30 cal magnum musings

Sometime in a future who knows when, I am interested in turning my P14 308 (target barrel) into a 300 win mag.
BUT I also know about the old 308 Norma magnum which is a decent performer in its own right and has some small advantages over the 300 winny
Its a little shorter, has a longer neck, and is a tiny bit more efficient. Close enough to speed to be ok with me. Its close sibling/parent or even the 300 mag that should've been, the 30-338 has a slightly shorter neck to start with but apparently comes good after about 3 or so shots
Then there is the old schooler in me which thinks the 300 H&H might be a nice thing. A little slower but is meant to be inherently accurate and with the long case taper feeds like the case isn't there. Plus to me its got some cool factor. One day after the lotto win it would be a nice companion to the dark continent with the 416 rem mag for a trip.
Don't suggest the 300 wsm. Great cartridge and nothing wrong with it at all but the P14 is a long action and really deserves a long cartridge to go with it.
For all of these reloading would be the go. All can be made from whatever comes from 375HH cases if availability is an issue, some require more steps depend on whats used. I think that's correct but I will stand corrected
Its amazing what you think of when you have a bit of time on your hands.
Thoughts?

30 nosler....would that fit?

Cams building me a 30nosler looks like an awesome case

For ease of acquisition of parts, reamer, dies & ammo if in Africa I would go with the .300Win mag, if any thing else the .300 Weatherby is a fine cartridge, so to is the .308 Norma Mag but too out of date now, IMP ?

The 300H&H would be right at home on the African savanna

Quote:

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Originally Posted by csmiffy

Sometime in a future who knows when, I am interested in turning my P14 308 (target barrel) into a 300 win mag.
BUT I also know about the old 308 Norma magnum which is a decent performer in its own right and has some small advantages over the 300 winny
Its a little shorter, has a longer neck, and is a tiny bit more efficient. Close enough to speed to be ok with me. Its close sibling/parent or even the 300 mag that should've been, the 30-338 has a slightly shorter neck to start with but apparently comes good after about 3 or so shots
Then there is the old schooler in me which thinks the 300 H&H might be a nice thing. A little slower but is meant to be inherently accurate and with the long case taper feeds like the case isn't there. Plus to me its got some cool factor. One day after the lotto win it would be a nice companion to the dark continent with the 416 rem mag for a trip.
Don't suggest the 300 wsm. Great cartridge and nothing wrong with it at all but the P14 is a long action and really deserves a long cartridge to go with it.
For all of these reloading would be the go. All can be made from whatever comes from 375HH cases if availability is an issue, some require more steps depend on whats used. I think that's correct but I will stand corrected
Its amazing what you think of when you have a bit of time on your hands.
Thoughts?

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Go 300 Weatherby if you want a great .30Mag, I carried one for around 10yrs, loved that rifle, everything it got pointed at, died. One round every time. Should have kept it. Easy to load develop, brass easy to get and it has cool factor the other lot just don't! Fuck now I'm gonna get all nostalgic, and then go looking on tard me.

Got to be a 300 H&H on the P14. Classic old cartridge to go with a classic action.

300 h and h fits the action fine , but if it was me I would do 300 win mag or 300prc.

Length of barrel? I would go 300wm for availability of brass and some of the others really need a long barrel to get the most out of them.

Have 308 NM reamer you could use if you want to make a 308NM - excellent cartridge, does the business, just as good as all these other new fan dangled fancy cartridges people keep dreaming up.

Ive got a 300 win (cooper Lightweight) and 300H&H (model 700), Prefer the H&H, feeds like butter into the action. with the same weight bullets there is little difference between the two, The H&H is better, with heavy 200-220gr, as bullet doesn't protrude into case, reducing volume.
Had a Ruger #1 in 300 H&H, sure regret getting talked into selling it.

Greetings Csmiffy,
There is one of those, target barrel and all, in my old soldiers cupboard patiently waiting. Mine has a Schultz and Larsen barrel with a 1 in 14 twist which would limit your choice of projectiles somewhat. The S & H barrels also had tight land and groove dimensions needed to shoot the 144 grain NATO projectile well. Accurate barrels though within their limits. You may wish to measure the twist.
Regards Grandpamac

308 Norma Magnum

Its like a 308,but more Awesome!

@257weatherby never really thought of the 300 Wby. Always had the win mag in my head for some reason and it just went from there
As for the 30 Nosler pretty much the same. While I have heard of it, it wasn't really on the radar. I did just look it up and if I did go that way, the Hornady 300 PRC (like @Friwi suggested) starts looking the go although availability of components does come into play a little. You can make the first 3 from 300 win mag cases for example of pretty much any of the others made from that case. The 308nm can be made from 300 or 338 win mag brass. all a consideration, my 416 rem mag was cheaper to reload back in the day from 375 HH brass.
@wsm junkie yup pretty sure it will fit. The P14 action is a biggy. With minimal massaging it will accommodate just about any civilan/sporting cartridge. 50BMG excluded
@Husky1600 thanks for that. I'll keep that in the memory banks. If I go that way and the local gunsmith doesn't have the reamer, I'll give you a yell for sure.
@grandpamac I only got mine a while back along with a mismatched target stock that needs some hand fitting (although that may get used on a 264 project just because the donor barrel is as fat as and the target stock already has that in spades).
I'll have a look but suspect its something like 1-11.5 if the stamp on the barrel is anything to go by. Its no more than 1-12 which isn't super ideal being a little quicker is probably fine. I'm not looking at super heavy bullets anyway.
@300CALMAN it is at least 26" but doubt its any longer
And there is the availability of ammo to consider-sort of. I am more likely to find a box of 300 win mag ammo than any of the others if I consider that a big issue

Yes 26" is a good length to make use of a bit of extra powder. Hornady 300 PRC is appearing in new rifles so it might become more common. Remember that magnum cases loaded to full power last a lot less than standard cases, well that's my experience anyway.

Not a Magnum but have you considered a 30 Gibbs or a 30-06AI?
Would be an easier conversion without having to open up the bolt face and still shoot around 3000fps with a 180gr

@Cooper I have a choice of bolts. I have a single shot 308 bolt that has the head with a ring built up all around the face for target shooting. I believe it was done by Din Collings.
Or I have a standard P14 bolt that will take a magnum sized case head. If and when it gets rechambered they can headspace to that bolt.

couple of pics of the barrel. 26" from the edge of the action to the tip of the muzzle.
had some yips with the cleaning rod method measuring the twist but its 1-11 I reckon not 1-12
Considering it was allegedly done by Din Collings, could we surmise the other markings represented Collings and Brady 12/ 1968?

Attachment 135015

Attachment 135016

Greetings Again,
C&B would be Collings and Brady and 1 in 11 inch twist. I've seen stamping like that on a barrel Din fitted in the 90's. Your description of the alterations to the bolt face sounded just like mine. I also remembered there was a name on mine. John Wilkes 7046. It meant nothing to me and google did not turn anything up. The action has been converted to single shot with a fat plate soldered on. Would like to know more. I will try some pics tomorrow.
Regards Grandpamac.

just the action on mine @grandpamac no plate. The stock that came with it isn't the one it was on.
I also may've put it the wrong way about the length. It is only 25" from muzzle to bolt face.
As an aside the acquaintance that is doing my 243 loads has told me he has some 308 norma cases. Wasn't sure how many but he is going to check. Maybe its a sign?