a lapua bolt face. After contacting the MFG they are sending me a regular magnum bolt face and letting me keep the lapua too. So this opens a possibility that I had not anticipated, the 300 Norma. I’ve never owned or shot the prc or the Norma. I have had probably a dozen 300 win mags and through poor judgment I no longer have one. The barrel I’m gonna use is a 28” Krieger 1-9” Twist. The action is already cut for a Wyatt’s extended mag box. I’m leaning towards the 225 eldm and the 215 Berger. I could just build another 300 win mag because I have lots of brass and dies. I will need to buy brass and dies for both the PRC and the Norma. Is there a noticeable difference between the 300 win mag (properly throated) the Norma or the PRC?

As we have learned here recently the following is subject to change (300 WM Berger ammo discontinued) but this might be some good info to take into consideration.

Currently, it looks like Berger still offers the 300 Norma magnum 215 Berger ammo.
Advertised at 3017 fps MV in 26" barrel!!

300 Norma Magnum 215gr Hybrid Target Rifle Ammunition

The 215 grain Hybrid OTM load provides a load with both high ballistic coefficients and high velocities for this weight of bullet. Berger Bullets offers superior ammunition for shooters that require reliability, accuracy and consistency.

bergerbullets.com

 

[RustyInOR]

Thanks for letting me jump into this ... I 'm new here but not new to the topic. Thus far, I've done my load development on my Barrett MRAD 300-PRC barrel (26" / 1:8) with Berger 220 LRHT, and Hornady 225 ELDM both getting good results. My last range trip with the 220 Bergers (Lapua 1x - Accurate Magpro 77.8 - Federal GM215M) gave me an Average of 2859, ES of 6, and SD of 2.6 for six shots, and tight groups ... not too shabby. My question is ... with a 1:8 twist and what I'm reading here, should I be shooting a heavier projectile as I start stretching my 300-PRC out to a mile (or more)? Asked differently ... is a heavier bullet better at longer distances in a 300-PRC 1:8 barrel?

 

[TreyMeTrey]

Id go with 300 PRC 250gr A-TIP or factory Hornady 225 ELD-Match

 

[RustyInOR]

I have all three ... MPA in 300-WM and 300-Norma, and 300-PRC in my Barrett MRAD. I'd have to say if I could keep only one in a ballistic "Sophie's Choice", it would be the 300-Norma. Better accuracy at longer distances, and ELR is kinda my "thing" now. If I was optimizing for 1500-yards and in, it would be the 300-WM. 1500 to a mile, the 300-PRC. Everything from 100 yards to 2000 ... the Norma is the ticket. IMHO

 

[Mtnguy78]

Just my .02 … if you already have equipment and components for 300wm I would probably go that way….. however….. since you do have a 2nd bolt with Lapua bolt face…. I would probably look at doing a switch barrel with another caliber.

I have had a 300 norma…. It was wicked accurate. Shot 230 bergers at 2920fps, so not the fastest…. But manomacaroni… super accurate!! And brought a big whallop!!

 

[62flint]

My .2 cents for what its worth, And I know it aint much
When I bought my last rifle I could of gotten about any caliber, I chose the 300wm simply because of off the shelf ammo availability. If OI am on the road hunting some where and my ammo gets lost or damaged. I feel I can likely find Ammo some where in 300wm. 30-06 would be my next choice just for ammo availability.

 

[mullmann]

I have a 22” 300 Norma running 215 Berger’s at 3015FPS with N570. I am thinking about sending it in to have it +P so I can add about 100FPS. Very fun to shoot and accurate. I briefly had a 300 WM before I reloaded and it was not accurate with the ammunition I tried so I got rid of it and had a 300RUM built.

 

[TreyMeTrey]

I have a300WinMag..It shoots pretty accurate at 600 and 1000yards.Ive not shot it any farther than 1800 and I hit the steelonthe left hand side.It was a 24 in by 36 inch wide plate. Oddsize..LOL I also have 2 in 300PRC. One is a Savage 110 Elite..I freally like it..Has a 30 Inch barrel.And the other is a Custom build.It has a 29 1/2inch barreland is Left Hand Gain Twist/ Its a 30 Sherman Magnum.It only has 52 rounds down it as of now.If I could only have one it would be the 30 Sherman Mag..It is fastest of all.It shoots the same bullet as the 300 PRC and ifc I get in a ammo shortage I can shoot the factory 300 PRC ammoand firformthe barss atsame time.It runs close 200 fps faster than my 300 PRC that I shot in the King of 1 Mile this yearIm pretty new to the ELR game but been to4 matches this year.This weekend will be the Finaleat Spearpoint KS. Excitedto go shoot.!!!!

 

[155THINF]

Hi fellow 30 cal shooters. I recently acquired a custom 28 Inch Heavy Contour Non-Fluted Stainless Steel Bartlein 1:9 Twist Barrel chambered in 30 Sherman Magnum it is an exceptional shooter!! My question is has anyone else tried Hornady's 225 Grain ELD Match in the Civilian Version sku: 82162 vs the Law Enforcement TAP version sku: 81215? Reason being I have unlimited access to both versions, but can get the Law Enforcement TAP version with my military/law enforcement discount.. Is there any real difference between the two versions or is it just a marketing thing?

I truly appreciate being able to converse with like minded individuals who love extremely accurate 30 cal magnum rifles.. Thank you for supporting America and it's Armed Forces/Law Enforcement!!

 

[Brno284]

300 PRC offers a nice case that feeds easily in a wide variety of actions that are suitable for its use. While pretty much duplicating the timeless 300 win mag performance. Pretty hard combination to beat.