300 wsm or 7 prc

Cclon5

WKR
Joined
Jan 30, 2023
Messages
349
Hey, looking to do a custom build soon... any pointers on pros and cons of 300 wsm or 7 prc?
Thanks
 

jk_minn

FNG
Joined
Jul 6, 2020
Messages
25
I had this same question. Decided to go WSM in a long action. Hoping to have it in a week or so.

Ballistics are marginally close - run the numbers. Did the WSM to be different. Longer barrel life. Inherently accurate. Will be shooting Berger 215s. Can’t go wrong either way.

Happy building.
 
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Matt5266

WKR
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Sep 19, 2021
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SW Idaho
No experience with the 7 but I love my 300 wsm. Shoots best groups of any rifle I own and it's all factory. It loves the 185 berger classic hunter.
 

Mattman215

Lil-Rokslider
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Mar 12, 2023
Messages
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One fits in a short action one fits in a long action. I would go short action all day over long action but I think the 7prc is a ballistically better bullet.
 

jimh406

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Feb 6, 2022
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Location
Western MT
In my area, 300 WSM is more available. 7 PRC has had some issues with factory loads lately and have been loaded very slowly. If you can find magnum primers, maybe that doesn’t matter.
 
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Oct 14, 2018
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.338 Nosler?
I like the 300 WSM given the 2 options.
I got a buddy has one it’s been a killer
 
OP
Cclon5

Cclon5

WKR
Joined
Jan 30, 2023
Messages
349
It's gonna be a main hunting rifle for everything in the northwest. I'd prefer it to be on the lighter side, and packable. Mountain packing, With the ability to make longer shots

Thanks for all the replies BTW
 

Mattman215

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 12, 2023
Messages
113
I would probably go with whatever cartridge seem the most avaible in your area. They are both great rounds.
 

grfox92

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Mar 14, 2017
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NW WY
It's gonna be a main hunting rifle for everything in the northwest. I'd prefer it to be on the lighter side, and packable. Mountain packing, With the ability to make longer shots

Thanks for all the replies BTW
You are going to hear this quite a bit on this forum and I'm not trying to steer you away from either cartridge. But, you can kill everything in north America with much less powder burnt and much less recoil.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk
 

Alessio

FNG
Joined
Sep 1, 2024
Messages
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It's gonna be a main hunting rifle for everything in the northwest. I'd prefer it to be on the lighter side, and packable. Mountain packing, With the ability to make longer shots

Thanks for all the replies BTW
I just picked up a stainless laminate 300 WSM pistol grip Browning BLR. They have take down modles that might better suit your needs.
 

Slick8

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 8, 2019
Messages
239
They're both fantastic rounds.
If you handload they're both great, if not then I'd go 7 PRC.

If you do hand load and want to shoot heavy VLD boolets, I'd go with a 300 WSM throated long to get the bullet out of the powder column and a fast twist. This would make a great combo for 215 to 230 Bergers. Don't let the lower velocity scare you. Once you get those big boys rolling they're like a fright train going down hill.

As a bonus, Lapua makes 300 WSM brass and hopefully they will soon for the 7PRC.
 
Joined
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Wyoming
Have you considered 6.5 PRC? In a lightweight rifle especially, it will be a better tool to kill everything in the lower 48. Short action, high BC bullets, less recoil, superb factory ammo, etc.
 
Joined
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Location
Oregon City
I haven't shot the PRC but can vouch for the 300WSM. It's a great round for just about anything you will encounter on the North American continent and the ammo is (fairly) available. If you are open to hand loading, the 6.8 Western is a super intriguing round that has bullets that go all of the way up to 175gr. The 6.8 is what the 270 WSM should have been. Unfortunately, it hasn't seemed to catch on the way I hoped it would.
 

Andouille

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 5, 2021
Messages
237
Location
AK
You are going to hear this quite a bit on this forum and I'm not trying to steer you away from either cartridge. But, you can kill everything in north America with much less powder burnt and much less recoil.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk
Bah, I'm in Alaska and 300 wsm is considered a "small magnum" in big brown bear country, so I'll personally not go with anything smaller that has less than 2900 ft-lbs energy regardless of Rokslide threads to the contraire.

Recoil with a 20" barrel and 2-port brake is less than my factory 30-06 shooting 180gr. So it's a non issue for shooting a box of ammo at the range, or 1-3 shots in the field. Sure, you can kill a moose with a 6mm round, but a 30 cal round at the same velocity kills it with more authority, and we're not talking about shooting tiny Prarie dogs requiring absolute precision afforded by a light recoiling rifle.

I like 300 wsm because of the efficient powder loads with a short barrel, ability to use standard primers and longer bullets, and availability of factory ammo and reloading components. 300 wsm uses about 7-8gr less powder than the same bullet in a 300 winmag with nearly equal velocities. It's "different" without being an oddball round.
 
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