2five7
WKR
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2017
- Messages
- 679
Someone on LRO did a write up on DIY adding freebore to a 7 RM, and losing for it. It was several years ago, but worth a read for the OP.
Very interesting - thanks for sharing. Corporate greed on Hornady’s part. Makes me want to get a 6.8 Western just to spite them.
Pretty interesting.
You are basically confirming everything that I have been reading and have heard. I like Hornady products and have been using them for a long time now even before I started reloading. But putting out false information just to sell products just isn't right. Your experience of about 125 fps is in line with some of the other findings, and you're shooting a 7mag. I think i still have some Precision Hunter 162 eldx, I need to see how it compares in my Browning 24" 7mag, and see if my findings are similar to yours.All I can add is I took Hornady Precision 162 ELDX factory loads on a hunt last fall. Factory box, if I recall had them at 2950 FPS. They chrono’d consistently at a 2826 FPS velocity out of my 24” barreled 7 mag. Velocity was very disappointing. They did shoot lights out. Not bagging on them, they were very accurate. But it seemed like they got the accuracy at a whole node lower than what they were capable of…
I agree. Hornady has standardized success with factory ammo/rifles and high bc bullets. It requires a new cartridge for them to make the changes necessary for saami. When we wildcat or have reamers made, we can do whatever we want with "standard" cartridges to make them as optimized for the case and bullet we want to use as possible. Manufacturers can't do that and sell it as the same cartridge because it isn't saami, so they have to start with a new cartridge.I think the 7 Rem mag/7 PRC comparison, debate, cage death match or however you choose to discuss it is basically the exact same discussion and outcome as the 6.5 Creedmoor vs 260 Rem.
In off the shelf factory rifles shooting factory ammo the 7 PRC has the advantage, but, with equal twist and length barrels custom chambered to optimize freebore length for the bullet/s being used shooting hand loaded ammo to equal pressure they are essentially twins.
In my opinion, instead of people bashing on Hornady claiming all they're really doing is great marketing we should be applauding them for actually listening to what shooters want and creating cartridges, ammo, and components that fill those gaps. I don't recall ever reading anything where Hornady said one of their new cartridges was better than another or they're the end all be all. No, those claims don't come from Hornady, instead, they come from consumers that are butthurt about people bragging up something new and they just have to hate on it.
Also, I think it's important to keep in mind the majority of people out there in the shooting sports world are shooting off the shelf factory rifles with off the shelf factory ammo not custom chambered rifles with optimized hand loads and this is where Hornady has been very smart because they're bridging that gap by creating new cartridges with chamber specs more conducive to shooting heavier higher BC bullets then supporting those cartridges with ammo to match.
Lots of goldilocks out there. If you shoot much, you realize it takes a lotta horse power to make a difference. Guys argue about the virtue of one cartridge or another when they are 50 fps apart. It takes 150-200 fps before there is even a small noticeable difference in real applications.It is marketing, but also product support - it takes a big commitment to advertise, send free reamers or guns to early testers, stock shelves with ammo, brass and dies. The 7 PRC is the easy button, especially for guys that don’t handload. If Hornady pulls support for it and brass and ammo gets hard to obtain it will fall flat like so many other new “improved modern” cartridges.
A custom 7 Rem mag barrel and chamber with throat to seat bullets out long will shoot just as well as any 7PRC, and the slightly larger case should give it a velocity advantage, but there are easier options if you want a hot rod 7mm to beat the PRC, like the 28 Nosler.
Prior to the PRC, 28 Nosler, and 7 ultra mag, the 7-300 Wby and 7 STW have been around for more than 40 years and spank the 7 Rem mag pretty good. Most guys I’ve known that wanted a faster gun just had a STW reamer run into the 7 mag chamber or they bought a 28 Nosler.
I like shooting. I have shot more than 100 long range matches over the last 7 years. In competition, subtle differences in things can make the difference of the 1 or 2 points between winning and being the first loser. Experimenting is also fun.The belt on any magnum can be worked around easily by taking once fired brass and sizing it only as much as needed to chamber properly in your gun. Then it is essentially headspacing on the shoulder like non magnum bottleneck cartridges.
It's really interesting (laughable?) the excitement and twitterpation shooters exhibit when they have to be shooting the latest iteration of something that came before, because somehow shooting (not hunting) game at barrel-busting ranges is the only way to do it. Folks have bought in hook, line and sinker that planning on shooting game at 600+ yards is a necessity. It ain't.
Ammo companies are not stupid, but what does that make shooters thinking they have to buy it or their hunting season will be a bust?
And the factory guns tend to have the twist rate to match, to hand loaders it doesn't really make any difference.Seems like the PRC’s in general just make heavy-for caliber avalable for folks who shoot factory ammo.
And the newer factory rifles have more consistent chambers. If I had a 7MM Mag I would not get a PRC. I did not have any .284's so I am likeing the7mm PRC.And the factory guns tend to have the twist rate to match, to hand loaders it doesn't really make any difference.
Especially when 95% of game is killed inside of 300 yards. And for the other 5%, with all the scope dialing, folks would be killing just as many animals with their old 270s, 30-06s, 7 mags, and 300 Wins, but no one wants to hear that.The belt on any magnum can be worked around easily by taking once fired brass and sizing it only as much as needed to chamber properly in your gun. Then it is essentially headspacing on the shoulder like non magnum bottleneck cartridges.
It's really interesting (laughable?) the excitement and twitterpation shooters exhibit when they have to be shooting the latest iteration of something that came before, because somehow shooting (not hunting) game at barrel-busting ranges is the only way to do it. Folks have bought in hook, line and sinker that planning on shooting game at 600+ yards is a necessity. It ain't.
Ammo companies are not stupid, but what does that make shooters thinking they have to buy it or their hunting season will be a bust?
^^^THIS. We kill a lot of whitetails with smokeless ML and 350 legends. Every gun has a scope that dials. Everyone shoots 5k+ rounds per year. I hesitate to even disclose the distances on some shots because people think you are lying. You don't need a wizzbang caliber or one hole gun.Especially when 95% of game is killed inside of 300 yards. And for the other 5%, with all the scope dialing, folks would be killing just as many animals with their old 270s, 30-06s, 7 mags, and 300 Wins, but no one wants to hear that.