7-300PRC?

[Rtheurer]

Thank you Kurz.
Can you tell me a little bit about bullet selection and powder choices and speed to help me make an informed choice. I was leaning towards the 28 Nosler because i saw Peterson is making brass for it. But now.. you showed me that ADG is making readymade brass for the 7-300PRC. How about that!

 

[Kurz]

I stopped being fan of anything labeled 'Nosler' quite a few years ago, like when the son cut the number of bullets in half per box and raised the prices. There isn't anything that can't be accomplished without using Nosler products.

I'm working with the 7/300 PRC due to my choice of bullets (long and heavy) and the case capacity based on powder selection. I also make 7/300 Norma Mag. brass for another rifle which I built back in 2012 when the Norma Mag was released. Two of us built these for a challenge by other shooters for prone matches to 1,200 yards. We ran 20 of those boys off the line the first time!

I still have the reamers for the 7/300 Win. Mag. which we built for several years before that. The anti belt folks and new beltless cartridges caused that decline. It still shoots like a house on fire though and I will field it on occasion just to keep folks on their toes and remind them that belted brass is still viable.

My choices with the 7/300 PRC run with longer, heavier solids using appropriate reamers. Most of these will group well between 2950 a tad over 3000. Watch your twist rate though... Slower powders get more use in my loads using much longer barrels. If you're only hunting using shorter barrels, lighter cup and core bullets over slightly faster powders can be excellent!

With the ADG brass, I'm pretty well set with this cartridge for a while.

 

[jsthntn247]

Alex Wheeler has my components now. I don’t reload anything any longer that does not use Lapau brass. I’m hoping for 3k out of a 24” Bartlein carbon fiber barrel.

 

[rhovee]

3k with a 24" won't be an issue with 180-190 GR bullets. My 24" was 3080 with H1000 and wasn't a hot load.

 

[diggler1833]

Been playing around with the 7-300 PRC myself. I went with the Manson M2 reamer which has a lot of freebore (.225), so better suited for long bullets. I don't have the measurements right on hand at the moment, but I think I'm 2.975-2.980 CBTO to the lands with the Berger EOL. That's about 3.7XX COL IIRC

Only have one bullet and powder (195 EOL and N568) because I bought a ton when I found a couple sales (a ton that is in that it will last the life of the barrel).

Virgin Peterson brass and 79gr will get you right at 3K FPS in a 27" Bartlein 1:8. That was my velocity goal. N568 isn't a speed powder, but SD has been single digit for almost every sample. Accuracy however has been "meh". This combo has given me .8 MOA from 76gr at start up to 79 where I'm at now...and across about .060 of seating depth (minus .050 that it hated). My last two groups at 300 yards were 2/3 and 3/4 MOA for five shots. I think I've wrung out the most of this configuration that I'm going to get. At least it is consistent if anything.

I did buy a box of 180gr ELD-M to test. It offered no improvement over 40 rounds of testing, so I shelved them. I do have some H1000 on hand, but have a 300WM that really does well with that.

Barrel life is going to be probably in the 800 round range. At 100 rounds the firecracking was pretty noticeable...but we don't invest in these cartridges for barrel life.

I got it to have comparable ballistics to a 300NM with the 230gr Hybrid at 3K FPS...but have a little less recoil and powder consumption. For that, it is a success.