Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 308 Norma Magnum??

Howdy Guys, Was looking for alittle input on what everyone thinks of the 308 Norma Mag. I am thinking about building anouther 30 cal, and I already have 30-06,300win Mag, 300H&H, 308Win, so thinking of the Norma. Any input either pro or con will be very helpful.

Thanks
Bill <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I think the 308 NM is too close in performance to your win mag. Theoretically the longer neck is more condusive to accuracy but not that one could tell in real life. Unless you load your H&H hot you have all of the 30 cal but a big boomer. I would go w/ a 300 weatherby or something of that capacity. Just to round out your selection.

The 308Norma chambering is a freebore,so what you lose in capacity you can gain in being able to load closer to max with less pressure issues.COL is about 1/8" shorter than the 300WinMag so it's better fit in 30.06 Mausers boxs.Most people just resize and shorten 300WinMag brass,but your case that might not be wise.

The .308 Norma Magnum is, for all intents and purposes, a .30-.338. An excellent cartridge and quite possibly the best of the .30 caliber magnums. I just finished a .30-.338 for my son-in-law. As was posted earlier, though, it would essentially duplicate the .300 Win Mag.

Unless you just love .30 calibers why not try something like a .338-06 or the .338 Win Mag?

That was one of the reasons that I was looking into the Norma. The rifle that I will be working with is a Mark X action in 30-06. If I go with the Norma the rate of twist and mag box will work fine. Will have to re-chamber and open the bolt face and maybe alittle ramp work. From what I have been reading, this was done alot back in the 1960, Norma would let smiths use reramers ect to make the conversion. Plus I like to be different. When I am at my local shop or at the hunting camp, and people ask what I am shooting, I like to see the look on there faces when I bring up my old odd ball calibers. Plus the 30 cal line-up will do anything that I need them to do. From Elk to yotes.
Thanks for the input guys!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Bill

The only reason that we are not all users of this cartridge today is that it was brought out by Norma rather than Winchester or Remington. The 300 Win Mag is not in line with the rest of the Winchester family for just that reason, the slot was already occupied! Theoretically this cartridge can be loaded a tidge hotter than the Winchester version, this is because its maximum pressure is set using the European CIP standard rather than the US SAAMI. The reason that it didn't fly is that US shooters are very parochial, they will not often try something from "offshore".

When I built the rifle as a gift for my son-in-law he wanted something for western hunting and possibly big mule deer. I chose this caliber because I think it is such a great one. Used a High Tech (Banser) stock and slabbed the sides of a Remington action and made the rear bridge look somewhat like an A-Bolt. With a 24 inch barrel, Nikon 3-9 scope, rings and all it weighs 7.5 pounds. Turned out pretty well.

I think the 308 Norma may well be the best of the 30 caliber magnums. A nicer cartridge design than the 300 winchester and plenty of good usable capacity. It's got class. GD

My two FNs one an .06 and the other a 264 ,both use the same follower.

WMwise,

I concure with the above post regarding the 308 Norma.

Mine is on a Rock Island 03 that is the most accurate rifle I own. It will shoot 1" or less at 200 yds with every load I put through it.

I found it, bought it and used it this year for my Coues deer rifle. It really likes the Barnes 168 TSX bullets. I will most probaly standardize on a 180 gr load, but it likes 200's as well.

Cheers,

35

I had a 30-338 I liked it (wish I had it back) shot very well. Based on what you have it does not do anything you don't already do, but whats wrong with another gun? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> I think with what you have and wanting to stay with 30 cal you might look at a 300 RUM or 30-378. Just my thoughts.

pullit

I really like the 308 norma but...why not a 300 wsm? It is a great "middle-of-the-road" cartridge.

A WSM isn't a good choice for the MKX action. Why? Because it's short and fat! Short and fat just isn't an advantage for a cartridge. Feeding would be a problem and mag capacity would be reduced.GD

In my books this is the best 30 cal (belted) magnum. But I'm biased see my posts on an identical thread at https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/321828/an/0/page/0#321828 .

Gains true magnum performance out of a 24" barrel and better option for reloading than the .300 Win Mag. Its only drawback is it's a specialist round today, factory ammo (and cases) are expensive. but if you want something a little different but full .300 Win Mag performance this is the round for you. It's more efficient than the .300 Win Mag, same performance but with a couple gains less powder. Better to reload with 200 gr plus bullets.

It was the first "factory" 30 cal short magnum after WWII and the factories have been playing catch up ever since.

Magnum308