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Ammo Brief: The Blistering Hot 30 Nosler
The 30 Nosler pushes the limits of the .30-caliber with efficiency and velocity to spare.
What you need to know about the 30 Nosler:
- .30-caliber.
- Velocity surpasses the .300 Weatherby.
- Unbelted case, headspaces off the shoulder.
- Chambers in standard-length actions.
- Powder column burns more efficiently.
Introduced in 2016, the 30 Nosler meets the velocity of the .300 Weatherby, headspaces on the shoulder like a .300 RUM, has an efficient powder column like the .300 WSM and fits in the same standard-length action of a .300 Win. Mag. The 30 Nosler is a SAAMI-standardized cartridge, and Nosler will be supporting this new cartridge with Nosler brass, Trophy Grade ammunition and the full line of M48 rifles. Designed with a maximum COAL of 3.340 inches, the .308-caliber, rebated-rim centerfire rifle cartridge has a case capacity of 88 grains.
Initial offerings in Nosler’s Trophy Grade Ammunition line were 180-grain AccuBonds and 210-grain AccuBond LRs (Long Range). When fired out of a 26-inch barrel, the company claimed of muzzle velocity of 3,200 fps for the former and 3,000 fps for the latter. For 180-grain bullets in Nosler loadings, that’s better than the muzzle velocities of the .300 Weatherby Magnum (3,175 fps), the .300 Win. Mag. (2,950 fps) and the .300 H&H Mag. (2,950 fps), and just behind the .300 RUM (3,250 fps).
More Ammunition Info:
- The Flexible And Forgiving .30-06 Springfield
- The .45 Colt: A Wheelgun Classic
- .300 Win. Mag.: The Answer To Most Hunting Questions
- Tips For Reloading the .223 Remington
The 30 Nosler is well behaved with nearly all powders of proper burn rate for the bullet being loaded. Anything from Retumbo up to H4831 work well, with IMR 7828 and RL 22 being a couple of the best. As a tip, adjust your sizing die to just barely bump the shoulder back between firings, and case life can be extended significantly.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2008 Shooter's Guide issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
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