"The desire to try something new"
7PRC vs
Traditional Cartridges
In 2025 I spent some time working with my brother on some of
the interests he had and wanted to share some information with everybody
reading. It's interesting all the information you can find about the
shooting sports and all the new things out on the market. Lots of people
jumping on the bandwagon and a lot of critics. So, this is just a second
hand look at the experiences and learning curve that comes with the
understanding of these things and the Journey. "The Journey is the
best part!"
JRS
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My Journey to the Bergara B14 Hunter in 7PRC
For as long as I can remember, hunting has been a family
tradition built around one chambering: the .30‑06. My dad and my two younger
brothers all hunted with .30‑caliber rifles, all of us shooting the same
reliable load, Hand Loads my father developed, 165‑grain Hornady InterLock
bullets. It wasn’t just a cartridge; it was part of our identity.
My own journey began with a 1974 Remington 700
ADL in .30‑06, the rifle my father bought the week I was born. I carried it
through many seasons before stepping up to the Browning BBR my dad had used for
years. Both rifles I shot very well, harvested many animals and probably still
have continued but there was a desire to be able to shoot flatter and longer,
it was like an itch I needed to scratch...
Eventually, I stepped into magnum territory with a Savage 111 in .300 Win Mag. Now along with the help of my brother launching 178‑grain ELD-X handloads, this rifle hit hard and stretched my effective range. My brother took things even further for me by adding a new stock and muzzle brake. I could now start to see the difference in my accuracy. This stirred up a curiosity I’d been suppressing for years: the desire to try something new.
I scratched that itch with a 6.5 PRC, harvesting
two white tails cleanly. This cartridge opened my eyes...And while I was still
on this journey of discovery, it was the newly released 7 PRC that
really grabbed my attention.
As luck would have it, I found one on sale:
Bergara B14 Hunter — 7mm PRC
· 22-inch
fluted and threaded barrel
· Factory
stock
· No scope include
I started with what I had available: a SIG Buckmaster 4-12x44 second focal plane, for under $150. I paired it with a 20 MOA rail and medium rings: all sourced from Amazon. With factory Hornady ammo, I saw 1.75–1.25 MOA. Not terrible — but not what I wanted.
Then I borrowed a Bell & Carlson stock from my brother.
Immediately my groups tightened to 1 MOA. That pushed me to upgrade the glass,
replacing the Buckmasters with a SIG Whiskey 4 FFP (4–20x50) and Talley one‑piece
low rings. That combination shrunk my groups to 0.90 MOA.
Finally, came load development. Working alongside my
brother, we dialed in a 175-grain ELD-X, achieving 2915 fps from the 22-inch
barrel. The results? Consistent 0.75-inch groups.
I have now replaced the Scope with Vortex and the Stock with an AG Composite
Carbon Fiber stock and can achieve 0.5-inch groups
This journey wasn’t just about buying a new rifle — it was
about learning. I improved my shooting fundamentals, diagnosed shooter‑induced
errors more clearly, and built confidence in reading group behavior. The 7 PRC
didn’t just expand my caliber; it expanded my capabilities.
DTS - "High Desert Hill Billys"
Postscript:
The time spent on the range with my brother and sons has now
become my new pass time. "Golf with lead and dust". The
journey is still on going, I have more to do with this rifle build, and the 7
PRC.
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What is your favorite cartridge? Is it new or old,
something different, or what you have used for years?
JRS
