The .26 Nosler?

[PawPaw]

It looks like Nosler is introducing a new whizbang wonder cartridge, the .26 Nosler. Of course, information is skimpy on it, but they tell us that it's a long-action cartridge with no belt. They'll introduce it at SHOT show, to great fanfare. Drum-roll, please.

Some are speculating that it's based on the.375 Ruger case, which will mean that it's a diameter that won't fit in a standard .30-06 bolt head, but will fit in a magnum bolt head. I guess we'll have to wait until SHOT to learn more about it, but I've been considering a build on the 6.5 Creedmoor in another year or so. As I'm going to wait on the build anyway, I might follow this new cartridge and see if it merits consideration from a handloader's perspective.

My question to the assembled: Are the re-inventing the wheel here? I'm sure that someone has wildcatted this thing before now.

 

[old roper]

You can get on the Nosler forum they got bullets/velocity for that case but not pictures.

 

[SL1]

I think the .375 Ruger case has a lot of merit. Most of the magnum cartridges that we now use could be redesigned for this case and give the same of slightly better performance in the same actions with less reloading issues.

BUT, these are not the types of issues that sell new cartridges or new guns chambered for new cartridges. So, the industry is not going to expend a lot of money reinventing all of the wheels we use now.

That means that any new cartridge introductions need to at least CLAIM "whiz-bang" status. And, that probably means that they eat chamber throats with factroy loads that actually attain the whiz-bang claims. But, as handloaders, we can always load larger cases to lower pressures and get a lot of enjoyment out of shooting the same bullets at the same velocities as smaller cartridges that need to push pressures higher for that same performance.

So, let's wait and see what they are really offering.

SL1

 

[hodaka]

Maybe it is a 6.5-06.

 

[AllenJ]

No doubt people have already necked the 375 Ruger down, Nosler is just going to make brass readily available and hope the shooting world falls in love with it. It sounds to me like it is going to be a barrel burner if it is able to shoot a 129 grain bullet at 3400 fps, a lot like the 264 Winchester Mag minus the belt.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

It would seem that a new cartridge based on a long action would be bucking the current market trend.

Their trajectory numbers seem optimistic, to say the least. I used the 130gr Accu-Bond at 3,400fps at to get a 350 yard zero (their claim) you'd be 5" high at 210 which comes out 5" low at their claimed 415, so it matches almost exactly.

I don't know of any hunters who are interested in being sighted 5" high.

 

[57K]

It seems a bit odd because a case based on a magnum cartidge using a .264" bullet will definitely lead to faster throat erosion. Even the non-magnum 6.5 X 284 has a shorter barrel life and the .264 Win Mag. is bad enough that going to stainless barrels was necessary to retard it, but not prevent it. If someone were to legitimize something like the 6.5 x 55mm AI with a pressure rating around 62,000n PSI, you'd probably be at the practical limit of performance without throat erosion being as rapid. Performance would be equal to the 6.5-06.

 

[PawPaw]

It seems a bit odd because a case based on a magnum cartidge using a .264" bullet will definitely lead to faster throat erosion. Even the non-magnum 6.5 X 284 has a shorter barrel life and the .264 Win Mag. is bad enough that going to stainless barrels was necessary to retard it, but not prevent it. If someone were to legitimize something like the 6.5 x 55mm AI with a pressure rating around 62,000n PSI, you'd probably be at the practical limit of performance without throat erosion being as rapid. Performance would be equal to the 6.5-06.

If it's designed as a medium-game hunting cartridge, I'm not sure that throat erosion is a problem, because hunters don't usually have the high round counts that other disciplines have. For example, I shoot my .30-06 primarily as a hunting rifle. I've got it set up like I like it, and I'll shoot two or three 5-round groups to verify zero, then maybe another 10 rounds during the hunting season. Lets say 20 rounds per year. If, for example, a barrel is good for 1000 rounds, it would take me 50 years to burn the throat out of it.

My other rifles get lots more use. I love to shoot and the other rifles normally get the nod when I'm heading to the range. That .30-06 hunting rifle, not so much. Maybe 20 or 30, never more than 40 rounds a year.

 

[57K]

It's really hard to say without knowing the design parameters of the new cartridge. I agree with Brian Pfleuger in that the current trend would be towards shortening the .375 Ruger case to fit in .308 length actions. The 6.5 x 284 cartridges have excellent potential as medium game hunting cartridges, but their most common application is long range target shooting and design pressure is 65,000 PSI as are the short magnums while the .264 Win. Mag has a pressure limit of 64,000 PSI.

If NOSLER is shortening the .375 Ruger case and holding pressure to 62,000 PSI, it might help the lifespan of the barrel but throat erosion common to 6.5 mm bores is probably why we haven't seen a 6.5mm Short Magnum. With a 60,000 PSI cartridge like the .30-06 I wouldn't be much concerned about throat erosion and that also happens to be the pressure limit of the .260 Rem. Even with the 6.5 x 55mm Swede, loading for modern rifles up to 60,000 PSI gives it much greater performance potential and with heavy bullets, it's is still the most commonly used round in the Scandanavian countries for Moose.

I am very much interested to see how this unfolds. I'm not much in to building custom rifles but would have already bought a Savage M11 in 6.5 x 284 if it wasn't for the fact that Savage uses a 1 in 8" twist for the .260 Rem., the Creedmore and the 6.5 x 284 Norma. My opinion is that a 1 in 9" twist would be more practical for me because 120 gr. .264" bullets would be plenty for Texas Whitetail while still being able to stabalize 140 gr. bullets very well according to the Berger calculator. I'd probably never load 160s anyway and for Elk I'd probably go up at least to a 7mm and a 160.

 

[pathdoc]

I'm wondering if they're not doing this so that a SAAMI standard can be established to suit heavier VLD-type bullets (hunting or target) from the very start as regards chamber and throat dimensions and twist rates. A spec that allowed them to be seated well out for maximum powder capacity and simultaneously close to the lands for those who like minimum jump might be just the thing for the shooter seeking the most bang for the buck with the longest practical bullets, while at the same time allowing room for further growth.

 

[57K]

I went to the NOSLER site after my last post and they're talking about their 129 gr. Accubond doing 3400 FPS at the muzzle using a standard action. Curls my hair but it's gonna be hard on throats unless thay are able to keep pressure down. I didn't see a proposed pressure rating.