Handloading 7mm PRC

Bleeb

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Sep 8, 2025
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Does anyone here shoot a 7mm PRC? If so, hopefully some of these handload combos will be of use.

Two years ago I bought a lefty Savage UL 7PRC in a pinch to go elk hunting, after I sold my 340 Weatherby prematurely. A buyer just had to have it now, so....

I only had a couple of weeks with it to get familiar with it before the season, so I used the factory Hornady PH 175 ELD-X cartridges, which shot really well out of the 22" Proof Research barrel. I took a nice 7x7 bull elk at quite a distance, but the ELD-X disintegrated at the lower terminal velocity.

So last year I ran a load with the 175gr Nosler ABLR pushed by 69.4gr N565 at 2920fps. Very accurate and a better projectile IMHO. I shot Noslers exclusively out of the 340 Weatherby. Unfortunately, elk and I did not cross paths.

This year I switched to copper solids, specifically the Patriot Valley Arms Cayuga 151gr. The G7 BC of these are insane, at 0.310, which I have confirmed out to 750 yards (I have my own range). I haven't decided upon whether I like the 68.5gr. H4831sc load, or the 69.2gr Norma MRP load. Both loads are HOT, very accurate, and are flying at ~3150fps. I caution anyone to work up to loads with these volumes of powder. I use Peterson brass, and my latest loads use CCI 250 primers.

400 yard manhole target with H4831sc load:
View attachment 28

Interested to hear from any 7PRC shooters here.
 
Your move to the copper solids is wise for elk. Have you played with Retumbo powder? It might give you a hair more velocity with that heavy copper without spiking your case pressure as much as the others
 
When I stepped down from the 340 Weatherby to the 7PRC, I thought it wise to have some punch.

Since i wasn't getting a complete burn with either MRP or H4831, I have worked up a compressed load with RL25, which is giving me 3150fps with the 151gr Cayuga. I don't have any Retumbo, and I think it would work better with a heavier copper solid.
 

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