7mm Rem Mag vs 6.5 Prc

Northkill said:

This is one of those "I love my rifle, so it's the best" discussions , but for kicks I'll throw in some cents. I've got a 7-LRM (similar to 7-RM). My son got a Christensen Summit Ti last year in 6.5 PRC. His is an extremely light rifle. Even with his 4-16x50 ATACR on top, its a dream to carry and shoot. (radial brake, but he's changing it out for a side baffle). While my 7-LRM isn't bad at all, it's still big blast and all that. His PRC is so much fun to shoot its about the only thing we've been using for groundhogs this summer. The thing is 1/4 MOA w/factory 147 ELD-M's and simply hits everything its pointed at. He couldn't be happier, and you know since it's a joy to shoot, he's doing all this long-range varmint shots throughout the year and he'll be confidant and deadly with it come big game. He's got all this experience to run on. In the end, that's what's going to count for you. Get a gun you love to shoot, shoot it a lot, and you'll be successful. If you use the right bullets for the job... Go for what you want.

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And to follow-up on my previous post, I'll clarify that with having both options available, I'll take my 7-LRM if going for elk. Like the majority of posters are saying, it's going to cover more variables pushing a 180 or 195 gr bullet. Having said that, I'd be happy with the PRC if that's what I had. Load some Barnes or Hammers, and it'll punch hard out to 600 yd or so. You must know your hunting conditions and the majority of your target game. Everybody has a story to "prove" why their gun is better, but there's a lot of background information that is generally missing in "story to make a point" postings. Distance, bullet type, shooter ability, and the simple fact that not every animal shot the same reacts the same way.

The 300 WM is hard to beat for an all-around game-taker. Again, lots of variables such as stock design, gun weight, etc that factor into shootability and portability. Is it accurate if shooter does the part, or is it needing updated anyway? Maybe another (lighter) rifle is right for you. Or go ahead take up the generous offer by Feenix and try a brake on your good ole 300. I'm sure you'll be amazed how a good brake will tame the beast. But you know how it is, sometimes the itch for a new gun just needs scratched.

Ranger Rick said:

FEENIX, I've read several of your posts, and you're a great contributor. I'd enjoy meeting you some day. RR from Boise (a town that's been ruined by growth & liberals without any real-world experience).

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Thank you Sir for the kind words. The feeling is mutual.

Sadly, you are correct about the evils of liberalism.

Cheers!

I have a 7mm mag its nice its mild like a 30-06.
I will be posting my sons MKV 300wby 26in which will be a better elk gun with bullet weights having the advantage over the 7mm just my opinion.
I get 2 whitetail bucks every year with my Montana 300wby would not hesitate to hunt Elk or bear with it loaded with Nosler partitions.

By page 8 we have covered most calibers from 257 through 308.

Not bad for a "pick one" between 6.5mm and 7mm.

sixfivefanboy said:

I agree, but sometimes in the heat of the moment on the mountain staring down a 6x6 elk it is easy to forget to throw plugs in.

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Agree.

Thanks for all the great information on this question. I have also been wrestling with the PRC, 7mm Mag or even the good ole .270 debate.

So was I so I bought a 280 AI. Grin

speedengineer said:

When I purchased rifle recently I too was trying to decided between 7mm rem mag and 6.5 PRC. I ended up going with the 6.5 PRC.

You mentioned the ability of the 7mm to shoot heavier bullets. This is true, but only kind of. Most of the 7mm factory rifles don't come with enough twist rate to stabilize the really heavy long-for-caliber bullets. Most of the 6.5 PRC factory offerings have 8 twist, or even 7 twist as my Browning does.

Just picking Berger for example, 8 twist 6.5 PRC can shoot 156gn EOL. But a 9.5 twist 7mm can't shoot the 195 EOL per per Berger's twist recommendation. It can shoot their 175gn though. The 156 has a slightly higher BC, and the 6.5 PRC will shoot it slightly faster velocity than the 7mm will shoot the 175 (I think, just based on looking up load data online, 2800fps vs 2750fps).

The 6.5 with 156 Berger will actually have every so slightly better ballistic performance than 7mm RM with the 175gn.
Kinetic energy at 500 yards and 10k feet elevation would be 1920 ft-lbf for the PRC, and 1969 ft-lbf for the 7mm.

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*edited, reduced 6.5 PRC muzzle velocity with the 156 to 2800fps

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It's funny how people always tweak the data to make their prefered cartridge appear superior. Browning makes a 1:8 twist 7mm Rem Mag that will shoot the Berger 195's just fine.

I've talked with my smith about a new build and he threw in the idea of a short barreled 6.5 prc with a silencer. Says he built one for his buddy with a 16.5 inch barrel and it runs right at creedmoor speeds. Might put you on the lighter end of a 500 yard elk rifle but for mule deer I'd say no problem. If you can put it where ya need to it'll work for elk as well. Plus just be a handy little gun!

WalksLikeADeer said:

It's funny how people always tweak the data to make their prefered cartridge appear superior. Browning makes a 1:8 twist 7mm Rem Mag that will shoot the Berger 195's just fine.

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I do [ever so slightly] prefer the 6.5 PRC to 7mmRM, but I certainly didn't tweak the data to make it appear superior. I don't believe Browning does make a 7mm Rem Mag in an 8 twist. They had some rifles in 7mmRM showing 8 and some 9.5 on their website back in December (and still today it appears). Back then, I called Browning directly to inquire why some models weren't available in the 8 twist, and they said actually none of them were. I suppose it is possible they are now manufacturing some models in 8 twist, but that would be news to me.

Regardless, the OP might not want a Browning - and I am certain that you would agree - "most" factory 7mmRM rifles don't come with a twist rate fast enough to shoot the heaviest bullet offerings, but "most" factory rifles in 6.5 PRC do.

It's also funny how people always get defensive when another voices support for a cartridge different from what they personally prefer. I'd wager that you own a 7mm Remington Magnum?
No worries, they are both excellent cartridges, and the OP would be well served by either.

MontanaOutdoorsman406 said:

I'm thinking about purchasing one of these calibers for deer/elk at a max of about 500 yards and wanted to know what people thought about the merits of each caliber and obviously 7mm has alot more factory options and can load a heavier bullet but is the extra recoil worth it at the end of the day when it comes to performance on game and before peoe say anything about a 300 i have had one and cant shoot one as consistently as I'd like do to recoil.

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When in doubt which cartridge, consider applying the Two Dot Qualification. Would you be able to find ammo in Two Dot, Montana?????? Been there......there ain't no Cabelas, Sportsman's Warehouse, Scheels, or Academy Sports. The 7MMRM has a great reputation as a killing machine. Load her long, heavy for caliber; load her light to ease the pop; speed her up; slow her down; add a brake; add a can; bulk up the weight; slim her down. She's a gal you can take home to Mom. The 6.5PRC.....Dad, might take a shine to her. But, Mom's gonna quiz you, "Son, where'd you pick up that trollop???

Pro2A said:

When in doubt which cartridge, consider applying the Two Dot Qualification. Would you be able to find ammo in Two Dot, Montana?????? Been there......there ain't no Cabelas, Sportsman's Warehouse, Scheels, or Academy Sports. The 7MMRM has a great reputation as a killing machine. Load her long, heavy for caliber; load her light to ease the pop; speed her up; slow her down; add a brake; add a can; bulk up the weight; slim her down. She's a gal you can take home to Mom. The 6.5PRC.....Dad, might take a shine to her. But, Mom's gonna quiz you, "Son, where'd you pick up that trollop???

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Yeah, but the 7 mag Ammo you find in Two Dot might shoot like crap in your rifle. So it would do you no good.

I'll second what is being said about stock fit and recoil. My older .270 did not fit me and kicked much more than my current PRC despite being a fair deal heavier and having similar recoil on paper.

I do not think that there is a right or wrong answer here. Personally I would stay away from any hunting rifle that you think requires a brake. I would take manageable recoil all day over dangerous sound. I disagree with those who say that ear protection nullifies the risk to the shooter and those around him. Mistakes can be made with ear protection in a hunting situation. A competition or target shooting environment is different than a hunting environment.