The Hornady 7 PRC is a brand new long-range searching and competitors cartridge that slides neatly into the hole that exists between the 6.5 PRC and 300 PRC. The easiest way to consider this spherical is as an up to date model of the venerable 7mm Rem. Magazine. I’ve been searching and taking pictures with the 7mm PRC for a pair months now and I feel it’ll do extraordinarily properly, notably with Western and open-country huge sport hunters.
Perhaps you’ve already heard some chatter in regards to the 7 PRC. It’s been one of many worst-kept secrets and techniques within the firearms trade for the reason that cartridge was permitted by SAMMI earlier this yr. However now that Hornady has formally unveiled the cartridge on the NASGW present in Kansas Metropolis this week, we’re clear to speak in regards to the spherical brazenly.
7mm PRC Specs
- Bullet Diameter: .284 in. (7mm)
- COL: 3.340 in.
- Case Size: 2.280 in. (normal lengthy motion)
- Case Head: .532 in. (makes use of normal .540 in. magnum bolt face)
- Shoulder Angle: 30 deg.
- Twist: 1:8
- Muzzle Velocity: 2900 to 3000 fps
- SAAMI Max Stress: 65,000 psi
Preliminary 7 PRC Manufacturing facility Ammunition Choices
Hornady is loading the 7 PRC with three completely different bullets to begin. From heaviest to lightest they’re the 180-grain ELD-M, 175-grain ELD-X, and 160-grain CX copper alloy bullet. The 180-grain ELD-M is in Hornady’s Match line and has an MSRP of $69.15 per field of 20. The 175-grain ELD-M is within the Precision Hunter line and has an MSRP of $71.40 per field. The 160-grain CX is in Hornady’s Clothing store line and has an MSRP of $73.07 per field.
Match Load: 180-grain ELD-M
The 180-grain ELD-M is a match bullet that brings an absurdly excessive BC to the occasion. The G1 and G7 values at Mach 2.5—which is related for pictures out to 200 yards and a bit past—are .816 and .411 from a 1:7.5 twist barrel. From a manufacturing unit normal 1:8 twist these values will likely be a contact decrease. For long-distance taking pictures, which is the forte of this bullet, the G1 and G7 figures are .782 and .394, respectively. These are calculated at Mach 1.75.
Once you examine this to different match bullets in the marketplace in any caliber, you gained’t discover many who put up equal numbers. As such, out of a 7mm PRC, the 180 ELD-M goes to be one of many flattest-shooting bullets on the market.
Hornady lists the muzzle velocity on this manufacturing unit load at 2975 fps, which relies on their testing with a 24-inch barrel. Via the 2 7mm PRC rifles I examined, each of which had 24-inch barrels, my velocities have been 2925 fps with one and 2900 fps with the opposite. (The rifle that turned within the sooner velocity was outfitted with a suppressor, which could account for the additional 25 fps.)
In fact, some barrels are sooner than others by nature, so we’d discover rifles from different producers handing over speeds nearer to what’s printed on the ammo field. And taking pictures a rifle with a 26-inch barrel, which will likely be cheap for some purposes with this cartridge, will up the speed a bit too.
Looking Load: 175-grain ELD-X
This bullet goes to be Hornady’s bread-and-butter searching load for the 7mm PRC, and it actually showcases some great benefits of the cartridge over different well-liked 7mm magnums. With a printed muzzle velocity proper round 3000 fps (from my rifles this load shot at 2988 fps), it’s one other hard-hitting and flat-shooting providing. As a result of the cartridge requires a 1:8 twist and its shoulder is about again a bit, it is ready to propel the heavy-for-caliber bullets, just like the 175-grain ELD-X and 180-grain ELD-M, successfully and effectively.
Whereas the 28 Nosler has larger case capability than the 7mm PRC, issues come up while you attempt to load these lengthy, heavy bullets as a result of they sit to this point again within the case. That may result in erratic efficiency. As well as, the SAMMI twist fee for the 28 Nosler is 1:9 (although many rifle firms produce their 28 Nosler barrels with a 1:8 twist), which isn’t very best for the heavier 7mm projectiles.
That mentioned, the 28 Nosler taking pictures 175-grain bullets beneficial properties about 125 fps over the 7mm PRC. The query turns into whether or not that further velocity makes dealing with the 28 Nosler’s finicky nature value it.
Copper Alloy Load: 160-grain CX
The third bullet that Hornady is loading for the 7 PRC is the 160-grain CX, which is a copper alloy projectile. Previous to the launch of the 7mm PRC, the heaviest 7mm CX bullet Hornady made was 150 grains, which works properly within the legacy 7mm cartridges with their slower twist charges.
However with the 7mm PRC 160 grains is in regards to the lightest you need to go along with your bullet choice, so Hornady created a non-lead bullet for the spherical. As with the 175-grain load, the printed manufacturing unit muzzle velocity is true at 3000 fps.
That is the one projectile for the 7 PRC I haven’t had any set off time with, so I can’t touch upon its efficiency within the subject. However the design could be very fascinating. Hornady mainly mimicked the profile of the 180-grain ELD-M bullet to create one of many sleekest and highest BC monometal bullets on the market. The BC values are .596 (G1) and .300 (G7). Barnes’s 7mm 168-grain LRX, which is the closest equal, has a G1 BC of .550.
7mm PRC Design Benefits
The 7mm PRC is the product of the philosophy of recent cartridge design. Essentially the most notable (and infamous) instance of that is the 6.5 Creedmoor, although loads of different lately launched cartridges have been additionally engineered with these design rules. Examples embrace the 300 PRC, 6.5 PRC, 6mm GAP GT, 6.5×47 Lapua, and others.
The hallmarks of recent cartridge design embrace:
- Quicker twist charges to stabilize heavy-for-caliber, lengthy ogive, excessive BC bullets
- Enough neck size on the case for constant neck rigidity
- Headspacing off a steep-angled shoulder
- Minimal case taper
- Effective-tuned throat dimensions and taper (often 1.5 deg.) in chamber
- Reasonable muzzle velocities that ship constant shot-to-shot MVs and make the most of the aeroballistically-efficient bullets the cartridge is designed for. This results in higher precision and longer barrel life
The 7mm PRC incorporates all these parts. As a result of the cartridge has an total size of three.340 in., it could actually additionally run in standard-length long-action rifles. The case head on the 7 PRC is .532 inches, which means that any long-action rifle with a .540-inch bolt face may be rebarreled to run the spherical.
The father or mother case of the 7mm PRC is the 300 PRC/375 Ruger. You’ll hear some individuals say that the 7mm PRC is a necked-down 300 PRC. Technically this isn’t the case because the shoulder has additionally been moved again in comparison with the 300 PRC.
7mm PRC At The Vary
I’ve had intensive set off time with two completely different rifles chambered in 7mm PRC to this point. One was an Allterra Arms Carbon I used for every week down in Texas. The opposite is a Proof Analysis Glacier Ti I’ve been searching with this fall.
The Allterra Arms Carbon has a base weight of 6.75 kilos and mine was configured with a Huxwrx suppressor, a Kahles 318i scope and an Atlas bipod, which provides one other 4 kilos or so to the rig. That 10.75-pound rifle made for an eminently shootable system that dealt with the recoil of the 7 PRC rather well.
I had a a number of vary periods with that rifle the place I put 40 to 60 rounds downrange at a pop and was in a position to take action with out feeling beat up by the recoil. For comparative functions, the 7mm PRC has about 30 p.c much less recoil than the 300 PRC and about 20 p.c extra recoil than the 6.5 PRC.
When stacked in opposition to different 7mm magnums in a 10-pound rifle, right here’s the place the 7mm PRC sits when it comes to recoil. Be aware that the recoil determine for the 7 PRC relies on a 175-grain ELD-X, whereas the others use a 162-grain ELD-X, which is extra consistent with these cartridges’s twist charges.
- 7mm PRC 175-grain ELD-X: 23.80 ft.-lb.
- 7mm Rem. Magazine. 162-grain ELD-X: 20.85 ft.-lb.
- 7mm STW 162-grain ELD-X: 25.21 ft.-lb.
- 28 Nosler 162-grain ELD-X: 29.84 ft.-lb.
The Proof Glacier Ti is a light-weight searching rifle, with a base weight of 5 kilos, 15 ounces. With scope (Nightforce NX8 2.5-20), rings and the quick part of Pic rail I added to the fore-end to connect a bipod it got here in at 8 kilos, 1 ounce. The bipod, which I stored off the rifle except a shot referred to as for it, added one other pound.
This Proof rig, with no muzzle gadget, had noticeably extra felt recoil. It was nonetheless manageable, however not almost as comfy throughout longer taking pictures periods from the susceptible place. As a searching software, which is its major objective, it shot simply fantastic.
7mm PRC Accuracy
I enlisted the assistance of Miles Neville, one among Hornady’s engineers, to assemble accuracy knowledge for the 7mm PRC. Collectively we shot a bunch of 5-shot teams at 100 yards with Hornady’s manufacturing unit ammo, together with some 10- and 20-shot teams. We additionally stretched the spherical out on metal, taking pictures at distances from 300 yards out to a mile (1,760 yards). We did this work with the Allterra Arms rifles throughout a week-long journey to Cibolo Creek Ranch in Texas.
The 180-grain ELD-M shot very properly for each of us. The typical measurement of all our five-shot teams at 100 yards was .803 inches. My rifle, the Allterra Carbon, shot particularly properly with a pair five-shot teams within the .5s (.558 and .562 inches) and an total common group measurement of .726 inches.
I put a 10-shot group by way of my rifle that measured 1.213 inches, whereas Miles put a 20-shot group by way of his that measured 1.664 inches. The purpose of this taking pictures was to get a really feel for a way the carbon-fiber barrels on our rifles dealt with intense strings of fireplace as a lot because it was to measure the accuracy of the cartridge.
Earlier than taking pictures these teams for accuracy, I chronographed the 180s in my rifle. The ten-shot string averaged 2927 fps with an excessive unfold (ES) of 25 fps and a regular deviation (SD) of 8.6. That ES and SD are phenomenal for manufacturing unit ammo, the place ESs from 40 to 50 fps and SDs within the mid-teens are often thought of excellent. If Hornady can keep this consistency with their manufacturing unit match ammo, that bodes very properly for shooters collaborating in long-range competitions who don’t need to handload.
With my Proof Glacier Ti again residence in Montana, I solely put a number of five-round teams by way of it, as I used to be principally involved with getting it able to go searching. However the three five-shot teams I did print with the 175-grain ELD-X ammunition averaged .770 inches, with the perfect group measuring .582 inches.
The 7mm PRC at Lengthy Vary
Whereas the accuracy of the 7 PRC at 100 yards is spectacular, notably with a magnum cartridge in sporter-weight rifles, the proof of the flexibility of any long-range spherical is the way it performs at distance. Not surprisingly, the 7 PRC did properly right here too.
I shot quite a bit at distances between 300 and 1,000 yards and each the 180-grain ELD-M and 175-grain ELD-X gave constant outcomes. They grouped properly on freshly painted metal targets the place it was simple to identify impacts and decide group measurement. Probably the greatest teams was turned in by Miles, who shot a 4.5-inch group with the 180s on metal at 1,000 yards.
The spherical shoots flat, too, and does an awesome job retaining velocity and bucking the wind. Via my rifle the 180s with a 100-yard zero drop simply 1.78 inches at 200 yards, 7.7 inches at 300 yards, and 17.94 inches at 400 yards. At 1,000 yards my elevation correction was simply 5.94 mils whereas the 180s have been nonetheless touring 2120 fps and carrying 1794 ft.-lb. of vitality.
Looking with the 7 PRC
I used the 175-grain ELD-X to shoot a really good aoudad ram in Texas at about 320 yards. The bullet carried out completely, dropping the ram on the rocky cliff the place he stood surrounded by a pair dozen of his fellow sheep.
Different hunters utilizing the 7mm PRC on aoudad had related outcomes at distances out to 500 yards. It isn’t stunning {that a} 7mm bullet weighing 175 grains and touring over 2900 fps goes to make for a devasting searching spherical, nevertheless it was good to see that supposition confirmed.
I additionally took the 7 PRC elk searching in Colorado and can use it in Montana this fall as properly. I feel that hunters in my a part of the nation will take a shine to the 7mm PRC, particularly if they aren’t offered on big-game capabilities of the 6.5 PRC and different milder rounds and in the event that they’re debating what elk rifle to make use of.
I don’t assume anybody however essentially the most churlish ballistic stick-in-the-mud would hesitate to contemplate this 7mm magnum sufficient for elk and different North American huge sport, and on condition that it generates a few third much less kick than the 300 PRC and different .30-caliber magnums it strikes a candy spot.
Reloading the 7mm PRC
This spherical goes to be a superb possibility for reloaders too. Dies are already accessible from Hornady and Redding—and doubtless different sources too—and the case life needs to be good. One cause to contemplate reloading is to strive the 7mm PRC with all the opposite glorious .284-caliber bullets made by firms aside from Hornady.
The Nosler 175-grain AccuBond Lengthy Vary is one to have a look at. And Berger makes a pile of fascinating 7mm bullets together with a 175-grain EOL Hunter, 180-grain Hybrid, 190-grain Hybrid, and 195-grain EOL Hunter.
An important bullet that Hornady isn’t at present loading in a manufacturing unit providing is their 190-grain A-Tip, which will likely be a wise possibility for ELR competitors. The 190 has a G1 BC of .838 and a G7 BC of .422. For these bullets, powders like RL 26, H1000 and Retumbo are more likely to be good choices.
Out there Rifles within the 7mm PRC
A cartridge is simply nearly as good because the variety of firearms makers that conform to chamber it. And by this measure the 7 PRC is off to a superb begin. Though I’m positive there are many smaller customized rifle makers champing on the bit to construct rifles within the this spherical, too, the official record of firms planning to make rifles on this spherical contains the next:
- Allterra Arms
- Better of the West
- Christensen Arms
- Fierce Firearms
- Gunwerks
- Hill Nation Rifles
- H-S Precision
- Horizon Firearms
- J.P. Sauer & Sohn
- McWhorter Customized Rifles
- Proof Analysis
- Remington
- Ruger (coming later 2023)
- Savage
- Seekins Precision
- Brief Motion Customs
- Springfield Armory (coming 2023)
- TS Customs
- West Texas Ordnance
What the 7mm PRC Does Effectively
- Excessive efficiency long-range spherical with glorious accuracy and downrange ballistics
- Straightforward to transform a long-action rifle with a .540-inch bolt face (the most typical measurement) to 7mm PRC
- A potent big-game spherical for North America and Africa
- Permits hunters and shooters to take full benefit of heavy-for-caliber 7mm bullets between 160 and 190 grains
The place the 7mm PRC Falls Brief
- Not the only option for recoil-sensitive shooters
- Ammo is considerably costly and can initially be tough to get
Closing Ideas on the 7mm PRC
I feel this spherical goes to be one other profitable introduction by Hornady. It fills the hole between the 6.5 PRC on the one facet and the 300 PRC on the opposite, which is an area that a variety of performance-oriented hunters concentrate on.
However college students of ballistic historical past will definitely discover that the 7mm PRC—as a contemporary replace to the 7mm Rem. Magazine.—treads on floor that was already tried by the 7mm SAUM and 7mm WSM, each of which fizzled, and extra lately the .280 Ackley Improved, which has a loyal fan base however isn’t going to develop greater than a distinct segment following.
So why be bullish in regards to the prospects for the 7 PRC? In contrast to these different .284-caliber cartridges, the 7mm PRC is designed explicitly as an environment friendly platform for the heaviest 7mm bullets—these weighing 175 grains and extra—permitting it to reply a necessity that no different 7mm magnum can do on a widespread foundation. (Sorry 7mm Sherman fanboys.)
Primarily based alone expertise on the vary and within the subject with the 7mm PRC, and the broad vary of gun makers who’ve already dedicated to the cartridge—to say nothing of Hornady’s stable monitor report of profitable introductions—the 7mm PRC is poised to take pleasure in a superb run.
