History
Norma introduced the .300 Norma Magnum in 2012, necking its .338 Norma Magnum case down to .30 caliber. It was built for one job: extreme long range. A high-BC 215 to 230 grain bullet at the velocity this case produces stays supersonic well past 1,500 yards, and that window is what the cartridge was designed to own.
Its defining moment came when U.S. Special Operations Command picked the .300 Norma for its Advanced Sniper Rifle program. That selection cemented its standing as a benchmark .30 caliber round for shooting past a mile, in the field and on the line.
Lineage
The .300 Norma Magnum is the .338 Norma Magnum case necked down to a .308 inch (7.82mm) bullet, and the .338 Norma in turn is a shortened, improved .416 Rigby. That makes it a beltless, shoulder-headspaced magnum with a large case head, sharing a family with the .300 Lapua Magnum. At the top of the .30 caliber long-range world it competes with the .300 PRC, the .30-378 Weatherby, and the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum.
Specifications
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Case type | Rimless, bottlenecked (beltless magnum) |
| Bullet diameter | 7.82 mm (.308 in) |
| Neck diameter | 8.69 mm (.342 in) |
| Shoulder diameter | 14.29 mm (.563 in) |
| Rim diameter | 14.94 mm (.588 in) |
| Case length | 63.30 mm (2.492 in) |
| Overall length | 93.50 mm (3.681 in) |
| Case capacity | ~93 gr H2O (nominal; varies by brand) |
| Primer size | Large rifle magnum |
| Belted | No |
| Rifling twist | 1 in 9 in (C.I.P. standard) |
| Max pressure | 63,817 psi / 4,400 bar (C.I.P.) |
| Recommended barrel | 32 in, 1:9 twist |
Barrel Design
This is an ELR cartridge first, and the barrel follows from that. It is overbore, holding a large powder charge behind a .308 inch bore, so it keeps gaining velocity far down a long tube. The slow powders need that length to finish burning, which also tightens standard deviation, and at extreme range a low, consistent muzzle velocity spread is everything. For the long-range mission this site is built around I put the baseline at 32 inches, with 30 to 34 inches the normal range for a dedicated .300 Norma.
Run a 1:9 twist to stabilize the heavy 215 to 230 grain match bullets that define the cartridge. They are long, and a 1:9 holds them with margin to spare through the transonic transition at a mile and beyond.
There is no sensible short-barrel version. Cut it down and you throw away the velocity the whole cartridge is for; if you want a handier .30 magnum, pick a different one. The tables below are computed at the 32 inch baseline.
Range Ammo Performance
Norma Golden Target · 230 gr Berger Hybrid Target $3.16/rd
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Elevation (mil) | Energy (ft-lb) | Windage (mil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3085 | -0.3 | 4860 | 0.3 |
| 100 | 2961 | 0.0 | 4476 | 0.1 |
| 200 | 2838 | -0.3 | 4114 | 0.3 |
| 300 | 2719 | -0.8 | 3775 | 0.4 |
| 400 | 2602 | -1.4 | 3458 | 0.5 |
| 500 | 2488 | -2.0 | 3161 | 0.7 |
| 600 | 2377 | -2.7 | 2885 | 0.8 |
| 700 | 2269 | -3.5 | 2628 | 1.0 |
| 800 | 2164 | -4.3 | 2390 | 1.2 |
| 900 | 2061 | -5.1 | 2170 | 1.4 |
| 1000 | 1962 | -6.0 | 1965 | 1.5 |
| 1100 | 1864 | -7.0 | 1775 | 1.7 |
| 1200 | 1769 | -8.1 | 1599 | 2.0 |
| 1300 | 1676 | -9.2 | 1435 | 2.2 |
| 1400 | 1586 | -10.4 | 1284 | 2.4 |
| 1500 | 1497 | -11.7 | 1144 | 2.7 |
| 1600 | 1411 | -13.2 | 1016 | 2.9 |
| 1700 | 1327 | -14.7 | 899 | 3.2 |
| 1800 | 1246 | -16.4 | 793 | 3.5 |
| 1900 | 1170 | -18.3 | 699 | 3.9 |
| 2000 | 1106 | -20.3 | 624 | 4.2 |
| 2100 | 1068 | -22.5 | 583 | 4.6 |
| 2200 | 1041 | -24.9 | 553 | 5.0 |
| 2300 | 1018 | -27.5 | 529 | 5.3 |
| 2400 | 996 | -30.3 | 507 | 5.7 |
| 2500 | 976 | -33.2 | 486 | 6.1 |
| 2600 | 957 | -36.3 | 468 | 6.4 |
| 2700 | 939 | -39.6 | 450 | 6.8 |
| 2800 | 922 | -43.1 | 434 | 7.1 |
| 2900 | 905 | -46.7 | 418 | 7.5 |
| 3000 | 889 | -50.5 | 403 | 7.8 |
| 3100 | 873 | -54.5 | 389 | 8.2 |
| 3200 | 858 | -58.6 | 376 | 8.5 |
| 3300 | 843 | -62.9 | 363 | 8.9 |
| 3400 | 829 | -67.4 | 351 | 9.3 |
Muzzle velocity 3085 fps is estimated at 32 in from the 27 in factory figure of 2985 fps at about 20 fps per inch. Expect your own barrel to read a little differently. Velocity is color coded green supersonic, yellow transonic, red subsonic; treat transonic and subsonic rows as approximate.
Match Ammo Performance
Berger Match Grade · 245 gr Long Range Hybrid Target $6.35/rd
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Elevation (mil) | Energy (ft-lb) | Windage (mil) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2890 | -0.4 | 4543 | 0.3 |
| 100 | 2787 | 0.0 | 4226 | 0.1 |
| 200 | 2686 | -0.4 | 3926 | 0.3 |
| 300 | 2588 | -0.9 | 3642 | 0.4 |
| 400 | 2491 | -1.6 | 3375 | 0.5 |
| 500 | 2396 | -2.3 | 3123 | 0.7 |
| 600 | 2304 | -3.1 | 2886 | 0.8 |
| 700 | 2213 | -3.9 | 2664 | 1.0 |
| 800 | 2125 | -4.7 | 2456 | 1.1 |
| 900 | 2039 | -5.6 | 2261 | 1.3 |
| 1000 | 1954 | -6.6 | 2078 | 1.5 |
| 1100 | 1872 | -7.6 | 1905 | 1.6 |
| 1200 | 1791 | -8.7 | 1744 | 1.8 |
| 1300 | 1711 | -9.9 | 1593 | 2.0 |
| 1400 | 1633 | -11.1 | 1451 | 2.2 |
| 1500 | 1557 | -12.4 | 1318 | 2.5 |
| 1600 | 1482 | -13.8 | 1195 | 2.7 |
| 1700 | 1409 | -15.3 | 1080 | 3.0 |
| 1800 | 1338 | -16.9 | 973 | 3.2 |
| 1900 | 1268 | -18.7 | 875 | 3.5 |
| 2000 | 1202 | -20.5 | 786 | 3.8 |
| 2100 | 1140 | -22.5 | 706 | 4.1 |
| 2200 | 1094 | -24.7 | 651 | 4.5 |
| 2300 | 1065 | -27.0 | 617 | 4.8 |
| 2400 | 1042 | -29.6 | 591 | 5.1 |
| 2500 | 1022 | -32.2 | 568 | 5.5 |
| 2600 | 1004 | -35.1 | 548 | 5.8 |
| 2700 | 986 | -38.0 | 529 | 6.1 |
| 2800 | 970 | -41.2 | 512 | 6.4 |
| 2900 | 954 | -44.5 | 495 | 6.8 |
| 3000 | 939 | -47.9 | 480 | 7.1 |
| 3100 | 925 | -51.5 | 465 | 7.4 |
| 3200 | 911 | -55.2 | 451 | 7.8 |
| 3300 | 897 | -59.1 | 438 | 8.1 |
| 3400 | 884 | -63.1 | 425 | 8.4 |
Muzzle velocity 2890 fps is estimated at 32 in from the 26 in factory figure of 2770 fps at about 20 fps per inch. Expect your own barrel to read a little differently. Velocity is color coded green supersonic, yellow transonic, red subsonic; treat transonic and subsonic rows as approximate.
Trajectory
FAQ
What barrel length and twist should I run?
A long 30 to 34 inch barrel and a 1:9 twist. The length collects the velocity this overbore ELR case is built to deliver, and the twist stabilizes the heavy 215 to 230 grain match bullets through the transonic range at extreme distance.
Why did the military choose it?
The U.S. SOCOM Advanced Sniper Rifle program wanted extreme-long-range performance with high-BC heavy bullets from a case that delivered the reach in a practical rifle. The .300 Norma did exactly that.
How does it compare to the .300 PRC?
Both are modern beltless ELR .30s. The .300 Norma has a larger case and a slight velocity edge with the heaviest bullets, and it carries the SOCOM pedigree. The .300 PRC is more efficient, easier on barrels, and has a deeper factory-ammo catalog, which makes it the more practical choice for most shooters.
What is the .300 Norma Magnum good for?
Extreme long range and a-mile-plus precision shooting, military and competition, where retained supersonic velocity and high-BC heavy bullets are the entire game. It is overkill, and a poor value, for ordinary hunting distances.