280 Ackley or 7PRC. Which do I want?

[Wildstreak]

I’m on the verge of building another rifle. Its sole life purpose is a hunting rifle. I want to hunt use it for anything from Antelope to elk with whitetails and mule deer in between. I’m down to these two calibers and these only. 280 Ackley or 7PRC. Which do I want? Tell me why? What are the advantages or disadvantages of one over the other. 280 has less recoil but the 7PRC sends a heavier/longer bullet faster? Let’s hear it.

Full disclosure: I currently own a 280 Ackley and I love it but it is heavy. It’s not a gun I want to pack around a lot. Do I want another 280 only not as heavy or do I want a 7prc?

Thanks.

 

[wildwilderness]

As I get older the more simple I want to keep things. In your case I would get another 280 AI

 

[Crowmangler]

I was trying to make the same decision a few months ago. Currently have a 7 RM. I decided on the 280 AI ... right up until I heard about the 7 back country. Bad part is the rifle I want (Weatherby 307 Alpine CT) has a 90 day wait to get the 7 BC & 280 AI

 

[davsco]

can you lighten up your existing rifle a little? shorter or thinner barrel, maybe a lighter stock?

of the two, i'd pick the 7prc. gives you a lot more energy and velocity downrange which gives you more options. also less drop and presumably less windage (i didn't check) which gives you a little more cushion where you don't have a solid distance or wind call. seems like more ammo variety also though not awesome. with a decent brake, recoil isn't bad though you def want to wear earpro.

that said, sure plenty of elk and large game have been killed with less than 280 ballistics, so if you like the round and have plenty or ammo or components, sure that won't limit you.

 

[akmerle]

If you love your 280AI, sounds like a good excuse to lighten up your existing rifle and build it exactly how you want it. And I this is coming from a 7PRC owner.

Or there is the valid argument that if wanting factory ammo, go 7PRC since there seems like there are more factory options / availability. Or if reloading, stay with 280AI.

 

[elkguide]

.280AI for the win.

 

[MuleyFever]

I had a 280ai, 2 of them, then went 7 SAUM but got tired of reloading so went to a 7 PRC. Now, I wouldnt mind going back to a 280ai or try a 6.5 PRC. If you reload build it in a way that extends the COAL and shoot the heavies. That would make a great rifle.

 

[bigunit]

Pretty hard to beat 280ai in my opinion. Only gives up maybe 100 fps to the prc and uses a good amount less powder. Factory ammo might be easier to find for the prc but I'm assuming you're a reloader. I shoot from 120 to 180 with my 280ackley. It's quite versatile.

 

[rookieforever33]

Reload=ackley. Factory ammo=prc

 

[199p]

Or go 7saum its almost bang in the middle but handloads only

 

[stevevan]

Or go 7saum its almost bang in the middle but handloads only

I got 2, one hefty and other lightweight. 280 AI !!!!!!

 

[hereinaz]

How far are you shooting? Unless you need to shoot out to 900-1000 you don’t need the 7 prc. Buddy has the Savage Ultralight in 280 ai and has taken elk out to 640ish.

 

[112Savage]

My 24” 280AI will run 175 ABLR and 175 partitions at 2900+
My 22” 280AI shoots 162ELDX at 2887fps

Both rifles use significantly less powder than 7PRC and hold one more cartridge in the magazine. 57-58gr of RL26 or RL23 for both rifles and all three loads.

 

[Unckebob]

I’m on the verge of building another rifle. Its sole life purpose is a hunting rifle. I want to hunt use it for anything from Antelope to elk with whitetails and mule deer in between. I’m down to these two calibers and these only. 280 Ackley or 7PRC. Which do I want? Tell me why? What are the advantages or disadvantages of one over the other. 280 has less recoil but the 7PRC sends a heavier/longer bullet faster? Let’s hear it.

Full disclosure: I currently own a 280 Ackley and I love it but it is heavy. It’s not a gun I want to pack around a lot. Do I want another 280 only not as heavy or do I want a 7prc?

Thanks.

If you already have a 280AI, a new, lighter version is the easy button. If I had the money, I would get a Weatherby Backcountry 2.0 in 280AI.

The 7 BC in a short barrel is the only 7mm that I would even consider moving to.

 

[180ls1]

Consistency kills, build a light weight twin of your current 280.

 

[BlackGreyhounds]

I vote for 280 AI as a much better "do everything" caliber than 7 PRC which is more in the MAGNUM large game caliber. FWIW, I have a Cooper of Montana M52 in 280 AI and it is damn-near a perfect rifle. If I had to keep only one rifle (God forbid), that would be it. No questions asked.

 

[rcook10]

I cannot imagine a world where I ever need more ass than a 160gr Accubond, partition, or eldx, at 3k out of my 8 pound scoped, suppressed kimber montana 280ai. Ackleys are cool as **** and still very relevant. Do it, you won’t regret it.

 

[Steel52]

I've been debating the same my self and am settling in on a 280 Ackley. I am not going to shoot at an animal past 400ish yards . So I can do that just fine with less recoil and similar ballistics .

 

[LightFoot]

+1 for the 280AI

I’m waiting on mine to come back from the smith.
Defiance Anti-X, Pure Precision Altitude Stock, 22” Fluted Barrel, maven RS1.2… hopefully taking it for Mountain Goat in 2026.

The lower recoil and extra cartridge in the mag do it for me… but I also have a 7PRC, too.


>>>——JAKE——>

 

[Babarkidd]

Build a light weight twin of your current 280.