Federal's 7mm Back Country - What is your opinion?

[JG26Irish_2]

80000 psi rather than 80000 cup

You are correct. 80,000 psi = 64,579 cup if my math is correct.

 

[Str8meat]

Buddy at work bought one, hasn’t received it yet in a Christensen ridgeline. Smaller cartridge than I expected when I looked at the box of ammo on his desk. I have a 7 rem mag that shoots Berger 168’s to a .311 group and 175 partitions within .75. Plus a 28 nosler that I simply feel like it’s part of me, when I carry it. Hard pressed for another 7 in the battery.

 

[Hillbilly Marine]

I am in the category of an answer to a question that shouldn't be asked. The area it operates in is full of a bunch of rounds already. Honestly, I can't see enough difference between the 7mm PRC, 7mm Weatherby Magnum, or .28 Hornady for that matter for the 7 BC to exist.

 

[Cannonball]

I live in Pike County Illinois, a large whitetail hunting destination.
When I am harvesting in the fall and go to the farm store to get parts or supplies, I have trouble finding somewhere to park for all the lifted 3/4 diesel pickups with camper shells and stupid stickers. Once I get inside and collect my items I have to wait behind half a dozen 45-60 year old men wearing Sitka camouflage and Oakley sunglasses who seem to have nothing to do but be in the way.
These are the same men who brag about their new rifle in the latest caliber with a camouflage stock with threaded barrel.
We are the exception on AH, not the rule.

Well said. Here in eastern NC the same guys are duck hunting driving the same trucks - complete with said stickers and camo shotguns are also pulling a high priced duck boat of some description.

 

[Doug3006]

Those city slickers that dress funny and get in your way at the farm store spend millions of dollars in your communities. Ask the local farm & home retailer, the gas stations and the owner of the local diner if they value the out of town crowd. Bet they count on them for a significant portion of their yearly revenue. Ask your fellow land owners if they lease their ground to someone who lives out of town…and whether they value the fees those guys pay. The taxes on the stuff the City Guys buy go to fund your schools, maintain your roads, and conserve the wildlife on public and private lands alike.

As you may have guessed, I'm one of those guys who gets in your way at the farm store…..less the Oakleys and the Sitka gear. Me and my friends have an excellent relationship with the landowner who leases us his ground. I’ve had some acquaintances (of the past-acquaintance variety) who liked to make fun of the “yokels”. I had no patience for them, since I was the first generation in my family who did not grow up raising cotton.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

@Doug3006 I know I generalized the situation and probably shouldn’t have. I know several of the out of state hunters are true gentlemen in every description of the word.
However many act like they are more important than their fellow man, and some even act like they are doing you a favor by being there. Several have a smug attitude that rubs anyone the wrong way.
I’ve found several headless deer carcasses in ditches. And most simply refuse to shoot a doe. They all have to plant food plots to add to the surplus population, then wonder why we get diseases.
As for the boost to the local economy, I feel that we could do without the inflated land prices.
While it’s true that some people have made their livelihood out of catering to the deer hunters, we are not dependent on them whatsoever.
The attitude of most really nullifies any good they can do.

 

[Rifleman97]

Recently Federal announced their new 7mm Back Country. It is a high speed 7mm that produces magnum performance from a std action sized rifle without the need for belted cartridges. In fact it uses a proprietary Peak Alloy steel casing to enable rifles to fire 7mm ammo at significantly higher pressures (~80,000 CUP).

I own a 270 Win, a 7mm/08 and a 7mm Mag and am asking myself, "Why would I buy the new 7mmBC?" I am curious what you experienced hunters and riflemen from AH think about the new toy from Federal? I am not in the gun or ammo industry but have extensive hunting and shooting experience with a variety of rifles and ammo. For me Precision, Accuracy and Terminal performance are all more important than how fast or flat or short a cartridge may or may not be. I love Federal and their ammo is some of the best overall on the market but, This new offering has not blown me away.

My opinion? The 7mmBC is a likely barrel burner since it is running pressures about 20% higher than magnums. It is also a candidate for future dead cartridge of the year IMO if only because the proprietary steel case prevents other ammo suppliers from selling ammo for the new wundar-weapon. That is a recipe for future failure if it does not catch on fast, what is to keep Federal from killing it? How would Hornady, or Barnes or others make ammo for this new market? License the case design from Federal? Why would Federal give up their market position?

Example: I own a 338 Ruger Compact Magnum. It was developed by Ruger with Hornady to field a short action rifle that hits with the thump of a 338 Win Mag all with only a 20" bbl. What is not to like about that? Hornady claims 2750fps from 225g ammo and my Chrono backs that up with ave vel of 2725fps from my M77 Hawkeye. That is 97% of the speed gleaned from a 338WM and a 24" bbl. Impressive. The problem is the stellar speeds are achieved using Hornady's proprietary Superformance powder blending technology and nobody else on the planet could achieve those stunning results and so, nobody made ammo for the new cartridge except for Hornady. You can still get ammo for it but only in one flavor: Hornady 225g SST. I would love to load it with Barnes TSX or Nosler AB's but cannot get within 100fps of the factory loads. In mu opinion, within 10-15yrs the 7mmBC will be in the same ballpark. If you buy one, buy a lifetime supply of ammo for it. Not hard for a hunter. 10 boxes would last me a long time. Give us you opinion?

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I would fight the guess that it’s a barrel burner. While fire cracking from heat definitely affect bore life, the biggest factor in barrel wear is throat erosion, caused by the bullet cutting grooves into itself with the barrel. Being that the velocities are pretty similar to the 7mm rem mag, I’d bet money that the backcountry barrel life is within 10% of the rem mag. And since it’s getting there with less powder burnt, it might even have a bit better life.

The benefit of higher pressures is being able to burn less powder, less powder means less recoil.

I think it’s a good idea, I think a lot of people don’t like new ideas, and as such it most likely will be a commercial failure.

 

[Altitude sickness]

That’s exactly what is being reported. Less barrel and throat wear. Thousands of rounds have been run through them at this point.

 

[CoElkHunter]

In the year of our Lord nineteen hundred twenty three, Winchester developed perfection and released it two years later. One hundred years on, I still see no reason to choose much else in its weight class, including high pressure guff like this. I vote future Dead Cartridge (and get off my lawn)...

Long live the .270 WINCHESTER!