There was a time when American shooters weren’t very keen on rifle cartridges with “mm” of their names. The 7mm Remington Magnum helped change that angle when it was launched 64 years in the past alongside the long-lasting Remington 700 bolt motion rifle. For Large Inexperienced, the timing was excellent. Large-game hunters rapidly got here to view the mix as an ideal marriage, particularly for looking elk and mule deer in huge, open nation.
Since then, shooters have been capable of make use of quite a few 7mm cartridges, however few might problem the recognition of the 7mm Rem Magazine. That’s altering with 7mm choices that showcase advances in cartridge design. One beginner that not solely challenges, however in some ways beats the 7mm Rem Magazine, is the 7mm PRC, dropped at us by the modern minds at Hornady.
With these two cartridges, we’ve a basic old-school versus new-school matchup. Right here’s a more in-depth have a look at how they stack up towards each other and what you must know to decide on the cartridge that’s best for you.
Historical past
The 7mm Rem Magazine was largely a creation of clothes shop and firearms author Les Bowman, who experimented for a while to give you an optimum cartridge for looking elk in excessive, open nation. What he actually needed was a cartridge that might convey extra vitality than a .30-06 Springfield, with out producing terribly punishing recoil, whereas flying with the flat trajectory of the 270 Win.
He discovered an answer by necking down the .338 Win Magazine to 7mm and shortening the neck. He initially known as the cartridge the .280 Rem Magazine, however Remington modified the identify to 7mm Rem Magazine upon introduction as a result of the corporate didn’t need to kill its 280 Remington cartridge. Gross sales took off virtually instantly, and the 7mm Rem Magazine established itself as one of the crucial standard looking cartridges of the time. It has since been used to take nearly each sport animal on the planet.
The 7mm Rem Magazine stays standard right this moment in a world awash in new cartridge designs, however the newer 7mm PRC is stealing a number of the 7mm Rem Magazine’s thunder.
The 7mm PRC made fairly a splash when it was launched by Hornady simply 4 years in the past, with some calling it the “trendy magnum” of 7mm cartridges. That’s as a result of it embodies the identical trendy cartridge design rules utilized in rounds just like the 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, and 300 PRC. In some methods, it outshines all of those, and delivers extra environment friendly efficiency than the 7mm Rem. Magazine. It does so from a standard-length motion with out utilizing a belted case.
Based mostly on a shortened .375 Ruger mother or father case, the 7mm PRC makes use of lengthy, heavy-for-caliber bullets in rifles with quick charges of twist (most frequently 1:8). Consequently, it shoots flat, bucks the wind, retains velocity downrange and is inherently correct. Utilizing Hornady’s 175-gr. ELD-X bullet, the spherical stays supersonic previous 1,800 yards, and vitality doesn’t drop beneath 1,000 foot-pounds till practically 1,200 yards. That’s overkill for the whitetail woods, nevertheless it makes the cartridge a terrific alternative for Western hunters pursuing mule deer and elk at longer ranges. Additionally it is very a lot at dwelling on the African plains.
Accuracy
Rifles chambered in 7mm PRC typically produce nice accuracy — particularly when in comparison with a number of the conventional magnum cartridges. PRC stands for Precision Rifle Cartridge, and the whole household of PRC cartridges was designed from the start to supply superior accuracy at distance.
The 7mm Rem Magazine was not. It was designed to carry out nicely on sport at a time when 1.5-MOA accuracy was thought-about excellent for manufacturing unit rifles utilizing manufacturing unit ammunition. This isn’t to say that the 7mm Rem Magazine is an inaccurate cartridge. Through the years, my common 3-shot teams with most 7mm Rem Magazine rifles had been pretty shut to at least one MOA, or a bit higher with hundreds these rifles most popular — just a few weapons often did higher. This, in fact, is simply my anecdotal experiences taking pictures the cartridge, not the end-all-be-all commentary on its accuracy.
The rifles I’ve shot in 7mm PRC have seldom did not print 3/4-MOA-or-better common teams and half-inch-or-better finest teams at 100 yards (these had been 3-shot teams, once more take this as anecdotal proof).
Particular person 7mm Rem Magazine rifles are able to excellent accuracy, however based mostly on my experiences, the general accuracy benefit goes to the 7mm PRC. Out of doors Life Taking pictures Editor John Snow additionally provides the 7 PRC the nod.
“The 7mm Rem Magazine can actually shoot nicely, however you usually want to leap by a few further hoops to get nice efficiency with the highest 7mm goal bullets,” as he places it. “The 7 PRC is the straightforward button due to the inherent accuracy baked into its design.”
Recoil
You’ll typically hear that the 7mm Rem Magazine produces extra recoil than the 7mm PRC, however that’s essentially the case. Sure, the 7mm Rem Magazine can produce a punishing degree of recoil, particularly out of lighter rifles with heavier hundreds. Nevertheless, many hunters generally shoot 7mm Rem Magazine ammo loaded with lighter 140- to 160-gr. bullets, which might produce much less recoil than taking pictures the 7mm PRC’s heavier normal bullets.
These quick, mild hundreds got here in helpful at a time when hunters had been principally utilizing the holdover technique for longer pictures (earlier than laser rangefinders had been invented). A part of the 7mm Rem Magazine’s enchantment, particularly with Western hunters, was that it shot comparatively flat.
On common, the 7mm Rem Magazine produces about 22-25 ft-lbs. of recoil vitality, whereas the 7mm PRC produces common recoil vitality of roughly 25-29 ft-lbs. Nevertheless, these common numbers will be deceptive as a result of recoil vitality varies drastically relying on elements like rifle weight, bullet weight, and powder cost.
With heavy rifles, recoil with each the 7mm Rem Magazine and 7mm PRC is manageable for many shooters. Drop the rifle weight down, and recoil can turn out to be an issue for both cartridge. With seven-pound rifles, for instance, the 7mm PRC produces 33.9 ft-lbs. of recoil vitality with a 175-grain bullet, whereas the 7mm Rem Magazine generates 29.45 ft-lbs. of vitality with a 162-grain bullet.
With each cartridges, recoil is considerably increased than with short-action cartridges, nevertheless it’s lower than the recoil of most belted magnums producing true magnum velocities. In fact, recoil will be partially mitigated with the usage of good recoil pads and muzzle brakes.
Ballistics
There isn’t a query that the 7mm PRC is ballistically superior to the 7mm Rem Magazine when used with the heavier, sleeker bullets the cartridge is designed for. However is the distinction sufficient to justify selecting one over the opposite? Let’s have a look at two cartridges utilizing the identical comparatively heavy bullet weights, with all numbers calculated for an altitude of 5,000 ft and a 200-yard zero.
Hornady’s 7mm PRC Precision Hunter load launches a 175-gr. ELD-X bullet at 3,000 fps. That’s 240 fps sooner than Federal’s 7mm Rem Magazine 175-gr. Fusion load. Efficiency out to 300 yards isn’t terribly totally different. At that distance, the 7mm PRC load drops 5.99 inches, whereas the 7mm Rem Magazine load drops 7.57 inches.
Past 300 yards, nevertheless, the better velocity and better BC of the 7mm PRC load present exponential benefits. At 500 yards, the 7mm PRC runs at 2,405 fps, drops 33.49 inches and hits with 2,247 ft-lbs. of vitality. The 7mm Rem Magazine load, in distinction, runs 358 fps slower, drops 9.57 inches extra and delivers 619 fewer ft-lbs. of vitality at 500 yards. The 7mm Rem Magazine load drops beneath 1,500 ft-lbs. of vitality earlier than it reaches 600 yards. The 7mm PRC nonetheless carries 1,500 ft-lbs. of vitality past 900 yards.
The story is way the identical in the case of bucking the wind. With 175-gr. bullets, drift in a full-value, 10 mph wind for the 7mm PRC is 3.64 inches at 300 yards, 10.40 inches at 500 yards and 46.53 inches at 1,000 yards. The 7mm Rem Magazine drifts 1.62 inches extra at 300 yards, 5.11 inches extra at 500 yards and a whopping 26.28 inches extra at 1,000 yards.
7mm Rem Magazine Federal 175-gr. Fusion
| RANGE(Yards) | VELOCITY(FPS) | ENERGY(Ft-Lbs) | PATH(Inches) | DRIFT(Inches-10 mph) |
| 0 | 2760 | 2960 | -1.5 | 0.00 |
| 100 | 2609 | 2644 | 1.81 | 0.58 |
| 200 | 2461 | 2354 | 0.00 | 2.29 |
| 300 | 2319 | 2089 | -7.57 | 5.26 |
| 400 | 2180 | 1847 | -21.65 | 9.64 |
| 500 | 2047 | 1628 | -43.06 | 15.51 |
| 600 | 1919 | 1431 | -72.79 | 23.04 |
| 700 | 1796 | 1253 | -111.99 | 32.37 |
| 800 | 1679 | 1095 | -161.97 | 43.65 |
| 900 | 1568 | 955 | -224.24 | 57.04 |
| 1000 | 1464 | 833 | -300.81 | 72.81 |
7mm PRC Hornady 175-grain ELD-X
| RANGE(Yards) | VELOCITY(FPS) | ENERGY(FT-LBS) | PATH(Inches) | DRIFT(10mph-Inches) |
| (Yards) | (FPS) | (FT-LBS) | (Inches) | (Inches) |
| 0 | 3000 | 3497 | -1.5 | 0.00 |
| 100 | 2875 | 3211 | 1.35 | 0.42 |
| 200 | 2753 | 2944 | 0.00 | 1.60 |
| 300 | 2633 | 2695 | -5.99 | 3.64 |
| 400 | 2518 | 2463 | -16.99 | 6.53 |
| 500 | 2405 | 2247 | -33.49 | 10.40 |
| 600 | 2295 | 2046 | -56.00 | 15.26 |
| 700 | 2188 | 1859 | -85.08 | 21.19 |
| 800 | 2083 | 1686 | -121.63 | 28.41 |
| 900 | 1981 | 1526 | -166.03 | 36.77 |
| 1000 | 1883 | 1378 | -219.41 | 46.53 |
The clear winner on this case is the 7mm PRC, however a humorous factor occurs whenever you evaluate the 7mm Rem Magazine and 7mm PRC utilizing lighter bullets. In the event you verify the numbers for Hornady’s new 154-grain SST American Whitetail Tipped 7mm PRC load (with a G1 BC of .525) towards the ballistics of Federal’s 155-grain Terminal Ascent 7mm Rem Magazine load (with a G1 BC of .586), there’s little or no distinction in ballistic efficiency. If something, the 7mm Rem Magazine has a tiny edge, outrunning the 7mm PRC by 67 fps at 500 yards. The benefits of the 7mm PRC are actual, however they’re primarily achieved when utilizing heavier, higher-BC bullets.
Learn Subsequent: Federal 7mm Backcountry, Examined and Reviewed
Ammo Availability and Choice
The 7mm Rem Magazine simply beats the 7mm PRC by way of ammo availability just because it has been round for thus lengthy and is manufactured by so many ammo makers. Not less than 30 totally different ammo manufacturers at the moment load 7mm Rem Magazine ammo. Solely a couple of dozen load 7mm PRC ammo, however that represents a comparatively speedy rise in recognition for the reason that cartridge’s introduction in 2022.
Collectively, Federal, Remington, Hornaday, Winchester and Barnes supply 40 totally different 7mm Rem Magazine hundreds. The identical producers promote simply 14 hundreds in 7mm PRC (Winchester and sister firm Browning don’t load for 7mm PRC in any respect). Over time, I anticipate the 7mm PRC to steadily acquire floor in availability.
The 7mm Rem Magazine is a little more versatile by way of manufacturing unit ammo choices, with manufacturing unit bullet weights starting from about 120-180 grains. The 7mm Rem Magazine successfully slings lighter bullets as a result of most rifles in 7mm Rem Magazine have barrels with comparatively gradual 1:9 to 1:10 twist charges. These twist charges are usually not optimum for stabilizing a number of the longest and heaviest 7mm bullets. That is the place the 7mm PRC shines, with its normal 1:8 twist charge, and that’s mirrored in manufacturing unit ammo choices with a narrower vary of bullet weights concentrated within the 155-180 grain vary.
Premium ammo for each cartridges tends to command premium costs.
Terminal Efficiency
Hunters are nicely geared up with both the 7mm Rem Magazine or 7mmn PRC to deal with just about any sport on the planet, however there’s room to quibble even about that relying on what bullet the cartridges are loaded with. Bear in mind, “Karamojo” Bell used the .275 Rigby (renamed from the 7x57mm Mauser) to deflate tonnage of elephants, and others have used 7mm cartridges to kill a number of the most harmful animals on the planet.
At normal looking distances, animals hit with both the 7mm Rem Magazine or the 7mm PRC, with comparable bullet weights and designs, aren’t prone to discover any distinction between the 2 cartridges. At distances past 300 yards, the modern, heavier 7mm PRC bullets will influence with considerably better retained vitality. In fact, animals aren’t killed by vitality ranges alone. They succumb to terminal harm created by well-designed bullets. All different issues being equal, heavier bullets with better sectional density will typically carry out higher than lighter bullets with decrease sectional density.
Some shooters nonetheless assume that the phrase “magnum” imbues cartridges with some magically elevated killing potential, they usually don’t take into account something to be a magnum cartridge if it doesn’t have a belted case. With their earned reputations as thumpers, belted magnums just like the 7mm Rem Magazine are usually not going extinct anytime quickly, however they’ll doubtless proceed to lose floor to extra environment friendly and modernized cartridges just like the 7mm PRC. The 7mm PRC delivers true magnum efficiency with the additional advantage of higher concentricity, as a result of it headspaces off a 30-degree shoulder somewhat than a belt, and doubtlessly better ensuing accuracy.
Learn Subsequent: The Finest 7 PRC Rifles
Remaining Ideas on 7 PRC vs 7mm Rem Magazine
The sheer variety of 7mm Rem Magazine rifles in circulation ensures there will likely be ongoing demand for the cartridge for a very long time to return, as there must be. It’s, nevertheless, a 20th century design, and the 21st century 7mm PRC has it beat in a number of vital respects.
Along with providing better effectivity, wind resistance and vitality retention, the 7mm PRC can feed extra easily in some rifles than belted circumstances and produce comparatively reasonable recoil for true magnum efficiency.
Selecting which cartridge is best for you is a distinct matter. That will depend on whether or not the 7mm PRC affords you a major benefit in your particular taking pictures and looking pursuits. If you’ll by no means shoot at an animal past 300 yards, both cartridge will do the job. However for those who plan to hunt huge sport at longer distances within the open nation of the West, you’re better-served with the fashionable 7mm PRC.
