7mm PRC Ballistics – Velocity, Energy & Trajectory Data

My PH (Professional Hunter) and I were glassing across a long valley filled with camel thorn and acacia to the open hillsides opposite our vantage point when we spotted the Mountain Reedbuck. An excellent buck by the looks of it, but at 900 yards we elected to close the distance, despite the Christensen 7mm PRC in my hands. Hunting the Eastern Cape of South Africa can be challenging. Flat open plains and wide valleys that can prove difficult for hunters equipped with any rifle or caliber.

We were able to drop into the valley ahead and come up a hillside below and opposite the reedbuck getting to within about 320 yards. The single shot was uphill but from a solid rest of a rocky outcropping and the Mountain Reedbuck was mine.

Yes, 7mm PRC ammo is more than capable of that initial 900-yard shot. But for me, the better and more ethical choice was to close the distance on a target no larger than a Coues Whitetail deer.

7mm Ballistic Charts

Velocity

Energy

Trajectory

7mm PRC Origins

The 7mm PRC is the most recent of three PRC cartridges to be designed by Hornady. The 7mm PRC was introduced in 2022 and is designed to fire long, heavy bullets in a standard long action. Often touted as the cartridge to fill the gap between the 6.5 PRC and the .300 PRC as a perfect mid-sized, can-do everything round from hunting to long range competition.

Let’s look at a few differences between the 7mm PRC and the 7mm Remington Magnum only because the two are so routinely compared.

7mm PRC vs 7mm Rem Mag

While the 7mm PRC is similar to a 7mm Rem Mag, it is better suited to shoot heavy bullets with higher ballistic coefficients (BC). The 7mm PRC is SAMMI rated at a twist rate 1:8. Compare this to the 7mm Rem Mag’s normal 9-inch twist rate. On this basis alone the 7mm PRC will develop higher muzzle velocity. Additionally, the cartridge has no belt. Reloaders know that feature to cause re sizing problems of the 7mm Rem Mag on occasion. Perhaps the best way to think about this round is as a modernized version of the time proven 7mm Rem Mag.

Essentially, Hornady took the .300 PRC case (originating from the .375 Ruger case) and necked it down to .284 (7mm). This allows a smaller-diameter bullet to be fired from a case with the same base size. What does all this mean? In short, a similar amount of room for powder as was in the original case, but because you’re shooting a smaller projectile, you end up with higher bullet velocity. The 7mm PRC retains those velocities and therefore higher energy with VLD (very low drag) bullets that are both heavy and long.

In a nutshell, the 7mm PRC is ideal for hunting at longer-than-average ranges because of its high ballistic coefficient. The projectile has higher velocities and more down range energy than what you will find in most cartridges of the same caliber.

7mm PRC Specs

• Bullet Diameter: .284 in. (7mm)
• Case Length: 2.280 in. (standard long action)
• Case Overall Length: 3.340 in.
• Case Head: .532 in. (uses standard .540 in. magnum bolt face)
• Shoulder Angle: 30 deg.
• Twist: 1:8
• Velocity at Muzzle: 3000 fps, 24-inch barrel (Hornady Precision Hunter 175gr ELD-X)
• Energy at Muzzle: 3497 FT/LB, 24-inch barrel (Hornady Precision Hunter 175gr ELD-X)
• SAAMI Max Pressure: 65,000 psi

Taking a look at Hornady’s ballistic tables for 7mm PRC and 7 MM Rem Mag you’ll find the biggest difference in down range velocity and energy in favor of the 7mm PRC. This is in part due to the higher powder capacity of the PRC case and the heavier bullet it is pushing to achieve that down range energy.

Range time with the 7mm PRC

The rifle in my hands is the Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT, 7mm PRC featuring a Christensen 416R stainless 22-inch barrel with carbon-fiber wrap, threaded muzzle, side-baffle brake, with 1:8 twist.

As alluded to in the beginning of this article, I gave the Ridgeline FFT an extended tryout for plains game in the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape of South Africa in July/August of 2024.

With no plans for my hunting excursion to include game larger than Wildebeest or Kudu, I elected to test Hornady’s two primary hunting loads for the 7mm PRC. First the 160gr CX in the Hornady Outfitter line of ammo. Secondly the 175gr ELD-X in the Hornady Hunter Precision line. Hornady lists muzzle velocity at 3000ft/sec for both loads.

While both performed wonderfully grouping in the sub-1MOA range, the most consistently accurate load as of this writing has proved to be the Hornady 175gr ELD-X bullet, especially at 200 yards where I fired numerous three-shot groups that were sub-MOA (under 2 inches at 200 yards).

7mm PRC Recoil

Felt recoil experienced with the 7mm PRC cartridge in the Christensen Ridgeline was minimal despite being so lightweight and because this rifle comes standard with a removable stainless steel side-baffle muzzle brake. I would estimate recoil with this rifle in 7mm PRC (with muzzle brake) to be in the same class as, say, the .270 Winchester.

7mm PRC Hunting Results

All in all, I took 12 head of African plains game with the Christensen Arms 7mm PRC ranging from 50 yards to 320 yards. The Largest of these, Black Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest, and Kudu ranged from 200 to 310 yards. Each fell with a single shot. I also took two tiny antelope, a Grey Duiker, and a Steenbok with single shots out to 225 yards with the 7mm PRC.

No shots were taken beyond the distances mentioned. This is mostly because no viable opportunities presented themselves, save that 900-yard option on Mountain Reedbuck that I elected not to take.

I could go on and discuss the differences between the 7mm PRC, the 28 Nosler, and the 6.8 Western. Each which are often compared to one another. All have their pluses and minuses and without any doubt are deadly in the hunting field when the person pulling the trigger is doing their job.

7mm PRC Final Thoughts

Many will question the need for yet another 7mm style cartridge. Is it necessary? Probably not. However new developments and technologies in bullet design along with case re-engineering often beg for new cartridge development. Besides, it keeps the shooting and hunting industry on its toes and driving forward.

I put the 7mm PRC to the test on the plains of Africa and took a broad spectrum of game with it. The rifle and the cartridge performed wonderfully. It falls perfectly between the 6.5 PRC and the 300 PRC. (We’ll discuss these cartridges soon.) The 7mm PRC gives the hunting community of today a worthy option for a modern-day cartridge and long-range shooting.