308 Norma mag

[Gm weatherby man]

Finnally got the gun from the uncle, this the first gun I ever run into that does not like flat base bullets. However just loves the ttsx,s and gmx bullets. Need to buy some more AB,s and serrias and play some more.

 

[DrMike]

I've worked up loads for several 308 Norma mags in the past several years. It is a great cartridge that has been woefully overlooked since the advent of the 300 WM.

 

[jmad_81]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 308 Norma between the 300 WM, and 300 Weatherby?

I don't know much about the Norma rounds, other than I have always had a thing for the 358 Norma.

 

[JD338]

Gm weatherby man

Congratulations on the 308 Norma Mag.
Post a picture so we can take a look. :grin:

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Essentially a ballistic twin to the 300 Win.

 

[gerry]

I had one for a few years, great round. Mine did well with Norma MRP with Speer 200 G.S. bullets and 220 gr Partitions, also had a great load with the Speer 180 gr Mag Tip and IMR 4350. Like Jim said maybe you can post up some pictures

 

[SJB358]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 308 Norma between the 300 WM, and 300 Weatherby?

I don't know much about the Norma rounds, other than I have always had a thing for the 358 Norma.

Jake, I am pretty sure it is really the 30-338. I think there maybe small differences, but I haven't been able to find them.

 

[FOTIS]

I have loaded for the 308 Norma for years. MY buddy had one. Believe it or not the loading data for his rife was identical to my 300 winnie.

180 gr bullet with 76 gr H4831. 3050 fps! Re-chambered 1903 30-06 Springfield!

He busted his biggest ever 7x7 elk with my loads and a 1.5-5 scope at 403 yards.

 

[SJB358]

180 gr bullet with 76 gr H4831. 3050 fps! Re-chambered 1903 30-06 Springfield!

He busted his biggest ever 7x7 elk with my loads and a 1.5-5 scope at 403 yards.

That was THE conversion back in the day wasn't it?

 

[FOTIS]

Yup it sure was! an easy one also that did make sense!

 

[Oldtrader3]

The .308 Norma Mag is the dimensional twin of the .30-.338WM which we (handloaders) thought was the design that Winchester was going to release in 1961 instead of the .300 WM which it shorter neck and forward shoulder. I am convinced that Winchester was worried about someone firing a .300-.338WM in a 7mm Rem Mag so, they lengthened the case and shortened the neck of the .300 WM. Winchester only sold 5900 of the .300 WM in the Pre 64 Model 70 during 1961-1963. The small checkering panel stocks and slipped workmanship and bluing of the 1961-63 Model 70's magnums were not very popular with Winchester purists.

I owned a Ruger 77, .30-06 which has been converted to .308 Norma back in the early 1970's. I used it extensively in the Sierras and White Mountains (near Bodie, CA on the Nevada border) for very high mountain deer hunting for several years. Anything, to get high enough and away from the California maddening crowds! I was pushing a 180 grain Partition bullet at over 2900 fps with about 70/71 grains of IMR 4350, Norma brass and mag primer. The only issue was the light weight and the hard pad of the Model 77 which kicked worse than my .338 WM Browning High Power with the .308 Norma in the Model 77.

 

[Gm weatherby man]

Here are some pics as she sits today, placed the scope on it because it was doing crazy things out of the gate. open sites gave me one inch groups so i place this on to confirm i was right.

 

[JD338]

Very nice!
Thanks for posting up the pictures. That rifle looks all business.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Good looking setup.

 

[Gm weatherby man]

Was about to replace pics of gun but my Internet went down, using iPhone on 3G just to post this, gun was stored a very long time, bolt with some cosmopolitan dust on it, cleaned up some, I'll go to town on it again today.

 

[OU812]

Very nice looking set up.

Bill

 

[bullet]

Yes, very nice set up indeed.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Finnally got the gun from the uncle, this the first gun I ever run into that does not like flat base bullets. However just loves the ttsx,s and gmx bullets. Need to buy some more AB,s and serrias and play some more.

That is a Belgium built, Browning High Power (AKA: Safari) with Fabrique National Mauser action which was chambered in .308 Norma Mag from 1963-1975. You said that you had some rust on the rifle? Browning had a run of salt cured wood after about 1969. You can look up the year of manufacture by the serial number and find out if it has salt wood, that would certainly explain the rust. About 1/2 of the rifles made during that period had salt wood. Although this series of rifles were also tank rust blued the old fashioned way and were somewhat prone to develop light rust anyway. I had one, made in 1966 in .338 Win Mag which was prone to rust in the Washington wet climate.

Not many of the .308 Norma chambered rifles which I am aware of were shipped to the US for sale but yours has the high gloss finish which was the US variant of this rifle series. The Norma Mag was popular in Europe and the caliber could be special order? The High Power has a high gloss epoxy finish and checkering style variantion which is typical on the US sold rifles and with a low gloss finish epoxy on the European made rifles. That is how you can tell if it was made for US or European markets.

 

[Elkman]

My Nosler number 1 shows a max load of 71 gr. 4831 behind the 180 PT. There is also a warning to the effect that throat variations are common in this caliber and to be careful with max loads.

Ackley shows a max load 75 gr of 4831 with the 180 gr bullet.

It's a handsome rifle and fitted out nicely. Very typical of the nicer rifles of that era. It will be a great all around rifle!

 

[SJB358]

That is a very sharp looking 308 Norma buddy! Like Jim said, it looks all business. Seems like it is a great shooter as well.