7prc just slayed the 6.8 Western

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

"My money is on 7 PRC overtaking 7RM sales in rifles and eventually ammo once there are more rifles out there" - I would agree, over time, but the 7RM is the king of the 7mm crowd and has been for a long time, I have two and they are fantastic. I do believe the 7PRC is the best of the 280AI/7RM/300WM with bullets in the 175-180 range, a long distance champ in the making. However, most hunters like me, are deer hunters and really don't need 175 pills for most of our hunting work, most shots typically under 200 yards. The 7RM does really well with bullets in the 150-160 range (140s too) so you could make the argument that the PRC is too much for most deer hunters. Either way, I'm going to build one as soon as I can cobble together the components, not sure what I'll do with it but gotta have one!

I get your point, but the 6.5 creed has even mid range deer hunters covered already

 

[BarCO]

6.8 W, 7 PRC, 6.5 PRC, they are all basically the same thing. Seems to be room for all of them.

 

[GAHunterJim]

I get your point, but the 6.5 creed has even mid range deer hunters covered already

I agree, that's why I just built a 6.5 CM, a great little cartridge!

 

[GAHunterJim]

6.8 W, 7 PRC, 6.5 PRC, they are all basically the same thing. Seems to be room for all of them.

The 6.5 PRC is not in the same class, it can't launch those heavy weight bullets in the 175 range and up, that's 300 WM territory.

 

[wind gypsy]

I get your point, but the 6.5 creed has even mid range deer hunters covered already

Agree, 7 mags are overkill for deer.

As much as I like the 7s, unless they are your big gun they kind of fall in no man's land IMO other than offering awesome ballistics at less than 30 cal recoil. If you're going to use a 30 for elk i don't see much reason to deal with 7mm recoil for other game that can cleanly be taken with 6mms.

 

[Balderdash]

The 6.5 PRC is not in the same class, it can't launch those heavy weight bullets in the 175 range and up, that's 300 WM territory.

The 6.5 PRC and the 6.8 are so close in terms of projectile weight, BC and velocity that there will be almost no perceptible difference in terminal performance between the two. If one is in the market for some

The 7PRC is a step up in terms of velocity and, by extension, bullet performance, and the only thing it really shares with a 6.8W is a similar introduction date.

 

[bmart2622]

A 143 or 147 is almost the same weight as a 170 or 175 gr bullet?

 

[Lou270]

The 6.8 is about smack between the 6.5 and 7prc. 143 2900-3000. vs 165-170 2900-3000 vs 175-180 2900-3000 You can go heavier or lighter in all 3 but relationship stays same. If there is no diff between a 6.5 and 6.8 there is no diff between 6.8 and 7prc. The 6.8 adds about 100 yards on 6.5 prc in terms of energy delivered and 7 prc adds about 100 on 6.8W. Pick your energy/bullet weight preference for range and game hunted. They all work to very long range just decide how much recoil you want to suffer for game hunted. I personally prefer the 6.8W in this range as more bullet weight than 6.5 and less recoil than 7prc/300 mags and sure lot of others will too. Max power isnt everything or the 378 weatherby would be more popular than 6.5 creedmoor

Lou

 

[GAHunterJim]

For reference:
6.8 Wes / 175 gr / 2835 FPS
6.5 PRC / 147 / 2911 FPS
7mm PRC / 175 3000 FPS

 

[bow puller]

Look at how fast proof prefits, adg and peterson brass were announced among many others for the 7 prc. That tells everything you need to know regarding popularity of these cartridges.

I really like the 6.8, more or less a slightly better off the shelf 7 saum but the saum is very popular for good reason in customs. The 6.5 prc is already established so don't think the 6.8 will be around much in 10yrs.

 

[Balderdash]

A 143 or 147 is almost the same weight as a 170 or 175 gr bullet?

My point was that with a similar BC, there won't be enough difference in terminal performance/bullet travel path that it should be a deciding factor.

To substantiate my point, I'll add that I've taken a lot of game of various sizes and toughness with 180, 190, and 200 grn bullets in various 300 magnums, and I've taken a lot of the same types of game with 160's and 175's in various 7mm mags, and I can't say that I noticed much, if any, difference in efficacy or game expiration time with good shot placement and good bullet performance.

 

[bmart2622]

Frontal diameter and sectional density can make a difference too

 

[Balderdash]

The 6.8 is about smack between the 6.5 and 7prc. 143 2900-3000. vs 165-170 2900-3000 vs 175-180 2900-3000 You can go heavier or lighter in all 3 but relationship stays same. If there is no diff between a 6.5 and 6.8 there is no diff between 6.8 and 7prc. The 6.8 adds about 100 yards on 6.5 prc in terms of energy delivered and 7 prc adds about 100 on 6.8W. Pick your energy/bullet weight preference for range and game hunted. They all work to very long range just decide how much recoil you want to suffer for game hunted. I personally prefer the 6.8W in this range as more bullet weight than 6.5 and less recoil than 7prc/300 mags and sure lot of others will too. Max power isnt everything or the 378 weatherby would be more popular than 6.5 creedmoor

Lou

All else being equal in terms of BC and suitable bullet construction, I agree that a killing shot from one of the 3 cartridges in reference will, 99.9% of the time, be as good as a killing shot from any of them.

However, the 6.8 W and the 6.5 PRC have an equivalent fuel tank, both in terms of volume and geometry. The 7PRC has more volume and is a long action round. It will shoot a little flatter and, due to less time in flight, it will drop and be blown around a little less than the other 2 over a given distance.

I'm not sure how it got started as a direct comparison, but the 7PRC is in a different class of cartridge in a lot of ways. If the 7PRC was built in a 6.5 PRC or WSM or RCM or SAUM case, it'd be a different scenario.

 

[Balderdash]

Frontal diameter and sectional density can make a difference too

To a point, but, IME, you have to have a bigger difference than there is between .264 to .277 to .284 to actually see a substantial difference in tissue damage and time from hit to game expiration. If you are going up to a .338 or .358 over a .264, that's a different scenario. But, as it is, I've hunted and taken a lot of game with big bore levers, 35 Whelen's, and ML's, too, and they don't always put game down as quick as it seems the increased diameter might otherwise suggest.

Look at all the game that gets taken cleanly with .223 and .243 bullets. Put a bullet that expands through vital/CNS tissues and the job will get done.

 

[bmart2622]

A bigger hole is always better in my experience. Bottom line, the 7prc out does the 6.5 prc and 6.8 western in nearly every way

 

[Lou270]

A bigger hole is always better in my experience. Bottom line, the 7prc out does the 6.5 prc and 6.8 western in nearly every way

At the cost of longer action, more weight, and more recoil. There are plenty of rounds that outdo the 7prc in every way given same penalties

Lou

 

[bmart2622]

Are any of those rounds a 6.5 prc or 6.8 western?

 

[GAHunterJim]

Where I think the 7PRC really shines is with big game like elk at a distance. I'm not in the long range club, I like hunting more than shooting when it comes to live targets but those 175 gr pills from the 7 are just about ideal as distance increases. In as much as the 7mm RM and 300 WM have their place, I think the 7 PRC splits the difference and replaces the others. Modern case design (no belt, improved shoulder, less taper in case), similar velocity to the WM and higher BC bullets for the 7. Gives me the advantage of the WM without the increased recoil and improved results.

 

[bmart2622]

^^^^This guy gets it

 

[Balderdash]

At the cost of longer action, more weight, and more recoil. There are plenty of rounds that outdo the 7prc in every way given same penalties

Lou

The ancillary differences in terms of action length, weight, recoil, etc weren't the basis for comparison, which had been centered around terminal performance and bullet flight path.

Of course you get more of all of the negatives and the positives with a 7PRC over the other 2; it's a bigger fuel tank, which makes it a different class of cartridge.