7 PRC with lighter bullets?

[Periodic Table]

Hi all,

I am new to reloading and would like to know how low of a bullet weight anyone might be willing to try in a 7 prc with the standard 1 in 8 twist. The reason is this: I would like to have lighter (kicking) practice ammo and then load heavier bullets for hunting elk (like a 168 to 180 grain).

Bullets in 7mm are available in 120-140 grains, so how light of a bullet before it looses stability?

Any suggestions are welcome!

Cheers,
Andreas

 

[amassi]

You aren’t going to destabilize a light bullet with a fast twist.
If you want less recoil get a good brake (TI pro) or a muffler if you can.

silly to practice with something you aren’t going to use for negligible recoil reduction.


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[Gila]

Hand loaders are buying 7 PRC so they can eek out the performance and range advantage with heavy high BC bullets. The 7 PRC SAAMI reamer is designed and optimized for bullet weights of 175-195 gr Low Drag high BC bullets from what I can see. I believe that reamer has .233 free bore. Having said that, the Barnes LR bullet in a 150gr range might load up and shoot good. Twisting the Low Drag monos may be a good thing.

 

[Periodic Table]

Hand loaders are buying 7 PRC so they can eek out the performance and range advantage with heavy high BC bullets. The 7 PRC SAAMI reamer is designed and optimized for bullet weights of 175-195 gr Low Drag high BC bullets from what I can see. I believe that reamer has .233 free bore. Having said that, the Barnes LR bullet in a 150gr range might load up and shoot good. Twisting the Low Drag monos may be a good thing.

Thank you. So, with that much freebore, does that mean I am loosing accuracy?

 

[Periodic Table]

You aren’t going to destabilize a light bullet with a fast twist.
If you want less recoil get a good brake (TI pro) or a muffler if you can.

silly to practice with something you aren’t going to use for negligible recoil reduction.


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Thank you. I do want to use it, for both hunting and practice--just not with the hottest, heaviest loads fifty shots in a row. Reduced recoil loads are a pretty common thing.

I considered a brake, but they are VERY loud. A can is great, but buko bucks and a long wait. I will get one eventually. Cheers

 

[amassi]

Thank you. I do want to use it, for both hunting and practice--just not with the hottest, heaviest loads fifty shots in a row. Reduced recoil loads are a pretty common thing.

I considered a brake, but they are VERY loud. A can is great, but buko bucks and a long wait. I will get one eventually. Cheers

You bought the wrong rifle


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[huntnful]

There's always a potential for bad accuracy when not using a cartridge for what it's optimized for. This sounds like quite a terrible idea to me honestly. Just shoot what you're going to hunt with. "practice" with a different bullet, different drop, different wind call ect. and then switching right before hunting season, sounds like the exact opposite of what you should be doing.

 

[Periodic Table]

You bought the wrong rifle

Far from it. Still deciding.
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[Gila]

Thank you. So, with that much freebore, does that mean I am loosing accuracy?

No not at all. But you will want to pull the bullet out of the case and get somewhat close to the lands….generally 20-30 back from jam is good if possible, then do a ladder test. The magazine length is a limiting factor though in some rifles like a Tikka. Stay with a Barnes mono like the LRX, since they are quite long VLD bullets. I think a 145 gr Barnes LRX is about as short as you would want to go.

 

[amassi]

7prc isn’t the right choice if your recoil sensitive and do not use the tools available to mitigate it. Sounds like you’d really fit well with a 7-08 Remington


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[amassi]

No not at all. But you will want to pull the bullet out of the case and get somewhat close to the lands….generally 20-30 back from jam is good if possible, then do a ladder test. The magazine length is a limiting factor though in some rifles like a Tikka. Stay with a Barnes mono like the LRX, since they are quite long VLD bullets. I think a 145 gr Barnes LRX is about as short as you would want to go.

His op says he’s recoil sensitive and won’t use a brake or can. A 150 gr mono is going to be too much recoil


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[Periodic Table]

There's always a potential for bad accuracy when not using a cartridge for what it's optimized for. This sounds like quite a terrible idea to me honestly. Just shoot what you're going to hunt with. "practice" with a different bullet, different drop, different wind call ect. and then switching right before hunting season, sounds like the exact opposite of what you should be doing.

Makes sense. cheers

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

@huntnful is onto something.

Everyone has heard the old saying "Beware the man with one gun, he knows how to use it. But Bruce Lee said "I fear not the man whom practiced 10,000 kicks once, but rather the man whom practiced 1 kick 10,000 times."

What I’m saying is… I think the amount of $ you might save with a cheaper load, or the amount of recoil you could reduce with a lighter load, wouldn’t offset the advantages you gain from practicing with what you kill with.

Think if you literally practice 10,000 shots with your killing rifle and setup.

 

[Gila]

I think it is the gun and the shooter more than the cartridge. I would rather shoot three different loads in one gun than three different guns. It would get quite boring to shoot the same load in the same gun all of the time. You can’t say that a hunter can shoot the same factory ammo all of time either; because eventually you will run out and they may no longer produce those loads. I have a bunch of different loads to test. My problem is getting enough time to shoot them all.

 

[Periodic Table]

Thank you all, food for thought.

 

[EdP]

I see nothing wrong with what you are trying to do or with your cartridge choice. There is a noticeable difference in the recoil from my .30-06 using 165 gr bullets vs. 180 grain. I developed a practice load with the 165s that matches the ballistics of my 180 grain hunting load out to 500 yds . The suggestion of using a 150 gr mono is a good one in my mind, the only downside being the cost of monos. I think even with something like a 160 gr Gameking you might get enough reduction in recoil. Go too low and you won't be able to match ballistics or get used to recoil.

 

[atmat]

I get that the 7prc is a cool new round. But unless you’re taking >800 yard shots, it’s way more than you need for any game.

The reality is that you’ll shoot a lot more, enjoy it a lot more, and shoot more accurately with a lighter recoiling round. Check out the .223 and .243 threads here to see folks killing moose with these “small” rounds.

I’m a pretty big and strong dude, and I used to shoot unbraked magnums. I always felt like I handled recoil and shot them well. Now that I primarily shoot a 6mm, it’s incredible how much more I enjoy shooting and how much better I am at seeing my impact. And even my 16” 6creed has enough velocity out to like 600 yards on game.

I’d look at a different cartridge, personally.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Thank you. I do want to use it, for both hunting and practice--just not with the hottest, heaviest loads fifty shots in a row. Reduced recoil loads are a pretty common thing.

I considered a brake, but they are VERY loud. A can is great, but buko bucks and a long wait. I will get one eventually. Cheers

50 round practice sessions? Sounds like a great way to burn out a barrel in a hurry, especially on a cartridge like the 7PRC.

Your most effective recoil reduction is going to come from a well designed muzzle brake. It’s just reality if you are recoil sensitive.


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[bmart2622]

I do sometimes practice with different loads than what I will hunt with but that is due to the components I have on hand and keeping my components for my hunting cartridges available and lasting longer not due to recoil reduction

 

[brushape]

No point in practicing with a rifle with a “reduced recoil” “practice load” that doesn’t have any of the same ballistics as your hunting load


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