28 Nosler Opinions

[hogcarpy]

I'm thinking about getting a 28 Nosler for a new elk rifle. The cartridge obviously has pretty impressive performance. I am a little concerned about the recoil and barrel life. I was hoping to get folks thoughts on their experience with the caliber; recoil, performance, ammo availability, ease of reloading, etc. I appreciate the input.

I'd like to get a 7 PRC, however, their aren't any affordable options for a lefty rifle in that caliber. I've seen Christensen in a 6.5 PRC but I'm concerned if it is enough rifle for elk. I'd heard opinions both ways.

 

[winmag]

Love mine. I’m sure barrel life will be short but that doesn’t matter to me for a big game rifle. Even if it only lasts 800 rounds, that’s many years of hunting.

I’m shooting a 140gr Absolute Hammer at 3600fps and it’s a laser beam. It weighs 8 pounds scoped. With the Christensen radial brake I’d compare the recoil to a 6.5 Creedmoor; without the brake it’s still very manageable.

 

[D_Walt]

one of my hunting partners has one in a Chrsitensen Traverse that I hand load for, 162 ELD-X at 3280fps. Shoots fantastic, actually shoots the 162’s so well he didn’t want to mess with anything else. Was very easy to work up a load for it. He has killed a few Nilgai with it but no elk yet.

 

[CRJR45]

I have one , the recoil is not bad at all , I'd say , but I have a brake on it . With Hornady Precision Hunter 162 ELDX I average 3237 FPS . I reload 160 Partitions and get 3111 FPS and it seems to shoot them better . It weighs about eight pounds also , maybe a little over .
Mine is the Savage UL with the Proof barrel and it's very accurate . Also , I found a good deal on a NIB barrel so I have a replacement if I do shoot the barrel out .

 

[cahunter805]

The 28Nosler is a fun cartridge especially if you reload. Im shooting 195EOL at 3120 and recoil is very manageable with a good brake. Definitely a good choice for an elk rifle.
I know of a NIB LH Christensen that is for sale also.

 

[belshawelk]

I have booth a .28 and .30. My .28 is a Browning x bolt Pro. I would say recoil is stiff. But to answer both your questions.

the round IMO may be the best all around N. American cartridge. I know there are 50 other best cartridges, but very few shoot, flatter, hit harder. Mine shoots under 1" MOA with Accubonds. Barrel life is irrelevant on a true hunting rifle. I have had mine about 4 years and have under 100 rounds through her, and thats including breaking her in correctly. So at 800-1000 rounds the barrel barrel looses accuracy and now its a 1.5" MOA who cares. That will be 32 years from now for me, and 1.5" MOA is fine. The .28 is not a bench gun, its a specifically designed tool. While I am not a long range hunter, I used he .28 to whack an elk at 637 yards. I should not have as its too far, but everything was perfect. 1 shot and down like a rock. I have shot 4 elk with her. Mostly all 150-350 yards.

I would buy another .28.

The Accubonds are great, so are Barns LRX. I would stay away from the Accubond ABLR and like. I own most of the .28 Accubond ammo in the world because I am a hoarder and was one of those guys who bought all I could before things got crazy. I do not hand load, but if you ammo is not a problem. Factory is expensive, but when you shoot very little very year who cares.

I do not use a brake.

 

[antelopedundee]

Once you find a good load I think that you could get an elk tag in every state that offers one for the rest of your life and not wear the barrel out.

 

[brockel]

I'm thinking about getting a 28 Nosler for a new elk rifle. The cartridge obviously has pretty impressive performance. I am a little concerned about the recoil and barrel life. I was hoping to get folks thoughts on their experience with the caliber; recoil, performance, ammo availability, ease of reloading, etc. I appreciate the input.

I'd like to get a 7 PRC, however, their aren't any affordable options for a lefty rifle in that caliber. I've seen Christensen in a 6.5 PRC but I'm concerned if it is enough rifle for elk. I'd heard opinions both ways.

The 28 nosler is a hell of a round but is getting up there for recoil on what most can shoot comfortably. Myself I’ve become quite a recoil sally anymore so I stick around the 6.5 calibers because that’s where my recoil tolerance is to where I enjoy shooting and dealing with the recoil. If you are already questioning whether you can handle the recoil of the 28 nosler or not then I’d caution against it.

For reference to the 6.5 not being enough for elk vs the 7mm being good enough here’s 4 bullets. 2 are 6.5 and 2 are 7mm all were pulled from elk. Which is which


I’ve seen everything from a 22-250 to a 338 ultra mag used on elk and I’ve yet to see these armor plated elk. They’ve all take it in the vitals between 1-3 rounds (number of shots not at all dependent on caliber in my experience) and die within 10-50 yards of shot. Elk just aren’t that hard to kill when you place your first shot correctly. Most shooters shoot lower recoiling rounds the best so typically their first shot is money. But I’ve only been the shooter or been there when the shooting was going on for 27 elk so maybe my opinion will eventually change.

 

[MThuntr]

Is 28N losing favor lately? This is the first I've seen it discussed in a long time. 30 Nosler and 33 Nosler are all but memories in less than a decade. If you buy one, get enough brass to last the rifle's life because I don't see it lasting.

Personally, I don't think most shooters are capable of taking advantage of the cartridge for hunting scenarios so something that has a lot less recoil will keep up in 95% of hunting scenarios. You can't kill more dead especially within the majority of hunting ranges.

 

[mtmuley]

If I wanted a 7mm I'd get a 28 Nosler. mtmuley

 

[brockel]

Is 28N losing favor lately? This is the first I've seen it discussed in a long time. 30 Nosler and 33 Nosler are all but memories in less than a decade. If you buy one, get enough brass to last the rifle's life because I don't see it lasting.

Personally, I don't think most shooters are capable of taking advantage of the cartridge for hunting scenarios so something that has a lot less recoil will keep up in 95% of hunting scenarios. You can't kill more dead especially within the majority of hunting ranges.

I don’t think the 28 and 30 nosler will be going anywhere soon. Peterson makes brass for them now and ADG always sells quick for them.

 

[Doublecluck]

I built one for shooting elk on the flats, 195’s at 3100. I love it but it sits in the back seat locked in a case most of hunting season while I carry my 7-8 lb 7rm or 6.5 prc.

28 vs 7rm vs 6.5 prc real world numbers.

 

[brockel]

If I wanted a 7mm I'd get a 28 Nosler. mtmuley

If nosler had designed it around a legit magnum length action like a Remington and not hamstringed it with short throat to fit their 3.34” action it would be even better.

 

[MThuntr]

I don’t think the 28 and 30 nosler will be going anywhere soon. Peterson makes brass for them now and ADG always sells quick for them.

Oh dang I didn't know they were making those cartridges. Like you stated in another post, they suffer from not being optimized in a magnum length action.

My personal preference would be to the 7PRC if only on an efficiency standpoint.

 

[BackofBeyond]

If I wanted a 7mm I'd get a 28 Nosler. mtmuley

Curious, and a total derail, but why a 28N over a 7RUM?

 

[mtmuley]

Curious, and a total derail, but why a 28N over a 7RUM?

Friend of mine shot and loaded for one. Might have been that particular rifle, but it was a pain to find a load. They also had issues with seating depth and excessive powder residue build up outside the case neck. It's been awhile so I forgot the technical details. And brass is almost nonexistent. mtmuley

 

[dodgermax]

Yes i shoot the 28 nolser. i really like it. i actually own a couple of them. i'm not pushing the limits on the cartridge because i'm loading for accuracy and i'm sending 150gr long range accubonds out at 3350fps 26" barrel. 4.3 moa of drop at 400 yards... 2.5moa of drop at 300 yards... i've killed a lot of things with this gun a few elk some nice deer and i can't say enough good things about it. This particular rifles round count is now nearing 750 (i shoot it sparingly) i have seen no accuracy drop off yet.

 

[MThuntr]

I built one for shooting elk on the flats, 195’s at 3100. I love it but it sits in the back seat locked in a case most of hunting season while I carry my 7-8 lb 7rm or 6.5 prc.

28 vs 7rm vs 6.5 prc real world numbers.

View attachment 278014View attachment 278015View attachment 278016

What's the order the numbers are so close? I'm assuming 6.5PRC, 28N, 7PRC

 

[Doublecluck]

What's the order the numbers are so close? I'm assuming 6.5PRC, 28N, 7PRC

6.5 prc, low, 7rem mag middle , 28 nos high.

 

[belshawelk]

I don’t think the 28 and 30 nosler will be going anywhere soon. Peterson makes brass for them now and ADG always sells quick for them.

Agreed. Actually several gun manufactures are making .30 Nosler now. Sure its not available in run of the mill guns but none of the hot load calibers are.