28/26 Nosler?!?

K

kilotanker22

New member
I haven't even considered something new in a good long time. In my recent search for a Long range hunting cartridge. (400+ yards) I have stumbled upon the 26 and the 28 Nosler cartridges.

I find them pretty interesting. RUM like performance, but 30-06 length magazine!! I generally shoot heavy for caliber bullets and hand load so I am not worried about ammunition availability. Also not too awfully concerned about rifle type. As I will either Just buy a Nosler 48, or re barrel a Savage 300 Win Mag....

I would very much like to hear anyone's Experience with either of these cartridges. I love, not like. LOVE the 6.5mm family of bullets. However I think I am leaning in favor of the .284 bore this time. The heavier bullets and slower speed should help a little with Barrel life. Albeit not much. I know that barrel life with a cartridge like this is probably in the tune of 900-1000 rounds, but thats ok.
 
I can't comment on the 26/28 Nosler. But, if you are looking for a great 7mm cartridge the 28 doesn't offer enough over the tried and true 7mmRM to make it worth the hassle finding or making brass and the barrel issues as you stated.

I know it's not "new" but the 7 Rem Mag is about the best 7mm cartridge out there all things considered.
 
Not my cup of tea in the least, too much of niche cartridge. There are a lot of cartridges that work well beyond the ranges I hunt at normally, that I don't need or want that much of a barrel burner. I thought I did at one time, but I've gotten over those thoughts years ago.
 
One of my customers has a 28 Nosler. He always talks about it, loud, flat shooting, loud, hard hitting, loud, and knocks 'em dead, but is loud. He likes his 28 Nosler so much that he usually hunts with his 280 AI because the 28 Nosler is loud. He tried shooting it without the muzzle brake to reduce the noise, but he says that it's no fun to shoot that way.
 
Scorch said:
One of my customers has a 28 Nosler. He always talks about it, loud, flat shooting, loud, hard hitting, loud, and knocks 'em dead, but is loud. He likes his 28 Nosler so much that he usually hunts with his 280 AI because the 28 Nosler is loud. He tried shooting it without the muzzle brake to reduce the noise, but he says that it's no fun to shoot that way.
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Yeah I get that.

Those are the primary reasons that 99 percent of what I shoot are smaller short action cartridges.

At one time I had 300RUM, 338 Lapua and a number of other larger magnum cartridges. I found its far cheaper and easier to shoot a .308 Win or 6.5 Creedmoor and my 22-250 than any of them......

A .22 short to the base of the skull is more deadly than a .50 BMG to the toe....

LOL, I guess I still get somewhat drawn in by the really fast and flat Cartridges.... You know. Like a kid in a toy store.
 
One of my customers has a 28 Nosler. He always talks about it, loud, flat shooting, loud, hard hitting, loud, and knocks 'em dead, but is loud. He likes his 28 Nosler so much that he usually hunts with his 280 AI because the 28 Nosler is loud. He tried shooting it without the muzzle brake to reduce the noise, but he says that it's no fun to shoot that way.
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I don't have a brake on my 6.5x300 WBY. I don't find the recoil to be obnoxious with 140 gr.
 
If your thinking of re-barreling a Savage action, why not go different and do a short action.
Lazzeroni 7.21 Tomohawk.

Matches 7mm Weatherby Mag in a short action.
 
If your thinking of re-barreling a Savage action, why not go different and do a short action.
Lazzeroni 7.21 Tomohawk.

Matches 7mm Weatherby Mag in a short action.
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I have always wondered what the obsession is with short action hunting rifles. Short actions with long scopes hanging off them. Looks weird.
 
Reynolds,
The action itself wouldn't be a short action, unless you found one in the WSM line. The cartridge is a "short".
I don't know if a standard action would be long enough for the 7.21 Firebird. Although the Firebird, with Lazzeroni's 28" barrel is supposed to launch a 160gr. bullet at the same velocity the 6.5-300 WBY launches a 127gr Barnes LRX. (3,550 fps).

Grice Gun Shop (www.gricegunshop.com) in Clearfield, PA is advertizing the Weatherby Vangard Wilderness for $799.
Vangard Synthetic for $549.
Mark V Ultra Light Weight for $1,859.

Plus Weatherby ammo on the cheap. (comparitively).
 
Be honest with yourself, how far can you shoot accurately enough to reliably hit a deer or other animal.

Any of the short action 6.5's, the 7-08 or 308 will kill deer or elk at 500+. A 30-06, 270, 280, etc. is capable at 600+. Any of the standard 7mm or 30 caliber magnums will do the job at 700+. The 26 or 28 Nolser might add another 50 yards to the conventional magnum's, but at much greater expense, noise, and recoil.

And that is if the shooter is good enough. If you're good enough I don't have a problem with hunters taking 700+ yard shots. But if you're not good enough to take advantage of the rifles capability then why use it.

I used 30-06 class cartridges most of my life and have owned several versions of the 7mm and 30 caliber magnums. I finally came to my senses and figured out that at 400 yards no animal would ever know the difference between any of them and 400 is about the limit of my skills. And it would have to be perfect conditions for me to shoot that far.

I sold all of my magnums and kept a couple of 30-06's that had a lot of sentimental value. But today use a 308 or 6.5 CM for all of my big game hunting. I consider that an upgrade.
 
RUM like performance, but 30-06 length magazine!
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That ^^^^^ sums it up pretty well.

Big boom.
Big blast.
Notable recoil.
Short brass life.
Expensive to reload, due to brass life.
Even more expensive to feed if you don't reload.
And you're paying for barrel replacement every 300-500 rounds.

So... by the time you find a load that you like, and dial it in ... it's time to start the process over for the new barrel.


My brother was talking with a fellow about the guy's .26 Nosler a couple weeks ago. He had fired 1,380 rounds through the rifle.
It was on it's fifth barrel. One of them only lasted 84 rounds before they stopped shooting and inspected the barrel, because they saw a burst of 'sparks' out of the muzzle when the shot was fired. Yea... it was chunks of the throat. That 84-round barrel's early death was absolutely the byproduct of gross negligence (or even intentional abuse), due to firing continuously for that many rounds. But... it's a good illustration of how hard the cartridges are on barrels.

----

I like flat shooting cartridges quite a bit, as well. And do own a few. But, I'm also a realist when it comes to game.

The best "long range hunting cartridge" is the box a good pair of boots comes in.
 
jmr40, I am certainly capable of those shots. Generally I wouldn't be presented with shots past 450 yards. I wouldn't attempt it either unless i was very familiar with the rifle and load. ex: I have a Remington 700 varmint gun in 243 Win. All factory, except some of my own trigger work and some lapping/polishing the camber and bore. I have an excellent load i worked up with that rifle. I regularly shoot 5 round groups at 300 yards under 3 inches. I have shot that rifle in field positions out to about 600 yards keeping less than an 8 inch group as long as my dope is good.

I can handle the long range work. But still hesitant. The reason I no longer shoot the more powerful cartridges is because I can shoot my other smaller cartridges so much more accurately. I do still like to play. And I find any cartridge new to me intriguing. I am always experimenting with new things.... It's a sickness I guess.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by reynolds357 View Post
I bought a 6.5x300 Wby a few months ago so I would say neither.
I have also looked at this. I can probably buy a Vangaurd for less money than a nosler rifle or a high quality rebarrel for a Savage action.

What exactly did you get?
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V2 with 26" barrel. $502.00
 
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The action itself wouldn't be a short action, unless you found one in the WSM line. The cartridge is a "short".
I don't know if a standard action would be long enough for the 7.21 Firebird. Although the Firebird, with Lazzeroni's 28" barrel is supposed to launch a 160gr. bullet at the same velocity the 6.5-300 WBY launches a 127gr Barnes LRX. (3,550 fps).
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The 7.21 firebird is a long action.
 
Both, like all No$ler named cartridges, are answers to unasked questions. It's the Marketing Department's MBA's who think the company must bring out new stuff regularly or risk losing market share. None of 'em do anything other easily found and less expensive existing cartridges will not.
 
None of 'em do anything other easily found and less expensive existing cartridges will not.
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What less expensive 284 will do what the 28 Nosler will do? Save the 6.5x300 wby, what less expensive cartridge will do what the 26 Nosler will?

"Do the same" means equal or better. 3100 fps is not "the same" as 3300 fps. An extra long action (H&H length)is not "the same" as a standard long action.
This "is only 100 fps slower than" that eventually walks down the line from 7Rum to 7x30 Waters.
 
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