Hey Community - going to buy another hunting rifle this fall and want something that will stretch out farther and flatter than my 30-06. Looking at a 7 PRC or 6.8 Western. All comments/advice/guidance are welcome! THX
I did the same thing, I went from 30-06 to 7PRC. Man, what a difference is drop and BC. I really like the Bergara Crest that I got, but it doesn’t have an ajustable LoP and its about an 1" too long for me.
From a ballistic standpoint, they were very close to each other to begin with. Now with the current issue of the seven PRC being somewhat neutered because of powder issues, they’re probably neck and neck.
The 6.8 Western is a short action cartridge, while the seven PRC is standard length. Some people that makes a difference for some people not.
For me the big reason for choosing the seven PRC was availability. Both in terms of factory rifles as well as Factory ammo. Right now the only 6.8 Western ammo is either made by Winchester or by some of the more Boutique custom ammo companies and they cost a ton of money. Winchester ammo just has never been reliably accurate in my experience in the past unless they’ve changed something. Also if you’re a reloader the only brass currently available is Winchester brass. Supposedly adg will be coming out with some soon but that hasn’t happened yet.
Good quality 7 PRC ammo is easier to find. Also the rifle availability is better in my opinion. Who knows, if someone big like Federal starts loading it up I might just have to pick up a 6.8 but right now I’m holding off
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Thanks Carter. This is a great point and something I was thinking about. I’ll have to check my local shops and see how readily available 6.8 Western is. They regularly have 7 PRC. So that could be the deciding factor. Any clue as to when the powder issues will be resolved?
No idea myself, but in a recent either podcast, or post on the forum, Jim said he thought it might actually be years
Carter said it perfectly! Right now with availability 7 PRC is the way to go. Don’t get me wrong 6.8 western is a good option but with only a handful of gun makers making it and one ammo choice after 4 years of being on the market I don’t know if it’s here to stay.
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It is an interesting set of conversations and reference points we all participate in providing and discussing on a daily basis. With that in mind, couple of things to consider:
- 600 yard milk jug challenge and Eric Cortina 500 yard / 5 inch circle results
- 7 PRC issues
- Availability of brass, powder, primers, etc, and ammunition costs
Seems that using a proven cartridge like the 7 Rem Mag, without all the baggage makes for a good option.
7 Rem Mag
168 Berger (600+ BC)
Powders - pick one, multiple choices
2900 FPS
1500 Foot pounds at 600 yards (seems to be the limit for 99% of shooters)
1000 Foot pounds at 900 yards (seems to exceed the limit for 99% of shooters)
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Nothing wrong with a 7 Rem Mag. Been putting meat on the table now for decades and will most likely keep on doing so. I think the initial ideas that the PRC was going to completely get rid of it were a bit overblown ( and I’ve actually felt that way from the get-go)
Depending upon what exactly you’re going to use it for, if I did go for a 7 RM, I would look at some of the newer varieties that come with the faster twist barrels, 1:8. That does give you the option of using the newer heavier, higher ballistic coefficient bullets. But if you’re looking at more standard bullets, standard ranges, then that opens up even more doors in terms of rifle availability.
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Yep. Past 400 yards everything drops, everything is pushed by the wind and the shooter has to be able to adjust, then it gets into recoil that doesn’t beat you to death getting some good range time in to be competent, next is barrel life, and reloading. Agreed, it is always fun to push the limits and try out new things, but unless you actually do something for a living, or your life depends on the outcome, the next new thing generally isn’t worth the cost. The 175s in a 7 Rem Mag are nice for downrange energy no doubt, the 168 BC with the additional velocity seems to be a good balance point for the cartridge. I looked at the rifles with the 1:8 but settled on a 1:9 in the Christensen Mesa Long Range (not the Mesa standard rifle). It shoots the 175s fine through 600, and then the groups open up with more distance. I have only shot elk 1x, so that is not my area to speak on, while whitetail is what I hunt and personally I shoot 140s 99% of the time on them. Appreciate the comments.
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I have two rifles in 6.8 Western, a Browning X-Bolt and Fierce Carbon Rival. I reload, and I’m a bit of a contrarian to hype, so I went with the 6.8. The combination of velocity and accuracy has been everything I could hope for.
A couple side notes:
- ADG brass will be available this month.
- If you reload and decide to go with a 6.8, feel free to message me and I’ll pass along any info you need in terms of load data and suggestions.
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Same. (and the reason people dont want him to get the 6.8 is the reason options are so few, ironic)
Personal opinion, but I don’t think anyone above including myself told him not to get the western. He asked for opinions and we gave our experiences and reasons.
There are reasons to choose the Western over the prc, there are reasons to choose the PRC Over the Western, and as John pointed out there are reasons to choose something completely different over both of them.
Nothing here is superior, only a matter of what’s important to the consumer/purchaser/shooter
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Thanks John. 7 rem mag is another one I’ve been thinking about. I do like a heavier grain bullet (my 30-06 loves Federal 180 gr) and recoil doesn’t bother me. 7 rem mag seems pretty widely available too.
If recoil doesn’t bother you, and you’re looking for something in a short action with a good bit of punch, consider the 300 WSM.
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I am with Carter on this one, I just built a 7 PRC and it is shooting 168 Barnes LRX at an average of 2,815. My Begara 30-06 shoot the Barnes TTSX 165 grain at 2,851. With the powder situation you will see a little bit better ballistics with the PRC, but not by much. If I was starting over I would have built a .300 WSM.
Federal Premium ELDx out of my Bergara Crest is getting 2960. Not sure what powder they’re using but its been 100ft/sec faster than the same bullet in Hornady Precision Hunter.
The only baggage associated with 7PRC is Hornady trying to claim higher velocity figures than are realistic. The case capacity is almost the same between the two, and when you consider that you’re almost certainly going to get better brass lifespan from the PRC (since it indexes on the shoulder instead of the belt), and can comfortably seat longer bullets, it doesn’t make sense to me to get a new rifle chambered in 7 rem mag over PRC.
@cchilds and @jb308, I think you nailed it. Going back to the original post, the question is what are you going to use the rifle for? The stated desire was for a hunting rifle that will reach out farther and flatter than a 30-06. So my question is how far is he thinking he wants to shoot at game and how reliably can he make those shots?
I’m as guilty as the next gun guy about going down the rabbit hole comparing cartridge ballistics. It’s fun. I also recognize, for one reason or another, we all have our favorites. We have been blessed to live in a time when there are so many great new rifles and cartridges. I have to wonder if that isn’t what is driving this trend of promoting long range hunting?
I am coming to appreciate, however, that for most of us there is a serious limit to what we should be thinking about in terms of ethical hunting ranges. Think @backfire’s milk jug challenge or Eric Cortina’s new “Ethical Hunter Challenge”. There are outliers who can make 600yd+ shots reliably. At those ranges I think cartridge choice will be more of a factor. With a slight note of jealosy, I say good for them. Maybe someday, as my skill improves, I’ll be able to do it too.
So back to the question 7 PRC or 6.8 Western? I think it may be a little like Mustang or Camaro. Heck I’d still throw in 7 RM and 270 Win. Ammo availability in your area is also a consideration, unless you handload. In the end, I’d say pick a rifle you like and choose your favorite cartridge, then practice. In the end, we each have our favorite, for what it’s worth I like the 6.8, but I doubt any game animal you shoot clean at an ethical distance will know the difference what cartridge you shot it with.
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I wouldn’t take a shot past 400-450 yds. I would like to stretch a bit at the range, but I enjoy the stalk and getting in as close as possible.
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Right on, man. I wish I had a range nearby where I could shoot long. My home range only goes to 200 yds. Living in the Bay Area, I have a drive to find public land where I can shoot. The 270 Win has always been a favorite of mine and the 6.8 is the modern updated version. You get the added velocity of the 270 WSM, but the twist rate to shoot higher BC bullets. But that’s just my favorite flavor.