Thread: Is the new 7mm PRC a lemon ?

Factory ammo speeds

https://youtu.be/crLE-3rQgrk?si=KkIcIv_OJW2mRWZO

Originally Posted by Tahr

Just out the last few days. The article explains, clarifies or corrects just about every statement and question on here about the 7mm prc so far.

Thanks for alerting us to that tahr.
Greg Duley is good at a lot of things and writing about big 7mms is certainly one of them.
That article is a good run down on the similar cartridges and the technical reasons for the 7mm PRC design and chamber/barrel specs.
So far he has only reported on a quick test of factory ammo in one factory rifle.
Like others, I was a bit unimpressed with a case failing after only 6 reloads (having got 15 so far from my 7mm08 and still going strong).

He promises to explore reloading potential in a couple of future articles.

I came across an interesting post on the Sako.global web site (search for: " 65-creedmoor-vs-65-prc-hunting " ).
Sako's advice is that the 6.5 Creedmore is very easy to find a good load for, while the 6.5 PRC does have good potential but is difficult.
I wonder if this is what we'll see with the 7mm PRC ?

At present, the 7mm PRC is largely the province of custom rifle builds and Hornady factory ammo brass, so we can expect erratic performance, sometimes stellar and sometimes random. I see a lot of advantage in a factory rifle.
Once there is a Sako 90 Peak in 7mm PRC and Lapua brass, I'll strongly consider it. For now, I'm window shopping.

I’ve had better results with Magpro than 2217 or 2213SC in my 7WSM, which has similar capacity to the PRC, so you could try that.

There are some benefits but I’d only be interested in a 7mm/300 PRC

The 2.580 long case of the 300 makes the most of the whole idea rather than the 2.280 length of the 7mm PRC

About 15 years ago I got a 6.5/300rcm reamer and built that...
129lrab at 3084 all day in a 20" shillen on 15th firing with brass and only 57 gn of powder..
Then they came up with the PRC.. not even close in performance and more like a 260 imo.. but you can fire form these PRC cases to 6.5/300rcm as long as loaded to lands no issues and you end up with a trimless case that still works fantastic in a SA....

I'd be thinking on similar lines with these 7prcs

The 6.5 PRC case is 20 thou narrower and shorter than a 7saum case

A 7saum in a fast twist Tikka or custom will still harvest deer further than most require

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

The 6.5 PRC case is 20 thou narrower and shorter than a 7saum case

A 7saum in a fast twist Tikka or custom will still harvest deer further than most require

so will a 30-06, 308, 270, 6.5 creedmor

That is where a 6.5-300 wsm is not too bad either. The quality brass are around , simple neck down and good speed available with out to much over pressure, and it fits into a tikka mag with slight tweaking . But you have to reload …

I have had two 7mm PRC rifles built through Greg @ Terminator Brakes with 24" Bartlein barrels - one for me and one for a good friend. Both rifles consistently group <0.75 MOA (5 x rd groups) with factory 175gr ELD-X from Hornday and both have taken animals out to 1km in the right conditions.

Currently, I wouldn't want to push it further than that on game and IMO, <800m is a more realistic high confidence zone on Bull Tahr and Red Deer with the right support equipment, training and environmental conditions. Furthermore, the variance in muzzle velocity of the Hornady 175gr ELD-X ammunition is less than ideal - see image below. Hence why I'll be seeking hand loads moving forward. Something else to be aware of with this configuration is the MV migration. Both rifles started out at 2925fps with factory ammunition and now average 2985fps with the same lot of ammunition at similar temp. Unfortunately I have not conducted specific MV temp sensitivity testing with this ammunition so I can't comment on that potential error variable.

Critique aside, I am very happy with how both rifles have turned out and do not plan on changing the platform, nor calibre for my long range hunting rig anytime soon.

Originally Posted by JT_NZ

I have had two 7mm PRC rifles built through Greg @ Terminator Brakes with 24" Bartlein barrels - one for me and one for a good friend. Both rifles consistently group <0.75 MOA (5 x rd groups) with factory 175gr ELD-X from Hornday and both have taken animals out to 1km in the right conditions.

Currently, I wouldn't want to push it further than that on game and IMO, <800m is a more realistic high confidence zone on Bull Tahr and Red Deer with the right support equipment, training and environmental conditions. Furthermore, the variance in muzzle velocity of the Hornady 175gr ELD-X ammunition is less than ideal - see image below. Hence why I'll be seeking hand loads moving forward. Something else to be aware of with this configuration is the MV migration. Both rifles started out at 2925fps with factory ammunition and now average 2985fps with the same lot of ammunition at similar temp. Unfortunately I have not conducted specific MV temp sensitivity testing with this ammunition so I can't comment on that potential error variable.

Critique aside, I am very happy with how both rifles have turned out and do not plan on changing the platform, nor calibre for my long range hunting rig anytime soon.

Attachment 248497

Attachment 248498

Nice rigs there Jt.
Optics even better!

Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

Thanks mate. Not to hijack the thread and turn it into a optics debate but I've been burnt too many times with lesser optics. Like a good friend of ours often states: "buy once, cry once". That said, I still think some of the other brands have some solid options. The NF ATACR are NX8 are just the ones that I settled on for my applications and I haven't regretted it.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Just out the last few days. The article explains, clarifies or corrects just about every statement and question on here about the 7mm prc so far.

Useful article re the design approach for the 7 PRC plus interesting the comments re 7 Saum and the T3

Originally Posted by Tahr

Greg Duley has a good article about all of this in the latest NZHunter mag.

Fantastic read. Really good work by Greg there!

One request if you see this Greg - if possible, can you include MV temperature sensitivity testing in your follow up work with RL26, 2217, 2225 and N570 in the 7 PRC?

Originally Posted by Bagheera

Thanks for alerting us to that tahr.
Greg Duley is good at a lot of things and writing about big 7mms is certainly one of them.
That article is a good run down on the similar cartridges and the technical reasons for the 7mm PRC design and chamber/barrel specs.
So far he has only reported on a quick test of factory ammo in one factory rifle.
Like others, I was a bit unimpressed with a case failing after only 6 reloads (having got 15 so far from my 7mm08 and still going strong).

He promises to explore reloading potential in a couple of future articles.

I came across an interesting post on the Sako.global web site (search for: " 65-creedmoor-vs-65-prc-hunting " ).
Sako's advice is that the 6.5 Creedmore is very easy to find a good load for, while the 6.5 PRC does have good potential but is difficult.
I wonder if this is what we'll see with the 7mm PRC ?

At present, the 7mm PRC is largely the province of custom rifle builds and Hornady factory ammo brass, so we can expect erratic performance, sometimes stellar and sometimes random. I see a lot of advantage in a factory rifle.
Once there is a Sako 90 Peak in 7mm PRC and Lapua brass, I'll strongly consider it. For now, I'm window shopping.

@Bagheera that's gonna be very light for a stout calibre, be a fair bit of extra kick to it I imagine? Or do you mean with a brake ?

Originally Posted by AMac

Useful article re the design approach for the 7 PRC plus interesting the comments re 7 Saum and the T3

Curious as to the comments re the 7SAUM and the tikka T3.?