Appreciate your list and agree with the 28 being on top. Like you, the 27 would be my first choice though. I would rate them as follows 27, 28, 30, 33 and 26. If they ever come out with the 35 that would be my choice for a moose gun in open country. They have designed a 35 and 36 to cover their bases if they decide to release them so time will tell if that ever happens.
The 24 Nosler is the ONLY Nosler cartridge that interests me in the least. Oddly, it appears to be designed specifically for use in the AR-15, yet the only reports I read about it are in bolt-action pistols and bolt-action rifles. It seems perfect in an AR; perfect in length for the magazine well and can use the same magazines as the 6.8 SPC and .224 Valkyrie, but it lets you use the common, cheap and strong standard bolt. I love the 6.5 Grendel as a cartridge, yet cringe when I look at the AR bolts designed for it. The rim of the bolt is cut WAY too thin, and half of each locking lug is out on that thin rim. I've never been a fan of rebated case heads, but compared to the alternative of weakening the AR bolt, I'll gladly take it! In any other gun I'd rather have the standard-style SPC case head. I guess the 24 Nosler would be more impressive if it magically had another 200 fps velocity, but it equals or exceeds 6.5 Grendel trajectories with less recoil, less powder consumption, a stronger bolt, and a better magazine situation. Plus equally great barrel life.
Had Nosler introduced the 33 Nosler differently, I think it would have been much better accepted. It should have been marketed as a modernized and optimized version of the 338 win mag for hunting; and best as a short barreled suppressor host. No belt for a wider column of powder for greater efficiency. The shorter case is actually a benefit, for greater head height. It thrives in a standard length action, whereas the 30 Nosler is crowded and why it's not catching on like the 300 PRC. With a bit more potential than the 338 win mag and expansion ratio similar to the 300 WSM, it's perfect as a short barreled suppressor host to still achieve win mag velocities and still reach much farther than most hunters should. I think it's the hunter's best 338 cartridge for the next century.
I bought a 28 Nosler for a couple of my boys and they just love them other then having to reload because of not being able to get ammo right now. The 27 Nosler will be a great caliber but I don’t know if it will over shadow the 28 but that’s what happened with the 26 so you never know! Great calibers but you have to be ready to order another barrel if you buy one and shoot very much! John Nosler has done a lot for hunting have been using his bullets for 50 years or more and my dad used them before I did when reloading his pre64-308 and they were a game changer literally!
The 338 caliber cartridges, when necked either up or down from the parent case, seem to need to be shortened to fit either the magazine or the action. A 300 ultra mag case had to be shortened to develop the 338 ultra mag. To make it fit, the Remington action has to be altered. It would be nice if gun companies would make actions that could be used to make full use of a cartridge’s full potential. What would we have had if we could have used the 260 Remington Improved and use the bullet seated out like the 6.5 Creedmore. Same issue.
28 Nosler with a 168 grain Nosler AccuBond LR pushed with 81 grains of Retumbo, is a screamin' eagle of a cartridge. Taking mine along with my 340 Wby to Wyoming and Colorado in October.
Absolutely love the 28 Nosler. Ballistic twin to the 7MMSTW with a modern design. I was in the market for one for quite some time and actually ended up trading a AR-10 in 6.5 Creed for a 7mm Wby Mag. I am going to give it a go. If I end up not getting the performance I want, it will get a 28” carbon fiber bbl in 28 Nosler spun on or a fast twist 7MM STW. If you compare similar weights, the 28 Nosler will out speed the 26 Nosler and the 6.5-300.
I have a custom 270AI. I get 150s up to about 3200 or just shy of. I'm more comfortable shooting them at 3100. I get about 65gr of powder . The 27 nosler is insane. As 6.8 gets more popular it will benefit us all
Enjoyed the video. I think the 27 will be overrun by the 6.8 western. I am looking forward to seeing how the 7 prc does for the 28 nosler. I think it will shake it up a good bit.
RW that was a good run down. I had no idea some of these cartridges existed. Myself I have no interest in Nosler cartridges, but I do enjoy learning about the new ones. Thanks.
This is a great video. Nosler is world-renowned for the nosler partition which is well deserved. Who knows how many world records have been taken with it. Their rifles are nice and their cartridges are nice. I'm going to get dragged through the sewer for this, but anything Nosler can do, Weatherby can do better, with the history to back it up.
27 would be my choice. I see it as a potential do it all rifle for any NA big game/ hog, coyote at any range one might choose to hunt. Adapt bullet selection for the hunt good to go. As far as rating I think I would rank 28, 27, 30, could care less to rank any of the others.
How is the wear rate with the over bore cartridges. Ive heard some people say that by the time they get done with load development, that they have significant throat erosion. Has anyone here had that experience?
I'll stand by my 26. It's downfall is this; anything closer than 400yds, you don't get the expansion. All I hunt is rocky mountain big game. But I'll never get rid of my 26 Nosler. I've seen the 27, 28 and 30 Nos in action, and I've always harvested what was in my sights at far further than my contemporaries.
I will never buy nosler ammo again. It wouldn't run in my 6.5 Creedmoor AR10. wouldn't run in my nephews precision bolt 6.5 either. Primers had really deep indentation but didn't go bang