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New 7mm PRC rifles are making their way to dealers’ shelves. Lots of big-game hunters are excited about this new cartridge and those who like to send bullets into the next zip code can’t hold back their emotions. If you’re lusting for a 7mm PRC rifle so bad that you can’t sleep, and if your reloading press is begging for some 7mm PRC action, I’ve found eight new 7mm PRC rifles priced from the amazingly affordable to the ridiculously insane.
Why has Hornady’s third Precision Rifle Cartridge rocked the rifle shooting world? Mostly because it can launch a 175-grain bullet with a G1 ballistic coefficient of 0.689 at 3000 fps. This means at 500 yards the bullet still has more than 2100 foot-pounds of energy. And if your rifle is zeroed at 200 yards, the drop at 500 yards is less than 3 feet. It also means the 7mm PRC outperforms the 7mm Remington and 300 Winchester Magnums, without a substantial increase in recoil.
Mossberg Patriot Predator
Mossberg Patriot Predator 7mm PRC Bolt Action Rifle
Pros
Most affordable 7mm PRC rifle
Adjustable trigger
Cons
Safety does not lock bolt
Some hunters might overlook Mossberg bolt-action rifles because the company is mostly known for shotguns like the Shockwave or the 940 Pro. That’s a mistake. I’ve hunted all over the world with a variety of Mossberg rifles, and they’ve proved to be durable and accurate. In fact, I recently tested and hunted with one of the new Mossberg Patriot Predator rifles in 7mm PRC. It was a solid sub-MOA performer and dumped a 600-pound nilgai without a problem. Mossberg offers two versions of the Patriot Predator. One has a tan synthetic stock and the other has Strata Camo and Cerakote. Both have a 24-inch threaded barrel and weigh in just a shade over 6.5 pounds.
Ruger American Go Wild
Ruger American Go Wild 7mm PRC Bolt Action Rifle
Pros
Cerakote finish
Integral bedding block
Cons
Magazine extends below the stock
Ruger’s line of American bolt-action rifles has a dedicated following because they perform. Currently, Ruger offers seven American bolt action rifles but only one—#369468—is offered in 7mm PRC. Like other Ruger Americans, it features a detachable magazine and a synthetic stock, and the stock on this rifle has the Go Wild I-M Brush camo finish. It weighs in at 7.1 pounds, has a 24-inch threaded barrel, and comes with a factory muzzle brake which you might appreciate—7mm PRC recoil is snappy with a lightweight rifle. It also features Ruger’s adjustable Marksman trigger and the patented 70-degree bolt throw Ruger Americans are known for. A factory-installed one-piece scope base is standard.
Savage Model 110 Apex Hunter XP
Pros
Comes with scope
Adjustable AccuTrigger
Right or left hand
Cons
Barrel is only 22 inches
Magazine only holds two rounds
Savage is leading the pack when it comes to new rifles for the 7mm PRC. They currently offer six models, and I’m going to tell you about three of them here. The least expensive is the 110 APEX Hunter XP. This rifle has a 22-inch non-threaded barrel and is built on the rugged 110 action. It weighs in at almost eight pounds and comes with a two-round, flush-fitting, detachable magazine. Though not the least expensive 7mm PRC rifle you can buy, this one comes with a Vortex Crossfire II 3-9X40mm riflescope with the Dead-Hold BDC reticle. And it comes mounted to a one-piece EGW 0-MOA rail. The black synthetic stock is also user-adjustable for length of pull, so while it might not be the least expensive, it has to be considered a best buy, especially considering that you can get it in a right- or left-hand configuration.
Savage 110 Timberline
Pros
Adjustable AccuTrigger
Right or left hand
Cons
Barrel is only 22 inches
Magazine only holds two rounds
The Timberline is another Savage rifle in 7mm PRC. It too is built on the 110 action, and not only does it have Savage’s famous AccuTrigger, but it also comes with their AccuStock, which allows you to adjust for length of pull and comb height. Like the APEX Hunter XP the Timberline is also available in a right- or left-hand configuration, but it does not come with a riflescope. Savage paints the stock in a Realtree Excape pattern, and they finish the barrel, receiver, and all critical steel components in OD-green Cerakote. The receiver is drilled and tapped for 8×40 screws, and the medium profile barrel features straight fluting. It’s also threaded and comes with an omni-port muzzle brake. At a bit over 8 pounds, it’s a tad heavy, but that weight in conjunction with the brake should take a bit of the bite of the 7mm PRC’s recoil.
Seekins Precision Havak PH2
Pros
26-inch barrel
Four locking lugs on the bolt
Lifetime warranty
Cons
Semi-custom, limited production
With a Seekins, you’re dealing with what many would classify as a semi-custom rifle. These rifles feature a bolt you can field strip without tools, threaded muzzles, and a 20 MOA scope rail. They also come with an adjustable trigger that can be set from 2.5 to 5 pounds. The stock is Seekins’ own carbon composite design, the bolt has an M16-style extractor, and the extra-long action allows you to load your own ammo to an extended cartridge length of 3.9 inches. The rifle features a three-round extended carbon-fiber detachable magazine and weighs only 7.2 pounds. Several stock finishes are available. The barrel is 26 inches long to give you everything the 7mm PRC has to offer, and Seekins backs the rifle with a lifetime warranty. It’s a tad expensive but you get what you pay for.
Savage Impulse Mountain Hunter
Savage Arms Impulse Mountain Hunter Bolt Action Rifle
Pros
Adjustable AccuTrigger
Right- or left-hand action available
Straight-pull action
Cons
Barrel is only 22 inches.
Straight-pull action
Expensive
Savage is also building 7mm PRC on their straight-pull Impulse action. Straight-pulls have never been very popular with American hunters. But some hunters like the action’s speed, and they like having something different. One thing that sets this action apart is its integral 20-MOA scope rail and a removeable, multi-position—right or left—bolt handle. This rifle’s aluminum receiver helps it keep weight down to less than seven and a half pounds, but oddly, like all the other Savage 7mm PRC rifles, it has a 22-inch barrel. Savage offers the Impulse Mountain Hunter with a Proof Research carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel, which is threaded and comes with a muzzle break. This rifle is pricey, but it is unique.
Gunwerks Nexus Rifle System
Pros
State of the art, everything.
Cons
Ridiculously expensive.
So, let’s say your house has been featured on an episode of MTV Cribs, that you hang out in the coolest bars, and that your credit card has no limit. In other words, you’ve got more money than sense, and price never gets between you and what you want. If that’s you, Gunwerks has your rifle.
Their Nexus Rifle System comes with a user-interchangeable barrel, integrated scope bases, and a carbon-fiber stock with leather accents at the grip and comb. The action feeds from a detachable magazine, and the stock has ARCA and Picatinny rail for bipod or tripod. That’s what you get for $5,475. You can add in the price of a custom-installed riflescope like the Kahles K525i MOAK for another $3749, and to that, you can add a Gunwerks data package that includes a custom scope turret for Hornady ammo, for another $925. But when should ten grand get between you and the newest flat-shooting rifle cartridge on the market?
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