.28 Nosler vs 7mm PRC: Cartridge Clash

In 2014, 6.5s were the hottest trend, and Nosler introduced its first branded centerfire cartridge that year, the .26 Nosler. The .26 stirred up some interest but nothing like the second cartridge in the Nosler line, the .28 Nosler. Nicknamed the “new herd bull” in Nosler marketing materials, the .28 drives a 160-grain .284-inch AccuBond bullet from the muzzle at 3,300 fps.

The beltless case is based on a shortened 7mm Rem. Ultra Mag, with a .550-inch maximum body diameter against a .534-inch rebated rim. The cartridge will function with a standard magnum bolt face, and with a cartridge overall length of 3.340 inches it will fit in a standard-length action. The case features a 35-degree shoulder and holds 93 grains of water.

The .28 Nosler is the company’s most popular round, and it’s particularly popular with Western hunters who want the reach it provides. Savage, Browning, Christensen Arms, Fierce and Nosler chamber it in their guns.

The .28 Nosler seemed like it would hang on to the title of hottest new 7mm cartridge until Hornady introduced the 7mm PRC in 2022. The round was a natural progression because Hornady already had its 6.5 and .300 PRCs, and like those, the 7mm PRC was built for long, high-BC bullets. The case was designed to offer velocities pushing 3,000 fps with a 175-grain bullet, and with an overall length of 3.340, the 7mm PRC fits in standard length actions.

Speed and Finesse

The battle between the .28 Nosler and 7mm PRC is a fight between raw speed and finesse. The .28 Nosler, with its large case capacity, offers impressive muzzle velocities. The listed 3,300 fps velocity for the 160-grain Accu-Bond load is 300 fps faster than the 7mm PRC with a 160-grain CX monolithic bullet. The .28 pushes a 175-grain AccuBond Long Range about 125 fps faster than the 7mm PRC pushes a 175-grain ELD-X bullet.

When zeroed at 200 yards, the .28 Nosler 175-grain ABLR load drops 16 inches at 400 yards and 118 at 800. The PRC, by comparison, drops 17.2 inches at 400 when zeroed at 200 yards and 125.7 inches at 800 yards. Not only does the .28 Nosler shoot faster, it also packs more energy. Muzzle energy for the 175-grain Nosler round is 3,794 ft.-lbs., almost exactly 300 ft.-lbs. more than the PRC.

But these raw data don’t tell the whole story. The 7mm PRC calls for a 1:8 twist to handle really heavy, high-BC bullets from 180 grains and heavier. If you’re interested in shooting your 7mm at extreme distances, such bullets matter. The Nosler has a slower 1:9 twist, which is not optimized for the heaviest 7mm bullets, and they may make the cartridge too long for factory chambers.

All that extra powder held in the .28 Nosler’s case generates a lot of recoil—noticeably more than the 7mm PRC—and muzzle blast. The .28 is overbore, and it will reduce barrel life as well, although most hunters will never shoot a rifle enough to wear out a barrel like match shooters do.

Hits and Misses

Both cartridges are extremely versatile and suitable for everything from goats and antelope to elk and moose at extended ranges. Ammunition for both is widely available, although the price of .28 Nosler ammo is markedly higher. Premium 7mm PRC factory ammunition sells for under $65 a box, while most 28 Nosler ammunition hovers between $80 and $100.

There are probably more companies chambering the 7mm PRC than the .28 Nosler, but it’s close, and finding a rifle chambered in either isn’t an issue.

The 7mm PRC is an efficient, modern cartridge that serves double duty as a long-range target and hunting round. The .28 Nosler is mostly suitable for those applications, too, but it achieves its goals with more powder and recoil. Both are good cartridges that are suitable for almost any job you’d ask of a 7mm.

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