300 PRC or 30 Nosler

Nature Boy

Nature Boy

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@Orcon has a good thread on his .300 PRC build and I didn't want to muddy it with questions on my project so I thought I'd just start a new thread.

I don't own any magnum calibers so this will be my first. I'm going to be spec'ing out a custom hunting rifle with a non belted 30 cal and narrowed it down to 300 PRC or 30 Nosler. They're so close in performance that it's likely going to come down to very marginal differences in the brass. I thought it might be worth a discussion.

Case capacity H2O
Depending on where you look, they both have similar capacity
300 PRC - 90g-104g
30 Nosler - 85g-90g

Brass quality
I've never had a problem with either Hornady or Nosler brass.

Brass availability
I'm figuring Hornady to be more readily in stock but both companies are invested in these proprietary cartridges and both support the reloading market so the difference here may be small.

Brass/chamber design
The 300 PRC has a 30 deg shoulder, the 30 Nosler has a 35 deg shoulder. The necks are virtually the same length. Case diameter is the same. The 300 PRC is 0.29" longer

300 PRC
300-Remington-Ultra-Magnum_ABLR.jpg

30 Nosler
30+Nosler+AB+Book+Cartridge+Drawing.png

300PRCWebPiece-8.jpg

Flip a coin?
 
PRC for me.

The decision, for me at least, is made by the fact Hornady isn’t as restrictive as Nosler. While both are single source for brass right now, the reason for such isn’t the same for the two. Hornady, naturally, makes their own, but if anyone else wants to make it, they can. Nosler isn’t really an open-platform.
 
It's probably a horse a piece but I'd still prefer the increased capacity of the PRC. Also, ADG makes brass for the PRC now and is by all accounts very good but a bit pricey IMO.

Edit to add:

If you aren't planning to run bullets heavier than 200 grains then the Nosler might be a better bet.
 
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Magnum action vs. standard action. Given most .30 Nosler loads with decent bullets already end up in the H1000 or Retumbo burn rates, making the case bigger doesn't really appeal to me. The powders that would take advantage of the capacity are 50BMG powders that aren't very good.
 
I might be wrong, having never handled one, but the PRC is supposed to be based on the .375 ruger case. It should then have both a .532 rim, and .532 head dia, as apposed to the .550 of the nosler.
Since case lengths are the same, that should actually give the Nosler a slight capacity advantage at the same oal.
At the same time the PRC dosent have to deal with a rebated rim.


Personally I prefer the PRC, simply because it takes full advantage of a 3.7" action.
 
Now I'm curious what kind of hunting you have in mind where you need ultra-mag power in a bolt gun, but don't care to have a magazine for follow up shots?

Both cartridges have been SAAMI standardized, so not much difference on that front, but I'd go PRC if you're doing a magnum length action anyway. It was designed around the long super heavy bullets that would be most interesting to me in that kind of rifle, and I see it getting more traction than the 30 Nosler, albeit moreso in very long range match type rifles than hunting rigs.
 
Gtscotty said:
Now I'm curious what kind of hunting you have in mind where you need ultra-mag power in a bolt gun, but don't care to have a magazine for follow up shots?

Both cartridges have been SAAMI standardized, so not much difference on that front, but I'd go PRC if you're doing a magnum length action anyway. It was designed around the long super heavy bullets that would be most interesting to me in that kind of rifle, and I see it getting more traction than the 30 Nosler, albeit moreso in very long range match type rifles than hunting rigs.
Click to expand...
I was kinda wondering about that....
Which got me wondering if having the little two cartridge saddles next to the port wouldnt be fast enough for most shooting.
 
Not much of a long range shooter but... That won't stop my hair brained ideas. What about 300 RUM? If you're shooting it in a custom single shot bolt gun and so you don't have a magazine to worry about feeding from you can load longer than standard OAL with those really long ogive bullets that makes 300 PRC perform so well and are too long for a magazine fed RUM. 300 RUM has 10% greater case capacity than 300 PRC on the same bolt face and case head (.534 rim, .550 base diameter).
 
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Gtscotty said:
Now I'm curious what kind of hunting you have in mind where you need ultra-mag power in a bolt gun, but don't care to have a magazine for follow up shots?

Both cartridges have been SAAMI standardized, so not much difference on that front, but I'd go PRC if you're doing a magnum length action anyway. It was designed around the long super heavy bullets that would be most interesting to me in that kind of rifle, and I see it getting more traction than the 30 Nosler, albeit moreso in very long range match type rifles than hunting rigs.
Click to expand...

Need?

What's that again? I mean, I'm familiar with the term conceptually, but having difficulty applying it to this topic ;)

As to single shot vs. repeater. I've been thinking for a while that my next hunting rig would be a single shot bolt action. The reason is pretty simple: Not being constrained to the dimensions and functions of the magazine....

1. Frees up seating depth and bullet selection, which allows for more flexibility in load development
2. Don't have to worry with feeding issues
3. I don't need a follow up shot, I'm just too damn good. Seriously though, one of those bullet quivers like @LoonWulf mentions, or one in the pocket, would suffice

Yes, I could top load a repeater and get the same thing, but why not build it that way from the get go.
 
Nature Boy said:
Need?

What's that again? I mean, I'm familiar with the term conceptually, but having difficulty applying it to this topic ;)

As to single shot vs. repeater. I've been thinking for a while that my next hunting rig would be a single shot bolt action. The reason is pretty simple: Not being constrained to the dimensions and functions of the magazine....

1. Frees up seating depth and bullet selection, which allows for more flexibility in load development
2. Don't have to worry with feeding issues
3. I don't need a follow up shot, I'm just too damn good. Seriously though, one of those bullet quivers like @LoonWulf mentions, or one in the pocket, would suffice

Yes, I could top load a repeater and get the same thing, but why not build it that way from the get go.
Click to expand...

I apologise for my previous language transgression... It won't happen again.

As for your list, I think minimizing or getting rid of concerns about #1 in a repeater action is kind of the raison d'etre for the PRC. I wonder if you might need to go with a custom throat in the 30 Nosler or RUM to load the heavies way out? I'm guessing you'd probably wind up going with an 8 or 8.5 twist in either cartridge.

As for #3.... As long as the number of deer you can get to line up equals the number of tags in your pocket, you should never need more than one shot. :thumbup:
 
Nature Boy said:
I definitely would, which I think makes the difference between these 2 cartridges even less.
Click to expand...

Kind of begs the question of why the Nosler is even in this comparison, it doesn't seem to fit your needs as well as the PRC in any capacity? If the PRC is too mainstream for your taste, maybe the 300 Norma Mag would be another consideration.
 
Texas10mm said:
I gotta ask, why?

Because “Murcia”!!!!

@Nature Boy please tell me she will sport fine Mo Walnut, a deep lustrous blueing like just came out of a vat of oil, a beautiful crown with a trigger that breaks like the proverbial “glass rod” ,and a recoil pad as soft as a baby’s bottom

To be passed down to future generations so they to may wield the power of Zeus in thine Hands!
Click to expand...
 
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