The original 300 short magnum!

[300grains]

It have been around already for awhile. Have thought about the .308 Winch, it must be the real short 300 magnum cartridge. Came in the 50´s, burns little powder but gives energy like that long 100 year´s old cartridge. Can be loaded with many different powders and with bullet weights from 100 to 220 grains. Good ballistics, very accurate. Not bad or what you say?

[bigbulls]

The word 'magnum' stems from a the latin language meaning a larger than normal wine bottle. Thus our interpertation is that 'magnum' means something larger or with more performance than the standard or regular.

The 30-06, and other cartridges based on its case, is the 'standard' so in order for a .308 to be the first short 'magnum' it would have to surpass the 30-06 in its performance and/ or hold more powder which would result in greater performance. This is not the case. So, the .308 is definetly not, nor will ever be, a 'magnum' of any kind.

[Deleted User]

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[Briman]

Try the 7.5 swiss- it has the same case capacity as a 30-06, is only slightly longer than a .308 and has been around for longer then the 30-06. Once again no 'magnum performance' because the rifles made for the cartridge weren't meant to handle high pressures.

[300grains]

Well, but then the new 300 WSM don´t fill the requirements either to be a "magnum" because it can´t outperform or even match the good 300 Win mag. Only with lighter bullets almost equal but not with heavier. And this is the case much with 308 vs the 100 year old cartridge when heavy weight bullets are in use.

[Deleted User]

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[300grains]

Hi cma, I forgot to mention that the powder charge for 300 WSM is too little also compared to 300 Win Mag. The comparison I was thinking of is NOT between 308 Win and 300 WSM, but I compared 308 Win with The elderly 30-06 and then again the 300 WSM with the splendid 300 Win Mag.So all put together the 300 WSM cannot be called a magnum anymore.

[James B]

Compared to the 30-06, it could be considered a short magnum. It comes as close to equaling the 30-06 as the 300 WSM comes to the 300 Win Mag when both use heavy bullets. These days the word Magnum is just a sales pitch tacked onto anything they want to sell.

[300grains]

James B, exactly what I was thinking when I began this thread. Good hunting and shooting folks.

[bigbulls]

I realize that the intent of this thread was to make the .308 look like a Gods cartridge but............ if we are discussing the term 'magnum' then it must be compared to a 'standard' in the world of center fire cartridges and not another 'magnum' cartridge.

There are 'standard' cartridges and 'standard' length receivers. The 30-06 is the 'standard' cartrige for the 30 caliber bore as its length of receiver is considered a 'standard' length receiver. IF a cartridge has more case capasity and/ or has greater performance than the 'standard' 30 caliber cartridge then the term 'magnum' applies.

The 300 WSM, or any of the WSM's or SAUM's, have greater case capasity than the 30-06 and thus achieve greater performance than the 30-06. However, they fit into a 'short action' lenght receiver.

So, they are named magnum because of their capasity and performance advantage over the 'standard' 30-06 and they are named 'short magnum' because they also will fit into a short action receiver.

The .308 has less case capasity and does not equal or excede the performance of the 'standard' 30-06.


Is everyone on the same page now? [8D]