choosing the right 7mm variant this time around

[JGRIFLEWORKS]

I had a custom 7prc built back in early 23 after it was released due to the fact at the "time" I didn't know how to reload, and I wanted to hit the easy button. Transition to Present day I'm completed set up to reload proficiently. A buddy of mine reached out wanting to purchase my 7prc so without hesitation I ordered another 7mm barrel. However, I'm not sure on which direction to go. The sole purpose of said rifle will be to hunt with mainly sitting in a deer stand but with the full intentions on it being a Colorado gun or a taking down nilgai if need be. I am stacked up on 175 elite hunters cci br2, and g15ms, what variant would you choose? I'm not one to chase velocity however a 3000-fps gun is what I was hoping for, and I've been looking at the following variants:
7ss and or max
7x300 norma
28 Nosler
thanks in advance for any positive feedback

 

[FuhQ]

I had a custom 7prc built back in early 23 after it was released due to the fact at the "time" I didn't know how to reload, and I wanted to hit the easy button. Transition to Present day I'm completed set up to reload proficiently. A buddy of mine reached out wanting to purchase my 7prc so without hesitation I ordered another 7mm barrel. However, I'm not sure on which direction to go. The sole purpose of said rifle will be to hunt with mainly sitting in a deer stand but with the full intentions on it being a Colorado gun or a taking down nilgai if need be. I am stacked up on 175 elite hunters cci br2, and g15ms, what variant would you choose? I'm not one to chase velocity however a 3000-fps gun is what I was hoping for, and I've been looking at the following variants:
7ss and or max
7x300 norma
28 Nosler
thanks in advance for any positive feedback

The 7 PRC or 7mm RemMag is what you seek…

 

[XLR308]

I had a custom 7prc built back in early 23 after it was released due to the fact at the "time" I didn't know how to reload, and I wanted to hit the easy button. Transition to Present day I'm completed set up to reload proficiently. A buddy of mine reached out wanting to purchase my 7prc so without hesitation I ordered another 7mm barrel. However, I'm not sure on which direction to go. The sole purpose of said rifle will be to hunt with mainly sitting in a deer stand but with the full intentions on it being a Colorado gun or a taking down nilgai if need be. I am stacked up on 175 elite hunters cci br2, and g15ms, what variant would you choose? I'm not one to chase velocity however a 3000-fps gun is what I was hoping for, and I've been looking at the following variants:
7ss and or max
7x300 norma
28 Nosler
thanks in advance for any positive feedback

Most of the magnum 7mm would do you well for the intended purpose you stated with one exception the Nilgai.
Shooting Nilgai with most rounds lesser than one of the magnum 30's or bigger might be akin to attacking Mike Tyson with a rolled up newspaper.
They are notorious for soaking up rifle rounds and running out of sight.
I'm sure you could do it with a 7mm magnum variety but just my two cents and if you do have a shot be ready to quickly put more rounds into it.

 

[Long Range 338]

7 PRC with a custom throat for your choice of bullet will suit you well. 7-300 PRC if you’re dying to burn barrels fast, but the 28 Nosler is just too overbore and doesn’t allow for proper bullet seating.

 

[BJames]

Most of the magnum 7mm would do you well for the intended purpose you stated with one exception the Nilgai.
Shooting Nilgai with most rounds lesser than one of the magnum 30's or bigger might be akin to attacking Mike Tyson with a rolled up newspaper.
They are notorious for soaking up rifle rounds and running out of sight.
I'm sure you could do it with a 7mm magnum variety but just my two cents and if you do have a shot be ready to quickly put more rounds into it.

Didn’t one of those rokslide dude’s just kill a couple Nilgai with their new 6UM? Full disclosure, I have no idea what it takes to kill those funky looking things other than put holes where they need to be.

OP, Why not another 7 prc? Overbore cartridges like those aren’t going to have much barrel life. We’ve all been down rabbit holes figuring this stuff out, lots of range time, groups shot, frustration, etc… Unless you just want one of those and to build a new rifle, then fuck it and send it!

 

[FuhQ]

Most of the magnum 7mm would do you well for the intended purpose you stated with one exception the Nilgai.
Shooting Nilgai with most rounds lesser than one of the magnum 30's or bigger might be akin to attacking Mike Tyson with a rolled up newspaper.
They are notorious for soaking up rifle rounds and running out of sight.
I'm sure you could do it with a 7mm magnum variety but just my two cents and if you do have a shot be ready to quickly put more rounds into it.

I highly doubt that .024" of bullet diameter will really be that big of a difference between the 7 PRC and .300 PRC...

However, if he stepped his game up to the Berger 195 Elite Hunters in the 7 PRC, then he'd be much closer to the .300 PRC performance without having to change anything he currently has, other then bullets.

 

[Kickin45]

7PRC + freebore

 

[MK20]

Most of the magnum 7mm would do you well for the intended purpose you stated with one exception the Nilgai.
Shooting Nilgai with most rounds lesser than one of the magnum 30's or bigger might be akin to attacking Mike Tyson with a rolled up newspaper.
They are notorious for soaking up rifle rounds and running out of sight.
I'm sure you could do it with a 7mm magnum variety but just my two cents and if you do have a shot be ready to quickly put more rounds into it.

The ability of an animal to "soak up rounds" is more properly called, "an inability of the shooter to transect the vitals with a shot"

This is also known as being a shitty shot.

 

[surgeon260]

7mm bore is one of my favorites. I went through the 28 Nosler phase. It's a monster 7mm that will easily push those 175 Bergers at 3200+. I was even pushing 195 Bergers at close to 3200 with ease, although my barrel preferred 180s so that is what I fed her. SAAMI freebore is easily overcome by any competent smith. Great brass is readily available. It's an awesome cartridge, and in my opinion it is probably the maximum practical case capacity for the 7mm bore. Suppressed 28 Nosler will put a big smile on your face. The ballistics are truly staggering with a heavy Berger.

That said, it is a pretty extreme cartridge from a barrel wear standpoint. I was constantly chasing the lands, and I ultimately pulled the barrel after about 700 rounds. As fun as the Nosler is, the barrel wear made it one and done for me.

7-300 Norma is only slightly more case capacity than a 28 Nosler. Improving it will get you a bigger bump. I would avoid this cartridge for two reasons: One, optimizing for the Lapua boltface will lead you to a 1-1/8" tenon action/barrel, which is going to make for a heavy hunting rifle. Two, this cartridge REALLY needs RL33 to take advantage of that capacity, and that powder is the unicorn of all unicorns.

I now shoot a 7 Rem Mag throated for 180 Bergers. I can push them 2950-3000 with ease. ADG brass is outstanding and readily available. It's a much more user friendly magnum, and not having to constantly stress about heating up the barrel makes it more enjoyable. It's pretty much a ballistic twin to the PRC, so old school or new school, pick your poison. You mentioned Colorado - I live and hunt in CO, and in my opinion the PRC/RM class is pretty much the sweet spot.

 

[Potsy]

Rem Mag or PRC.

Just me, but I’d load a bullet of heavier construction (Partitions or TTSX’s) for exits through Nilgai shoulders and party on.

 

[XLR308]

The ability of an animal to "soak up rounds" is more properly called, "an inability of the shooter to transect the vitals with a shot"

This is also known as being a shitty shot.

Have you ever shot one ?
The large bull Schimitar Oryx I shot was close to 500 pounds the first shot was a little over 100 yards the 200 grain Accubond from a 300wm at 2860 fps broke both shoulders and blew a hole through the heart big enough to pretty much slide you hand through.
It emmiediatly took off running, when it made it to the brush line now at 230-240 yards it turned around to see if anything was still following it and I put the second round through the neck breaking it's spine.
Nilgai bulls can weigh up to a bit less than double that of my Oryx and the hide is about 1" thick at the shoulders and seals up when shot and doesn't bleed much externally.
Your comment was kinda funny but uninforrmed, searching for an animal in south Texas brush isn't easy. It's dense and everything has thorns on it ( Cat claw and mesquite trees and the various varieties of cactus )
Getting a large animal out of that brush wouldn't be particularly easy or pleasent even broken down into quarters.

 

[JGRIFLEWORKS]

I don't want to get off the wagon wheel to much here, worst case scenario I take my 338 lapua and there's no conversation about where the animals going. With that being said yes, my gunsmith as a reamer that allows more free bore to run the heavy's if I wanted to go the Nosler route. and I'm not opposed to going back with a 7 prc but I had a lot of inconsistencies with it and partially I think that was due to the fact I opted for a preferred barrel. Instead of running a Bartlein like I normally do.

 

[MK20]

Well, if you broke both shoulders and put a hole in the heart then it is obvious, by your own admission, that a bigger caliber wouldn't have helped. It still would have run.

If you want a DRT you will need to use HE.

Once again, if you transect vitals, the animal will die.

 

[Taylorbok]

7 PRC should get you really close to 3k fps with 175's

If you want more I'd go 7-300 PRC or 7-300NM. I have a bad taste from 28 Nosler. I've heard of good ones but the only one I've played with doesn't make the speed it should

 

[XLR308]

Well, if you broke both shoulders and put a hole in the heart then it is obvious, by your own admission, that a bigger caliber wouldn't have helped. It still would have run.

If you want a DRT you will need to use HE.

Once again, if you transect vitals, the animal will die.

No doubt it would have died from the first shot but it would have been a real pain in the ass if it would have been able to make deep into the dense brush were it stopped and I shot it again.
The hide at the shoulders was about 3/4" thick with only a single entrance wound and very little to no blood to follow we found the 200 grain bonded bullet stuck under the hide on the off side.
A bigger caliber might have had enough energy and hydrostatic shock to actually put it down on the first shot or atleast have an exit wound and more blood to follow if it made it into the brush.
Looking back on it a high neck shot just behind and below the jaw line would definitely have anchored it and would do the same on a Nilgai I just wasn't expecting it to take that much energy and damage and still run off.
The picture below shows just how little blood actually came out from all that damage and was basically none on the ground to follow.

 

[Long Range 338]

No doubt it would have died from the first shot but it would have been a real pain in the ass if it would have been able to make deep into the dense brush were it stopped and I shot it again.
The hide at the shoulders was about 3/4" thick with only a single entrance wound and very little to no blood to follow we found the 200 grain bonded bullet stuck under the hide on the off side.
A bigger caliber might have had enough energy and hydrostatic shock to actually put it down on the first shot or atleast have an exit wound and more blood to follow if it made it into the brush.
Looking back on it a high neck shot just behind and below the jaw line would definitely have anchored it and would do the same on a Nilgai I just wasn't expecting it to take that much energy and damage and still run off.
The picture below shows just how little blood actually came out from all that damage and was basically none on the ground to follow.View attachment 8603204

Nice animal. It’s amazing how much some animals can soak up before going down and then in another similar situation it may go down almost immediately.

 

[Kickin45]

I just looked up Nilgai. Holy Crap that’s a muscular beast!
Looks like they should be tested for performance enhancing. Reminds me of a yoked out Kangaroo