Ruger Compact Magnum (RCM) - why compact?

[Supporter]

I'm doing some shopping for a new rifle or two and looking at different calibres... I'm not sure I'm getting the purpose of some of the cartridges like the Ruger Compact Magnum... That is...

If I wanted a powerful 30 calibre rifle I could obviously get one chambered in 300 win mag.

If I didn't need so much power, there is trusty old .308 winchester.

I'm obviously missing something but at a glance 300 RCM seems like a half-assed 300 win mag? Not sure why I'd wan't one?

[Monty]

I'm obviously missing something but at a glance 300 RCM seems like a half-assed 300 win mag?

Not at all, it's a genuine magnum cartridge.

Compact magnums are about the action length.

.308 win is a short action cartridge, 300 win mag is a long action cartridge.

300 RCM gives you the nearly the same powder as 300 win mag but with the short action length of the .308 win.

[sneaker]

300 RCM seems like a half-assed 300 win mag?

Not really. 300 RCM is much closer to 300 Win Mag than it is to .308 Winchester.

Some ADI load data FYI

• .308 Win - 165gr pill - max ADI 2208 powder = 46gr
• 300 RCM - 165gr pill - max ADI 2208 powder = 54.2gr
• 300 Win Mag - 165gr pill - max ADI 2208 powder = 58.5gr

300 RCM is only 4gr of powder shy from the 300 Win Mag.

[Ken]

Noob question here.

The difference between short actions and long actions is what exactly?

[Blackened]

Noob question here.

The difference between short actions and long actions is what exactly?

It comes down to the length of the cartridge which in turn determines the length of the rifle action, bolt, and operating length.

i.e.

If rifle A has a 1" cartridge, the action will only be long enough to accommodate, feed and eject a 1" cartridge - The bolt will only need to go back 1" inch in order to feed/eject brass and so on.

If rifle B has a 3" cartridge, the action obviously has to be longer, the bolt needs to be longer and will have to be pulled back further to feed/eject brass and so on.

Those aren't actual cartridge/action lengths of course, but A would be a short-action while B would be a long-action.

[Norton]

Supposedly short actions give better accuracy because the shorter action makes them more rigid too.

Probably right in theory but I'm yet to see any real world evidence of this. If you were good enough to be constantly shooting 1/8th MOA or something like that you might notice a difference?

In practical terms, it just reduces the distance you have to operate the bolt over, making it quicker/easier to cycle a round.

[Supporter]

Got it, thanks all.

RCM sounds good in theory, doesn't seem to be real popular though... Think I will end up going with either .308 or 300 win mag for ammo availability etc.

Cheers.