7mm PRC is here. SAAMI specs out

[Weatherby Fan]

The proper way to increase performance is to go with a bigger/different cartridge... not try to push a cartridge beyond its practical design limit.


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At least if you use it within its design limits brass life as well as barrel life will benefit,
All in all it's should a great hunting cartridge as well as a decent long range/target shooting cartridge.

 

[WildRose]

Yes I thought about that as well, I also find the RCC brass different as it doesn't appear to show pressure signs like normal brass.
I used guidelines from another chap that used 68.0 as his max as well, of course once fired brass may be max 1-2 or 3 grs below that as well, not to mention every rifle will be different, only thing that doesn't change is the limit of max pressure.
Looking forward to more info later this month from Hornady.

We constantly make the mistake of pushing it till we see pressure signs. If you're seeing pressure signs you're already way over max.

Always best at that point to reduce the charge by 2.5-5% for the sake of safety and barrel longevity.

When I was still hot rodding everything, I was very lucky not to have blown one up and burned through a lot of very nice barrels way before their times.

 

[WildRose]

We all have different ideas of which cartridge we prefer for various animals. I prefer a smaller .257/264 for antelope, Coues deer or that size animal. Flat shooting and plenty for the longest ranges. Antelope typically are killed beyond 500 yards for me. Out to 800+ usually. Coues not so much. Whitetail deer vary depending on where I'm hunting. In state, out to 450-600 max usually. Same rifles. 7s are great for Mulies out west and big whitetails but the 6.5s work as well. I find myself using my 284 for anything I need a 7mm for. Kinda prefer it over the magnum 7s anymore. Beyond that it's a bigger 30 or 338. Accuracy in the end means the most over velocity.

Many years ago the NM Dept G&F did a survey finding about 85% were killed at either under 80yds or over 400yds; not much in between so that's pretty consistent with their findings.

 

[vancewalker007]

We all have different ideas of which cartridge we prefer for various animals. I prefer a smaller .257/264 for antelope, Coues deer or that size animal. Flat shooting and plenty for the longest ranges. Antelope typically are killed beyond 500 yards for me. Out to 800+ usually. Coues not so much. Whitetail deer vary depending on where I'm hunting. In state, out to 450-600 max usually. Same rifles. 7s are great for Mulies out west and big whitetails but the 6.5s work as well. I find myself using my 284 for anything I need a 7mm for. Kinda prefer it over the magnum 7s anymore. Beyond that it's a bigger 30 or 338. Accuracy in the end means the most over velocity.

True, back in the day before range finders and ballistic apps we shot the 7mm STW with 140s to get the best MPBR. We had to make cases out 300 Weatherby cases. Those were the days. That cartridge was finicky but once you got the right recipe they'd shoot really good.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Many years ago the NM Dept G&F did a survey finding about 85% were killed at either under 80yds or over 400yds; not much in between so that's pretty consistent with their findings.

Wow under 80 yards. I guess we saw some within 100 yards but mostly does and yearling bucks. Nothing we wanted to shoot. Anything 15" or better were waaay out there and it's usually the rut when we hunt goats.

 

[L.Sherm]

The problem i see alot even on this forum is people will post there loads and FPS and claim " no pressure" then the next guy comes along and tries to duplicate and low and behold bad things happen.
Its why I hate it everytime I hate seeing people looking for " pet loads".

 

[VLD Pilot]

The problem i see alot even on this forum is people will post there loads and FPS and claim " no pressure" then the next guy comes along and tries to duplicate and low and behold bad things happen.
Its why I hate it everytime I hate seeing people looking for " pet loads".

Hopefully others are smart enough to work UP TOO the load they see those numbers at and not start with it.

 

[Weatherby Fan]

I looked at the other fellows info that said 68.0grs R26 with a 175gr bullet was max and I started 63.0

 

[VLD Pilot]

Common sense. That's all It takes.

 

[WildRose]

Wow under 80 yards. I guess we saw some within 100 yards but mostly does and yearling bucks. Nothing we wanted to shoot. Anything 15" or better were waaay out there and it's usually the rut when we hunt goats.

I antelope hunted a lot of the state from down near Soccorro all the way to Capulin Mountain. So much of that country is low rolling hills that it's really easy to just find yourself face to face with them as you're prowling through the country so I really don't doubt their numbers.

Most folks would be hard pressed to fire a killing shot at more than 100yds anyhow so it makes sense.

This was back when the population was probably 1/10th what it is today. They had just re-opened the season in I think 72 or 73 after a forty or fifty year moratorium because they had been hunted nearly to extinction during early in the early part of the century.

Getting an out of state permit in the seventies was almost impossible and extremely expensive unless you had friends or family who owned ranches.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I antelope hunted a lot of the state from down near Soccorro all the way to Capulin Mountain. So much of that country is low rolling hills that it's really easy to just find yourself face to face with them as you're prowling through the country so I really don't doubt their numbers.

Most folks would be hard pressed to fire a killing shot at more than 100yds anyhow so it makes sense.

This was back when the population was probably 1/10th what it is today. They had just re-opened the season in I think 72 or 73 after a forty or fifty year moratorium because they had been hunted nearly to extinction during early in the early part of the century.

Getting an out of state permit in the seventies was almost impossible and extremely expensive unless you had friends or family who owned ranches.

Never hunted NM. Only Wyoming for goats. Sounds like eastern whitetail hunting ranges. Up close and personal.

 

[vancewalker007]

Never hunted NM. Only Wyoming for goats. Sounds like eastern whitetail hunting ranges. Up close and personal.

Years ago, 2006-2009 we had free access to a place near Gillette. The pronghorn we're so numerous it was pretty easy to get shots under 200 yards. The first year we went in 2006 we killed 9 between 3 of use. You could but doe tags at the hardware store. I think the longest shot was around 150 yards. You could have certainly setup a really long shot if you wanted. I think my first buck was about a 60 yard shot. The 300 WSM did quick work. Maybe these days their number are different don't know.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Years ago, 2006-2009 we had free access to a place near Gillette. The pronghorn we're so numerous it was pretty easy to get shots under 200 yards. The first year we went in 2006 we killed 9 between 3 of use. You could but doe tags at the hardware store. I think the longest shot was around 150 yards. You could have certainly setup a really long shot if you wanted. I think my first buck was about a 60 yard shot. The 300 WSM did quick work. Maybe these days their number are different don't know.

Tough to get doe tags now for residents and even non- residents in alot of units. We couldn't get any being both non and resident hunters. Rut seems the best time to get shots at good bucks. We wanted long shots at goats and did alot of LR work before the hunt. Expecting 1000 yard shots but with winds how they acted, we didn't take any

 

[codyadams]

Tough to get doe tags now for residents and even non- residents in alot of units. We couldn't get any being both non and resident hunters. Rut seems the best time to get shots at good bucks. We wanted long shots at goats and did alot of LR work before the hunt. Expecting 1000 yard shots but with winds how they acted, we didn't take any

Doe tags are easy to get as a resident in quite a few places. Literally 100% draw odds. You just need to do a little research on the g&f site, and maybe hunt a different area than what you are used to. Non residents it depends on the area, but 40-50% draw odds or better are not hard to find. For us, shots range from 200-800 yards. My family usually harvest around 18-20+ pronghorn a year.