Looking to hear some input on the Norma Oryx bullets. Reviews, tests, animals taken?

I am thinking about ordering 4 or so boxes of the Norma Oryx ammo for my .300rum. MidwayUSA has it on sale. Seems that is a better way to gain reloading supplies for this new (to me) firearm.

The Norma oryx is technically a clone of the woodleigh that Norma used to use. Any differences are cosmetic

I reload it for 8x57JS. It works exceptionally well in this cartridge. Used mostly on wild boars with great success. Kills mouflons, deer and elks instantly too. We never recovered the bullet, all shots side to side. It doesn't destroy too much of venison too.

But I can't say, how it will perform in high velocity cartridge like .300 RUM.

Jiri

The 286gr 9.3 is a fantastic killer.

But I would not use it for a fast magnum.

I was under the impression that this would be quality constructed bullet that would not blow up on impact

I have not used the Oryx on game, but from pictures I have seen on this forum and others, it appears the problem is not 'coming apart', but rather overexpansion and hence penetration. Just my understanding from photos. So, if the velocity is not too much (magnum?), it should be a peach of a bullet.

The Oryx is a fine bullet in slow to medium velocity, in high speed cartridges it'll have a rapid expansion and low penetration..

M

quote:

Originally posted by boet:
The Norma oryx is technically a clone of the woodleigh that Norma used to use. Any differences are cosmetic

could you tell me where you got that idea? i have reloaded them in 9.3x62 and they re not the same at least in the .366 bullet.

quote:

Originally posted by Buglemintoday:
I was under the impression that this would be quality constructed bullet that would not blow up on impact

Yes, it is quality constructed bullet that would not blow up on impact. But if used in calibers (velocities) it was designed for.

Jiri

Used them on a plains game humt in Nambia a couple of years ago. 180 grs in my .300Winmag, with perfect results on everything I shot from Impala to Blue Wildebeast. No complaints here.

quote:

Norma of Sweden is now offering a bonded core bullet to reloaders and in some of its factory loads. This is the Oryx, a flat point design that looks like a spitzer bullet with the usual lead point eliminated, much like the old Speer Mag-Tip. This bullet expands rapidly, so penetration is similar to a conventional soft point bullet, but the Oryx retains around 80-100% of its initial weight, depending on the impact velocity.

quote:

Norma Oryx bullets were specifically designed to ensure perfect mushrooming at all impact velocities. To achieve this, these bullets possess a thin forward jacket with internal splitting zones. The bonding and thicker real jacket aids in greater weight retention and deeper penetration. Norma's bonding process results in an inseparable core and jacket.

I was thinking this sounded very similar to a Nosler Partition, and would make for a good elk/aoudad bullet.

The Nosler Partition is not bonded, and the Oryx has no partition.

If penetration was paramount, I'd pick the Nosler Partition.

If expansion was the main goal, I'd pick the Oryx.

If you want a partition AND a bonded core, you're looking at something like a Swift A-Frame.

Just MHO.

Very good bullet I handload in my FN 9,3x74R double rifle (Oryx 286/H 4831/65.0).
I use this combo for drive hunting (running shots)and it rolls wild boars quite decisively.



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quote:

Originally posted by medved:

quote:

Originally posted by boet:
The Norma oryx is technically a clone of the woodleigh that Norma used to use. Any differences are cosmetic

could you tell me where you got that idea? i have reloaded them in 9.3x62 and they re not the same at least in the .366 bullet.

I was told by a tech at Norma a few years back, and l had no reason to doubt him, that the oryx was made using the same materials and technology as the woodleigh. Albeit with a slightly different shape. If this is not the case, l think we would all like to know what the difference in performance or structure is.

I have limited experience with them on game. I shot a 5x6 Columbia Blacktail with 156gr Oryx Norma ammo in 7x65R and it did exactly what it was supposed to do. But that means I can only attest to the one shot.

I have used Oryx factory 180gn loads for about the past 10 years in my 308win, and a few shots taken with my 7x57R. I have used the same cartridge for everything from headshooting a few harbour seals to Norwegian elk, as well as roe, reindeer, beavers, foxes. I do not know velocities, but check the Norma page. Distances have been up 200m, but not more.

Conclusion is that it works, has decent penetration but seems a bit soft. On the foxes it usually creates a mess, as it did with the headshot seals. Meat damage is usually acceptable on larger animals, but on smaller animals the exit hole can be substantial, especially when going though e.g. the spine or shoulder. All recovered bullets I have seen have been nicely shaped, though not weighed. I prefer a bullet to be a bit too soft, rather than too hard.

I'll keep using it, because, well exactly, it works. Bullet has a good reputation in the Nordics, and has a large following. Friends and family who use it continue to buy it too (308win/30-06/300winm).

Precision has been good enough out of my guns (Tikka T3/ Merkel 96k), though I have not chased or measured millimeters.

A very anecdotal bullet review of the Oryx in 308win, based on experience and rumour, but this is after all the internet :-) I give it a solid rating of "Good enough for everything I want, but probably not ideal for specifics"

I used the 150gr Oryx .30 cal in a 308 Win one season for deer. They were accurate, and expanded very well on a quartering shot on about a 150lb (dressed weight) whitetail. Penetration was adequate and the mushroom was impressive.

Thank you for these responses!

I've always wanted to try the 55gr in my 22-250, but can never seem to find them in stock.

Justin, I may be wrong, but Norma is a first class organization. I have to believe if there were an issue with the Oryx not holding up to the velocities the 300 RUM generates they would not offer it in factory ammunition.

quote:

Originally posted by boet:

quote:

Originally posted by medved:

quote:

Originally posted by boet:
The Norma oryx is technically a clone of the woodleigh that Norma used to use. Any differences are cosmetic

could you tell me where you got that idea? i have reloaded them in 9.3x62 and they re not the same at least in the .366 bullet.

I was told by a tech at Norma a few years back, and l had no reason to doubt him, that the oryx was made using the same materials and technology as the woodleigh. Albeit with a slightly different shape. If this is not the case, l think we would all like to know what the difference in performance or structure is.

if you can have a look at those two pictures taken from nitro express could you point me where they are copies of woodleigh? not trying to start a pissing match just having a idea ... i spoke with a norma technician and never he mentionned those same bullets ... otherwise norma will have made their own bullets instead of loading woodleigh bullets dont you think?

http://i15.photobucket.com/alb...lleyMan/IMG_5660.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/alb...lleyMan/IMG_5664.jpg

Phil

To me in those photos the jacket thickness and jacket base look very similar, I'm not seeing any tangible difference between the Woodleigh and the Norma Oryx other than the Woodleigh having a cannelure they look identical to me.
The Norma Alaskan looks like it has a slightly thinner jacket albeit thicker than the Speer and PRVI.

http://www.drkeller.se/expansi...er/9,3x57/9,3x57.htm

that tests show really different results for oryx and woodleighs ...

Medved
The bullet second from the right in your first photo, looks very much like, but not the same as the bullet second from the right in your second picture
286gr oryx, looks like the 286gr WL-PP

Medved
Unfortunately l couldn't open your second link completely. However l will take your word for it if they perform differently in the test. The same pedigree perhaps, with different hardness of material ??

I just ordered 5 boxes of ammunition so I will do some testing and let everyone know what I think of the Norma Oryx bullet.

Thanks for the responses

The days of testing bullets have about run their course, today most all bullets perform well indeed, the bullet manufacturers have listened to the shooter for years and improved their bullets to the extent the only failures are those that miss inspection, and that's few indeed..Wasn't always that way, I remember when most all bullets were prone to failure albeit they still killed for the most part, they just tended to come apart or drill thru without expansion..it was a crap shoot, yet they still managed to kill the animal..

Today if I had to pick an all around bullet that works to near perfection, Id probably opt for the Nosler Accubond under most any conditions and only because the Win. PP and Rem corelokts are getting damn hard to come by..The Accubond will ruin meat, so place it behind the shoulder not on the shoulder. The partition is now and always has been an outstanding bullet by which all others are judged..

THE MOST WELL KEPT SECRET in bullet history is the Winchester Power point, it will give perfect mushrooms at off the muzzle and at near a 1000 yards and around 1400 FPS, I don't know of any other bullet that will do that. too bad its not a spitzer, but who cares for that matter. The Rem round nose Corelokt (not the spritzer) is almost as good as the Win. PP, but qives up the ghost much sooner..

The Norma Oryx bullet has worked very well for me. On red stags and moose. In diameters of 7 mm (156 grains) and 9.3 mm (285 grains).

They do not separate. And they penetrate very well.