.300 PRC

[Hepburn # 3]

Anyone build one of these yet ? are are they worth the extra recoil , powder , barrel wear etc.

Wanted to see how these are holding up in competition opposed to the 6.5 Creedmoor etc.

Hornady guys make the ammo and looked like you could get an action & barrel online ?

Just wondering on this big .30 and maybe hunt with it also.

 

[284winner]

Anyone build one of these yet ? are are they worth the extra recoil , powder , barrel wear etc.

Wanted to see how these are holding up in competition opposed to the 6.5 Creedmoor etc.

Hornady guys make the ammo and looked like you could get an action & barrel online ?

Just wondering on this big .30 and maybe hunt with it also.

I'm not far off from building one. I have a 338 LM improved. Don't care to build a 300 NM just due to needing the larger Lapua bolt face. The 300 PRC is a step above the 300 Win and just a tad under the 300 NM. I'll roll my own but in a pinch, Hornady makes ammo so no issues if I need it. Considering a brake on my 338 Lapua turns it into the 308 equivalent, I wouldn't worry about recoil of the 300 PRC.

 

[DaveTooley]

I've been shooting one since 2007. Me and the Hornady bunch called it the 300 HSM back then. Just did two barrels for those guys. My heavy gun is chambered in 300 PRC. The last Nationals I shot in I was tied for 5th in group and tied for 1st in score. That's the only time that barrel has been shot at 1K. I have a hunting rifle that I took to S. Africa in 2018. Shot everything from Eland on down with H 212's. For a USSOCOM solicitation it was submitted under the name of 300 AI, Accuracy International. We also did a 338 version.
As has been stated it's a step up from a 300 WM.
Good round

 

[Mr.Knowit all]

I'm not far off from building one. I have a 338 LM improved. Don't care to build a 300 NM just due to needing the larger Lapua bolt face. The 300 PRC is a step above the 300 Win and just a tad under the 300 NM. I'll roll my own but in a pinch, Hornady makes ammo so no issues if I need it. Considering a brake on my 338 Lapua turns it into the 308 equivalent, I wouldn't worry about recoil of the 300 PRC.

284winner- why do you say that the 300 PRC a "step lower? than the 300NM? Just curious why you would say that. The PRC uses less powder and one could argue that it is a more efficient cartridge- but the numbers are very comparable to the 300NM. Same bullets, same BC, same/similar velocity... a lot of guys are running 28, 29, 30 inch barrels on their NM. Please explain if you get a minute. Thanks

 

[284winner]

Well I say that based on experience. I know a couple people personally as well as reading here on the forum that there is a bit of a difference. Not tremendously but all the same, a noticable one. For me, it's not going to push me that direction simply because I do not want the bigger Lapua action/boltface. Listening or reading Dave Tooley and Frank Green's writings on the cartridge, it's a bit slower. Remember the Norma case holds more powder. With that comes better performance.

 

[FURMAN]

You may prefer one cartridge over another but when it comes to raw performance/velocity case capacity rules period. You can't outsmart physics with any amount of marketing. The most voluminous 300WM case is Norma and holds ~95 grains of H20. The 300 PRC is Hornady and holds ~97 grains of H20. The 30 Nosler is ADG at ~102 grains H20. The 300 Norma is ~103 grains with Lapua brass. Accuracy is another story and just because it is fast does not mean it will be accurate, easy to tune, and stay in tune.

 

[284winner]

You may prefer one cartridge over another but when it comes to raw performance/velocity case capacity rules period. You can't outsmart physics with any amount of marketing. The most voluminous 300WM case is Norma and holds ~95 grains of H20. The 300 PRC is Hornady and holds ~97 grains of H20. The 30 Nosler is ADG at ~102 grains H20. The 300 Norma is ~103 grains with Lapua brass. Accuracy is another story and just because it is fast does not mean it will be accurate, easy to tune, and stay in tune.

Absolutely. Accuracy definitely trumps velocity.

 

[FURMAN]

...but just because it is fast does not mean it can't/won't be accurate. I am on 30 Nosler number four and all have outperformed my 300 PRC. I find the 30 Nosler to be very accurate and all have been easy to tune.

 

[Mr.Knowit all]

I think everyone has some experience or they have no business posting on here.
"Case capacity rules period" says who? So if I neck down a 416 case to shoot a 6mm and it could hold 130 grains of what ever powder that will rule all other 6mm?
I think that is too broad of a statement even though I do agree with it, generally speaking.
I am not for one or the other but I think we can ALL agree that ACCURACY trumps all...
Thanks for taking a minute to answer.

 

[284winner]

I think everyone has some experience or they have no business posting on here.
"Case capacity rules period" says who? So if I neck down a 416 case to shoot a 6mm and it could hold 130 grains of what ever powder that will rule all other 6mm?
I think that is too broad of a statement even though I do agree with it, generally speaking.
I am not for one or the other but I think we can ALL agree that ACCURACY trumps all...
Thanks for taking a minute to answer.

Here's a good case in point. Compare the 284 to the 7mm mag. Sure the 7mag will outperform the 284 but at what cost ? Meaning how much more powder vs the extra fps. I can shoot 180s from my 284 around 3000 fps. That's using RE17 with a 30" barrel. My 7 mag moves that same bullet around 3000-3050 fps from a 28" barrel using H1000/Retumbo. Close to 15-20 grains more powder for only 50 fps. Efficiency is definitely noticably more in the 284.

 

[Bc'z]

Here's a good case in point. Compare the 284 to the 7mm mag. Sure the 7mag will outperform the 284 but at what cost ? Meaning how much more powder vs the extra fps. I can shoot 180s from my 284 around 3000 fps. That's using RE17 with a 30" barrel. My 7 mag moves that same bullet around 3000-3050 fps from a 28" barrel using H1000/Retumbo. Close to 15-20 grains more powder for only 50 fps. Efficiency is definitely noticably more in the 284.

I had this very discussion in another thread.

 

[284winner]

Here's a good case in point. Compare the 284 to the 7mm mag. Sure the 7mag will outperform the 284 but at what cost ? Meaning how much more powder vs the extra fps. I can shoot 180s from my 284 around 3000 fps. That's using RE17 with a 30" barrel. My 7 mag moves that same bullet around 3000-3050 fps from a 28" barrel using H1000/Retumbo. Close to 15-20 grains more powder for only 50 fps. Efficiency is definitely noticably more in the 284.

But as said, accuracy rules and many times accuracy is at the top of the velocity range in many cartridges.

 

[284winner]

I had this very discussion in another thread.

It's amazingly true. It's why I don't shoot the 7mag today.

 

[FURMAN]

If raw accuracy was the end all we would all be shooting a 6br or improved. Accuracy is NOT the end all. When the wind blows we need more than just accuracy and that is just talking about competition where sighters are allowed. Take away sighters and the magnums start to hold their own or even take over. 1st round hit percentage increases with larger cases like the 300 PRC, 30 Nosler, 28 Nosler, etc. I think we would all agree that they are not going to be challenging the 6br or 300 wsm in comps with wind flags and sighters but not everyone shoots comps. Not everyone on this forum shoots comps. Not everyone on this forum shoots with rests on or off a bench. Other cartridges absolutely shine in certain situations. So I stand by my statement. I have shot the short mags and I have shot the large magnums. They both have their place. The 300 PRC is a great cartridge for its intended purpose but I still feel a properly set up 30 Nosler is better.

 

[284winner]

If raw accuracy was the end all we would all be shooting a 6br or improved. Accuracy is NOT the end all. When the wind blows we need more than just accuracy and that is just talking about competition where sighters are allowed. Take away sighters and the magnums start to hold their own or even take over. 1st round hit percentage increases with larger cases like the 300 PRC, 30 Nosler, 28 Nosler, etc. I think we would all agree that they are not going to be challenging the 6br or 300 wsm in comps with wind flags and sighters but not everyone shoots comps. Not everyone on this forum shoots comps. Not everyone on this forum shoots with rests on or off a bench. Other cartridges absolutely shine in certain situations. So I stand by my statement. I have shot the short mags and I have shot the large magnums. They both have their place. The 300 PRC is a great cartridge for its intended purpose but I still feel a properly set up 30 Nosler is better.

That's the beauty of opinions. We all have them and to each of us, they may be facts. But only facts to each person's personal use. I sure know alot of shooters using the 300 NM mag that would argue your point. I'm not one of them but you know what's best for your needs. I guess that's what makes this a forum and discussion. We may not all agree on everything but we do live what we believe.