Hunting construction
Soft-point, bonded, partitioned, and monolithic expanding bullets are designed differently. Their intended impact-velocity ranges and use cases come from the bullet or ammunition manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · SPORTING & MATCH RIFLE
.300 PRC
Precision Rifle Cartridge is a beltless .30-caliber magnum designed around long, streamlined bullets. It is distinct from .300 Winchester Magnum and .300 Norma Magnum.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 3.575–3.700 in
90.805–93.980 mm - Case length · max
- 2.580 in
65.532 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.3084 in
7.833 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.532 in
13.513 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Sporting & match rifle
- Bullet specification
- 0.3084 in / 7.833 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 7 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 165–225 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.300 PRC is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 300 Precision Rifle Cartridge. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
PRC, RUM, WSM, and Winchester Magnum are different cartridge names, not load levels of one .300 cartridge.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
Hornady released the .300 Precision Rifle Cartridge in 2018 after a development program the company described as spanning roughly a decade. Its starting point was the .375 Ruger case family. The design centered on long, heavy-for-caliber .30-caliber bullets and the cartridge-and-chamber geometry needed to accommodate them, rather than on reproducing the proportions of an older belted magnum.
Its early history crossed the sporting and military markets. In December 2018 Hornady announced a Department of Defense ammunition contract following extended-range evaluation, alongside a contract for Barrett MRAD rifles in the chambering. The initial commercial offerings included a 225-grain ELD Match load and a 212-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter load. Those introductions show the intended dual audience: precision competition and hunting, with a separate military procurement role. The PRC name records that precision-rifle development program; it does not denote a variant of the .300 Winchester Magnum.
Historical sources: Hornady: December 2018 .300 PRC development and contract announcement ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Match construction
Open-tip match and tipped match bullets prioritize consistency and aerodynamics. A match designation does not by itself mean the projectile was designed for hunting expansion.
Specialty offerings
Lead-free, reduced-recoil, and premium long-range products are separate load designs when offered. Compare the exact SKU, bullet weight, test barrel, and intended role rather than relying on a cartridge-wide average.
In the cited .300 PRC examples, bullet weights are 165, 174, 190, 210, 212, 225 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
165 grains
3,200 fps
SST®
190 grains
3,000 fps
CX®
212 grains
2,860 fps
ELD-X
Compare all 7 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady82163 | 165 gr 10.69 g | SST® | 3,200 fps 975 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 187 ↗ |
| Hornady82168 | 174 gr 11.28 g | ELD-VT® | 3,150 fps 960 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 187 ↗ |
| Hornady82164 | 190 gr 12.31 g | CX® | 3,000 fps 914 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 187 ↗ |
| FederalP300PRCTA3 | 210 gr 13.61 g | TERMINAL ASCENT | 2,850 fps 869 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
| FederalP300PRCELDX1 | 212 gr 13.74 g | ELD-X | 2,860 fps 872 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
| Hornady82166 | 212 gr 13.74 g | ELD-X® | 2,860 fps 872 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 187 ↗ |
| Hornady82162 | 225 gr 14.58 g | ELD® Match | 2,810 fps 856 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 187 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.300 PRC: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 165 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 3200; 100: 2974; 200: 2759; 300: 2555; 400: 2360; 500: 2174 |
| 174 gr Hornady ELD-VT® | Hornady | 0: 3150; 100: 2974; 200: 2806; 300: 2644; 400: 2488; 500: 2338 |
| 190 gr Hornady CX® | Hornady | 0: 3000; 100: 2834; 200: 2675; 300: 2521; 400: 2372; 500: 2229 |
| 210 gr Federal TERMINAL ASCENT | Federal | 0: 2850; 100: 2711; 200: 2575; 300: 2444; 400: 2317; 500: 2193 |
| 212 gr Federal ELD-X | Federal | 0: 2860; 100: 2720; 200: 2585; 300: 2453; 400: 2325; 500: 2202 |
| 225 gr Hornady ELD® Match | Hornady | 0: 2810; 100: 2692; 200: 2577; 300: 2465; 400: 2356; 500: 2250 |
| 212 gr Hornady ELD-X® | Hornady | 0: 2860; 100: 2723; 200: 2589; 300: 2460; 400: 2334; 500: 2212 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .300 PRC?
Precision Rifle Cartridge is a beltless .30-caliber magnum designed around long, streamlined bullets. It is distinct from .300 Winchester Magnum and .300 Norma Magnum.
What diameter does .300 PRC use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.3084 inches (7.833 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
PRC, RUM, WSM, and Winchester Magnum are different cartridge names, not load levels of one .300 cartridge.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 119 ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 187 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗
- Hornady: December 2018 .300 PRC development and contract announcement ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.