Hornady 7 PRC Factory Ammo Inconsistencies

[Roughrice]

Ok.
To start…my young neighbor (in south Louisiana) planned an elk hunt in Idaho and ordered an Alamo Precision Custom 22" 7PRC for his hunt.
He came to my range for break in, sighting and dope gathering.
Very nice, well fit rifle with a NF NX8 4-32x50 F2 scope .
He had 2 boxes of 175 ELDX Precision Hunters for break-in and sighting.
Velocity hung around 2830 fps for the day.

The following week he picked up 3 more boxes of the same ammo and came back for dope charts before leaving for his hunt.
As soon as he fired the first round, we looked at each other in amazement that the velocity was 90 fps slower. I looked at his 3 boxes of ammo and 2 were from the same lot and one was different lot. He shot 3 from the odd lot and velocity was in the middle of the previous two lots!
Anyway… we corrected his zero and doped his drop card with the two boxes of the same lot at 2740 fps. The Alamo rifle shot very well so he's set for the hunt.

I brought my 24" 7 SAUM with 168 ABLR and
shot a few rounds while his was cooling off and was posting a steady 2920 fps.

This was my first experience with the Hornady over-gloated, magnificent 3000 fps 7 PRC!!
How in the hell can a company create such a good cartridge design and market it so confidently but load factory ammo so inconsistent that it will disappoint the proud new owner of an expensive custom rifle!

Just a rant because I'm not impressed.
I'm sure hand loading will fix this issue but for $50/ box… I'd expect more!… especially since they designed it!

I'm done...

 

[crashlanding]

Don't expect anything more than you have experienced already in Hornady factory fodder, loading with quality brass takes it where it should be. Velocity wise, certain powders will get you there, of course, one of them is rl26, personally I'm having good luck with Retumbo and 175 grain eldx breaking the 3000 fps with good accuracy

 

[Idaho Lefty]

ADG Brass, F-210 M's, StaBall HD powder and Horn 180 gr. ELD- M's, got my son 2,987 ave. FPS and group's from, the Low 3's to, 1/2 MOA out of, a 24" Proof Barreled, Stocky's Carbon Fiber stocked Tikka w/ an Elay Precision trig Spring, set at 1.5 pounds ( Nice / Crisp ! ).
Nope, can't give out, the Powder chg Weight out as, it's slightly over Max. per Hogdon's, Data ( Sorry ).
He will Use Horn 175 gr ELD-X , Factory ammo for Any, "Close up" Elk shots ( 300 yds or Less ) and they WILL Be, All the same, LOT Number !

 

[P7M13]

It's Hornady. Why are you surprised?

 

[Kimber7man]

Hornady tested and loaded their initial factory ammo with R26 according to sources. They have been having problems getting same powder, so have been substituting other powders, thus the difference in velocities. It's been documented in threads all summer/fall.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Hornady…look it up, it's Scandinavian for something………….

 

[James DeTorre]

I have a new Feirce in 7prc. Planning on NE mulie hunt.
Recommended factory load given concerns for Hornady?
I have some Weatherbys and Hornady already.

 

[Rflshootr]

I'd like to see a link to that definition.

 

[Punisher]

Ok.
To start…my young neighbor (in south Louisiana) planned an elk hunt in Idaho and ordered an Alamo Precision Custom 22" 7PRC for his hunt.
He came to my range for break in, sighting and dope gathering.
Very nice, well fit rifle with a NF NX8 4-32x50 F2 scope .
He had 2 boxes of 175 ELDX Precision Hunters for break-in and sighting.
Velocity hung around 2830 fps for the day.

The following week he picked up 3 more boxes of the same ammo and came back for dope charts before leaving for his hunt.
As soon as he fired the first round, we looked at each other in amazement that the velocity was 90 fps slower. I looked at his 3 boxes of ammo and 2 were from the same lot and one was different lot. He shot 3 from the odd lot and velocity was in the middle of the previous two lots!
Anyway… we corrected his zero and doped his drop card with the two boxes of the same lot at 2740 fps. The Alamo rifle shot very well so he's set for the hunt.

I brought my 24" 7 SAUM with 168 ABLR and
shot a few rounds while his was cooling off and was posting a steady 2920 fps.

This was my first experience with the Hornady over-gloated, magnificent 3000 fps 7 PRC!!
How in the hell can a company create such a good cartridge design and market it so confidently but load factory ammo so inconsistent that it will disappoint the proud new owner of an expensive custom rifle!

Just a rant because I'm not impressed.
I'm sure hand loading will fix this issue but for $50/ box… I'd expect more!… especially since they designed it!

I'm done...

Well, truthfully, they didn't "create" the PRC. Something nearly identical has been around since the 1950's.

Hornady doesn't make great quality products, but they do have the best hype men in the business.

 

[Unit3]

I have a new Feirce in 7prc. Planning on NE mulie hunt.
Recommended factory load given concerns for Hornady?
I have some Weatherbys and Hornady already.

I bought a 20" Browning x-bolt in 7PRC earlier this summer and have been playing with various factory loads. With the short barrel I expect lower muzzle velocities but yes the Hornady stuff is slow. Federal loads the 175 ELD-x and it's a bit more consistent. Best speed/groups/consistency I have gotten is from Weatherby 150gr Scirocco II. Heard great things about Barnes Vor-TX 160 LRX. Just got a couple boxes but haven't been to the range yet.

 

[Roughrice]

I understand all of this Hornady marketing BS also... so please don't mis-understand me.
I'm aware that this isn't the first Hornady cartridge issue.
I'm not looking for factory ammo.
I'm not looking for load data.
I'm not looking for a 7PRC.

Just posting another comment about how a young man's expectations weren't met after reading and hearing all the greatness of the 7 PRC.
He would have been better off with a 7 Rem Mag, 30-06 or 270 since he doesn't load his own.

 

[Al Diamond]

I'd like to see a link to that definition.

I scoured the web and nada but the company jargon came up. Was told it meant nothing other than the company name.

 

[Bang4theBuck]

I understand all of this Hornady marketing BS also... so please don't mis-understand me.
I'm aware that this isn't the first Hornady cartridge issue.
I'm not looking for factory ammo.
I'm not looking for load data.
I'm not looking for a 7PRC.

Just posting another comment about how a young man's expectations weren't met after reading and hearing all the greatness of the 7 PRC.
He would have been better off with a 7 Rem Mag, 30-06 or 270 since he doesn't load his own.

I can certainly understand where 'initial disappointment' can happen, but it doesn't mean he has to be 'forever disappointed' get away from the Hornady ammo, and get into ammo that is a closer representation of the cartridges potential. All of the other cartridges you mentioned are also great cartridges, but the 7PRC definately has a place, and will do the job well. There are 2 or 3 custom ammo companies out there that will load for him as well.....he isn't stuck.

One other comment, finding someone to load for him would be a good idea since he chose a shorter barrelled rig. There is a lot of powder in that case, and to take full advantage of that you will probably need a faster burning powder than what factory ammo would provide. Same would be true for the other cartridges you mentioned would have been better choices.

I think he will love the rifle and performance in the end, if he just looks past the Hornady ammo

 

[Rflshootr]

I scoured the web and nada but the company jargon came up. Was told it meant nothing other than the company name.

Me too.