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7mm PRC Optimal powder charge help... update... I give up!!! ... updated again!

You need some vv 656 or 570. H1000 would be another great option. I load up 180s berger hybrid

Retumbo 69.5 190 A tip is good load.
H4831sc 62.8 with 175s
69.5g Retumbo with the 190 a tips would completely blow the primer and prob freeze the case in the chamber in this rifle.

That's the issue... I'm getting CRAZY pressure spikes well under book max.

Changing powders again isn't going to fix that.

I'm used to working up to light pressure signs and backing off... but I'm also getting the velocities. Like in my 300 ultra mag with 200 AB's, I don't get pressure until I push it past 3300 fps. (30 in bbl, so velocities are higher than typical published data). I can't take this PRC rifle much past .308 performance without shaving the raised ejector marks off the brass when I open the sticky bolt.
 
it's almost identical to Staball HD.... again, powder burn rates with re25 and staball HD match up with all the slow burners. 8133, vv n568, staball hd, retumbo are all right there.

I'm finding out more and more with all the problems with Christenson Arms ridgeline FFT in 7mm prc.

Here's another thread, and even Christenson Arms replied on the thread admitting there 'might' be an issue and are having rifles sent back to them to 'inspect'. Seems after 'inspection', the potentially dangerous pressure spikes go away.

I'm actually terrified of shooting the factory Hornady ammo in this rifle, as I know they are loaded to max pressure from the Hornady factory.... and I'm getting dangerous pressure signs with loads that should be quite tame.

 

def going back to factory today....
 



Hopefully some more info pops up in that thread for you.
From what I've gathered, the original Hornady factory loads were pushing 3000fps in the 175 ELDxs out of a 24in bbl. But they were over pressure and had so many returned to Hornady shot in all kinds of rifles so they revamped their factory ammo, and most are only getting 2750 to 2800fps from the 24in bbls from recent lots of the factory ammo. But the new factory ammo is VERY mild compared to what the original stuff was. Folks pulling factory ammo right now are seeing 2g less powder under the 175 eldx's compared to the current factory Hornady ammo 180g ELD-M ammo. And the current Federal factory ammo is giving 2900-2950 from the 175 eld-xs without blown primers or ejector marks. (These are from non Christenson arms rifles).

Again, from what I've gathered, I should be able to hit 2825-2850 VERY safely handloading with a 22 in bbl for the 175 ELD-x's and 2800 from the ELD-Ms.

My problem is the crazy erratic pressure. Work up a load that is safe, shoot a dozen with no problems, then come back out and shoot the same exact load which was produced at the same time as the prior loads, and completely cook the brass and ruin it. In retrospect, I was seeing this with the original breakin handloads with a VERY mild 150g ballistic tip going only 2800 fps... even one of those was overcooked and brass toast. I originally thought it was due to cheap/ soft Hornady brass and dismissed it as a fluke. But optimal powder charge testing was showing the same thing... excess pressure well under book, then no pressure working up, then pressure signs, then no pressure signs working up, then gas blowback around the primer pocket out of the blue. I've found over a dozen instances of Christenson Arms rifles chambered in 7prc doing this. And also the Fierce rifles. Noone else having these problems.

Christenson arms customer service were very nice over the phone, and while they did not admit the issue was their fault, they didn't give me the run around and are paying for shipping both ways to look over the chamber. When I specifically asked him about this rifle in this chambering, he said he has seen this issue a 'few' times. Which means to me they are having major issues from their prior reamer in 7PRC. I asked him specifically if my serial number was in the area with all the problems, and he said he is just in the customer service dept and doesn't really know.

I suspect they are trying to keep it on the downlow to prevent a big hit to their reputation.
 
I've never shot hornady bullets before... from what I can gather, the eld-x have twice the jacket thickness over the eld-m's, plus the interlocking ring. Both still have a very soft core. Lots of reports of the eld-xs exploding, but thats at high impact velocities. At 2800fps MV, I'm thinking the eld-xs will be superior on game out to about 500y or so, then after that, the eld-m's will outperform terminally due to the lower impact velocity and their increased frangibility compared to the eld-x's. But again, that's all just theoretical from what I can gather from research.

I won't shoot a game animal past 600, and most of my shots will be in the 200-250ish range.
I would take an eldm over an eldx if given the choice.
 
Saw this somewhere... chamber not cut center of bore.

I never ejected a loaded round during workup, but for kicks and giggles did it just before boxing it up and mailing it back to the factory. About 40% of the bullet has engravings on the bearing surface, the opposite side 60% does not
 

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Also, wondering about this... one of the ways I set my sizing die is to pull the bolt shroud and firing pin from the bolt, then chamber a fired case. There is a faint hint amount of resistance dropping the bolt. I bump the shoulder on the brass till all resistance is gone and the bolt drops freely on the resized case. To verify its only bumped back .002in, I put a piece of scotch tape on the case head, and slight resistance recurs when I drop the bolt, letting me know the brass was worked back .002in.

On this rifle, after I pulled the shroud and firing pin, there was resistance in bolt dropping on an empty chamber, so I had to use a case comparator to measure shoulder bump when resizing. Dunno what that means tho... just found it to be different than what I was used to.
 
It's a Christensen chamber issue. If you end up rebarreling, I'd be willing to share my custom reamer for use at your gunsmith.
Ty so much for the offer! And yes, that's exactly the issue. I joined the FB group Christenson Arms Owners group, and it's slap full of the exact same issue I am having with erratic pressures. Their reamer was $hit.

I'm going to give CA a chance to make it right. For a $1750 rifle, this problem was quite unexpected
 
I'm sure they will take the carbon ring off... by running the correct spec reamer in there 😀
 

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I'm sure you seen it but here is more 7 PRC load data for when yours gets up and running.


Yes, saw that before.

If I'm not able to get 2925 to 2950 from the 175s and 180s in a 22in bbl, I'm calling the whole 7prc thing a load of horse$hit.
 
I don't know much about the PRC stuff but looking at Hodgdon data with a 24" barrel and knowing their data can be optimistic from a factory rifle I'd say 2900+ from a 22" barrel is a reach.


What will 2900+ kill that 2800+ won't?
 
28 Nosler 😁
I'm really not recoil sensitive. But the 7prc with the heavy for caliber bullets in a 5lb 6oz rifle even with a suppressor is a handful. I cannot maintain sight picture to spot hits as it is. And I'm just about done after 25 to 30 rounds. Couldn't imaging the 28 nosler in this lightweight of a rifle.
 
I'm really not recoil sensitive. But the 7prc with the heavy for caliber bullets in a 5lb 6oz rifle even with a suppressor is a handful. I cannot maintain sight picture to spot hits as it is. And I'm just about done after 25 to 30 rounds. Couldn't imaging the 28 nosler in this lightweight of a rifle.
As I have gotten older, I have learned that muzzle brakes and suppressors are my friend.
 
I use a PAST magnum recoil pad. For 223 and up. I'm too old to wake up with a purple shoulder.

MM I would ask for my money back. Screw the fix(es), time to sweep out the no-good stuff. And I would absolutely ask for brass and die and bullet expenses to be reimbursed.

CA is probably dancing on the head of a pin to avoid a lawsuit they will lose. I would show no mercy.
 
Saw this somewhere... chamber not cut center of bore.

I never ejected a loaded round during workup, but for kicks and giggles did it just before boxing it up and mailing it back to the factory. About 40% of the bullet has engravings on the bearing surface, the opposite side 60% does not
An off center chamber will definitely cause pressure issues as the bullet changes directions trying to find the bore. I've seen it many times over the years. I'm guessing they didn't proof fire the gun, or they should have seen the pressure signs.
 

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