How many of you like and use a 308 Norma magnum?

[bbbass]

How many of you know what a 308 norma magnum is?

Uhhhhhh, it belongs to my Aunt Norma???

I always wonder the fascination with these all-but-dead calibers and why some put them up on such a pedestal......

Why is the idea of hunting with a 308 Norma Mag so much more interesting than a .300 Win Mag or even a .30-06? Does it somehow guarantee a filled tag each year or just a way to seem elite and quirky around the camp fire?

I owned a .243... shot it for deer and yotes. Then I discovered 6mm Remington, exact same ballistics but very different case profile, and just had to have one. Why?????? ... IDK!!!!! Why did I buy that 7mm-08 when I already owned a two deer rifles and a 7mm Rem Mag for elk???? IDK!!!! Why did I buy the SKB 20ga SxS when I already owned an SKB 20ga O/U... because it was cooooool man!!! Why did I buy a Daly/Miroku 12ga O/U when I already had 5 other 12ga... because I liked the way it looked. Oh well.

I always have said that guns are the way men accessorize!!! What woman has one pair of shoes? Or one pair of earrings???

My shooting buddy, gone now, got into Ackley chamberings... why? Are they that much better or was he just enamored of it... he was into reloading and constantly adjusting and testing loads.

Everybody has their thing. I consider myself to be a gun fetishist... I would LOVE to have one of everything!!!

P.S. I shot IDPA yesterday for only the second time this year and I sucked!!! Maybe need to go back to rifle shooting as a hobby. Good thing I have mounted light/laser combos for Home Defense.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Uhhhhhh, it belongs to my Aunt Norma???



I owned a .243... shot it for deer and yotes. Then I discovered 6mm Remington, exact same ballistics but very different case profile, and just had to have one. Why?????? ... IDK!!!!! Why did I buy that 7mm-08 when I already owned a two deer rifles and a 7mm Rem Mag for elk???? IDK!!!! Why did I buy the SKB 20ga SxS when I already owned an SKB 20ga O/U... because it was cooooool man!!! Why did I buy a Daly/Miroku 12ga O/U when I already had 5 other 12ga... because I liked the way it looked. Oh well.

I always have said that guns are the way men accessorize!!! What woman has one pair of shoes? Or one pair of earrings???

My shooting buddy, gone now, got into Ackley chamberings... why? Are they that much better or was he just enamored of it... he was into reloading and constantly adjusting an testing loads.

Everybody has their thing. I consider myself to be a gun fetishist... I would LOVE to have one of everything!!!

P.S. I shot IDPA yesterday for only the second time this year and I sucked!!! Maybe need to go back to rifle shooting as a hobby. Good thing I have mounted light/laser combos for Home Defense.

Great post buddy. There is real truth to that. I know a lot of you guys know John Barsness. He has written many times about being a "rifle loony", it's something maybe some of us were born with, or develop later on in life. I know I'm affected. Lately, I'll go to the fun store and if I see a smoking deal, I tell myself I have to have it. I've actually done very well in that respect over the last 10 years or so. Guns are also a great hobby. I work on them, load for them and shoot them. Sometimes, however, it seems like a vicious cycle.. Gone are the days, for me, of the 1 rifle for hunting and that's it. The guys that only have 1 rifle always seem to brag and remind us to "beware of the guy that has 1 rifle, he probably knows how to use it". I personally believe it's better to know and be PROFICIENT with all weapons, not just 1.

 

[gmerkt]

To this day, if I have a choice in the matter, it will be a 222 instead of the 223

The only reason any of the above might matter is if I am the guy paying for the piece.

Agree on both counts.

 

[bbbass]

Gone are the days, for me, of the 1 rifle for hunting and that's it. The guys that only have 1 rifle always seem to brag and remind us to "beware of the guy that has 1 rifle, he probably knows how to use it". I personally believe it's better to know and be PROFICIENT with all weapons, not just 1.

I used to own 10 rifles and 15 shotguns... had to sell them to pay for the D.I.V.O.R.C.E.!! I've never been able financially to rebuild to that level. I currently own 2 rifles (a deer/elk/target .308 and a varmint/target .223 Wylde) and 1 shotgun (can't hunt or shoot clays because diabetes took the sight in my right eye. I can still shoot with an optic/scope tho). BUMMER!!!

Thinking about getting a carry optic for my G34... not sure I want to spend the money as I'm not really keeping up my handgun skills and strength the way I should. The Big Dot sight is not working out for precision shooting, I might put my Heinle sights back on or possible get the standard dot size for the Bit Dot sights.

 

[pharmseller]

Not that I can see. It's on the same side as my 30-06 m1917:
View attachment 617275
View attachment 617279

I just figured the cheek piece would be on the side opposite the bolt.



P

 

[bsa1917hunter]

I just figured the cheek piece would be on the side opposite the bolt.



P

I guess that's what you get for figuring....

 

[bsa1917hunter]

...then people started carrying them and changed their tune. In truth, it is the quality of manufacturing and assemble that produced positive results, not the thickness of the barrel.

After moving here in the mid 70s, Dad borrowed a 308 Norma on his first (And only) elk hunt. Had a soft spot for it ever since.

Several folks in my deer camp have/had a sporterized Springfields in 308 Norma. Weatherby-esque rifles so popular for many years. I'm assuming the same smith did them, as they are all very similar in style and execution.

Loaded for one of them. That particular rifle suffered from mediocre accuracy. On top of that, I was afraid to get heavy handed at powder measure. It's 22" bbl only wanted to make 2800fps with acceptable accuracy(2moa). I knew there was some gas left in the tank, but groups turned into patterns if you went faster.

I agree it's a better design than the 300 winnie. They kinda outsmarted themselves on that deal.

Keep us posted on your new toy!

Thanks for your post. I always enjoy memories and that is a good one you have. Its cool that your friends had the springfield norma's. Those are quite common, even more so than the m1917's. I know where a beautiful springfield 308 Norma is and has been at a LGS for a couple years now. They want $400.00 for it and I would have bought it, had it not had that dang sharp right handed cheek piece. Makes it dang near impossible for a left handed shooter to use it. It would be great for a right handed shooter and hand loader. I'll happily keep you guys posted. I'm pretty sure it's going to shoot great. The chamber work looks great and the rifle was very accurate before. Velzey said he shot a 3 shot group with the iron sights at 75 yards where "all the bullet holes were touching". I told him I believe it. He's a better iron sight shooter than I am. We'll see how she does with a scope on it again. Should be very good. I plan on running 200gr partitions or maybe even some 180gr partitions. I remember shooting my 300wby with 180's and that bullet always out penetrated my 338wm loads (with 250gr partitions). However, I have a soft spot in my heart for the 200gr partitions in anything 30-06 and bigger.....

 

[Marine Airedale]

Have never owned one. Gal I went with in school Dad had a 308 Norma on a 03 Springfield action that I loaded for. Absolutely loved that rifle. During that time frame I built a 300 winnie on a Mauser action. Did not take too long until I sold that one, should have chambered it in Norma. Was the first and last rifle I used birdseye maple for a stock. I would own a rifle chambered 308 Norma in a heartbeat even though I really do not need it. The only 30 caliber hunting rifle I currently have is in 30-.06 Ackley.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Ive been enjoying the heck out of my Norma. Still tinkering with different loads and bullets. Here are some of the results. The rifle is functioning great now, and shooting pretty good.

https://imgur.com/x3AH6fn

https://imgur.com/fBOvczG

I loaded up some 180 grain partitions to try next.

 

[gprippers]

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE 308 NORMA MAG! IT WOULD BE MORE POPULAR TODAY IF THE SWISS WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW TO ADVERTISE AND PIONEER A NEW PRODUCT IN THE USA! LOL! WINCHESTER MAG CAME OUT AND RIGHT AWAY THERE WERE A FEW COMPANIES THAT WERE PUTTING OUT DIFFERENT LOADS WITH DIFFERENT BULLET WEIGHTS THAT WERE READILY AVAILABLE. NORMA DIDNT PRESS THE ISSUE AS FAR AS MAKING AMMO READILY AVAILABLE AT A COMPARABLE PRICE IN DIFFERENT LOADS!

THE NORMA MAG HAS A LONGER NECK THEN THE 300WM SO IF YOU ARE HAND LOADING ESPECIALLY THE NORMA HAS MORE CASE CAPACITY AS THE BULLETS ARE NOT SITTING DOWN INTO THE CASE AS FAR! ALSO BASED ON 300 H&H AND WILL FIT IN STANDARD MAUSER LENGTH ACTION VERSUS LONGER MAGNUM ACTION. DONT GET ME WRONG 300 WM IS A DANDY CARTRIDGE BUT THE NORMA WILL DRIVE THE SAME WEIGHT BULLETS A BIT FASTER ETC.

JUST BOUGHT ANOTHER RIFLE IN THE NORMA AT LOCAL SHOP THAT IS IN MINT CONDITION! PARKER HALE SAFARI FACTORY RIFLE IN 308 NORMA. SWEET TRIGGER AND SHOOTS LIGHTS OUT WITH FACTORY LOADS.

ANYWAY, YES YES YES I LIKE THE 308 NORMA MAG, THE 358 NORMA MAG AND THE 338 NORMA MAG VERY MUCH! LOL!

 

[myfishonjc]

Well, I've been wanting to get a discussion going on the 308 Norma magnum. In large part, because I'm finally going to have one and I'll probably end up selling the rest of my rifles... NOT.. Ha ha.. I think it's been about 20 years now that I've dreamed of owning a rifle chambered for this round. I've had just about every kind of 300 magnum imaginable, but for some reason never a Norma magnum. Even though it's been on my bucket list for a long time. Any of you use one for hunting the great pacific northwest? Target practice/punching paper or ringing steel. I hear they are inherently accurate. What say you guys?
The rifle I am having re-chambered is very similar to the one I regard as being the cause of my screen name. It's a BSA model E (factory sporterized m1917) and is chambered in 30-06 at the moment. It is at Velzey's shop as we speak though, waiting for it's new chamber to be finely cut and reamed to perfection. This BSA rifle was exhibiting signs of a sloppy chamber, as it was stretching brand new Norma brass to the extent that I was uncomfortable loading it another time. I also fired some ammo that I had loaded a couple times and it looked just fine, but when I extracted it, the brass was split around the circumference of the case near the base of the cartridge. After that happened, I contacted a buddy that I knew was hoarding a 308 Norma magnum reloading die set and 100 pieces of new Norma brass. The dream of owning and hunting a 308 Norma magnum seemed like it was actually going to happen. Finally...

Here's the rifle. I can't think of a better rifle for this project to be built around. Right now it holds 6 rounds of 30-06 ammo. I'm curious to see if it will hold 5 rounds of the magnum ammo:
View attachment 571447
Here's how she was shooting after it's initial load development:
View attachment 571448
View attachment 571449
View attachment 571450

I'm not as much into the magnum's as I used to be, so maybe I'll just load it light (30-06 speeds) and call it good. A 200gr. Nosler partition running at 2,700 fps will work just fine and the rifle seems to like that bullet.

Anyway, if you have them and use them, post them up here. I'd love to see what you run. Whether it be an old sporterized 1903, Mauser 98 or enfield like mine.

Regards guys and have a great weekend!!!!

Well, I've been wanting to get a discussion going on the 308 Norma magnum. In large part, because I'm finally going to have one and I'll probably end up selling the rest of my rifles... NOT.. Ha ha.. I think it's been about 20 years now that I've dreamed of owning a rifle chambered for this round. I've had just about every kind of 300 magnum imaginable, but for some reason never a Norma magnum. Even though it's been on my bucket list for a long time. Any of you use one for hunting the great pacific northwest? Target practice/punching paper or ringing steel. I hear they are inherently accurate. What say you guys?
The rifle I am having re-chambered is very similar to the one I regard as being the cause of my screen name. It's a BSA model E (factory sporterized m1917) and is chambered in 30-06 at the moment. It is at Velzey's shop as we speak though, waiting for it's new chamber to be finely cut and reamed to perfection. This BSA rifle was exhibiting signs of a sloppy chamber, as it was stretching brand new Norma brass to the extent that I was uncomfortable loading it another time. I also fired some ammo that I had loaded a couple times and it looked just fine, but when I extracted it, the brass was split around the circumference of the case near the base of the cartridge. After that happened, I contacted a buddy that I knew was hoarding a 308 Norma magnum reloading die set and 100 pieces of new Norma brass. The dream of owning and hunting a 308 Norma magnum seemed like it was actually going to happen. Finally...

Here's the rifle. I can't think of a better rifle for this project to be built around. Right now it holds 6 rounds of 30-06 ammo. I'm curious to see if it will hold 5 rounds of the magnum ammo:
View attachment 571447
Here's how she was shooting after it's initial load development:
View attachment 571448
View attachment 571449
View attachment 571450

I'm not as much into the magnum's as I used to be, so maybe I'll just load it light (30-06 speeds) and call it good. A 200gr. Nosler partition running at 2,700 fps will work just fine and the rifle seems to like that bullet.

Anyway, if you have them and use them, post them up here. I'd love to see what you run. Whether it be an old sporterized 1903, Mauser 98 or enfield like mine.

Regards guys and have a great weekend!!!!

Hello,
Love the cal. for hunting in the PNW, good from 50yds to 800yds and further if you wish, JC

 

[myfishonjc]

How many of you know what a 308 norma magnum is?

Hello,
I know her very well, JC

 

[JRuby]

The closest I have came to a 308 Norma was a 30-338 it was good rifle. I would have another but I currently shoot a 300H&H, a 300 WIn Mag and a 300 Weatherby, Kind of hard for me to justify another 30 Magnum.

 

[JCMILLER58]

At one time Browning chambered the 308 Norma Magnum in their FN High Power Safari rifles. I had one, never hunted with it but it is a great 30 magnum. A close friend had a 30-338 he hunted with and loved it. That is basically the same as a 308 Norma.

 

[orygun]

A friend has a 308 Norma. He says it kills on one end, wounds on the other.

 

[foxmeadow]

A friend has a 308 Norma. He says ist kills on one end, wounds on the other.

.308 Norma was my first centerfire rifle. I traded a T/C Hawken with all the accoutrements for the rifle with dies, powder, bullets and primers, but no scope. I used a friends reloading setup to crank out the previous owner's pet recipe, put a cheap 3-9x on it and shot the reticle loose within 50 rounds..