The load is the Hornady Outfitter with the monolithic CX bullet. It's actually kind of heavy for a .284 copper bullet. It is sub MOA in this rifle. The recoil must be somewhat less than the 175/180 gr loads but, not so much that I notice it.
The rifle is a Colt Light Rifle that Outkast Arms gave the NULA treatment. The Colt Light Rifle was based on the NULA 28 which was a medium magnum action. Basically, the only things original are the action, recoil lug, and bolt, though they replace the firing pin spring. New mag box, spring and follower, Timney trigger that locks the bolt on safe, NULA style stock, Douglas stainless barrel, the donor was a .270 so they opened the boltface, drilled and tapped for 8-40 scope base screws, and bent the bolt handle to clear the ocular on a low mounted scope with a big Euro ocular. You don't have to do all that but I did. Bare rifle weighs 5.98 lbs. As you see it in the picture - scoped, slung and fully loaded it's 7.56 lbs. That's with a 24" #2 contour barrel.
The main compromises are that it holds two in the mag not three, and the OAL in the mag is short for a long action at 3.34".
My main worries were close range terminal performance - I'm used to 180 gr round-nosed Corelokts from an 18 1/2" barreled .30-06 - much slower and right where you want a cup and core at close range. The CX laid those concerns to rest. And also, the more barrel heavy balance. The shot was not a see/hear him at 30 yds when he's already banging-through-gears-for-the-next-county quick but, it was quick enough for any issues to be apparent. It was all magic. The rifle disappears, you look where you want the bullet to go and there's the reticle. FAST. The reticle felt more planted and glued than I'm used to but, otherwise just as quick. I was told about this on here but only half believed it. I've always been more of an ergonomics guy than a ballistics guy and when that magic combination of stock fit, weight, balance, scope height, magnification, eye-box, and trigger all works together, I get a little misty eyed. I love talking about this rifle, my fingers aren't tired and I'm not prideful, but I'll stop there.
Anywho, there's the specs and a bit more.
I don't blame you for being excited about your rifle. it sounds very well thought out, and looks like one I would love to carry.
And I understand completely your excitement about your (1st ?) kill with it, and how it went down. I hunt in dense woods too, and really enjoy the excitement of a close encounter with a whitetail buck, especially when everything goes just right. My first big buck was shot at about 20 yards going away fast, after passing by me at about 10 feet coming from behind. He was within 2 feet of escaping between two young pines when my bullet took him, angling forward through pump room. Luckily the doe he was chasing alerted me, or I might not have even got him. I really enjoy the action at very close range, and after hunting the beanfields for several years, I have gone back into the thick cover. Though successful, I just didn't enjoy hunting over the beanfields as much.
I have quite a few bolt and lever action rifles, but my little 308 BAR is becoming my favorite for tight cover hunting. It's a limited run matte black stalker with an 18" fluted barrel, and is a 3/4" gun with factory ammo. I shoot the rifle very well, and killed a doe a few years ago over the beanfield at a lasered 225 yards.
I realize that 160gr is a upper weight 7mm bullet, but was expecting a bit more velocity. And I didn't realize it was a factory load. I shoot the 162ELDX in my 280AI's, and both rifles get a little over 3000 fps with RL26 (when I can get it). Guessing Hornady needs to throttle the CX bullet down a little to due to the larger bearing surface of the long mono bullet.
I don't blame you for being excited about your rifle. it sounds very well thought out, and looks like one I would love to carry.
And I understand completely your excitement about your (1st ?) kill with it, and how it went down. I hunt in dense woods too, and really enjoy the excitement of a close encounter with a whitetail buck, especially when everything goes just right. My first big buck was shot at about 20 yards going away fast, after passing by me at about 10 feet coming from behind. He was within 2 feet of escaping between two young pines when my bullet took him, angling forward through pump room. Luckily the doe he was chasing alerted me, or I might not have even got him. I really enjoy the action at very close range, and after hunting the beanfields for several years, I have gone back into the thick cover. Though successful, I just didn't enjoy hunting over the beanfields as much.
I have quite a few bolt and lever action rifles, but my little 308 BAR is becoming my favorite for tight cover hunting. It's a limited run matte black stalker with an 18" fluted barrel, and is a 3/4" gun with factory ammo. I shoot the rifle very well, and killed a doe a few years ago over the beanfield at a lasered 225 yards.
I realize that 160gr is a upper weight 7mm bullet, but was expecting a bit more velocity. And I didn't realize it was a factory load. I shoot the 162ELDX in my 280AI's, and both rifles get a little over 3000 fps with RL26 (when I can get it). Guessing Hornady needs to throttle the CX bullet down a little to due to the larger bearing surface of the long mono bullet.
That BAR stalker sounds like a great close quarter deer gun. I had never heard of that one, I bet it's handy and easy to get on them for a follow up. Do you know what it weighs? Nothing like being on the ground with them up close. Good luck in that thick stuff!
I see what you were saying about the load now - yes, the box says 3,000 fps which is a little optimistic. Maybe a handloader like yourself could squeeze a little more out of it.
"One should not talk to a skilled hunter about what is forbidden by the Buddha."
Shot this doe with my 7 PRC Friday in GA, was 25' up a tree, she was 114 yards, shot off-hand. Don't know if she took a step or if I pulled the shot, pretty severe down angle. What surprised me the most is that she dropped on the spot. It does not appear that I hit any major organs, the bullet (175 ELDX) passed through and left a pretty good exit wound. I don't know if hydrostatic shock killed her, did not gut her. Got her right to camp, skinned and quartered but no meat was lost. Not proud of the shot but it worked and didn't damage meat, my primary goal!
Shot this doe with my 7 PRC Friday in GA, was 25' up a tree, she was 114 yards, shot off-hand. Don't know if she took a step or if I pulled the shot, pretty severe down angle. What surprised me the most is that she dropped on the spot. It does not appear that I hit any major organs, the bullet (175 ELDX) passed through and left a pretty good exit wound. I don't know if hydrostatic shock killed her, did not gut her. Got her right to camp, skinned and quartered but no meat was lost. Not proud of the shot but it worked and didn't damage meat, my primary goal!
Nice job on the backstraps. Do you normally haul a rifle like that up a tree to sit in a stand for 100 yard off hand shots? Nice job and all, just wondering.
Shot this doe with my 7 PRC Friday in GA, was 25' up a tree, she was 114 yards, shot off-hand. Don't know if she took a step or if I pulled the shot, pretty severe down angle. What surprised me the most is that she dropped on the spot. It does not appear that I hit any major organs, the bullet (175 ELDX) passed through and left a pretty good exit wound. I don't know if hydrostatic shock killed her, did not gut her. Got her right to camp, skinned and quartered but no meat was lost. Not proud of the shot but it worked and didn't damage meat, my primary goal!
Nice job on the backstraps. Do you normally haul a rifle like that up a tree to sit in a stand for 100 yard off hand shots? Nice job and all, just wondering.
Backstraps undamaged, no lost meat at all, exit wound much lower due to shot angle. I have several "light" rifles, this one I just built DIY and this was the first hunt. It's really better suited to open country where distance comes into play but I wanted to use it and it's what I had on hand at the moment. I did have a clear cut behind me and I had shots out to 400 yards and beyond but prefer closer the better. When shooting does, looking for "clean" shots or none at all.
In the freezer now (other meat is pork loin from Costco mixed with venison).
Shot this doe with my 7 PRC Friday in GA, was 25' up a tree, she was 114 yards, shot off-hand. Don't know if she took a step or if I pulled the shot, pretty severe down angle. What surprised me the most is that she dropped on the spot. It does not appear that I hit any major organs, the bullet (175 ELDX) passed through and left a pretty good exit wound. I don't know if hydrostatic shock killed her, did not gut her. Got her right to camp, skinned and quartered but no meat was lost. Not proud of the shot but it worked and didn't damage meat, my primary goal!
Nice job on the backstraps. Do you normally haul a rifle like that up a tree to sit in a stand for 100 yard off hand shots? Nice job and all, just wondering.
Backstraps undamaged, no lost meat at all, exit wound much lower due to shot angle. I have several "light" rifles, this one I just built DIY and this was the first hunt. It's really better suited to open country where distance comes into play but I wanted to use it and it's what I had on hand at the moment. I did have a clear cut behind me and I had shots out to 400 yards and beyond but prefer closer the better. When shooting does, looking for "clean" shots or none at all.
In the freezer now (other meat is pork loin from Costco mixed with venison).
Right. I didn't want to come off as a smart azz. Good to get some blood on the new rifle.
Thanks beretzs, I need to work on my off-hand shooting skills...we use the meat in place of ground beef. I typically add a boston butt per deer but the tenderloin was $199 lb and hard to beat, not much fat though!
Thanks beretzs, I need to work on my off-hand shooting skills...we use the meat in place of ground beef. I typically add a boston butt per deer but the tenderloin was $199 lb and hard to beat, not much fat though!
Congrats on blooding the new rifle, 257Bob! And, in my experience, 114yds off hand in a hunting situation - maybe holding longer than optimum, awkward body position, etc. is not an easy shot. Lots of deer missed completely off hand at that range. Anyways, as a butcher I know says, "That'll eat!"
"One should not talk to a skilled hunter about what is forbidden by the Buddha."
I shot a cow elk with my 7prc element on Halloween morning. They were on the move but I had a decent rest so I waited for them to get to a little 2 track road then led the leader cow a bit as she slowed to more of a trot and fired.
She spun and headed the opposite direction and the other 4 elk in the group followed. As she was quartering away headed up towards a little brush patch I put another round right behind the shoulder at a steep angle forward. She went about 30 more yards and died in a little brush patch.
I was using the 180 eldm over h4831sc at a muzzle velocity of 2850 from my 22" barrel. The first shot was 470 yards on my kilo 6k 10x42 binos and the second was about 500 yards. I don't normally like to take moving shots at that range but the hold looked good through the scope and I knew I was on her. She'd slowed down enough before the first shot that I knee I didn't need much lead.
The first one connected just a bit forward of the front shoulder at the base of the neck so I lead a bit too much. It severed the wind pipe enough that when cleaning it it tore off easy and left a bunch of pipe in the neck that required digging out. The second shot had about a 2" tall by 3" long entrance into the ribs because of the steep angle. It broke through 3 ribs and went through a lung and also up towards the neck. I found shrapnel but no big bullet pieces.
I actually met another fire member who walked over while I was finding my elk. He helped me as I tied onto it and drug it out of the patch. Then I went and pulled his big ram Cummings truck out that he had stuck on a big rock. His grandfather that was with him had just shot at a different group of elk right before I got mine. After we got him unstuck we went looking and he found his grandpas cow not far away dead. I thought my cow was big until I saw the one his grandpa shot. We worked together to get them both loaded. It was good meeting another fire member in the field. He said he doesn't post much but we'll see if he sees this and hopefully replies.
I'm liking the 7 prc. It's not a hotrod and really doesn't do much different speed wise than my 7mm rem mags or 7mm wsm's but it think it's a well designed case. I have taken 180s up to 2900 with h1000 which is pretty good in a new 22" barrel.
I've been evaluating the 7 PRC for the past couple weeks. It is basically a modernized 7 RM. Case capacity is almost identical. The difference is the twist rate - 7 RM come with 1:9.5, 7 PRC have 1:8. That difference means you can take advantage if the heavy, high BC bullets in the PRC. Of course an 8 twist 7RM would do the same thing and have alot more brass available. Christensen twists their 7RM rifles with 1:9 which baffles me a bit. Why not simply go 1:8 like their PRC?
I've owned and loaded several 7RM over the years. 2950 is about all I could muster with 175s in several examples. Despite almost the same case capacity, I couldn't reach 2950 with a 175 in either 7 WSM I had. They topped out close to 2900.
I think the PRC has a future solely due to the twist rate and ability to take advantage of heavy, high BC bullets. Now all I need to do is find one I like........
I shot a cow elk with my 7prc element on Halloween morning. They were on the move but I had a decent rest so I waited for them to get to a little 2 track road then led the leader cow a bit as she slowed to more of a trot and fired.
She spun and headed the opposite direction and the other 4 elk in the group followed. As she was quartering away headed up towards a little brush patch I put another round right behind the shoulder at a steep angle forward. She went about 30 more yards and died in a little brush patch.
I was using the 180 eldm over h4831sc at a muzzle velocity of 2850 from my 22" barrel. The first shot was 470 yards on my kilo 6k 10x42 binos and the second was about 500 yards. I don't normally like to take moving shots at that range but the hold looked good through the scope and I knew I was on her. She'd slowed down enough before the first shot that I knee I didn't need much lead.
The first one connected just a bit forward of the front shoulder at the base of the neck so I lead a bit too much. It severed the wind pipe enough that when cleaning it it tore off easy and left a bunch of pipe in the neck that required digging out. The second shot had about a 2" tall by 3" long entrance into the ribs because of the steep angle. It broke through 3 ribs and went through a lung and also up towards the neck. I found shrapnel but no big bullet pieces.
I actually met another fire member who walked over while I was finding my elk. He helped me as I tied onto it and drug it out of the patch. Then I went and pulled his big ram Cummings truck out that he had stuck on a big rock. His grandfather that was with him had just shot at a different group of elk right before I got mine. After we got him unstuck we went looking and he found his grandpas cow not far away dead. I thought my cow was big until I saw the one his grandpa shot. We worked together to get them both loaded. It was good meeting another fire member in the field. He said he doesn't post much but we'll see if he sees this and hopefully replies.
I'm liking the 7 prc. It's not a hotrod and really doesn't do much different speed wise than my 7mm rem mags or 7mm wsm's but it think it's a well designed case. I have taken 180s up to 2900 with h1000 which is pretty good in a new 22" barrel.
Bb
Awesome account of your hunt BB. Seems like 2850 with that 180 is plenty of steam for elk. Cool you got to meet another fire member out on the hunt.
Originally Posted by bwinters
Good job BB!
I've been evaluating the 7 PRC for the past couple weeks. It is basically a modernized 7 RM. Case capacity is almost identical. The difference is the twist rate - 7 RM come with 1:9.5, 7 PRC have 1:8. That difference means you can take advantage if the heavy, high BC bullets in the PRC. Of course an 8 twist 7RM would do the same thing and have alot more brass available. Christensen twists their 7RM rifles with 1:9 which baffles me a bit. Why not simply go 1:8 like their PRC?
I've owned and loaded several 7RM over the years. 2950 is about all I could muster with 175s in several examples. Despite almost the same case capacity, I couldn't reach 2950 with a 175 in either 7 WSM I had. They topped out close to 2900.
I think the PRC has a future solely due to the twist rate and ability to take advantage of heavy, high BC bullets. Now all I need to do is find one I like........
For an off the shelf rifle I don't think you'd go wrong at all with the PRC. The 7mm 175/180 class of bullets really is a good combo if you don't wanna get knocked around a ton.
When I had my rifle rebarreled to 7 PRC, I was adamant about doing an 8 twist. My smith said I would be more than happy with a a 8.7 and guaranteed it to work.
I got a Bartlein 8 twist, because that's supposedly what the 7 PRC was designed around. Here is a good video about twist. I know 2 people that have rifles made from this guy, although not 7 PRC's.
Faith and love of others knows no mileage nor bounds. That's simply the way it is. dogzapper
After the game is over, the king and the pawn go into the same box. Italian Proverb
I've been evaluating the 7 PRC for the past couple weeks. It is basically a modernized 7 RM. Case capacity is almost identical. The difference is the twist rate - 7 RM come with 1:9.5, 7 PRC have 1:8. That difference means you can take advantage if the heavy, high BC bullets in the PRC. Of course an 8 twist 7RM would do the same thing and have alot more brass available. Christensen twists their 7RM rifles with 1:9 which baffles me a bit. Why not simply go 1:8 like their PRC?
I've owned and loaded several 7RM over the years. 2950 is about all I could muster with 175s in several examples. Despite almost the same case capacity, I couldn't reach 2950 with a 175 in either 7 WSM I had. They topped out close to 2900.
I think the PRC has a future solely due to the twist rate and ability to take advantage of heavy, high BC bullets. Now all I need to do is find one I like........
That, and the PRC is shorter than the RM, so mag length constraints are less problematic for the PRC.
What barrel length on the 7WSMs? I’ve had no trouble getting 180s between 2900-3000 fps, using 24-26” barrels.
I picked up a Fierce CT Rage in 7mm PRC and really like it. I have a 24" SS CF wrapped barrel and scope is a Zeiss V6 3-18x50. Rifle is comfortable, easy to shoot and accurate. I'm shooting factory 180gr ELD-M and 175gr ELD-X.
Last time at the range, 3 rounds left, 200 yards. First shot just left of center, couple clicks up and last 2 rounds. Need to get back with more ammo and finish my 200 yard zero.
Last edited by DeanAnderson; 11/15/23. Reason: add pictures
It isn't what happens to you that defines you, it's what you DO about what happens to you that defines you!
Dean, that’s a nice rifle! The Zeiss V6 is pretty incredible, too. I owned a V6 for a brief while.
I got my hands on your rifle and a Proof Research Elevation yesterday @ my LGS. I was looking for something chambered in 6.5 CM. They only had 6.5 PRC, 7PRC, and 300 PRC. Both rifles had a lot going for them.
I did a special order on a Fierce Carbon Mini Rogue with cheek adjustment riser in 6.5 Creed. . It lands sometime next week.
🦫
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