7mm PRC is here. SAAMI specs out

[Craig Miller]

It looks very close dimensionally to my 7mm blaser improved. Like my blaser, I'm sure it will be very easy to shoot and will shoot anything you feed it very well.

As GoosePilot says, it's basically a near clone of the 7mm Blaser Magnum case. There are a few very, very small dimensional differences with the case. The real difference is the twist rate. Spec'ed twist rate for the 7PRC is 1:8" while the Blaser is 1:9.?". (I can't find an exact number in a language I can read.)

The Blaser was designed to replicate the 7RemMag with 156-162gr bullets in a specific Blaser rifle and magazine. Twist rate and magazine length are the limiting issues in the factory Blaser rifles and loaded ammunition.

There have been quite a few people in the US who have built the 7mm Blaser Magnum on longer actions with longer magazines and faster twist barrels to seat heavies out of the powder column to maximize performance. I almost built one and it sounds like GoosePilot did.

I think Hornady was just paying attention, spotted what they thought was a good idea, and made it their own (so to speak).

 

[gregsjt]

Yall it's .180" longer than a 7wsm .1367" longer to the neck shoulder junction
.260" longer case than the 6.8 western
.245" longer case than the 7saum

Every single freaking time I read "new from hornady".... I start doing research to see what they knocked off and labeled their own.

This is very close in size to the sherman 7 mega.. js

Look closer, they're not even based on the same parent case. The WSM, RUM, RSAUM, Western and Nosler cases are all based on the 404 Jeffery case with a rebated rim to fit the standard magnum bolt face diameter of .532. The Hornady rounds are all based on their own case from the 375 Ruger, this case is the basis for all the RCM cases and all of the PRC cases. It has a .532 rim diameter but it doesn't have the rebated rim, the head of the case is the same .532 as the rim vs the .550 of the 404 Jeffery decedents.

One other point, if you're trying to compare an original idea vs. an idea that has been influenced by someone else's design / work, I'm not sure I would be using the Sherman cases as my example.

 

[entoptics]

Couple more things to note...

MAP is 65,000 PSI for 7 PRC and 61,000 PSI for 7 Rem Mag. 5% greater pressure.

I calculated external case volume from the drawings. 7 Rem Mag, not including the belt, is only 2% larger than the 7 PRC.

I think we can blame Tikka for the 3.34 OAL. Their long action boxes are about 3.37". I believe the next shortest "Long Action" factory standard box is on Savage rifles, and that's right at 3.5". If it weren't for the popularity of Tikka, Hornady could have gone to 3.45" for another couple grains of H2O capacity...

Stupid Tikka and their accurate and economical rifles...

Regardless, if interior volume scales to exterior volume, I think this will meet or exceed 7 Rem Mag, and do so with a 1:8 twist. That's a good thing for "off the shelf" shooters.

 

[chav0_12]

Problem with the 7 saum is you can't seat long bullets out of the powder and into the lands without a custom reamer/throat. And you definitely can't fit them into a short action magwell once you do.

Short action is just too short to support the COAL that is req'd for the 180+gr high bc bullets that make the 7mm what it can be for long range hunting.

Now if you are preferring 162gr bullet then it becomes a close call, but eventually you have to start asking yourself why your not just shooting the 147/156 6.5 prc at that point.

I do love the concept of a long throated 7 saum in a long action (the way most guys run them), but not anymore than the 7 prc. They are very close at that point and the 7 prc has a bit more umph without being too overbore.

6.5 cal is better suited for short actions IMHO. Especially the 6.5 creedmoor (though not nearly as ideal for longrange compared to long action cartridges).

Post edit: now a 7 sherman short type case or a SHORTENED 7 saum would be a nice addition to the lineup for the high volume build or the ultralight rifle build while keeping you in the 7's for the ballistic advantages over the 6.5 creedmoor in a short action. Perhaps this is what you meant to begin with.

Yeah, that's what I meant to begin with. There are great LA 7mm mags, that will perform better than the PRC, as others have said. Me being a 7mm guy, I don't need a LA that's doing the same or less than a 28 Nosler, 7mm Rem Mag, or 280AI. What I was getting at is that I think they missed something not trying to keep it in a SA, since there's not an alive and well commercial SA magnum. I see what you're saying though, it might be better to go to the 6.5 at that rate with those bullet options. I like and have always liked the 7mm and short mags. So maybe I was just being greedy wanting another.

 

[JustAnOldCooter]

I don't disagree with any of those statements. From what I can tell it looks like the 300 prc case just necked down and shortened some. It looks like it's going to seat long like the other prc cartridges. I personally love the ideal of a 7mm that's not a monster overbore and can out preform the 7mm mag. But ammo and brass will be a nightmare I imagine. Their last 5 cartridges have been a success. I think they limit the market on ammo for these new cartridges just to drive up cost and make massive profits. But that's 100 percent my opinion.

With the slightly shortened case shoulder, does that not create a possibility for accidental loading of a 7mm PRC into a 300 PRC setup? Clearly that keeps the reverse from happening which prevents a more catastrophic situation - i.e. the 300 PRC from chambering into a 7mm PRC...

 

[jacob_strass]

It's gonna be a sweetheart in a Tikka action. It's gonna be a real sweetheart necked down to .264 with 156's!

Anyone else thinking about wildcatting this case? I personally would like to neck it down to .277 and shorten the freebore a touch to get it to a max coal around 3.2" to run in a medium length action. Anyone else got any wildcat ideas?

 

[CoSniper66]

Seems like there is a shortage of 7mm bullets. 160 nosler AB and any weight of Hornady ELDX are always out of stock.

 

[mulie]

This cartridge space is already filled in with a 7 LRM Cartridge from Gun Werks at 7mm 180 grain running 2950 fps plus. Maybe just Hornady looking to get in in the action. HaHa so to speak. What also is nice that the 7LRM calls for no bolt or magazine modification on a std. mag bolt face. At least GunWerks went to a better brass manufacturer.

 

[D-mon]

Wasn't the first batch of 7lrm brass made by hornady for gunwerks?;-)

 

[DUCKMAN11]

I think hornady could have made more by spending less by pumping out some WSM brass of decent quality..

 

[cjl2010]

I think hornady could have made more by spending less by pumping out some WSM brass of decent quality..

What's wrong with Hornady 7wsm brass?

 

[DUCKMAN11]

I didn't know they were making any lol

 

[cjl2010]

I didn't know they were making any lol

So just typing to type?

 

[DUCKMAN11]

So just typing to type?

Nope.

More of a comment directed towards hornady and them not making enough components for the cartridges they already have on the books. While releasing yet another "new from hornady" cartridge.. like my post from #2.

Kinda like Ford releasing the electric f150 that takes 2700 more computer chips than a conventional F150....while you can't get a conventional F150 or parts for your 2 year old