Nosler cartridges

[chevyman181]

Hello all,

I here hear a lot about the 28 nosler but not so much of the other nosler cartridges. I was just wondering if anyone is shooting them and if the 28 is more accurate or efficient than the others?

Thanks

 

[brockel]

Hello all,

I here hear a lot about the 28 nosler but not so much of the other nosler cartridges. I was just wondering if anyone is shooting them and if the 28 is more accurate or efficient than the others?

Thanks

The 28 nosler is the 2nd most inefficient of the bigger nosler cartridges losing only to the 26 nosler. The reason you don’t hear a lot of the 30 nosler is #1 it doesn’t really beat the 300 win mag by enough to make a difference, #2 most can’t handle the recoil of the bigger round, #3 it takes a lot more bullet weight in 30 cal to equal or beat the ballistics coefficient of the 7mm cal bullets. The 33 nosler is to much recoil for most people and most don’t need a dedicated 33 cal rifle. If they do they roll with the 338 win mag. Personally if all three of them are throated properly “not sammi” they are great rounds. Not a fan of the 26 nosler

Edit to add that I guess the 28 is third most inefficient. Didn’t know they made a 27 nosler now

 

[TN2shot07]

The 28 nosler is the 2nd most inefficient of the bigger nosler cartridges losing only to the 26 nosler. The reason you don’t hear a lot of the 30 nosler is #1 it doesn’t really beat the 300 win mag by enough to make a difference, #2 most can’t handle the recoil of the bigger round, #3 it takes a lot more bullet weight in 30 cal to equal or beat the ballistics coefficient of the 7mm cal bullets. The 33 nosler is to much recoil for most people and most don’t need a dedicated 33 cal rifle. If they do they roll with the 338 win mag. Personally if all three of them are throated properly “not sammi” they are great rounds. Not a fan of the 26 nosler

I like your breakdown and agree. I’m not generally recoil shy but the 30 nosler I shot was a little rough, never shot a 33. How would you rank the 27 in your list? It looks to be out marketed by the 6.8 western pretty heavily

 

[brockel]

I like your breakdown and agree. I’m not generally recoil shy but the 30 nosler I shot was a little rough, never shot a 33. How would you rank the 27 in your list? It looks to be out marketed by the 6.8 western pretty heavily

It’s really to close the 28 to be worth it to me personally. Just trying to get the jack O’Connor crowd

 

[std7mag]

Looking around all the gunshops in my area (50 mile radius) for a 7mm-08 and 280AI, i'm running into a lot of 270 Win rifles.
Not that there is anything wrong with the 270 Win!
It's in my mind a better option than the 350 "Legend" and keeps me from growing my hair out to shoot the 6.5MB.
It's just not ME.
Pre The Great Shutdown, there were a lot of 270 WSM around.

 

[D4570]

I like the 8mm RM

 

[nhenry]

I like the 8mm RM

I like its son. 7mm STW for the win

Per OP's original question:
Brockel did a good breakdown of it, but another reason that that 28 is the most popular is that it's chambered in the most rifles. Example: there are a bunch of X-Bolts in 28, but none in the other Nosler cartridges. That could be just because of what he stated, but it's a snowball effect from here on out. More rifles = more popular. Less rifles = falls into obscurity

 

[Wind Gypsy]

The 28 nosler is the 2nd most inefficient of the bigger nosler cartridges losing only to the 26 nosler. The reason you don’t hear a lot of the 30 nosler is #1 it doesn’t really beat the 300 win mag by enough to make a difference, #2 most can’t handle the recoil of the bigger round, #3 it takes a lot more bullet weight in 30 cal to equal or beat the ballistics coefficient of the 7mm cal bullets. The 33 nosler is to much recoil for most people and most don’t need a dedicated 33 cal rifle. If they do they roll with the 338 win mag. Personally if all three of them are throated properly “not sammi” they are great rounds. Not a fan of the 26 nosler

Edit to add that I guess the 28 is third most inefficient. Didn’t know they made a 27 nosler now

Agree with all points above. Nicely designed cartridges minus sticking with the outdated COAL limits.

The 27 case is a little smaller than the 26/28 so might actually be on par or more efficient than the 28. The shoulder is pushed back a bit and it has a longer neck comparatively. I don't remember all details beyond thinking it was probably the best designed case of the bunch but stuck with the worst bullet diameter (.277).

 

[belshawelk]

The 28 nosler is the 2nd most inefficient of the bigger nosler cartridges losing only to the 26 nosler. The reason you don’t hear a lot of the 30 nosler is #1 it doesn’t really beat the 300 win mag by enough to make a difference, #2 most can’t handle the recoil of the bigger round, #3 it takes a lot more bullet weight in 30 cal to equal or beat the ballistics coefficient of the 7mm cal bullets. The 33 nosler is to much recoil for most people and most don’t need a dedicated 33 cal rifle. If they do they roll with the 338 win mag. Personally if all three of them are throated properly “not sammi” they are great rounds. Not a fan of the 26 nosler

Edit to add that I guess the 28 is third most inefficient. Didn’t know they made a 27 nosler now

Well I disagree. The 30 Nosler has near 20% more energy than 300WM. The .30 Nosler and 300 RUM are virtually identical. Both shoot faster, flatter and more energy.

I have both a .30 and .28. My .30 shoots .28MOA. My .28 shoots 3/4MOA. Different brands but both shoot very well. Either one puts the smack down on whatever you hit. I shoot factory Accubonds in my .28 and Pendleton (Barnes LRX) in my .30.

The .28 IMO is one of the best all around big game cartridges.

Perhaps the .27 could become the best.

 

[cahunter805]

The 28Nos is definitely an overbore cartridge. It’s a fun cartridge that does burn a lot of powder and is best suited for 180-195gr bullets also. My current 28 shoots 195s at 3070 with RL33.

The 27Nos setup for 170gr bullets would be very fun also.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Well I disagree. The 30 Nosler has near 20% more energy than 300WM. The .30 Nosler and 300 RUM are virtually identical. Both shoot faster, flatter and more energy.

I have both a .30 and .28. My .30 shoots .28MOA. My .28 shoots 3/4MOA. Different brands but both shoot very well. Either one puts the smack down on whatever you hit. I shoot factory Accubonds in my .28 and Pendleton (Barnes LRX) in my .30.

The .28 IMO is one of the best all around big game cartridges.

Perhaps the .27 could become the best.

Are you going off Nosler load data (propaganda)?

Most 300 win cases hold 92-95 grains h20 - there are some that are very thick and hold less
30 nosler case holds 97-100 grains h20
RUM case is typically around 110 grains H20.

None of the above cartridges are able to defy physics as far as I know so how does a 30 nosler get 20% more energy than a 300 wm and virtually identical performance to a RUM when it is closer in case capacity to a WM than it is to a RUM? All things equal, it doesn't.

I'm not @brockel but I'd guess by "efficient" he's referring to the relationship between case capacity and bore diameter and how the more overbore = less efficient. Most to least overbore - 26>28>27>30>33. I'm not positive on how 27 and 28 would fall because the 27 case is smaller but so is the bore.

 

[belshawelk]

Are you going off Nosler load data (propaganda)?

Most 300 win cases hold 92-95 grains h20 - there are some that are very thick and hold less
30 nosler case holds 97-100 grains h20
RUM case is typically around 110 grains H20.

None of the above cartridges are able to defy physics as far as I know so how does a 30 nosler get 20% more energy than a 300 wm and virtually identical performance to a RUM when it is closer in case capacity to a WM than it is to a RUM? All things equal, it doesn't.

Well let’s compare. Here my load data not Nolsers.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Well let’s compare. Here my load data not Nolsers.

What are we comparing? What your one load does has little bearing on how 300 wm and 30 nosler compare in general.

My standard 300wm 215 berger load has about the same energy at 100 yards as what is showing in that chart. I could use a higher energy powder and higher chamber pressures to do a fair bit better if that was the goal.

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

Must be the off season.

 

[belshawelk]

What are we comparing? What your one load does has little bearing on how 300 wm and 30 nosler compare in general.

My standard 300wm 215 berger load has about the same energy at 100 yards as what is showing in that chart. I could use a higher energy powder and higher chamber pressures to do a fair bit better if that was the goal.

200 Grain Barnes. But ok. 300-500 yards is where things matter for me. I have a 300 also. It’s a great round.

 

[cahunter805]

Well let’s compare. Here my load data not Nolsers.

Are you referring to the ft lbs of energy?

 

[brockel]

Well I disagree. The 30 Nosler has near 20% more energy than 300WM. The .30 Nosler and 300 RUM are virtually identical. Both shoot faster, flatter and more energy.

I have both a .30 and .28. My .30 shoots .28MOA. My .28 shoots 3/4MOA. Different brands but both shoot very well. Either one puts the smack down on whatever you hit. I shoot factory Accubonds in my .28 and Pendleton (Barnes LRX) in my .30.

The .28 IMO is one of the best all around big game cartridges.

Perhaps the .27 could become the best.

A properly throated 300 win mag will hang within 50 FPS of the 30 nosler

The 28 nosler being one of the best all around big game cartridges is a bit of a stretch in my opinion. It’s a hell of a round for what it was designed to do no doubt. Push high BC bullets fast. But most will never use even half the potential of the 28 nosler. Most are better off with less engine behind their 7mm bullet.

 

[34umgmn]

Hello all,

I here hear a lot about the 28 nosler but not so much of the other nosler cartridges. I was just wondering if anyone is shooting them and if the 28 is more accurate or efficient than the others?

Thanks

I hate revealing this, perhaps it’s useful - there is only one cartridge (in said family), of all calibers that never increased in price and is always available, these last 2 years (since Covid), when (my preferred) 300 & 338 win mag ELDX rounds increased from $1.65 to $5 before disappearing. Rifles in that caliber are typically discounted. If you guess what it is, don’t say.
CT Edge (8lb rifle total, w scope & suppressor), in unsaid caliber, places 300gr factory ammo sub half moa, I can shot it all day, but it does knock me (160lb) a little off target. Rifle gets some case deposit on bolt face, eventually leading to heavy bolt lift, which solvent solves, but no evidence of overcharge or extractor wear on spent cases. Also, after measuring maximum case length to lands, I pulled 300gr match bullets from factory ammo and immediately reseated 300gr 0.8BC Berger Elite Hunter bullets, keeping the factory powder charge.
Lastly, rifle also likes factory 265gr ABLR ammo which has (per box) 4530 ftlbs muzzle and 2032 ftlbs at 800 yds.

 

[BAKPAKR]

When I had my 300 RUM rebarreled after accuracy started going South, I went with a long throated 30 Nosler. It looks like I am going to get only slightly lower velocity than the RUM, but I will be using 8-10 gr less powder to do it. If I had started with an action that had standard feed rails, I probably would have gone with a long throated 300 Win to get nearly 30 Nosler velocity with less powder.

The Nosler line below 30 cal is too overbore for me.

 

[BackofBeyond]

When I had my 300 RUM rebarreled after accuracy started going South, I went with a long throated 30 Nosler. It looks like I am going to get only slightly lower velocity than the RUM, but I will be using 8-10 gr less powder to do it. If I had started with an action that had standard feed rails, I probably would have gone with a long throated 300 Win to get nearly 30 Nosler velocity with less powder.

The Nosler line below 30 cal is too overbore for me.

Not to derail the thread, but it’s a zombie anyways, why do an long throated 300 WM over a 300PRC?