7PRC/7mm rem over 300 prc

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Not as accurately as they do a 6cm.

I thought this was rokslide, where we acknowledge virtually no one shoots heavy recoil as well as they shoot low recoil. And bullets in lethal areas are better than cannon balls that miss or hit in the gut.

You're making a lot of assumptions..
I'm not against using a lighter recoiling rifle, but it's getting pretty annoying seeing everyone go with the smallest lightest cartridge combo possible just to prove some sort of point.

If you're into that well cool, but don't make stupid comparisons about guys with magnums making gut shots.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

So after carrying and owning my 300 PRC for a few years, and after seeing my hunting partner bring his new 7PRC out to Idaho for our elk/mule deer trip and put down one of each - I’m honestly considering the leap. I’ll preface - I am looking into factory rifle options and factory ammo (for now). After shooting my buddies browning, and seeing the speed SR versions available (as I plan to hunt dedicated suppressed), I’m likely snagging one in either 7mm rem or 7PRC.

The 7PRC is 20”, and the 7 rem mag version is a 22” with 1:8 twist, which should stabilize heavier bullets (if I wanted to get something from UM or copper creek) or stick with factory options. I hate relying on one manufacturer for ammo, and have lived through this with my 6.5 PRC and 300 PRC already. But I’ve seen several recommendations for 7PRC if I don’t already own a 7mm. Should I just snag the prc and hope for more ammo options in the future?

Or am I just short sighted to ditch my 300prc for 7mm?

There's nothing wrong with a 7mm if it's just a want, it's not going to do anything better than your 300 prc though.

If you're going suppressed recoil between the two cartridges is negligible unless you're going ultralight.
Whatever you do get the shortest barrel possible, I consider 20" too long with a can

 

[Ajsomp]

There's nothing wrong with a 7mm if it's just a want, it's not going to do anything better than your 300 prc though.

If you're going suppressed recoil between the two cartridges is negligible unless you're going ultralight.
Whatever you do get the shortest barrel possible, I consider 20" too long with a can

I have often been recommended not to go shorter than 22” with 300 PRC- and I don’t even see any options other than complete custom for a 20” barrel, and so far 20” is the shortest factory option for 7PRC I can find - as well as I’m not sure I’d be getting the velocities I’d want shorter than 20 inches. But I get what you’re saying- throwing on a 6-7” suppressor to your gun strapped to your pack can become annoying/cumbersome.

 

[ElPollo]

I only keep the copper monos in mind as I might have an opportunity for an elk hunt next year in California - so although not my top choice, I’d have to keep that in mind. It’s also not that being limited by bullet choices is bad - but like I said before- I’ve seen what happens when ammo from the one manufacturer becomes scarce. I remember when Mile high was selling 212 eld-x 300 prc for $70+ per box simply because it wasn’t available.

I have no doubt the UM options are fantastic - saw a few they had up for sale recently. I’m just not looking to spend another 3k on a rifle that I use once or twice a year. I’d rather spend the money on tags or a honestly. Especially when most factory guns now are shooting Moa or better with factory ammo.



I mean at the time I switched from a 300wm Christensen Arms to 300 prc because I was still subscribed to “must have a 30 cal magnum for elk” mantra. I’ve since seen elk killed with 6.5 prc, 7PRC, 300wm, 300 prc and all produced results within reasonable and ethical ranges. I have no intention of shooting an animal over 1000 consistently. Do I have the capability as a shooter - yes. Thankful for my work experience which gave me a good foundation for long range hunting. But to the point of 300 PRC - if I’m hunting ultralight why beat myself up if I’m going to try to keep shots 600 and in? Only reason I considered 7PRC is that browning has the speed sr in 20” which paired with a suppressor makes for a lightweight and capable package. Now, I’m not married to the cartridge or the gun itself - but out the gate it seemed like a decent option that fit my parameters - light, shorter barrel to hunt suppressed, factory option under 1500.

If you have to use non-lead, you might consider the DRT bullets. They did impressive work on the bull in this post.

6.5 Creedmoor/260 for Deer, Elk, and whatever else.....

Are any of the cup and core traditional deer factory ammo worth a dang in 6.5 cm? Look to set up a new rifle, something 0-300 that's a little bit more cost effective than eldm. The one deer I shoot with bondstrikes barely left any blood. American whitetail? Fusion? I suppose if I've had success...

rokslide.com

 

[Gila]

I have often been recommended not to go shorter than 22” with 300 PRC- and I don’t even see any options other than complete custom for a 20” barrel, and so far 20” is the shortest factory option for 7PRC I can find - as well as I’m not sure I’d be getting the velocities I’d want shorter than 20 inches. But I get what you’re saying- throwing on a 6-7” suppressor to your gun strapped to your pack can become annoying/cumbersome.

If you use a Slik Sling, you won’t even know it’s back there. Most factory rifles chambered in the 300 magnums come with a 26” barrel anyway.

 

[bmart2622]

You will when it gets caught in brush and branches

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

I have often been recommended not to go shorter than 22” with 300 PRC- and I don’t even see any options other than complete custom for a 20” barrel, and so far 20” is the shortest factory option for 7PRC I can find - as well as I’m not sure I’d be getting the velocities I’d want shorter than 20 inches. But I get what you’re saying- throwing on a 6-7” suppressor to your gun strapped to your pack can become annoying/cumbersome.

Yeah 20" will do fine, I built a 19" 300 Norma Mag ai for out to 1k.
Sending 225 eldms at 2750 is plenty fast for expansion at 1100 yards.
I also have an 18" 7-300wsm improved and get 2800 with 180s.

Run your numbers and figure the max range you'd like to reach with 1800 fps impact velocity.

 

[Mtk6888]

Both rifles are awesome. I'm more partial to the 300 prc as that's what I shoot. 30" barrel bench gun shooting Hornady 212 about 3100

 

[WRO]

You're making a lot of assumptions..
I'm not against using a lighter recoiling rifle, but it's getting pretty annoying seeing everyone go with the smallest lightest cartridge combo possible just to prove some sort of point.

If you're into that well cool, but don't make stupid comparisons about guys with magnums making gut shots.

The pellet gun special Olympians can not be questioned..

 

[180ls1]

If you had an F350 would you sell it for a F250?

I'd just keep the 300 since you have it. If you were buying new and didn't have a gun sounds like the 7prc is a better fit.

 

[bduke7645]

Keep the 300prc the 7 is nothing magical

 

[Shadowden]

Appreciate the thoughts provided in this thread. I was coming at it from an interest in buying a rifle in a modern cartridge to eventually replace my 30-06. I was thinking staying in the 30 cal family, but also want reduced recoil and plan to use a silencer. So the 300 PRC doesn't look like a great candidate.

I know some folks can handle recoil better than others, but I really like the idea of having a 30 round range day without a bruised shoulder.

 

[hburggunner]

I built a custom 300 PRC last year and have close to 200 through it at various distances. The darn thing shoots so well it's hard to think about making a switch. What I did was built another rifle (currently awaiting barrel return from chambering services) in 7mm PRC.

The only advantage I see in a 7mm PRC over the 300 PRC is recoil. Recoil at slightly over 2800 fps in the 300 PRC is approx. 40lbs whereas the recoil from the 7mm PRC at slightly higher velocity is just over half of that.

There's a chart out there on various sites (backfire tv for one example) that lists 37lbs for 300 prc and 26lbs for the 7prc.

Shootability being the factor for me. I can run the 300 prc about 25-40 rounds before I start to feel the effects of the concussive force. We'll see how the 7mm PRC fares against it once it is complete and has its range debut.

 

[z987k]

I built a custom 300 PRC last year and have close to 200 through it at various distances. The darn thing shoots so well it's hard to think about making a switch. What I did was built another rifle (currently awaiting barrel return from chambering services) in 7mm PRC.

The only advantage I see in a 7mm PRC over the 300 PRC is recoil. Recoil at slightly over 2800 fps in the 300 PRC is approx. 40lbs whereas the recoil from the 7mm PRC at slightly higher velocity is just over half of that.

There's a chart out there on various sites (backfire tv for one example) that lists 37lbs for 300 prc and 26lbs for the 7prc.

Shootability being the factor for me. I can run the 300 prc about 25-40 rounds before I start to feel the effects of the concussive force. We'll see how the 7mm PRC fares against it once it is complete and has its range debut.

Those charts are never that accurate. You need the weight of the powder, the weight of the projectile, the muzzle velocity and the weight of the rifle. That's going to be different depending on loading and your rifle.
Weight of the rifle and weight of the bullet+powder matter a LOT.

Most of the guys on this site are all about reducing recoil. One way to do that, if you're reloading is using the powder that gives you the velocity you need using the least grains. If 2 powders give within 50fps of each other but one does it with 5 less grains, that's 5 less grains you have to accelerate. In a 308 moving a 150 at 2700fps, that's a recoil reduction of 8%.

Use this. https://shooterscalculator.com/recoil-calculator.php

 

[hburggunner]

Thank you for adding some information here. I've not considered the thought of reducing recoil by reducing a powder charge or a variable as such. I want the most accurate "safe" load I can find. Recoil can be reduced by brakes, tuners, suppressors, extended padding on the stock, etc.

By the shared calculator, a 212gr projectile, with 78g powder charge, 2835 mv fps and a 12lb rifle equates to a 26lb recoil whereas a 175gr projectile with 70gr, 2875 mv fps and a 12lb rifle equates to 19lbs of recoil. 27% less.

I'm not sure either source is an accurate value of true recoil energy. The only true way to know is to actually measure it. The overall point is that the 300 PRC puts out much more recoil energy than a 7mm PRC. (26lb vs 19lb or 40lb vs 26lb, depending on the data source). The final reduction is either 27% or 35% (a variance of 8%) between the data available. That's a considerable difference to me.

 

[bow_dozer]

OP what did you decide on? I personally went from a 7RM to 6.5 PRC a couple years ago. Handloading for each, I couldn’t tell a difference of how animals died. 6.5 was 3 lbs lighter than my rem mag, both breaked so recoil was NA.

 

[z987k]

Thank you for adding some information here. I've not considered the thought of reducing recoil by reducing a powder charge or a variable as such. I want the most accurate "safe" load I can find. Recoil can be reduced by brakes, tuners, suppressors, extended padding on the stock, etc.

By the shared calculator, a 212gr projectile, with 78g powder charge, 2835 mv fps and a 12lb rifle equates to a 26lb recoil whereas a 175gr projectile with 70gr, 2875 mv fps and a 12lb rifle equates to 19lbs of recoil. 27% less.

I'm not sure either source is an accurate value of true recoil energy. The only true way to know is to actually measure it. The overall point is that the 300 PRC puts out much more recoil energy than a 7mm PRC. (26lb vs 19lb or 40lb vs 26lb, depending on the data source). The final reduction is either 27% or 35% (a variance of 8%) between the data available. That's a considerable difference to me.

Backfire is just taking standard loads and some weight of a gun. The calculator is wildly more accurate for your rifle. It's math. Not a random guess.
Recoil velocity matters as well. A slow push vs a snappy hit will feel a lot different to the shooter.

 

[Ajsomp]

OP what did you decide on? I personally went from a 7RM to 6.5 PRC a couple years ago. Handloading for each, I couldn’t tell a difference of how animals died. 6.5 was 3 lbs lighter than my rem mag, both breaked so recoil was NA.

I’m still on the fence honestly. I can appreciate the high BC bullets and MV - but does it matter compared to 6.5/6.5PRC or even 6creed? Not sure. I know that shooting 300 PRC at 50 rounds in a session hurts my wallet and isn’t all that fun. It’s doable, but why do it when animals seem to die just as well with match bullets in guns that are easier to track behind the scope.