300 PRC, The Top 30 Cal?

What is a 300 PRC?

The 300 PRC caliber is a new cartridge that was introduced in 2018 by Hornady. It is a rebated rimless bottlenecked centerfire rifle cartridge. The 300 PRC was designed to provide superior performance to the existing 300 Winchester Magnum, 300 Remington Ultra Magnum, and 300 Weatherby Magnum cartridges.

Hornady officially announced the 300 PRC around 4 months after the SAAMI drawings and specs were accepted and released.

The 300PRC uses a 375 Ruger cartridge case as its parent case, which is necked down to .308″ (7.8mm) caliber and then fire-formed to minimize body taper. This results in less body taper, which provides more uniform brass wall thickness and improved concentricity. These design features result in increased accuracy potential and less brass stretching during reloading. The 300 PRC has a longer neck than the 300 Winchester Magnum, which allows it to better utilize the powder capacity of the case and results in more consistent pressures thanks to more consistent neck tension.

The 300 PRC is capable of propelling a 200 grain bullet at 3,000 feet per second (fps) with muzzle energy exceeding 5,000 foot-pounds (ft-lbs). This makes it an ideal cartridge for long range shooting and hunting. The 300 PRC is also a very versatile cartridge, as it can be used for a wide variety of game animals.

300 PRC Brass

Why a New Cartridge

300 PRC

Overall, to quickly summarize this cartridge, for me the 300 PRC is the perfect practically usable cartridge that is good for ELR or extreme long range shooting too. Yes there are better dedicated ELR cartridges, like the .375 Cheytac, .408 Cheytac, 33XC and 37XC, but those are way too expensive to reload for, rifles and actions that are too big and heavy and recoil too hard to use in most other practical situations like hunting too. The 300 PRC on the other hand, beats out the .338 Lapua in ballistics at long range, with a lower felt recoil, and can be used in normal long action magnum hunting rifles.

300 PRC Ballistics

When we take the factory loaded Hornady 300PRC 225gr ELD Match ammo, which provides for a very conservative 2810fps muzzle velocity from their 24″ test barrel, and we calculate the ballistics of that bullet, combined with the excellent .391 G7 BC, we can see that this bullet is still traveling at a whopping 1763fps at 1000 yards, still well above the tested 1360fps minimum terminal velocity that the ELD-M bullets have been tested to, add to that the more than 1500 ft/lbs energy still carried by the bullet at that distance, this truly is the ultimate long range hunting bullet if you ever wanted to take down an Elk at 1000 yards.

300 PRC Load Data

The 300PRC works well with the H1000, H4831 and Retumbo powders from Hodgdons, the RL-25 and RL-26 from Alliant and the N560 powder from Vihtavuorri, being able to give muzzle velocities from around 2600 fps to 3200 fps with 180gr to 250gr .30 caliber bullets. Check the manufacturers recommended minimum and maximum load data variables provided for your choice of powder.

300 PRC for Hunting

The 300 PRC is a great round for hunting, in fact, it can be argued that the 300PRC is the best long range hunting caliber when comparing velocity, bullet energy, recoil and cost at long distance. It has excellent accuracy and terminal performance, making it a great choice for hunters. The 300 PRC is also a very versatile round, capable of being used for both long-range and short-range hunting. Overall, the 300 PRC is an excellent choice for hunters who want a versatile, powerful and effective round. The ultimate long range Elk killer cartridge if there ever was one.

300 PRC vs 300 Win Magnum

The 300 PRC was designed specifically for long range precision shooting, while the 300 Win Mag has been around for much longer and was originally designed for hunting. The 300 PRC has a slightly higher velocity than the 300 Win Mag, but the difference is not huge. However, the 300 PRC has a much longer effective range than the 300 Win Mag, due to its superior ballistics.

If you’re looking to do some serious long range shooting, then the 300 PRC is the better choice. However, if you’re just looking for a good all-around cartridge for hunting and shooting at shorter ranges, then the 300 Win Mag is a perfectly fine choice. When reloading your own ammunition, because of the fact that the 300 PRC is a non-belted case whereas the 300 Win mag is a belted magnum case, you will get more reloads out of your 300 PRC brass than the 300 Winchester Magnum brass before you get case-head separation.

300 PRC vs 300 Norma Mag

The 300 PRC and 300 Norma Mag are two of the most popular choices for long-range shooting. Both cartridges are capable of delivering exceptional accuracy and power, but there are some key differences between them.

The 300 PRC was designed specifically for precision rifle competition, while the 300 Norma Mag is a more versatile all-purpose cartridge. The 300 PRC has a slightly shorter overall length, which gives it a slight advantage in terms of magazine capacity. It also has a slightly higher ballistic coefficient and slightly less recoil than the 300 Norma Mag.

The 300 Norma Mag is a more powerful cartridge, with a higher muzzle velocity and energy. It’s also better suited for hunting applications, as it can effectively take down large game animals at long range.

So, which cartridge is right for you? It depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you’re looking for the ultimate in precision and accuracy, the 300 PRC is a great choice. If you need more power and versatility, the 300 Norma Mag is a better option. Whichever cartridge you choose, you can be confident that you’re getting one of the best long-range options on the market.

300 PRC vs 300 WSM

The 300 PRC and 300 WSM are two of the most popular choices for long range shooters. But which one is better? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each cartridge to help you make a decision.

300 PRC:

– Pros:

— More energy than 300 WSM

— Flatter shooting

— Less recoil

– Cons:

— More expensive

— Not as widely available

300 WSM:

– Pros:

— More widely available

— Cheaper than 300 PRC

– Cons:

— Less energy than 300 PRC

— More recoil than 300 PRC

— Not as flat shooting as 300 PRC

So, which one is better? It really depends on what you’re looking for. If you want a more powerful cartridge with less recoil, then the 300 PRC is a great choice. However, if you’re on a budget or you can’t find 300 PRC ammo, then the 300 WSM is a good alternative.