For your #3 - if modern actions are tested to 100000 psi the it is only the brass that causes heavy bolt
lift at excessive pressure. And what causes flat primers?
So next question -if it is the case - could the steel cases be made to work in other chamberings?
Why not a steel 7mm PRC case? get the 200 fps back. I guess same point as above.
Federal originally wanted to make their steel ammo available for existing cartridges and just make a high performance version of all existing cartridges.
Problem is SAAMI list max pressure for each cartridge that each rifle is designed to, so if someone put the load in an action or barrel that couldn’t take the pressure it’d blow.
That’s why they decided they have to make new cartridges with the tech instead of updating older cartridges.
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That is a good question on the primer…possibly the reason the primers are not an issue is the same, the pocket is stronger, the pocket wrapping around the primer reduces the ability of the primer to expand, along with the pocket itself expanding, and together they work. Not sure. I may also be in some of the dynamics of how powder burns forward generating energy in primarily one direction as long as the burn is uniform, etc. I would have to do some research on that one or default to the guys that do actual testing on those things. Having said all that, it is the case which allows the round to function at those pressures, nothing else, unless there is some type of special powder also. Again, just seems they took a look at the .277 steel case design and decided to come up with one of their own.
Thanks
That makes sense, but that is a legal answer on their part to the issue. Anyone that works with older vintage military arms know that certain weapons make from certain periods do not have hardened actions and they will not handle modern cartridge pressures, so you have to get the ammo surplus loaded during that period to shoot in the weapon, or load your own to acceptable pressures. So, Federal didnt want to have to go to court to defend themselves against people that don’t read before they do. I think the strategy was more along the lines of capturing the long distance hunting round market that has come along. I mean, they could have done it just like Hornady Superformance and offered it only in specific calibers, and maybe they will in the future.
Reloading Weatherby is not convinced. He makes some points comparing 7mmPRC vs 7mmBC. I guess time will tell. The one thing I think is the 7PRC action design and metallurgy was easier - basically chamber reaming to test new rifles vs. what it will take for the 7BC rifle design and testing particularly for liability reasons. Will take awhile for new rifles to come out and you will get 3 or 4 loads to choose from? Is this not the problem 6.8 suffers from?
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Yeah, I saw that video myself yesterday. There’s definitely some concern out there that either this thing is going to be completely impossible to reload, or it’s going to be so difficult to reload that no average amateur is going to want to touch it, or that even if we could do it we’re not going to get the performance since they are using a specific blend of powders not something we can get over the counter right now ourselves.
Agree, Only Time Will tell. This is definitely going to be something I’m going to watch before jumping right into
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That was a great video Jim. But seeing as how I bit the bullet in October and picked up a Bergara B-14 Crest Carbon in 7mm PRC, I am now slightly miffed. I love my new rifle. It is awesome and took 2 hogs with it in Dec. With this new cartridge, will all the manufacturers continue to support and produce the 7mm PRC, including Federal??
I would not be miffed 7PRC is not going anywhere. There is no way that 7BC is even close for years. Or just the PRC - will go fast.
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If federal is going to make their brass available to other manufacturers, I wouldn’t be suprised to see certain modern cartidges adopt it, like the 7PRC, because there is no risk on the bolt being that that they haven’t created a new bolt type for the 7BC. Or maybe Hornady makes their own steel alloy “brass” to withstand 80K.
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Neat little comparison. Small sample size and all.
Do we know if anyone is making prefits for 7 BC yet?
Proof has them listed on their website, but don’t know if they are actually available yet
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Thanks I’ll check it out
Just listened to this week’s episode of the big game hunting podcast with John
McAdams. He’s got outdoor life’s firearm editor on, and the main discussion is about modern cartridge design. However they do spend about 20 minutes talking about the 7 mm backcountry.
He says there’s still a lot of unknowns regarding reloading. Despite the fact that Federal put out the video showing a single pass through a resizing die, he says it’s going to be more likely significantly more passes than that. He also says that he started to hear about trouble when either shooting long or quick sessions of Fire where are the case gets stuck to the chamber. Also happens if it gets dirty.
He also says this is just the beginning. There are going to be new cartridges released in the very near future that are going to potentially leave the seven Backcountry in the dust.
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That last line has me curious what else is coming down the pike besides the 25 Creedmoor…hmm
I’m not aware of any new cartridges under development right now other than 25 Creedmoor which will be announced more this summer but isn’t exactly a secret.
I am not sure of the science and engineering required, but couldn’t some modern calibers adopt the cartridge technology of the 7mmBK? Like a 6.5 PRC or 7PRC…
On the podcast, the editor was saying that the military is still driving this. The 277 fury, and the 7BC are just the start. They will be looking at other cartridges but again with a more military slant. Wouldn’t be surprised to see them adopt this to a 22 sized round. Who knows what would be after that. He didn’t elaborate further
Adopting the Backcountry technology to 22 cal would be intersting. I just watched video last night featuring a former Army ordnance officer who was speculating the future plan with the M7 may be for the greater punch of the .277 Fury on body armor and the rifle’s easy interchangabilty with 7.62x51, of which he said the US has volumes in forward deployed locations.
A bit quiet regarding this round lately.
This guy seems to have assembled himself a nice rifle
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