Lindcott Armory Rifle · CIP
.308 Norma Magnum
Norma's belted .30-caliber magnum, introduced shortly before .300 Winchester Magnum.
- Caliber
- 0.3079″ · 7.82 mm
- Introduced
- 1960
- Case
- Belted
- Parent
- .300 H&H Magnum
- Primary use
- Hunting, Long Range
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1960
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- Sweden
- Inventor
- Norma
- Manufacturer
- Norma
- Standard
- CIP
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Rare
- Case capacity
- 83 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:10
- Primer
- Large Rifle Magnum
- Case type
- Belted
- Max pressure
- 57,400 psi
- Eff. range
- 500 yd
- Max range
- 1200 yd
- Recoil
- 15–20 ft·lb
Ballistics
Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Nosler Trophy Grade Partition 180 gr, 3,000 fps, BC 0.474 G1 · 100 yd zero.
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 yd | 2999 | 3595 | -1.5″ | — |
| 100 yd | 2891 | 3341 | 0.0″ | 0.0 |
| 200 yd | 2784 | 3098 | -2.7″ | -1.3 |
| 300 yd | 2680 | 2870 | -9.8″ | -3.1 |
| 400 yd | 2576 | 2652 | -21.8″ | -5.2 |
| 500 yd | 2475 | 2447 | -39.0″ | -7.5 |
| 600 yd | 2375 | 2254 | -62.0″ | -9.9 |
| 700 yd | 2277 | 2071 | -91.1″ | -12.4 |
| 800 yd | 2180 | 1900 | -126.8″ | -15.1 |
Point-mass G7/G1 drag model, standard atmosphere — within ~2% of reference solvers to 1000 yd; real barrels and conditions vary. Open in Ballistic Compare →
Performance
Buy links open .308 Norma Magnum ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 7.82 | 0.308 | ~ |
| Neck ⌀ | 8.65 | 0.341 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 12.45 | 0.490 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 25.5° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 13.03 | 0.513 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 13.50 | 0.531 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | 13.50 | 0.531 | ✓ |
| Rim thickness | 1.25 | 0.049 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 8.08 | 0.318 | ≈ |
| Case length | 65.00 | 2.559 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 85.00 | 3.346 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .308 Norma Magnum is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 13 active loads across 8 brands. Top 14 shown.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nosler | Trophy Grade Partition | 180 | Partition | 3,000 | 3,597 | 0.474 G1 |
| Sellier & Bellot | SP Hunting | 180 | SP | 3,000 | 3,597 | 0.383 G1 |
| Barnes | TTSX | 165 | TSX-BT | 3,100 | 3,520 | — |
| Hornady | Custom Interlock SP | 180 | Interlock SP | 3,020 | 3,645 | — |
| Federal | Trophy Bonded Bear Claw | 180 | Trophy Bonded Bear Claw | 3,020 | 3,645 | — |
| Norma | TipStrike | 180 | TipStrike | 3,020 | 3,645 | — |
| Norma | Oryx | 180 | Oryx | 3,020 | 3,645 | — |
| Hornady | InterLock | 180 | SP | 3,020 | 3,645 | — |
| Federal | Premium | 180 | Trophy Bonded | 3,020 | 3,645 | — |
| Remington | Core-Lokt | 180 | SP | 3,020 | 3,645 | — |
| Norma | FMJ Training | 180 | FMJ | 3,018 | 3,640 | — |
| Norma | Oryx Bonded SP | 180 | Oryx SP | 3,018 | 3,640 | — |
| RWS | HIT | 185 | HIT | 3,000 | 3,696 | — |
| Norma | SP Original Load | 180 | SP | 3,018 | 3,640 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
1 reloading powder listed for .308 Norma Magnum, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Introduced in 1960, the .308 Norma Magnum briefly enjoyed popularity before .300 Winchester Magnum arrived in 1963 and dominated the market. The Swedish military adopted it in limited quantities for sniping. Today it remains available from Norma but is a niche choice, popular with European hunters and handloaders seeking a well-balanced .30 magnum.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .308 Norma Magnum use?
- .308 Norma Magnum typically uses a 1:10 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .308 Norma Magnum?
- .308 Norma Magnum uses a 0.3079″ (7.82 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .308 Norma Magnum still in production?
- .308 Norma Magnum is active; typical availability is rare.
- What is .308 Norma Magnum used for?
- .308 Norma Magnum is primarily used for hunting, long range.
- What is .308 Norma Magnum based on?
- .308 Norma Magnum is derived from the .300 H&H Magnum case.
- What are the best powders for .308 Norma Magnum?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .308 Norma Magnum include N170.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 13 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →