Short Barrel Suppressed 7s for Elk

[Bleeb]

I do handload. But I also like have good factory ammo available.

I chronied and trued Hornady Precision Hunter 175gr ELD-Xs at 2910fps (156' in elevation - in the Northeast) out of my lefty 110 Ultralite with a 22" Proof Research barrel (non suppressed and no muzzle brake). After getting rid of the little bit of reamer chatter first.

I got 2875 fps average with the same ELD-X pushed by 71.2gr Staball HD & Fed 215s in once-fired brass. I ran it up to 71.5gr and over 2900fps without pressure signs. I'm sure if I had more time than one week I could have worked up a load with more velocity using H1000, N565 or RL-26, and with Nosler ABLRs or Hammers.

Nonetheless, out west in the environmental conditions of the Colorado Rockies, my ballistics for the factory rounds resulted in 2000fps out to 800 yards, my minimum for proper bullet performance on elk. I would expect a maximum of 50fps slower from a 20" suppressed.

I like the 7mm PRC. The case design is efficient for the almost ballistic perfection of the heavy 7mm projectiles.

 

[SloppyJ]

A 22" 280ai would fit the bill nicely IMO. It's going to be hard IMO to get the proper length you need out of a Tikka to load a 7PRC where it needs to be without cutting into your case capacity. However, the 280ai would be perfect. My loads are roughly 3.36 or so (have to triple check) with a 160gr partition and that's obtainable with the Tikka action. You'd want something with a little better BC for longer range shooting but I think you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't strongly consider it.

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

180 VLDH at 2800 with 65 grains of RL26, that's with an 18" barrel.
That 180 Berger vldh is probably the most ruthless bullet Berger makes!

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

175 grain ELDX out of my 7SAUM Tikka has been way too much fun. There are several vendors who will load them up for you if you don’t make your own.

 

[BULLBLASTER]

A 22" 280ai would fit the bill nicely IMO. It's going to be hard IMO to get the proper length you need out of a Tikka to load a 7PRC where it needs to be without cutting into your case capacity. However, the 280ai would be perfect. My loads are roughly 3.36 or so (have to triple check) with a 160gr partition and that's obtainable with the Tikka action. You'd want something with a little better BC for longer range shooting but I think you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't strongly consider it.

The 280 ai has a longer case length than the 7 prc does.

 

[SloppyJ]

The 280 ai has a longer case length than the 7 prc does.

I thought people were setting them out longer? I think I confused myself when I was looking at 300prc in a Tikka at the same time because that won't work for sure.

 

[gabenzeke]

UM is building a medium length vesper and chambering them in 7 prc. Tikkas should be just fine.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[hereinaz]

180 VLDH at 2800 with 65 grains of RL26, that's with an 18" barrel.
That 180 Berger vldh is probably the most ruthless bullet Berger makes!

The deer, elk and caribou shot with my rifle and 180 VLD would agree!

 

[z987k]

On a tikka action, I think it's really hard to beat a 7saum. With the same 180 class of bullet, limited to action/magazine lengths, I'd bet the saum might have an edge over the prc because of how long you can seat that bullet. But you're in a semi-custom gun at this point.

For a factory gun ready to go, that x-bolt SR in 7prc looks perfect.

 

[tak]

I sold my 280AI and built a 7prc. Defiance with 20" proof.
Bottom line was that the 20" 7prc could do everything the ackley could do, but with a 20" barrel AND factory ammo. My ackley had a 25" bartlein.

Also, I found the numbers you see online for 7 saum and 280AI are much harder to achieve than people make it seem.

 

[Formidilosus]

On a tikka action, I think it's really hard to beat a 7saum. With the same 180 class of bullet, limited to action/magazine lengths, I'd bet the saum might have an edge over the prc because of how long you can seat that bullet. But you're in a semi-custom gun at this point.

For a factory gun ready to go, that x-bolt SR in 7prc looks perfect.

Wherever this idea that the 7PRC is somehow handicapped in a Tikka needs to die. It is patently untrue. The 7PRC is spec’d to work correctly at 3.34” coal- exactly what a Tikka is.

 

[prcwv]

Savage Apex Hunter 18inch barrel YHM Resonator R2 155 Federal Terminal Ascent......I'm doing load development but wanted to see how Federal compared to Hornady factory an didn't disappoint. 180 eldm were 2975 advertised with 24 got 2810 with 22 inch barrel. Cut to 18 got 2680. Idk what feds would have been but they'd been smoking....box advertise 3100.....100 fps lost for 6 inches off of 24 inch test barrel yeah if you don't reload buy Federal

 

[tak]

Savage Apex Hunter 18inch barrel YHM Resonator R2 155 Federal Terminal Ascent......I'm doing load development but wanted to see how Federal compared to Hornady factory an didn't disappoint. 180 eldm were 2975 advertised with 24 got 2810 with 22 inch barrel. Cut to 18 got 2680. Idk what feds would have been but they'd been smoking....box advertise 3100.....100 fps lost for 6 inches off of 24 inch test barrel yeah if you don't reload buy Federal
View attachment 683859

what kinds of groups are you getting?
They didn't group as well as others for me. I really like TA projectiles, though. I did get right at 3000 from a 20" proof.

 

[prcwv]

what kinds of groups are you getting?
They didn't group as well as others for me. I really like TA projectiles, though. I did get right at 3000 from a 20" proof.

This was the 155 terminal ascents. I'm playing with seating depth with 162 eldms right now. Narrowed down to 4 powders getting speed I like now trying to see how tight I can get em. Gonna try .40 off went up to .15 an didn't like it. They did ok at .30 about an inch but I wasn't settled on my charge weight at that point. I noticed some of the tips on the federals were messed up I think that's where flyer came from.

 

[tak]

View attachment 686070
This was the 155 terminal ascents. I'm playing with seating depth with 162 eldms right now. Narrowed down to 4 powders getting speed I like now trying to see how tight I can get em. Gonna try .40 off went up to .15 an didn't like it. They did ok at .30 about an inch but I wasn't settled on my charge weight at that point. I noticed some of the tips on the federals were messed up I think that's where flyer came from.

Thanks!
Good luck with the 162s, I used those in a 280 Ackley, so I always thought they'd be great in a shorty 7prc.

 

[prcwv]

So far I haven't gotten accuracy out of the ELDMs that I'd hoped. I've tried .15 .20 .30 .40 an .50 off lands an they are ok but not tight as I'd like. Have some ELDX may try. May back N560 down a hair see what it does. Hate buying up powder an primers with the expense of stuff now days. Hornadys OAL is way short on these for some reason. The Federal Terminal Ascents did pretty good an they were .90 idk frustrating an impatient lol. Gotta clean all my new brass then try again.

 

[padenlac]

Image is speeds from a ladder with 66gr-70gr of Reloder 26 and 180 ELDM out a 7 PRC +p with 20in barrel. 70gr was about max pressure.

 

[prcwv]

Nice. 69 seemed to be enough for mine bolt lift seemed ok but didn't want to come out of chamber too easy