The 7mm PRC (Precision Rifle Cartridge) is a beltless, 30-degree-shoulder bottleneck rifle cartridge for .284-inch (7 mm) bullets, introduced by Hornady in 2022 for long, heavy-for-caliber bullets in a standard long action, and loaded today mainly for long-range hunting and precision-rifle shooting.
This guide sets out what Weatherby, Nosler, Norma and Hornady each publish for their 7mm PRC loads: muzzle velocity and energy, velocity and energy downrange, and bullet drop where the zero is stated. It then compares the cartridge with the 7mm Remington Magnum using SAAMI’s reference data, the one place the two can be set side by side.
7mm PRC ballistics chart
Rows run from the lightest bullet to the heaviest, each as its maker publishes it for the item number shown. Read the test-barrel column before comparing rows: Hornady’s two loads were measured in a 24 in barrel, Nosler gives 24 in for its 160 gr AccuBond but no length for its 185 gr RDF, Norma gives 610 mm / 24 in, and Weatherby gives none, so rows from different makers are not a like-for-like test. Every load lists a G1 ballistic coefficient, so the G1 figures can be compared with one another; Hornady and the Nosler 185 gr RDF also list a G7 figure, which is on a different scale and should not be set against a G1 number. The muzzle energy shown as "Not published" for Hornady’s 180 gr ELD Match is a deliberate omission: Hornady’s page does print energy figures for that item, but they do not agree with the 180 gr weight and 2,975 fps velocity printed beside them, so they are not repeated here.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Load | Item no. | Bullet weight | Bullet | Muzzle velocity | Muzzle energy | Ballistic coefficient | Maker’s application | Test barrel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weatherby Swift Scirocco | 7PRC (page SKU shared by all 7MM PRC bullet options; no per-load item number published) | 150 gr | Swift Scirocco | 3,050 fps | 3,098 ft-lb | .515 G1 | Not published | not published |
| Nosler Spitzer AccuBond® | 61242 | 160 gr | Spitzer AccuBond® | 3,031 fps | 3,264 ft-lb | 0.531 G1 | Deer Sized Game | 24 in (twist 1-9.5 in) |
| Norma Tipped Bonded BT-SP | 20171582 | 165 gr | Tipped Bonded BT-SP | 3,018 fps | 3,338 ft-lb | 0.632 G1 | Hunting | 610 mm / 24 in |
| Hornady ELD-X® | 80712 | 175 gr | ELD-X® | 3,000 fps | 3,497 ft-lb | .689 / .347 G1 / G7 | Medium Game (50-300 lbs), Large Game (300-1500 lbs) | 24 in |
| Weatherby Hammer Custom | 7PRC (page SKU shared by all 7MM PRC bullet options; no per-load item number published) | 177 gr | Hammer Custom | 2,925 fps | 3,362 ft-lb | .611 G1 | Not published | not published |
| Hornady ELD® Match | 80711 | 180 gr | ELD® Match | 2,975 fps | Not published | .796 / .401 G1 / G7 | Target/Match | 24 in |
| Nosler HPBT RDF™ | 51295 | 185 gr | HPBT RDF™ | 2,875 fps | 3,400 ft-lb | 0.719 / 0.357 G1 / G7 | Target/Match | length not published (twist 1-8 in) |
Velocity and energy downrange
Each cell gives the velocity and energy the maker publishes at that range. The columns run only as far as the furthest range any maker in this guide publishes, and "Not published" means that maker’s page stops short of it: Norma’s ends at 300 yd, Weatherby’s and Hornady’s at 500 yd, Nosler’s 160 gr AccuBond at 600 yd and its 185 gr RDF at 800 yd. Nothing past a row’s last figure is estimated here. Hornady’s 180 gr row shows velocity only, for the reason given above the muzzle table.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Load (test barrel) | Muzzle | 100 yd | 200 yd | 300 yd | 400 yd | 500 yd | 600 yd | 700 yd | 800 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weatherby 150 gr (not published) | 3,050 fps / 3,098 ft-lb | 2,863 fps / 2,731 ft-lb | 2,685 fps / 2,400 ft-lb | 2,513 fps / 2,103 ft-lb | 2,347 fps / 1,835 ft-lb | 2,188 fps / 1,595 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Nosler 160 gr (24 in (twist 1-9.5 in)) | 3,031 fps / 3,264 ft-lb | 2,844 fps / 2,873 ft-lb | 2,665 fps / 2,523 ft-lb | 2,493 fps / 2,207 ft-lb | 2,327 fps / 1,924 ft-lb | 2,167 fps / 1,669 ft-lb | 2,014 fps / 1,441 ft-lb | Not published | Not published |
| Norma 165 gr (610 mm / 24 in) | 3,018 fps / 3,338 ft-lb | 2,864 fps / 3,005 ft-lb | 2,716 fps / 2,702 ft-lb | 2,572 fps / 2,423 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Hornady 175 gr (24 in) | 3,000 fps / 3,497 ft-lb | 2,861 fps / 3,181 ft-lb | 2,727 fps / 2,890 ft-lb | 2,597 fps / 2,620 ft-lb | 2,470 fps / 2,371 ft-lb | 2,347 fps / 2,141 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Weatherby 177 gr (not published) | 2,925 fps / 3,362 ft-lb | 2,772 fps / 3,019 ft-lb | 2,624 fps / 2,705 ft-lb | 2,480 fps / 2,418 ft-lb | 2,341 fps / 2,155 ft-lb | 2,207 fps / 1,914 ft-lb | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Hornady 180 gr (24 in) | 2,975 fps | 2,855 fps | 2,739 fps | 2,626 fps | 2,516 fps | 2,408 fps | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Nosler 185 gr (length not published (twist 1-8 in)) | 2,875 fps / 3,400 ft-lb | 2,750 fps / 3,112 ft-lb | 2,627 fps / 2,843 ft-lb | 2,506 fps / 2,589 ft-lb | 2,387 fps / 2,351 ft-lb | 2,270 fps / 2,128 ft-lb | 2,155 fps / 1,918 ft-lb | 2,043 fps / 1,722 ft-lb | 1,933 fps / 1,538 ft-lb |
Bullet drop, with the zero range stated
A drop figure means nothing without the zero it was measured from, so this table holds only the loads whose maker states one: Nosler’s 160 gr AccuBond and 185 gr RDF, both at a 100 yd zero, which is why both read 0 in at 100 yd. A minus sign means below the line of sight. Weatherby and Hornady publish drop figures without naming a zero, and Norma publishes no drop in inches, so their loads are left out of this table.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| Load (zero) | 100 yd | 200 yd | 300 yd | 400 yd | 500 yd | 600 yd | 700 yd | 800 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nosler 160 gr (100 yd zero) | 0 in | −2.8 in | −10.5 in | −23.8 in | −43.5 in | −70.7 in | Not published | Not published |
| Nosler 185 gr (100 yd zero) | 0 in | −1.6 in | −6.7 in | −18.9 in | −37.4 in | −62.8 in | −95.9 in | −137.4 in |
What the numbers mean for a shot
At the muzzle a heavier bullet generally leaves slower: the table runs from 3,050 fps for the 150 gr Weatherby Swift Scirocco down to 2,875 fps for the 185 gr Nosler RDF, with the Hornady 175 gr ELD-X at 3,000 fps and 3,497 ft-lb in between. The order is not perfectly smooth. Weatherby’s 177 gr Hammer Custom is listed at 2,925 fps, slower than Hornady’s heavier 180 gr ELD Match at 2,975 fps, and because Weatherby states no test barrel the table cannot say whether that gap is the bullet or the barrel.
Muzzle figures are a poor guide to what a load has left at range. The fairest comparisons the tables allow are one maker’s own pairs, and they show why. Weatherby’s 177 gr Hammer Custom leaves the muzzle at 2,925 fps against 3,050 fps for its 150 gr Swift Scirocco and is still slower at 400 yd (2,341 fps against 2,347 fps), but at 500 yd it is ahead, at 2,207 fps against 2,188 fps, and carries 1,914 ft-lb against 1,595 ft-lb. Hornady’s two loads, both measured in a 24 in barrel, cross in the same way: the 180 gr ELD Match starts at 2,975 fps against 3,000 fps for the 175 gr ELD-X, is still slightly behind at 100 yd (2,855 fps against 2,861 fps), is ahead by 200 yd (2,739 fps against 2,727 fps) and reaches 500 yd at 2,408 fps against 2,347 fps. Its G1 coefficient of .796 is the highest in the table, against .689 for the ELD-X.
Drop follows the same pattern. Nosler states a 100 yd zero for both of its loads. The 160 gr AccuBond is 10.5 in below the line of sight at 300 yd, 43.5 in at 500 yd and 70.7 in at 600 yd. The 185 gr RDF leaves the muzzle at 2,875 fps against 3,031 fps for the AccuBond, yet it is 6.7 in low at 300 yd, 37.4 in at 500 yd and 62.8 in at 600 yd, and its page continues to 95.9 in at 700 yd and 137.4 in at 800 yd, the last range published. The G1 coefficients are 0.531 for the AccuBond and 0.719 for the RDF. The RDF page gives no barrel length, so the two rows are not a controlled test of the bullet alone.
Two limits apply to every figure. Norma’s 165 gr Tipped Bonded BT-SP stops at 300 yd, where it is at 2,572 fps and 2,423 ft-lb, so nothing is published for it past that range. And each maker’s rows come from its own testing, with not every row stating its barrel length, so read one maker’s rows against each other with more confidence than one maker’s row against another’s.
Twist rate, chamber and pressure
SAAMI sets a maximum average pressure of 65,000 psi for the 7mm PRC. Its standard test barrel is 24.000 in long, with a twist of 1 turn in 8.00 in and a groove diameter of .284 in. The comparison table further down sets that pressure against 61,000 psi for the 7mm Remington Magnum. The figure is a ceiling for the cartridge, not a rating for any one load, and the makers’ tables here give no pressure for an individual load.
Fire 7mm PRC ammunition only in a rifle chambered and marked for the 7mm PRC; no other 7 mm cartridge, the 7mm Remington Magnum included, is a substitute. Twist belongs to the rifle, not the ammunition. The only twists the makers’ pages give are listed with their test barrels, 1-9.5 in for Nosler’s 160 gr AccuBond and 1-8 in for its 185 gr RDF, and none of the tables states a minimum twist for a bullet, so check the twist marked on your barrel against the bullet maker’s guidance before you buy a long, heavy bullet.
7mm PRC vs 7mm Remington Magnum on SAAMI’s shared basis
Catalogue tables from two makers cannot be read against each other with any confidence, and the tables above show why. Each maker publishes figures from its own testing, and the test-barrel column differs from row to row or is left blank, so a 7mm PRC figure from one maker set beside a 7mm Remington Magnum figure from another would compare barrels as much as cartridges.
SAAMI is the one shared basis. Its rifle standard gives each cartridge a standard test barrel, 24.000 in long for both of these, and publishes reference-load velocity and maximum average pressure on that footing. The table below is built only from SAAMI’s own rows, never from a maker’s catalogue. SAAMI lists a single reference load for the 7mm PRC, 180 gr, so the rows follow what SAAMI actually lists for each cartridge rather than forcing a matched weight that does not exist.
Scroll the table sideways for the remaining columns.
| SAAMI specification | 7mm PRC | 7mm Remington Magnum |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Z299.4 | Z299.4 |
| Maximum average pressure | 65,000 psi | 61,000 psi |
| Standard test barrel length | 24.000 in | 24.000 in |
| Test barrel twist rate | 1 turn in 8.00 in | 1 turn in 9.50 in |
| Test barrel groove diameter | .284 in | .2837 in |
| SAAMI’s only reference load for the 7mm PRC | 180 gr — 2,950 fps / 3,478 ft-lb | 175 gr — 2,750–2,850 fps / 2,938–3,156 ft-lb |
| Nearest lighter weight the 7mm Rem Mag lists | Not listed | 160 gr — 2,940 fps / 3,070 ft-lb |
On pressure and twist the two differ plainly. SAAMI’s maximum average pressure is 65,000 psi for the 7mm PRC and 61,000 psi for the 7mm Remington Magnum, and the PRC’s test barrel twists at 1 turn in 8.00 in against 1 turn in 9.50 in for the Magnum. Both use a 24.000 in barrel, and the groove diameters are printed as .284 in and .2837 in.
On velocity, the 7mm PRC’s only reference load is 180 gr at 2,950 fps and 3,478 ft-lb. The 7mm Remington Magnum’s 175 gr row is 2,750–2,850 fps and 2,938–3,156 ft-lb, and its 160 gr row is 2,940 fps and 3,070 ft-lb; the 7mm PRC lists no 160 gr load to set against it. The PRC’s single load sits above both ends of the Magnum’s 175 gr range, but at 180 gr against 175 gr it is not a matched-weight test, and the table cannot say which cartridge is faster at the same bullet weight. SAAMI publishes no energy, so the ft-lb figures are computed from velocity and weight, as the caption says.
SAAMI also publishes no ballistic coefficient, so this table says nothing about how either cartridge holds its speed at distance. That depends on the bullet, which the table does not include.
We stock the other side of this comparison too: 7mm rem mag ammo.
7mm PRC ballistics questions
What is a 7mm PRC comparable to?
The comparison this guide makes is with the 7mm Remington Magnum, using SAAMI’s reference data: both are 7 mm cartridges with a 24.000 in standard test barrel, and their groove diameters are printed as .284 in and .2837 in. The 7mm PRC has the higher maximum average pressure, 65,000 psi against 61,000 psi, and its test barrel twists faster, 1 turn in 8.00 in against 1 turn in 9.50 in. SAAMI’s one 7mm PRC reference load, 180 gr at 2,950 fps and 3,478 ft-lb, sits above the 7mm Remington Magnum’s 175 gr row of 2,750–2,850 fps and 2,938–3,156 ft-lb, though the weights differ, so it is not a matched-weight test.
How much does a 7mm PRC drop at 300 yards?
Only two loads in the tables state the zero their drop was measured from, and both are Nosler at a 100 yd zero: the 160 gr AccuBond is 10.5 in below the line of sight at 300 yd and the 185 gr RDF is 6.7 in below it. Weatherby and Hornady publish drop figures without naming a zero, and Norma publishes no drop in inches, so those loads are not in the drop table and this guide does not quote them.
Is the 7 PRC better than the 300 Win Mag?
Nothing on this page can settle that. The only cartridge the SAAMI comparison sets beside the 7mm PRC is the 7mm Remington Magnum, and the makers’ tables cover 7mm PRC loads alone, so there is no 300 Win Mag figure here to measure against. Which is better would also depend on the bullet, the weight and the barrel behind each figure, and the makers’ catalogue rows are not measured on one shared basis.
What distance should a 7mm PRC be zeroed at?
The makers do not publish a recommended zero distance. The only zero stated anywhere in the tables is the 100 yd zero Nosler used for the drop figures on its 160 gr AccuBond and 185 gr RDF pages; Weatherby and Hornady publish drop without stating one. Every figure in the drop table is measured from that 100 yd zero, so a different zero would change them all.
How far can you shoot an elk with a 7mm PRC?
The makers do not publish a maximum range for elk, and none of the application labels in the muzzle table names elk. Hornady labels the 175 gr ELD-X Medium Game (50-300 lbs) and Large Game (300-1500 lbs), and Nosler labels the 160 gr AccuBond Deer Sized Game. The downrange table shows the energy each load still carries at each published range, but it does not say how much energy is enough, so that call rests with the bullet maker’s guidance and local hunting rules.
What’s the best barrel length for a 7mm PRC?
The makers do not publish a best barrel length, and no table here shows how velocity changes with barrel length. What they publish is the barrel their figures came from: 24 in for Hornady and for Nosler’s 160 gr AccuBond, and 610 mm / 24 in for Norma. SAAMI’s standard test barrel for the 7mm PRC is 24.000 in with a twist of 1 turn in 8.00 in. Weatherby publishes no test barrel, and Nosler’s 185 gr RDF page gives a twist of 1-8 in but no length.
Where to buy these loads
Every load in the tables above is stocked at Hilltop Armory. Browse the full 7mm prc ammo range, which carries makers beyond the ones charted here — the tables are limited to loads whose manufacturer publishes figures that could be verified, not to everything on the shelf.
